We now turn to a consideration of how capitalism impacts the environment. Arguments supporting and refuting the position that capitalism impacts the environment negatively will be presented. Our earlier discussions concerning moral status and normativity will help you evaluate the saliency of the arguments.
Arguments Against
Use the following infographic to review two theoretical arguments supporting the position that capitalism is inherently harmful to the environment:
Describe a number of proposed geoengineering strategies that show how technology could potentially be used to manipulate the climate and curb global warming.
Analyze the pros and cons of spraying chemicals into the stratosphere in an effort to decrease the temperature of the planet.
Discuss the ethical and political challenges of trying to manipulate the climate.
Develop a series of Tweets that provide concise summaries of their views about geoengineering as a solution to global warming.
On the Other Hand...
Argument #1: Correlation Between Environmental Performance & Economic Freedom
Argument #2: Capitalism is not the cause of pollution and harm...
Interaction: Testing Chapman's Claim
One way you could refute Chapman's argument is to demonstrate a low carbon footprint. Do you know your carbon footprint? According to the Nature Conservancy,
the average carbon footprint for a person in the United States is 16 tons, one of the highest rates in the world.
Globally, the average carbon footprint is closer to 4 tons. To have the best chance of avoiding a 2 degrees rise in global temperatures,
the average global carbon footprint per year needs to drop to under 2 tons by 2050.
Calculate your footprint here:
What was your result? Does the result support Chapman's position or tend to refute the position as it applies to you personally?
Greenwashing Interaction: A Fiji Water Story
Potential Discussion Prompts:
Is eco-friendly marketing a positive or negative force?
How did Fiji Water use green marketing to construct an eco-friendly narrative to what was described as a non-eco friendly company?
What do you make of the stat that 47% of Fijans do not have access to clean water?
What impact will the information offered through the video have on your purchasing and consuming habits?