“GET YOUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT!”: WHO SHOULD SET OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES?

April 23, 2015

2:30 p.m Welcome and Introduction Dr. Aaron Rizzieri 2:45 p.m. Community Discussion Dr. Aaron Rizzieri 1) What are some choices you could make that would contribute to

improving the environment? 2) How should one prioritize which lifestyle changes are the most important

to make? 3) If your individual acts would be futile on their own and cost you

something, why perform those acts? 4) If regulation is required to make a difference, should it be mandated? If

so, by whom and for which priorities? 3:50 p.m. Closing Questions and Recap of Discussion Community Committee

AGENDA

Special thanks to our partners, supporters and venue hosts!

Thursday, April 23, 2015

2:30 – 4 p.m.

Museum of Northern Arizona

Facilitated by: Dr. Aaron Rizzieri

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The Hot Topics Café is grateful for support from the Mckenzie Endowment for Democracy

1) What are some choices you could make that would contribute to

improving the environment?

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Individuals looking to have a personal impact on improving their environment could

consider some of the following options . Various environmentally conscious persons and

organizations, such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), OMEGA,

or Dara O’Rourke (an associate professor of environmental science at University of

California, Berkeley) suggest following some of the below habit changes:

Selection and use of regional plants and

reduction of the use of turf for

landscaping.

Reduction of the use of pesticides.

Composting or creating mulch onsite to

eliminate solid waste while making a

natural fertilizer.

Switching to a green power program,

one that uses all renewable energy like

solar or wind power.

Switching to a vegan or vegetarian diet.

Purchasing a vehicle with the best-

possible fuel economy. Ultimately,

reducing the amount you drive will have

the greatest impact.

Driving personal vehicles less in general

and utilize public transportation.

The utilization of smartphone apps that

give the consumer information about a

product while they shop enables them to

make green purchases.

Bringing your own bag for shopping, or

generally reducing plastic bag usage.

Images: http://environmental.lilithezine.com/

http://midshirecom.co.uk/environmental

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2) How should one prioritize which lifestyle changes are the most important

to make?

One must articulate environmental and their other values so as to be aware of possibilities and have

effective prioritization. While many might prioritize environmental health, some may prioritize

according to values such as convenience, well-being, health or safety.

ENVIRONMENT VALUE

Consider the following statements which pertain to the type of value nature has. Which one do you

agree with?

The environment and the creatures within it have a moral status and are worthy of human

concern.

The environment and the creatures within it are only important insofar as they enrich human life.

CONVENIENCE VALUE

Prioritizing one’s well-being or health may also play a role in how one organizes their priorities as a

whole. For example:

Someone may need to have their own transportation or utilize a vehicle in some fashion because

they are disabled.

Someone might want to only eat local or organic foods to guarantee they are eating well.

Additionally, an individual might want to switch to a vegan or vegetarian diet because certain

meats or animal products do not aid their personal health.

WELL-BEING OR HEALTH VALUE

Some may not want to reprioritize the way in which they live for the sake of convenience. According to

the Shelton Group, a research intensive firm interested in energy and the environment, report that

approximately 60% of Americans look for “greener products.” Furthermore, the study showed that 38%

would prioritize their own convenience, 35% would prioritize their personal comfort, while 26% would

prioritize the environment

“Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree that climate-warming trends over the

past century are very likely due to human activities.” –NASA on global climate change and

the vital signs of the planet

3) If your individual acts would be futile on their own and cost you something,

why perform those acts?

HOW RAPIDLY ARE WE DESTROYING THE ENVIRONMENT?

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NASA claims that the current warming trend of the earth is “very likely human-induced and proceeding

at a rate that is unprecedented in the past 1,300 years.” Below is one of NASA’s graphs for

documenting the carbon dioxide levels over an extensive period of time. As shown on the graph, the

carbon dioxide levels have never exceeded the 300 parts per million point until about 1950 and has been

increasing ever since.

What does this mean? The increase of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gasses disrupts normal

attributes of the earth. Some of the evidence includes:

Sea level rise – sea level has rose 6.7 inches in the last century. In the last decade, sea levels

have rose more than double of the rate of the last century.

Global temperature rise.

Warming of the oceans.

Ocean acidification – acidity of the ocean has increased about 30%.

Shrinking ice sheets and consequentially declining Arctic sea ice.

Extreme weather events and etc.

COLLECTIVE ACTION PROBLEM

It’s likely that in order to make a sufficient impact on the environment, individuals have to collectively

work together towards common goals. Collective action can be defined as a “group’s steps or actions

while working toward a common goal. When individuals engage in collective action, the strength of

the group’s resources, knowledge and efforts combines all parties to more readily achieve the shared

goal.”

The Problem: conflicts may arise between individual and the group interests. Under collective

action, the individual in the group must decide to either be self-concerned or cooperate with the

group’s interests.

It may be more reasonable for the individual to choose their own interests over those of the group.

However, if all individuals act in their own interest, the group falls apart.

Hence, the problem with collective action is a group’s ability to cooperate.

Having a household, small community, or even a city coordinate together in the interest of being

environmentally friendly can prove difficult depending on the interests and desires of the individuals

living within them .

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Some priorities may best be integrated into one’s lifestyle through either small community oriented

committees, or statewide advocacy. Cities or states might also pass environmentally conscious laws

for seemingly small priorities, such as recycling plastic grocery bags or banning them entirely. Below

are some examples of possible ways to regulate environmental priorities by different institutions.

4) If regulation is required to make a difference, should it be mandated? If

so, by whom and for which priorities?

UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES OR COUNCILS

Many colleges might have a series of “green” committees or organizations on campus that all seek to

improve or advocate for environmental initiatives. Some examples of these groups on NAU campus

are:

The Environmental Caucus: allows for “creative and strategic communication across campus

to advance the institutional commitment to sustainability and to promote education, research

and collaboration on the environment.”

Green NAU Energy Initiative: Facility Services at NAU have launched the initiative to aid in

the reduction of costs and emissions associated with waste on campus. The initiative

encourages people to adopt energy conservation behaviors.

Coordinating Committee for Campus Sustainability: a committee focused around

interdepartmental sustainability initiatives to further progress towards a carbon neutral

university.

STATEWIDE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION

An example of a statewide advocacy organization is the Washington Environmental Council. The

council has “been driving positive changes to solve Washington’s most critical environmental

challenges since 1967.” Some of the council’s accomplishments include:

Building power for the environmental movement in the state of Washington

Broken ground on action for climate change with “smart laws to make our buildings greener

and more efficient, and standards to make our cars cleaner.”

Lead the creation for Washington’s electronic waste recycling program.

The creation of their Voter Education Program where WEC educates and empowers

environmental voters while tackling issues on the ballots that would impact the local

environment. The program has mobilized over 500,000 self-identified environmentally

conscious voters

FEDERAL REGULATION

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates, enforces, and aids in the

creation of environmentally concerned laws. The EPA also provides a glossary of environmental

issues, common relevant questions about how environmental issues are being handled, and research

for science and technology that would improve human life and the natural environment.

Contact PPI 928-523-8339

nau.ppi@nau.edu nau.edu/ppi

HOT TOPICS CAFÉ COMMUNITY COMMITTEE

The “hot topics” in the Hot Topics Cafés are nominated and selected by community members that represent diverse constituencies and viewpoints. We thank our committee for their participation.

*Voted on Spring, 2015 “Hot Topics.”

Flagstaff

Sedona & the Verde Valley

Frankie Beeseley, Program Coordinator, Friends

of Flagstaff’s Future

*Joe Boles, Professor Emeritus, NAU College of

Arts and Letters

*Jean Malecki-Friedland, MD, MPH; County

Director and Chief Medical Professor andChair,

Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Miami

Miller School of Medicine; Co-Founder: The

Compassion Project

Jacque Gencarelle, Northern Arizona Behavioral

Health Association

*Barbara Hickman, Superintendent, Flagstaff

Unified School District

Sherman Stephens, Flagstaff Community

Craig Van Slyke, Dean, The W .A. Franke

College of Business

*Michael Vincent, Dean, NAU College of Arts

and Letters

*Karen Daines, Assistant City Manager, Sedona

Paul Friedman, Sedona Citizens for Civil Dialogue

*Kate Hawkes, Producing Artistic Director, Red

Earth Theatre

Darrin Karuzas, Principal, Sedona Red Rock High

School

*Sandy Moriarty, Sedona Mayor

Tom O’Halleran, Keep Sedona Beautiful; Board

Member, Verde River Basin Partnership

*Judy Reddington, Arts and Letters Advisory

Council, NAU; Board Member, Museum of Northern

Arizona; Board Director, Sedona International Film

Festival

*Steve Segner, Owner, El Portal; Chair, Lodging

Council, Sedona Chamber of Commerce

Patricia Lowell, Sedona Public Library, proxy for:

Virginia Volkman, Director, Sedona Public Library

Jessica Williamson, Sedona City Council

Ex officio

NAU's Philosophy in the Public

Interest is non partisan and does not

endorse any position with respect to

the issues we discuss. Philosophy in

the Public Interest is a neutral

convener for civil discourse.

NEXT FLAGSTAFF HOT TOPICS CAFÉ:

Changing the Climate around Climate

Change

Andrea Houchard, NAU Philosophy in the Public

Interest

Jona Vance, NAU Department of Philosophy

Robin Weeks, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute,

Yavapai College, Sedona Center

Randy Wilson, Arizona Daily Sun

Wednesday, May 6th

2 - 3:30 p.m.

TBD

http://www2.epa.gov/learn-issues http://wecprotects.org/about-wec http://nau.edu/Green-NAU/Coordinating-Committee-for-Campus-Sustainability/ https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog030/node/342 http://thelawdictionary.org/collective-action/ http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/ http://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/06/23/environment-takes-back-seat-to-comfort-convenience/ http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/environmental_ethics/short-course.html http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/07/30/responsible-shoppers-but-bad-citizens/the-power-of-environmentally-conscious-shopping http://www.eomega.org/learning-paths/body-mind-spirit-fitness-sports-health-healing-wellness-sustainable-living-sustainability/3-biggest-ways-to-reduce-your-environmental-impact http://www.epa.gov/greenkit/landscap.htm http://midshirecom.co.uk/environmental http://environmental.lilithezine.com/

Sources

NOTES:

Environmental Topics

Changing the Climate around Climate

Change

Wednesday, May 6th, 2015, 2 - 3:30 p.m.

TBD

Environmental Topics

Changing the Climate around Climate

Change

Monday, May 4th, 2015, 3:30 - 5 p.m.

Sedona Public Library

FLAGSTAFF SEDONA

REMAINING HOT TOPICS CAFÉS THIS SPRING