Understanding Environmentalism

• Environmentalism encompasses environmental ethics and laws.

Environmentalism

• Refers to an ideology, broad philosophy, and social movement.
• Considers the concerns of environmental protection and environmental health improvement.
• Integrates the effect on animals, plants, humans, and abiotic factors due to environmental changes.
• Movement seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment.
• Achieved through changes to environmentally harmful human activities.

Ideology of Environmental Movements

• Essential element of a social movement.
• Action-driven and provides a framework for the movement.
• Two ideological orientations:
  • Ecocentric Ideology:
    • More radical.
    • Places the environment first.
    • Argues for fundamental change in existing social and economic uses of nature.
  • Technocratic Ideology:
    • Orthodox.
    • Considers that the environment can be rationally treated within the existing structure.

Viewpoints for Environmental Movement

• Ecocentric Viewpoint:
  • Integrates social, spiritual, and environmental dimensions into a holistic ideal.
• Anthropocentric Viewpoint:
  • Argues that humans must sustainably manage the global system using tools like taxes, environmental regulation, and legislation.
• Technocentric Viewpoint:
  • Argues technological developments can provide solutions to environmental problems.

Social Ecology

• Believes in the interdependence of the socio-cultural domains and biophysical domains.
• Roots lie in the interconnections it forms between society and ecology.
• Social Ecology is the hierarchal arrangement of authoritarian mentality, and that power has been planted in the society.

Deep Ecology

• Environmental and ecological philosophy promotes inherent value of living beings.
• This is regardless of their utility to human requirements.
• Advocates reconstruction of modern human societies in accordance with these ideas.
• Asserts that all life has an equal right to live on Earth and the interests of other living beings should also be valued as that of humans.

Shallow Ecology

• Rejects ecocentrism and biocentrism.
• Considers nothing wrong with the anthropocentric view.
• Nature is there to serve human interests, sometimes called instrumental value.

Radical Ecology

• Focuses on solutions to environmental crisis more beneficial than market incentives or technological fixes.
• Evaluative approach that works through thought and praxis.
• Focuses on how to resist the destructive process of industrial growth and socio-economic systems.
• Helps achieve new strategies for living which follows the natural world.

Environmental Ethics

• Branch of ethical thought that focuses on the relationship between humans and the environment.
• Holistic approach to understanding and evaluating our moral obligations to protect and preserve the environment.

Importance of Environmental Ethics

• Essential for protecting the environment, species, and resources.
• Promotes sustainable practices and encourages people to become more aware of their actions' impact.
• Emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living things and the need to respect them.
• Encourages consideration of our place in the world and how we can contribute to preserving the natural environment.
• Helps build better relationships with nature, recognizing its intrinsic value, not just its instrumental value.
• Encourages considering the long-term implications of our actions beyond immediate needs.
• Teaches responsibility towards our environment, advocating for environmentally friendly practices.
• Promotes better public policies and laws to ensure our environment is properly cared for.

Types of Environmental Ethics

• Libertarian Extension:
  • Focuses on an individual's right to do whatever they want with the environment and its resources.
  • Stresses individuals should not impose their own values on others and should respect their choices.
  • Promotes an individual's right to use natural resources.
• Ecological Extension:
  • Focuses on preserving the natural environment and its resources.
  • Aims to maintain the balance and health of the ecosystem.
  • Stresses the importance of humans working with nature to sustain it for future generations.
  • Encourages humans to work with nature.
• Conservation Ethics:
  • Focuses on preserving natural resources for future generations.
  • Achieved by ensuring that current resources are not depleted or damaged beyond repair.
  • Encourages individuals to use natural resources responsibly and judiciously.
  • Emphasizes sustainable use of natural resources.

Environmental Laws

• Regulations, statutes, local, national and international legislation, and treaties.
• Designed to protect the environment from damage.
• Explain the legal consequences of such damage towards governments, private entities, or individuals.
• Desire by businesses and regulators to improve ethical principles.
• Achieved by setting regulation and industry standards for operating licenses.

Republic Act 9003: Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000

• Aims to adopt a systematic, comprehensive, and ecological solid waste management program.
• Ensures the protection of public health and environment.
• Ensures proper segregation, collection, storage, treatment, and disposal of solid waste.
• Achieved through the formulation and adaptation of best eco-waste products.

Republic Act 9275: Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004

• Protects the country's water bodies from pollution from land-based sources.
• Land based sources include industries, commercial establishments, agriculture, and community/household activities.
• Provides comprehensive and integrated strategy to prevent and minimize pollution.
• Uses a multi-sectoral and participatory approach involving all the stakeholders.

Republic Act 8749: Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999

• Aims to achieve and maintain clean air that meets National Air Quality guideline values for criteria pollutants.
• Applies throughout the Philippines, while minimizing possible associated impacts to the economy.

Republic Act 6969: Toxic Substances, Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990

• Regulates, restricts, or prohibits the import, manufacture, processing, sale, distribution, use, and disposal of chemical substances and mixtures.
• Addresses substances that present unreasonable risk to human health.
• Prohibits the entry, even in transit, of hazardous and nuclear wastes and their disposal into the Philippine territorial limits for whatever purpose.
• Provides advancement and facilitate research and studies on toxic chemicals.

Presidential Decree 1586: Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) System of 1978

• Environment Impact Assessment System was formally established in 1978.
• Facilitates the attainment and maintenance of rational and orderly balance between socio-economic development and environmental protection.
• EIA is a planning and management tool that helps government, decision makers, the proponents, and the affected community address negative consequences or risks on the environment.
• The process assures implementation of environment-friendly projects.

Presidential Decree No. 856: Philippine Sanitation Code

• Sets sanitary standards for drinking water, food, and other business establishments.
• Sets standards for industrial hygiene, schools, health services, markets, slaughterhouses, transport vehicles, terminals, lodging areas, and infrastructures.
• Regulates nuisances (anything that injures health, endangers life, offends senses, or produces discomfort to the community).
• Regulates activities concerning dead persons, their funeral, and remains.

Presidential Decree No. 1067: Water Code of the Philippines

• Governs the ownership, allocation, utilization, control, conservation, and the overall administration of all waters and water resources in the country.
• Governed through the National Water Resources Board.