SOC101Y1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 17: Sustainable Development, Externality, Corporate Social Responsibility
Tipping point: critical threshold - when a slow/gradual process
reaches a tipping point it will, with little/no warning, rapidly
accelerate causing dramatic changes --> ecological systems are
close
□
When earth reaches tipping, no longer have resources
□
Many environmental problems originate in relationship between
nature and society --> structure of institution and policies
□
The Earth in Danger
▪
Environmental problems have social and biophysical bases
□
Partly the result of human intervention in nature, such as
industrial and transportation activities
Most societies rely on burning fossil fuels
Relationships among industry, the state, environmental
movement
Climate change as a sociological issue
□
Tragedy arises when people try to maximize their personal
economic gain by exploiting the commons
Companies profit from increased production, but does not
have to pay the costs associated --> society does
Pollution is an externality because its cost is externalized
from the private company to state / society
Grows when many companies engage in detrimental
environmental pursuits --> commons destroyed
Tragedy of the Commons
□
Incorporating the Environment into Sociological Analysis
▪
Introduction
○
Did not become prominent until the 1970s
▪
Before, only wanted to protect resources, no concern for companies
▪
'Silent Spring' --> sparked movements, demand for government
regulation
▪
Club of Rome : researchers to explore --> published report
▪
1980s : discovery of hole in ozone
▪
Sustainable development : dual needs of protecting the environment
and allowing economic growth
▪
Risk-society thesis: developing welfare states of Western
world were preoccupied with issues relating to distribution
of social goods, including wealth, educational
opportunities, consumer goods, income, and property
Economic contingency logic : larger proportion of the
Environmental Attitudes
□
Environmental Concern
▪
Development of Environmental Awareness / Concern
○
“Sociology and the Environment,” in Commit Sociology, vol 2 p174-195
Reading 2.6: Environment, Science, and Technology
March 1, 2017
12:00 PM
READINGS Page 152
Document Summary
12:00 pm (cid:23560)s(cid:23474)(cid:23462)(cid:23468)(cid:23474)(cid:23471)(cid:23474)(cid:23466)y a(cid:23473)(cid:23463) t(cid:23467)(cid:23464) e(cid:23473)v(cid:23468)r(cid:23474)(cid:23473)(cid:23472)(cid:23464)(cid:23473)t,(cid:23561) (cid:23468)(cid:23473) c(cid:23474)(cid:23472)(cid:23472)(cid:23468)t s(cid:23474)(cid:23462)(cid:23468)(cid:23474)(cid:23471)(cid:23474)(cid:23466)y, v(cid:23474)(cid:23471) (cid:23413) (cid:23475)(cid:23412)74-195. Tipping point: critical threshold - when a slow/gradual process reaches a tipping point it will, with little/no warning, rapidly accelerate causing dramatic changes --> ecological systems are close. When earth reaches tipping, no longer have resources. Many environmental problems originate in relationship between nature and society --> structure of institution and policies. Partly the result of human intervention in nature, such as industrial and transportation activities. Tragedy arises when people try to maximize their personal economic gain by exploiting the commons. Companies profit from increased production, but does not have to pay the costs associated --> society does. Pollution is an externality because its cost is externalized from the private company to state / society. Grows when many companies engage in detrimental environmental pursuits --> commons destroyed. Before, only wanted to protect resources, no concern for companies. "silent spring" --> sparked movements, demand for government regulation.