ENVIRONMENTAL
AWARENESS
Instilling a Sense of Responsibility Towards a Sustainable Future
BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE
ENVIRONMENTALIST MOVEMENT
ENVIRONMENTALISM
Concern for reducing human impacts (Davies,
2020).
A response to global environmental crises
(Thompson, 2002).
Ideology for respecting and preserving nature
(WWF, 2018).
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
Core of the environmentalist movement.
Humans are both the cause and solution to
environmental destruction.
Awareness sparks pro-environmental behavior
(PEB).
PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR
Actions aimed at protecting the environment.
Examples
Green consumerism (eco-friendly purchases).
Composting, recycling, gardening, and outdoor
activities.
Green consumerism: Demand for eco-friendly
products influences production.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF
ENVIRONMENTALISM
ANCIENT ROOTS OF
ENVIRONMENTALISM
Religious and Cultural Traditions
Hyndu hymns praised forests
Taoist belief in protecting nature for harmony
Buddhist compassion for all living beings as
environmentalism.
Myths and stories promoting ecological awareness:
Epic of Gilgamesh: Cutting sacred trees led to divine
punishment.
Greek mythology: Gaia and Artemis defended
wildlife from Orion.
Early environmental management:
Indus civilization (~3,000 B.C.) addressed pollution
and waste.
Plato (~400 B.C.) linked deforestation to soil erosion.
Banaue Rice Terraces (~2,000 years ago) exemplify
sustainable agriculture.
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS IN THE
MIDDLE AGES
Challenges: Soil erosion, insect infestations, and famines
due to agricultural expansion.
Contributions:
Hippocrates’ De aere aquis et locis examined human
ecology.
Galen studied health impacts of environmental issues.
THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
Industrialization caused severe pollution (coal, chemicals,
untreated waste).
Early Laws:
Alkali Acts (1863): Regulated hydrochloric acid emissions.
Smoke Abatement Act (1926): Controlled soot and ash.
Clean Air Act (1956): Response to the "Great Smog of
1952."
THE ROMANTICISM MOVEMENT AND
EARLY ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY
Key Figures:
Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Nature (1835): Appreciated
nature intrinsically.
Henry David Thoreau’s Walden (1854): Advocated
simple living in harmony with nature.
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi’s Jinsei Chirigaku (1903):
Critiqued industrialization’s impact.
Early environmental societies:
Sierra Club (1892): Protected natural landscapes in the
U.S.
National Trust (1895): Conservation of heritage sites in
Netherlands.
MODERN ENVIRONMENTALISM
Milestones:
Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962): Raised awareness
of pesticides (DDT).
Earth Day (1970): First global environmental celebration.
Stockholm Conference (1972): UN’s first conference on
environmental issues.
Organizations and movements:
Greenpeace (1971).
Friends of the Earth (1969).
Chipko Movement in India (1973): Hugging trees to
prevent deforestation.
ENVIRONMENTALISM IN THE
PHILIPPINES
Legislation Milestones:
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) System (1978):
Balanced development and environment.
Clean Air Act (1999): Addressed air quality issues.
Solid Waste Management Act (2000): Promoted
ecological waste management.
Clean Water Act (2004): Protected water bodies from
pollution.
CHALLENGES AND ECOACTIVISM IN
THE 21ST CENTURY
Modern issues: Global warming, plastic pollution,
overpopulation, genetic engineering.
Ecoactivism examples: Tree-sitting campaigns to prevent
deforestation.
Public sentiment:
Declining interest in some regions (e.g., U.S.).
Strong commitment in others to protect Earth's land.
PHILOSOPHICAL
BACKGROUND OF
ENVIRONMENTALISM
• THOMAS ROBERT MALTHUS “ An essay on the Principle
Population”
•BRETSCHGER 2020
•HARDAWAY 1997
•MALTHU’S CONTROVERSIAL THEORY
•Paul Enrich
“FAMILY AS THE NATURAL AND FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF
SOCIETY”
MALTHUSIAN AND NEO-MALTHUSIAN
ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
ENVIRONMENTALISM
ECOCENTRISM
ANTHROPOCENTRISM
BASIC CONCEPTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE
What is Climate change?
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in
temperatures and weather patterns. Such
shifts can be natural, due to changes in the
sun's activity or large volcanic eruptions.
GLOBAL WARMING
Higher temperatures contribute to melting ice
caps, rising sea levels, more extreme weather
events, and disruptions in ecosystems.
GreenHouse Effect
Human activities, especially the burning of
fossil fuels (like coal, oil, and gas),
deforestation, and industrial processes, have
increased the concentration of these
greenhouse gases, intensifying the
greenhouse effect and warming the planet
more than usual.
DEFORESTATION
Deforestation is the purposeful clearing of
forested land. Throughout history and into
modern times, forests have been razed to
make space for agriculture and animal grazing,
and to obtain wood for fuel, manufacturing,
and construction. Deforestation has greatly
altered landscapes around the world.
STRATOSPHERIC OZONE DEPLETION
Stratospheric ozone depletion refers to the thinning or loss
of ozone in the stratosphere, which is a layer of Earth's
atmosphere located about 10 to 30 miles above the ground.
The ozone is very important because it forms an ozone layer
that acts like a shield, protecting life on Earth from harmful
ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun.
STRATOSPHERIC OZONE DEPLETION
ACID DEPOSITION
Acid deposition is when harmful acidic substances fall from
the sky, either as rain, snow, fog, or dust.
When these substance rains down on earth it can
damage plants, buildings, and even animals.
In simple terms, it’s like pollution in the air that falls down
as harmful "acid rain" that can hurt nature and buildings.
THERMAL INVERSION
Thermal inversion is a weather phenomenon where the
normal pattern of air temperature is flipped. Normally, the
air is cooler as you go higher in the atmosphere, but
during a thermal inversion, the air near the ground
becomes cooler than the air above it. This causes the
cooler air to be trapped below the warmer air, like a lid
trapping the cool air in place.
CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE
PHILIPPINES
PHILIPPINE CLIMATE OVERVIEW
The Philippines experiences high temperatures
and humidity year-round.
Average annual temperatures range between
24°C and 27°C.
The country receives an average of 2,348 mm of
rainfall annually.
SEASONAL PATTERNS
The dry season typically lasts from December to
May.
The rainy season usually occurs from June to
November.
Recent years have seen irregular rainfall
patterns, with rain during the dry season.
TYPHOON VULNERABILITY
The Philippines is situated in a region prone to
natural disasters.
The country experiences an average of 19-20
typhoons annually.
About 7-9 typhoons make landfall each year.
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT
The average temperature has increased by
0.62°C from 1958 to 2014.
Sea levels are rising faster than the global
average.
There are more frequent occurrences of extreme
weather events.
SUPER TYPHOON HAIYAN
Typhoon Haiyan, also known as Yolanda, was the
strongest recorded typhoon in 2013.
Over 6,300 people lost their lives.
The economic impact was estimated at US$5.8
billion.
COASTAL THREATS
Coastal flooding threatens low-lying areas.
Many urban populations are at risk due to their
coastal locations.
Coastal cities are particularly vulnerable to
flooding and storm surges.
DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT
Effective disaster risk management is crucial.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council was established under
R.A. 10121.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Plan focuses on prevention,
preparedness, response, and recovery.
CLIMATE CHANGE LEGISLATION
The Climate Change Act of 2009 integrates risk
reduction measures.
Local government units are required to develop
Local Climate Change Action Plans.
The CCC is the main policy formulation agency
for climate change issues.
FUTURE CHALLENGES
The country relies heavily on fossil fuels for
energy.
There is a need to adopt alternative energy
sources like solar and hydroelectric power.
Strong political will is necessary to implement
these changes.
THANK YOU
