Lesson 7 Human-Environment Systems PDF

SH1911 Human–Environment System I. System and System Diagram Humans have the capacity to interact with their environment through “mutual” interaction. Humans can change or influence the balance of society and can always adapt t...

SH1911 Human–Environment System I. System and System Diagram Humans have the capacity to interact with their environment through “mutual” interaction. Humans can change or influence the balance of society and can always adapt to the environment. The environment is a complex of many variables that surrounds man and living organisms. It includes water, air, and land and their interrelationships, and human beings and other living creatures such as plants, animals, and micro-organisms (Kalavathy, 2004). The system may be described as a complex of interacting components together with the relationships among them that permit the identification of a boundary-maintaining entity or process and form some aggregated whole. For example, the subject as a system will have many components, such as courseware, task performance, instructor, and students. These components interact with each other to form the subject. The components can also have their own systems. For instance, the subject’s courseware has handouts, supplemental readings, and learning activities. Each of these topic components can be thought of as a system, too. To help visualize and understand systems, use a system diagram. A system diagram displays the system’s components and the interactions between them. See Figure 1 for a simple system diagram showing the human–environment systems in which both impact each other. Figure 1. Simple Human–Environment Systems Diagram II. Human–Environment Systems Human–environment system is an interdisciplinary approach to social science that bridges the gap between and integrates knowledge from social science and the natural sciences into one framework in the study of the environment and social issues. Also known as Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS), human–environment system is an integrated scientific framework for studying the interface and reciprocal interactions that link humans (economic, social, etc.) to natural (hydrological, atmospheric, biological, etc.) subsystems of the planet. It follows the idea that social and natural systems are inseparable. They are always together and affect each other. Research in the human–environment systems are increasing in frequency in scientific literature, and most of them deal with topics about the issue of sustainability and conservation ecosystems and society. These research tackle broader investigations into the complex nature of reciprocating interactions and feedback between humans in the environment and the effect of the environment on humans. 07 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 1 of 4  SH1911 III. Key Concepts of Human-Environment System Human–Environment Interactions and Landscapes Human–environment interaction is a phenomenon that describes how human beings interact with the environment to obtain their needs from it, and how the environment, in turn, responds to this interaction. Moreover, it indicates how humans themselves have to adapt to the environment to ensure their survival. It is complex because ecosystems and human social systems have many parts and many connections between these parts. It is adaptive because they have feedback structures that promote survival in a constantly changing environment. The landscape is an important concept in the study of CHANS. It refers not only to the beautiful spot that can be viewed from a specific perspective, but it is also the mixture of environmental and human phenomena that coexist in a specific place on Earth. Landscapes include physical features such as rivers, hills, forests, and soils, and human-made buildings, roads, bridges, and mines. The concept of landscapes refers to both human and non-human phenomena, stressing the idea that, in reality, it is impossible to absolutely separate humans from non-humans. A good example of landscapes is Banaue Rice Terraces, a scenery with a closely joined human– environment system: the Ifugaos built terraces because the environment was hilly (impact of the environment to humans). The terrace structure itself makes crops easier to harvest by hand (impact of human to the environment). The Thematic and Mental Maps Using the human–environment systems approach in studying geography, anthropology, and sociology may involve employing the thematic and mental maps, which help to understand the landscape and an individual’s sense of place, among other things. A thematic map is a type of map especially intended to show a particular theme that is connected with a certain geographic area. It can depict physical, social, political, cultural, economic, sociological, agricultural, or any other aspects of a city, state, region, nation, or continent. It is also formulated to serve a special purpose, which is to illustrate a particular subject, unlike a general map that comprises a variety of phenomena appearing together, such as landforms, lines of transportation, settlements, and political boundaries. It emphasizes spatial variation of one or more geographic distributions. Knowing the locations and characteristics of people, places, and environments is a necessary precursor to—and outcome of—geographic learning and thinking. An effective way of doing this is to develop and use what is called a mental map: an individual’s internalized representation of aspects of Earth’s surface. These maps in the mind are what a person knows about the locations and characteristics of places at a variety of scales, from the local (the layout of a person’s bedroom) to the global (the distribution of oceans and continents across Earth). These are a combination of objective knowledge and subjective perceptions: knowledge about the location of geographic features, impressions of places, rough estimates of size and location, and a general sense of the connections between places. Spatial Distribution and Spatial Processes Geography includes spatial distributions, or the study of why things vary from place to place on Earth, and anything that can be mapped (e.g., language of a country, temperatures in an ocean, the spread of forest fires in a region, and the ethnic demographics of a city). Spatial distribution is the arrangement of a phenomenon across the Earth’s surface. The graphical display of such an arrangement is a significant tool in geographical and environmental statistics. 07 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 2 of 4  SH1911 A spatial process explains how people came to live in a certain area as it answers why a certain spatial distribution exists. It refers to the process that is involved in every spatial distribution that can be mapped. IV. The Environmental and Social Issues Environmental issues may present themselves as temporary or permanent changes to the atmosphere, water, and land due to human activities, which can result in impacts that may either be reversible or irreversible. Pollution: Pollution of air, water, and soil require millions of years to recoup. Industry and motor vehicle exhaust are the number one pollutant. Heavy metals, nitrates, and plastic are toxins responsible for pollution. Water pollution is caused by an oil spill, acid rain, or urban runoff; air pollution is caused by various gases and toxins released by industries and factories and combustion of fossil fuels; and soil pollution is majorly caused by industrial waste that deprives soil from essential nutrients. Global Warming: Climate changes like global warming are the result of human practices like emission of Greenhouse gases. Global warming leads to rising temperatures of the oceans and the Earth’s surface, causing the melting of polar ice caps, a rise in sea levels, and unnatural patterns of precipitation such as flash floods, excessive snow, or desertification. Natural Resource Depletion: Natural resource depletion is another crucial current environmental problem. Fossil fuel consumption results in the emission of greenhouse gases, which are responsible for global warming and climate change. Globally, people are making efforts to shift to renewable sources of energy like solar, wind, biogas, and geothermal energy tha the cost of installing the infrastructure and maintaining these sources has plummeted in recent years. Waste Disposal: Waste disposal is one of the urgent current environmental problems.The overconsumption of resources and the creation of plastics are creating a global crisis of waste disposal. According to Climate Policy Watcher, developed countries are notorious for producing an excessive amount of garbage and dumping their waste in the oceans and less developed countries. Nuclear waste disposal has tremendous health hazards associated with it. Plastic, fast food, packaging, and cheap electronic wastes threaten the well-being of humans. Climate Change: Climate change is yet another environmental problem that has surfaced in the last decades. It occurs due to the rise in global warming, or an increase in temperature of the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels and releasing harmful gases. Climate change has various harmful effects such as the melting of polar ice, change in seasons, occurrence of new diseases, frequent occurrence of floods, and change in overall weather conditions. A social issue is a problem that influences a considerable number of individuals within a society. It is often the consequence of factors extending beyond an individual’s control and the source of conflicting opinions on the grounds of what is perceived as morally just personal life or societal order. Practically speaking, social issues are generally limited to domestic public policy issues. Military policies, for instance, certainly fit this definition, though these are not normally considered social issues. Poverty: Poverty is a major social problem in the Philippines, with 16.1 percent of the Filipino population earning an income below the poverty line in 2018, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority released last December 2019. The decline in poverty in the Philippines is slower than that of other nations in the region, For those who depend on farming and fishing for income, economic trends keep them poor, largely due to the misuse of natural resources. Both the society and the government tend to ignore their relationships with the area’s ecology and disregard the massive impacts of solid waste, water, and air pollution on agriculture and health. Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: The Philippine Supreme Court heard a long-awaited argument in June 2016 that could open the door to same-sex marriage in the overwhelmingly 07 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 3 of 4  SH1911 Catholic country. On May 17, 2018, the city of Mandaluyong approved an ordinance to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people—the latest in a slew of similar local laws passed across the country. HIV Epidemic: The Philippines faces the fastest-growing epidemic of HIV in Asia. According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the number of new HIV cases jumped from 4,400 in 2010 to 12,000 in 2017, the last year for which data were available. Most new infections—up to 83 percent—are among men and transgender women who have sex with men. An estimated 68,000 Filipinos are now living with HIV. Education: Over the years, the educational system of the Philippines has been rocked by controversies that have remained unabated until today. Amidst the welter of issues, two of them have managed to stand out in importance: quality and relevance. The major difficulty in education in the Philippines is the short-sighted policy of sacrificing the quality and quantity of education for reasons of economy. Corruption: High corruption levels severely restrict the efficiency of businesses operating in the Philippines. Extensive bribery within the public administration and vague and complex laws make foreign companies vulnerable to extortion and manipulation by public officials. Favoritism and undue influence are widespread in the courts, leading to time-consuming and unfair dispute resolution and uncertain business environment. V. Strengths and Weaknesses of Human–Environment Systems Strengths Weaknesses Provides a wider view of looking at Rests on the idea that, individually and environmental issues collectively, humans can resolve Highlights the importance of synergy and environmental issues interconnection/interdependence of human Banks on the good nature of humans to society and the environment protect the environment Looks at the human agency not just as a user or environment and other species References: Arcinas, Myla. (2016). Disciplines and ideas in the social sciences. Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc. Cajucom, E. P., Chao Jr., G. Y., Constantino, G. A., Ejares, J. A., Quillope, S. J. G., Solomon, H. M., and Ringor, C. L.: EVALUATION OF THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF EVACUATION CENTERS IN METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES, Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLII-3/W8, 79–85, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-3-W8-79-2019, 2019 dela Cruz, M. (2018, July 3). Mandaluyong City passes LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance. Outrage Magazine. https://outragemag.com/mandaluyong-city-passes-lgbt-anti-discrimination-ordinance/ Environmental and social issues. (n.d.). In International Finance Corporation. https://firstforsustainability.org/risk- management/understanding-environmental-and-social-risk/environmental-and-social-issues/ Jose, M. D. & Ong, J. (2016). Disciplines and ideas in the social sciences. Quezon City: Vibal Group, Inc. Lemmons, R. (2020, January 30). Garbage challenges in developing countries - Waste management. https://www.climate-policy-watcher.org/waste-management/garbage-challenges-in-developing- countries.html Mental mapping and perception. (2015, August 7). In National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/activity/mental-mapping-and-perception/ Philippine Statistics Authority. (2019, December 6). Proportion of poor Filipinos was estimated at 16.6 percent in 2018 [Press release]. https://psa.gov.ph/poverty-press-releases/nid/144752 Rinkesh. (2016, December 25). Current environmental problems that our world is facing. https://www.conserve- energy-future.com/15-current-environmental-problems.php Roth, K. (2019, January 22). World report 2019: Philippines. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country- chapters/philippines Tschakert, P., Zimmerer, K., King, B., Baum, S., & Wang, C. (2014). What Are Coupled Human-Environment Systems? GEOG 30N. https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog30/node/325 07 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 4 of 4