Values Essay -- Ethics, Individualism

The importance of values can not be overstated, they shape our intrinsic motivation (Kollmuss, & Agyeman, 2002, p.251). The significance of looking at values allows us to see the inter-workings behind peoples actions. Too often society sees the natural environment as something available for our use, a set of resources to be consumed(Cohen, 2006, p.13). Our system of values causes great environmental destruction, only a change in the priority of our values will allow us to counter this trend. Our western values and American values in particular are very inward looking as a country and individually. People are naturally concerned with what is immediately in front of them. They put their family above their community, their community above the country. They only deal with problems once they are backed into a corner. Elke Weber's research of a â€Å"finite pool of worry† points to our shortsightedness in the long-term(Gertner, 2009, p.2). When issues like clean air or clean water are directly threatened we are able to act if we perceive the threat to be dangerous enough. We quickly move on to what we feel are other more pressing matters, like the economy. We can see the western society model being adopted by other countries or has a goal to aspire to(Cohen, 2006, p.132). The rise of developing countries to first world states coupled with finite resources means that our quality of life as we know it is unsustainable. Western society has a history of bending the environment to suit our will. The value of convenience and consumption can be best viewed in a city like Los Angeles. For all practical purposes the city of Los Angeles should not exist; there is not a supply of fresh water large enough to support it. The city is spr... ...gement of the ecosystem will allow both ourselves and the environment to benefit; too often with the value of prosperity it is looked at a zero-sum game. In an economic sense would a business be designed to be dependent on a resource that will run out. It makes much more sense to conserve our resources in a more responsible way by relying on renewal resources. Using market system based incentives to promote environmental protection. Economic prosperity is linked to environmental quality (Cohen, 2006, p.24). The idea of cap and trade applies a market based method of controlling and limited pollution. It incorporates the value of the free market combined with pollution controls. A change in the priority of our values will allow us to fight environmental damage. Putting our health and our children's health above the false trade-off of economic well being.