What does it mean to say that an environmental problem is a social problem? What are two social causes of environmental problems? In general, why do environmental sociologists say humans cause environmental problems?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

These events do not just happen in the natural world. They often also effect the relationships people have with the environment and its characteristics. These relationships are all informed by our social lives. Our view of what constitutes an environmental problem has as much to do with effects on people as with events and processes in nature. Those effects are always experienced socially. They depend on how we have organized our lives and the types of information we have received from various social sources. For example, the Chicago heat wave led to high levels of illness and death. Without that human experience, those hot days would be less troubling. We commonly think of something that is a threat to humans as an environmental problem. A situation or process that is unsustainable is another marker of problems in resource use and pollution. That is, if human activities are depleting or degrading resources faster than they can be renewed, the long-term effects are economic, social, and cultural stresses tied to the scarcity of that resource. While it seems the environment is nonsocial because it exists and functions without people, in practice, the only environment we know is one we can see and experience, and when those sights and experiences are unpleasant, the state of the environment becomes a problem.
The creation, identification, and experience of environmental problems are all social. They relate to our beliefs about the environment and how it influences the practices of everyday life.
The causes of environmental problems are also social. We extract too many resources, produce too much stuff, and throw too much stuff away. We use hazardous extraction and production methods and generate toxic materials that we release into the environment. Why do we do this? Environmental sociologists would suggest that our society encourages us to. We economically reward industrial activities that are environmentally harmful, like cheaply producing oil or cutting down trees. Our society says it's normal to live far away from work and commute long distances in personal vehicles. We gain social status by purchasing the latest computer models and throwing the old ones away. In short, we benefit from behaving badly.