Sociology of Environment

1
Sociology of Environment

• Week 8 A 10-17-05
• Economics Environment Globalization
  Privatization

2
Overview

• Welcome Week 8
• Business Exams
• Brief Review Economics Environment
• Water Facts
• Video Thirst

3
Brief Review Economic of the Commons

• Economics Environment (from 10-10)
• Tragedy of the Commons (Hardin)
• What is a commons?
• Solutions to the Commons?
• Control Access
• Public Ownership (regulation of users)
• Privatization (Private Property Ownership)
• Problems with Either Solution
• Public Ownership inefficiencies
• Privatization does not assure social justice,
  human rights preservation of the environment
• Possible Exception Market solutions
  (privatization in strong institutional (i.e.
  governmental) settings

4
Water Facts

• Water is the most abundant resource on Earth,
  covering about 71 of the planet's surface.
• About 98 of this volume is in the world's oceans
  and inland seas and is too salty for drinking,
  growing crops, or for most industrial uses.
• Only about 3 is freshwater, but nearly all of
  that amount (87) is locked in ice caps or
  glaciers, in the atmosphere or soil, or deep
  underground.
• If the world's total water supply of freshwater
  were only 100 liters, the useable supply of
  freshwater would be only 0.003 liters or one-half
  a teaspoon.
• Freshwater- Oil of the 21st Century. Bottled
  Water - 30 billion/ year industry