Why are there diverse views of man's negative impact on the environment especially as regards air pollution and water pollution?
Thanks for your contribution.
because there is two many types, sources and methods of pollution.
Thank you Makinde for this interesting question for diverse views impact individual behaviour, important in limiting environmental impacts and behaviours of companies they work and that of politicians and communities people live in.
In part I agree with Najah, confusion. What to prioritize first is important since limited funds are available for remediation and prioritization of views can be misguided. Diverse views is one thing but understanding how these views changes to become polarized or in actioned if valid is also important in understanding why. Diverse views may actually be important initially till one arrives at a balanced less polarized consensus. This situation is clouded by propaganda and politicians confusing the masses, together with dumb media journalists the total picture, both negative and positive sentiments, changing to less helpful polarization, or inaction even by scientists, engineers, regulators. A fine line ensures between 'perception and deception', especially via media (as with many things!).
On mass sociological phenomena then takes hold in polarization. Take for example the "detox" your body craze, captivated by money making advertisements to cleans your body of toxins, mostly misguided except when serious metallic chelating is required. Or expensive bottled water in western society. If these monies were redirected to prioritized environmental remediation and sanitation programs elsewhere, better progress would result. As would fighting poverty, corruption, yet even here money can be earned by individuals cleaning up plastic for example, take a drive through Sulawesi for a plastic view of the ground hundreds of metres either side of roads, soil can't be viewed in many areas. On the other hand cleaning up this plastic for sorting and shipping to markets, such as to china reprocessing can be a multi billion dollar business, as it is in the UK. So why not engage the masses with companies to do it for a win-win for both?
Viewpoints intervene. Viewpoint exists between countries as well as within countries. Viewpoints can change positively with informed politicians, it is gaining momentum for waste bottles in Australia, collectors earning a living, the environment benefits. A rare win-win for media as well! However for the extraordinary impacts media has these days, we would all be better off if journalists needed an additional combined degree in science and humanities as a licence to operate! If views could be nuanced, in more beneficial consensus they would be more actioned and net benefits gained with long term progress.
On the other end of the spectrum the 'unseen' deadly menaces still exist; both from natural and increasing anthropogenic pollution, take arsenic for example in drinking waters and food.
It is not widely known each 1 ppb of arsenic in drinking water has measurable effect in terms of cancers. Nor the impact of increasingly polluted irrigation waters laden with metals accumulating in food bowels etc. Diverse and deadly environmental issues require both simple and divers innovative solutions and inactivity is affected by viewpoints.
So I believe Makinde has 'hit the nail on the head' here to focus progress. Apathy, poverty, even wealth from top to bottom of education levels polarize the views of politicians, media, individuals affecting cultural norms in smaller communities, companies, countries that all contribute to diverse views of mans negative environmental impacts.
Informed views can leads to cultural change and informed innovative countries with informed action and net improvements no mater what economic scale of the countries.
If one hero or heroin of some famous film come to park suddenly, it will attract a mob within a few minutes.
If any Noble Lauriate scientist come in a park, even caretakers will not show any importance to him/ her.
It is the difference of attitude of common people towards all the comments passed by the scientific communities!
People's perspective/opinion about any subject is a function of synergy of different factors, among which are level of knowledge about the subject and poverty level.
Madam Makinde -the first thing to appreciate is that human beings are in constant denial when accused of anything they may be responsible for if its effects are negative. Similarly, most pollution problems may not be easily be appreciated at the generating point. This coupled with the out-of-sight, out-of mind mantra, as exhibited by the flash toilet; not many of those who generate the waste are the recipient of the effects/impacts. Its people down-stream the generating sources that suffer the consequence. Go to any posh housing estate in most African Countries with flash toilets, but no sewage treatment plant: do they see the shit they generate? These people just live in a place they see to be clean, but exporting their waste elsewhere. Such waste has impact elsewhere, so their perception is that everything is okay. Similarly, the world has very many wealthy individuals with very little education, such individuals have little perception about pollution: well, they don't see the pollution in their neighborhood anyway. So, this leaves the problem only to those individuals who have the ability to connect the dots between cause and effect relationships. These are the individuals who will have a clear understanding of the consequences of their actions: and, herein, lies the problem.
Ecological pollution is a big global issue. This may be increasing in coming years too. Makinde you raise a good point which need to be discussed.
I agree with Saxena answer:
Ecological pollution is a big global issue. This may be increasing in coming years too. Makinde you raise a good point which need to be discussed.
The only environmental problem in the world is the human being itself. So, we should make ourselves a favor and stop pretending like we really care.
From frontier mentality, the world has been following sustainable mentality. By and large majority of the people have realized that natural resources are limited and have been making attempt to find solutions and seriously act upon it. Though diverse views exist, I am sure the world will return to near zero impact on environment some day. So if you trace back systematically you will find that people's perspective of environmental pollution is gradually changing.
Views may be diverse, but every body agrees there is ever increasing air as well as water pollution due to increasing population and industrialization.
Follow this link
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/6781679/
regards
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