Hello,
A new Green Web Bulletin (#69), entitled "Environmental Problem Solving and Managerial
Environmentalism" is now available. It is mainly based a talk given March 8, 2000, to
a third year class in environmental problem solving, at Dalhousie University, Halifax,
Nova Scotia. The full text (3,500 words, 23 kb) can be obtained by contacting us at
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
The topics covered are:
1. Environmental Problems Come Up Within A Definite World View
a. Marine Protected Areas
b. Industrial or pulpmill forestry
c. Sable gas and pipeline project
2. People Writing About Environmental Issues Are Often Academics And Not Directly
Involved
3. Can Activists And Academics Work Together?
4. My Own Perspective On Environmental Problems
Below is a small excerpt:
1. Environmental Problems Come Up Within A Definite World View
As students you will find that the environmental
problems that you encounter come up within a definite societal
world view. In sociology this has been called the "of course"
world. The society we live in is taken as a given. This world
view is not generally challenged but is accepted. It is within
this world view that environmental problems are usually defined.
Supporters of the philosophy of deep ecology call the outlining
of environmental problems within the world view of industrial
capitalist society "shallow ecology." I myself sometimes use
the term "managerial environmentalism" to describe what you
would be exposed to on this and other campuses, as students
studying environmentalism. The universities, like your School
for Resource and Environmental Studies here on the Dalhousie
Campus, in the main teach managerial environmentalism to their
students. This takes for granted the continuation of industrial
capitalist society, the need for more economic growth and
consumerism, the multi-national corporation as the economic
model, human-centeredness, increasing population growth, etc.
and perhaps, more generally, the subservience of society to
the existing economic system. The concept of 'sustainable
development' which has currency in managerial environmentalism,
means increasing economic growth, plus the illusion of
environmental protection, all in a finite world.
...
Best,
David Orton
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