Are we the most important species on the planet or are we just another one of the earth’s millions of lifeforms?

Your environmental worldview is the assumption and belief that you have about how the natural world works and how you think you should interact with the environment. Your environmental worldview is determined partly by your worldview, your culture, your geography, your upbringing, religion and environmental ethic; what you believe about what is right and what is wrong in your behavior toward the environment.

For example: Below are some important ethical questions relating to the environment

Why should we care about the environment?

Are we the most important species on the planet or are we just another one of the earth’s millions of lifeforms?

Do we have an obligation to see that our activities do not cause the extinction of other species? If so, should we try to protect all species or only some? How do we decide which to protect and who gets to decide?

Do we have an ethical obligation to pass the natural world on to future generations in a condition that is as good or better than we inherited?

Should every person be entitled to equal protection from environmental hazards regardless of race, gender, age, national origin, income, social class, or any other factor? (This is the central ethical and political issue for what is known as the environmental justice movement)

Should we seek to live more sustainably and if so how?

Assignment:

1. How would you answer each of the questions ?

2. Pose these questions to someone you know and compare your answers. Are they different? Consider and explain what might be the cause of the differences or similarities.