Choose two topics in environmental ethics that most interest you. These may come from the list we have so far, or a topic that is not on the list that you find important to research.
Do some preliminary research into both topics so that you know what the topic entails. For each topic, please type your answers to the following questions. Fill out separate sheets for each topic. Eventually, you will pick one of these two topics as the focus for your paper(s).
Summary Question: What is the basic environmental issue?
- Goal: Summarize in two-three sentences what is the issue?
Science Question: What are the basic scientific aspects of the issue?
- Goal: Identify the relevant scientific terms and systems for this issue.
- E.g.: In order to understand global warming you will need to know something about the atmosphere, land/sea ice, oceanic currents, and fossil fuel consumption.
Geography Question: Where in the world is this issue most prevalent?
- Goal: Identify the geographical region of the issue. Be as specific as possible here.
- E.g.: Environmental Justice includes a certain set of issues in urban midwestern United States — it entails another set in rural Ghana.
Worldview/Religions Question: What are the major worldviews and religions in this part of the world?
- Goal: Understand the prevalent religious/cultural/moral frameworks of the region?
- E.g.: Large corporate farms are an environmental issue in Vermont. This major worldviews/religions in this part of the world include Christianity and American Romanticism and Agrianism. In addition, there is a tradition of small scale, independent, social groupings and a suspicion of large political and economic entities.
Current Activism Question: Who are some of the players involved in addressing this issue?
- Goal: Understand both who is concerned about this and what is their background?
- E.g.: Wilderness conservation is a major concern of organizations like the U.S. Forest service, National Park Service, the timber industry, and the Nature Conservancy. Each of these has their own mission and view of the land. This especially comes to a head in the northwestern U.S., which is in need of economic growth and thus jobs for its non-urban citizens.
