ENS2050 Environmental Ethics

Intermediate · 1 credit · NAT - Natural Resources

Description: Students will investigate environmental ethics and identify methods for environmental advocacy.
Prerequisite: None
Supporting courses: ENS1020: Fostering Stewardship

Outcomes The student will:

1 analyze environmental worldviews in a variety of cultures, communities and societies
- 1.1 define environmental worldviews in terms of beliefs and values
- 1.2 investigate ethical principles used to determine environmental behaviour
- 1.3 identify the differences between instrumental (utilitarian) and intrinsic (inherent) values
- 1.4 investigate major human-centred environmental worldviews; e.g., no-problem, free-market, spaceship-Earth
2 compare and contrast life-centred and earth-centred environmental worldviews
- 2.1 analyze life-centred worldviews (stewardship), considering but not limited to:
  - 2.1.1 protection of species and spaces
  - 2.1.2 sustainable development
  - 2.1.3 Earth’s ecological services; e.g., population control, nutrient recycling, climate control, pollution control, waste treatment, biodiversity, pest and disease control
- 2.2 analyze earth-centred worldviews (environmental wisdom), considering but not limited to:
  - 2.2.1 existence of nature for all species
  - 2.2.2 availability and utility of resources
  - 2.2.3 imitation of natural processes (biomimicry)
- 2.3 analyze other related worldviews; e.g., deep ecology, ecofeminism
3 explore whether a life-centred or an earth-centred environmental worldview can build a more environmentally sustainable and just society, and defend the position
- 3.1 identify some of the main components of an environmentally literate society; e.g., respect for all life, understanding and knowledge of Earth’s ecological services, evaluation of environmental consequences
- 3.2 identify methods of acquiring and developing environmental wisdom
- 3.3 investigate how lifestyle changes and choices can affect environmental sustainability and social justice
4 demonstrate basic competencies
- 4.1 demonstrate fundamental skills to:
  - 4.1.1 communicate
  - 4.1.2 manage information
  - 4.1.3 use numbers
  - 4.1.4 think and solve problems
- 4.2 demonstrate personal management skills to:
  - 4.2.1 demonstrate positive attitudes and behaviours
  - 4.2.2 be responsible
  - 4.2.3 be adaptable
  - 4.2.4 learn continuously
  - 4.2.5 work safely
- 4.3 demonstrate teamwork skills to:
  - 4.3.1 work with others
  - 4.3.2 participate in projects and tasks
5 identify possible life roles related to the skills and content of this cluster
- 5.1 recognize and then analyze the opportunities and barriers in the immediate environment
- 5.2 identify potential resources to minimize barriers and maximize opportunities