ENVR 201 Lecture Notes - Commodity Fetishism, Ecosystem Services, Commodification
8 Jan 2013
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Document Summary
Commodity fetishism is a human construct resulting from social relations. Incomparable good and services are made comparable through market exchange. Simplifies the complexity of natural ecosystems for the sake of market transactions. Masks the social relations embedded in the process of ecosystem exchange. Neglect the coevolutionary relationships between humans and nature. Does not look at the different methods of valuation. Signal changes in quality and quantity within the market price. Provisioning services are private goods and open access goods. Cultural and regulating services are more publicly owned. Valued in relation to human needs and desires (extrinsic) Direct and indirect uses of goods and services. The option for future use of goods and services. Choose between options that are characterized by a range of conflicting impacts. We must estimate values of unlike goods and services to decide how to use them. The economy can be sustained with environmental conservation and poverty alleviation. Impacts are converted to commensurable units to simplify decisions.
