What Is Environmental Responsibility?

It might seem like a daunting task to take responsibility for the environment – one that often doesn’t feel like a priority when it comes to the many other things we are focused on in our day to day lives. But, as many environmental ethical philosophies teach us, humans must be held responsible to protecting the environment, especially if we wish to continue benefitting from its resources.

Here, you will learn how to become environmentally responsible, who should be held accountable, and why keeping the Earth in good condition is so vital.

What is environmental responsibility - man holding globe

What Is Environmental Responsibility? 

Environmental responsibility is the duty that individuals (and businesses or organizations) have to protect the environment. This often means taking action either to reduce our impacts on the environment (known as conservation or preservation) or even reverse previous harm (known as restoration). This ideology of environmental responsibility includes preventing pollution, using resources sustainably, protecting the environment, restoring natural habitats, and ensuring a planet for future generations. 

In other words, as human beings, it is our responsibility to look after nature and all creatures that live in our environment. After all, if we do not preserve and conserve all ecosystems, we will not be able to survive. 

Environmental responsibility is most frequently used to describe the imperative on businesses to reduce environmental damages (and is sometimes referred to as corporate environmental responsibility). While this may be true, environmental responsibility does extend to individuals, as we’ll discuss below. Taking on environmental responsibility may mean making changes in our personal lives to safeguard the environment. However, each of us may interpret our responsibility to the environment differently, depending on how we interpret our role in the ecosystem, and what motivates us.

Read more about different philosophies for determining our responsibility to nature: What Are Environmental Ethics?

The Four Levels Of Environmental Responsibility

There are four different levels of environmental responsibility. Each level plays a role in conserving the environment and ensuring human health and safety. They are: 

Individual responsibility

As an individual, you make daily choices that can affect the environment positively or negatively. It is essential that you try your best to preserve our natural resources as much as possible. No action is too big or too small. Every little thing we do, like recycling paper, can help the greater picture in the end. 

You can recycle, reduce water use, lower your carbon footprint, among plenty of other ways to preserve the natural world and its resources.

Community responsibility

Communities as a whole can implement environmental actions that often have a bigger impact than individual action.

Community leaders can help reduce waste by implementing recycling programs for the area, promote water conservation and create green community projects.

Industry responsibility

It is the responsibility of a company to ensure that its business operates with environmental protection in mind. Industry environmental responsibility is a mentality whereby a business manages their resources responsibility, ensuring that they meet environmental standards as well as internal goals to function as ‘greenly’ as possible. 

Government responsibility 

The government can create laws and legislation that ensure the environment is preserved for generations to come. Governmental interventions like laws are often necessary to get businesses and individuals to actually take major action to support the environment. In this way, government environmental responsibility helps define other branches of environmental responsibility (for example, by creating environmental laws that businesses must follow).

Working together, individuals, communities, businesses and government can have major impacts on environmental protection — so long as each is focused on fulfilling their own environmental responsibilities.

Why Is Environmental Responsibility Important?

The more practical argument for why protecting our environment is essential is that natural resources are crucial for our survival. We depend on trees for oxygen, we depend on soil for food, and on rivers and other hydrological sources for water. From this perspective, environmental responsibility is important because it allows for human life to thrive.

A more philosophical argument is that we have a moral obligation to ensure we protect the planet we live on. Environmental responsibility protects other forms of life on Earth, and even protects non-living ecosystems. If we do not adhere to environmental responsibilities, our species and hundreds of others will not be able to survive.

Who Is Responsible For The Environment? 

There are many different arguments for who is responsible for the environment. Some believe we as a human race are responsible, while others may believe we have no responsibility at all. Still others may believe that select groups are responsible for protecting the environment such as those who pollute the most, government agencies, or environmental activists.

When it really comes down to it, it may not matter who should be responsible, but rather, that we take on the responsibility at all; We will not survive without extending protection and restoration to nature. As Evo Morales, former President of Bolivia argued, “Sooner or later, we will have to recognize that the Earth has rights, too, to live without pollution. What mankind must know is that human beings cannot live without Mother Earth, but the planet can live without humans.”

What Is Our Moral Responsibility To Protect The Environment?

According to some environmental philosophers, is our moral responsibility to protect the environment and ensure the continuation of life on earth. For example, some may argue that because humans have the knowledge and moral values to know right from wrong, we must act as stewards of the Earth.

Even if you don’t believe that we have a moral imperative to protect nature, holding ourselves responsible for how we treat the environment is crucial to ensuring our societies continue to exist in the future.

Final Thoughts 

No matter who you believe truly holds the responsibility for protecting the environment, there’s no doubt that environmental responsibility is crucial to ensuring a livable world for future generations. We must all do our part.

“To waste, to destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed.” ― Theodore Roosevelt.

What Is Corporate Environmental Responsibility?

Understanding the concept of corporate environmental ethics and how it helps reduce companies’ environmental impacts

The field of corporate environmental ethics aims to make humans more aware of the impacts our companies and actions have on our carbon footprints and the environment as a whole. 

Nowadays, customers look at a company as a whole, rather than just the products they provide. Consumers may value a company’s adherence to environmental ethics such as a lack of animal testing, following organic standards, or using packaging that can be recycled to help maintain a healthy planet for generations to come.

In this article, we will look at the importance of Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER), sometimes known as corporate environmental ethics, and how we can make a change for the better. 

building and leaves - corporate environmental ethics

What Is Corporate Environmental Responsibility?

Corporate environmental responsibility is the duty of a company to operate in a way that protects the environment. This may include adhering to both government regulations and internal environmental standards. Many companies implement official Corporate Environmental Responsibility action plans that set green objectives for each aspect of their business practices.

Corporate environmental responsibility focuses on using resources wisely. Often, CER requires business leaders to invest more time or money into their business in order to lower environmental impacts upfront, although these steps often lead to cost savings in the future. Taking small actions like turning lights off in offices that are not in use or asking employees to bring their own coffee mugs to the office are small steps that reduce your environmental impact, and are part of CER. However, much of CER focuses on larger steps companies can take to reduce carbon emissions and pollution across the supply chain.

Many investors evaluate CER, a company’s adherence to corporate environmental ethics, before they invest any money into the business.  Embracing corporate environmental ethics will not only help you protect the environment but will also show investors that you take responsibility for your actions and comply with regulations.

Why Is Corporate Environmental Responsibility So Important?

The goal of corporate environmental responsibility is to make companies more aware of their environmental impact so they can work to reduce it. Reducing pollution and lowering corporate carbon footprints are some of the main goals that align with corporate environmental ethics.

By ensuring the environmental responsibility of your business, you teach future generations that successful businesses can be built without causing environmental damage. Reducing business’ environmental impacts is also a crucial part of fighting climate change and ensuring a livable environment in the future.

Benefits of Corporate Environmental Responsibility 

Not only does corporate environmental responsibility help reduce damage to the environment, but

Firstly, CER can prove to be more profitable for companies. As consumers become more aware of sustainability and supporting environmentally friendly companies, they are more likely to choose companies that adhere to strong corporate environmental ethics.

You will also save money by changing some old habits that cause your carbon footprint to go up such as leaving lights on for no reason or using large amounts of water. Reducing energy usage not only lessens your impact on the environment, but it also lowers your own costs.

Finally, climate change’s impacts will make it much more difficult for businesses to function. We all have a vested interest in reducing our contribution to climate change so that our businesses (and all other aspects of our lives) can continue to thrive.

Who Should Be Responsible For Protecting The Environment?

While some government agencies are tasked with enforcing environmental responsibility ultimately we all live on the same planet and use natural resources that help our businesses grow, put food on our tables, and allow us to buy everything that we want and need. We will all be impacted by the negative affects of climate change, and it is particularly important for large contributors to global warming take stock of the current environmental situation.

Some environmental ethical philosophies argue that it is our moral responsibility as humans to ensure the continuation of life on earth. At the end of the day, all of us, but perhaps especially business-owners, must do our part to preserve the environment for generations to come.

Principles of Corporate Environmental Responsibility

Sustainable development 

Sustainable development encompasses the idea that a business can grow, while doing so in a way that can continue without destroying the environment. This principle encompasses most environmental actions a business can take, from moving to recyclable materials to lowering energy usage to limit your impacts on the climate.

Sustainable development will help ensure that your products and business will be able to develop in the foreseeable future, rather than depleting necessary finite resources in the present.

Proper waste disposal

This might seem simple, but it is one of the most important (and often overlooked) aspects of a green business. By ensuring that all your waste is stored or thrown away correctly, you avoid pollution and increased carbon emissions.

Even small actions can help. For example, place recycle bins outside your office so that your employees can dispose of their waste correctly. You also need to make sure that medical waste, polluted waste, and all other waste is stored or handled correctly to avoid harm to human health and the environment alike.

Low resource use

An environmentally responsible company uses resources such as water, energy, and raw materials in a conscientious manner. This is a widely applicable principle that applies to nearly every stage in a business’ supply chain. For example, this may mean using recycled materials to create your products, or designing products that can be recycled at the end of their lifecycle. This principle also includes investing in low-energy production processes, relying on renewable energies, or even simply reducing the amount of paper that gets printed around the office. Much of this is directly related to lowering your carbon footprint, or the amount of carbon you emit throughout your value chain.

How Can Your Business Become Environmentally Responsible? 

There are a few very small things that you can do to help your company become environmentally responsible. While companies should carefully review all aspects of their business to reduce emissions, here are a few places to start that are quite easy to implement:

recycled tag - what is corporate environmental ethics
  • Turn off lights that are not needed
  • Collect rainwater so that you can water your plants at the office 
  • Recycle your plastics, glass, and paper
  • Use reusable straws, coffee cups, and shopping bags so that there is less plastic going into the oceans and landfill
  • Avoid printing documents to save paper
  • Create packaging that is recyclable or made from recyclable materials
  • Evaluate how your products are transported — is there a remore efficient solution?
  • Encourage employees to carpool or take public transit to the office (or better yet, allow them to work from home and get rid of commuting emissions altogether!).

Conclusion 

Research shows that 54% of American businesses have formal green programs in place.  As founder of Green Buoy Consulting Eliza Erskine said, “Sustainability has become a priority for businesses.” While 54% of businesses is still not enough to truly reduce the environmental impacts of industry, it’s certainly a step in the right direction.

Many businesses have begun to realize that if they don’t go green, they will not survive the new paradigm, as it’s clear that environmental conservation and corporate environmental ethics are of increasing importance to consumers. You will not only help the environment by becoming environmentally responsible, but you will also boost consumer confidence in your company.  

Read more: How to Make Sure Your Supply Chain Is Up to Date with Ethical Standards

What Is Individual Environmental Responsibility?

Understanding an individual’s environmental responsibility and how we can become more environmentally responsible for generations to come 

Individual environmental responsibility describes the personal responsibility each of us has to protect the natural world.

We will examine individual environmental responsibility today, and why changing our actions is crucial to protecting the environment.  

leaf in hand - individual environmental responsibility

What Is Individual Environmental Responsibility?

Individual environmental responsibility is the responsibility that each of holds to protect the environment. This includes actions such as limiting our damage to the environment, making rational use of natural resources, and taking steps to prevent pollution.

Individual environmental responsibility is all about the choices we make, and how those impact the environment. Individual environmental responsibility argues that we as individuals need to make positive personal choices, such as recycling or taking the bus, that contribute to the wellbeing of the environment. This is in contrast to corporate environmental responsibility, which pushes a business as a whole to take environmental action, or community environmental responsibility, which focuses on communal actions focused on the environment.

Some have argued that individual responsibility is not sufficient to actually making change, as our individual actions alone have a much lower impact than corporations’ actions. However, others respond that individual action is simply a part of a whole, and that individual actions to protect the environment can add up to become meaningful.

How Are We As Individuals Responsible For The Environment?

On our own, we make choices and decisions about our own activities, and inevitably, they do revolve around resource consumption. In everyday life, we have so many choices that we don’t often think about. How long does it take to take a shower? Do you turn off the tap whilst lathering your hands with soap? Do you recycle or simply throw everything away? All of these small choices add up to the ultimate decision of how we are going to treat our natural resources and environment.

While there is rarely someone forcing us to think about our environmental impacts (except for laws like anti-littering regulations), individual environmental responsibility encourages us to take actions that protect the environment.

That said, some argue that focusing on individual responsibility takes away focus from what we actually need to solve environmental crises like climate change: organized collective action and high-level structural shifts. In other ways, while replacing plastic straws with metal ones in your home is a good thing, it’s unlikely to make a huge impact, and many argue that this is more of a distraction than a promising solution.

Professor Anders Levermann of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research explained his views on the matter: “Personal sacrifice alone cannot be the solution to tackling the climate crisis. There’s no other area in which the individual is held so responsible for what’s going wrong. And it’s true: people drive too much, eat too much meat, and fly too often. But reaching zero emissions requires very fundamental changes. Individual sacrifice alone will not bring us to zero. It can be achieved only by real structural change; by a new industrial revolution. Looking for solutions to the climate crisis in individual responsibilities and actions risks obstructing this. It suggests that all we have to do is pull ourselves together over the next 30 years and save energy, walk, skip holidays abroad, and simply ‘do without.’ But these demands for individual action paralyze people, thereby preventing the large-scale change we so urgently need.”

person holding plant - individual environmental responsibility

Why Is It Important To Be Environmentally Responsible?

Many individuals are not motivated to act environmentally-responsible, as it often is less convenient, and also because we often don’t see the results of our actions. But even if it doesn’t have immediate impacts, personal choices still do make a difference, even if it’s a small one. Personal actions can also have a larger impact than we may think, as they quickly become collective. For example, you may make the choice to call your governmental representative to pressure them to make an environmentally-responsible regulatory decision, or the personal decision to boycott an environmentally-damaging company. When many people make these personal decisions collectively, we start to see results.

Environmental ethics pushes us towards action, if only to preserve the natural world’s resources for further use. As part of the biosphere, we should make it our goal to hold ourselves accountable for our actions towards the environment and how we use natural resources. 

Ultimately, our survival depends on having people who are concerned about the environment. We will be able to grow and thrive on the earth if we conserve natural resources and replenish what we can. By doing so, we will be able to utilize these resources for a long time to come. 

How Can An Individual Be Environmentally Responsible?

There are several different ways in which you can become more environmentally responsible in your everyday life. 

  1. Reduce waste
    Reduce, reuse, recycle. When possible follow these three Rs so that you can help reduce the amount of waste that gets placed into oceans and on land sites that cause harm to the environment as well as to animals and ecosystems.
  2. Conserve energy
    Turn off all lights and computers and other appliances that are not in use. If you are not using it, it should not be turned on or plugged in. 
  3. Conserve water
    Make sure that you only run your dishwasher when it is full, do not spend hours in the shower, repair leaky faucets and collect rainwater to water your plants and garden when possible. 
  4. Properly dispose of items
    Make use of household hazardous waste or e-waste services, recycle your items and donate items to charities in your area. 
  5. Get involved
    Do some research and see if you have environmental clubs around your area. Alternatively, you and some friends can start your own. You can meet up once a month or so and go around and clean up your area, local parks or start a compost heap that you can all share. 
  6. Learn and Educate
    Lastly, the best thing that you can do is educate yourself and others on how to become more environmentally responsible. You do not have to do anything drastic but each positive action towards the environment will help the earth in the long run. 

Final Thoughts 

Professor Lester Milbrath, environmentalist and Political Science professor, said in his book Envisioning a Sustainable Society, “Learning how to reason together about values is crucial to saving our species. As a society we have to learn better how to learn, I call it social learning; it is the dynamic for change that could lead us to a new kind of society that will not destroy itself from its own excess.”

It is impossible to change the world as an individual. However, it is possible to have a positive impact on our small piece of land if we become more conscious of our actions and do our best to recycle, reuse, and conserve as much as we possibly can. Eventually, we can all learn how to be more responsible for the environment, which must occur in order for our future to be healthier and more sustainable. 

What Is The Importance of Environmental Ethics?

Understanding the importance of environmental ethics and the role it plays in society  

Environmental ethics is a branch of ethics that focuses on the human relationship to nature. There are multiple philosophies that argue for different understandings of our responsibility to nature. For example, some environmental ethical philosophies argue that humans are superior to nature, while others argue that we are equal to every being in the ecosystem, including non-living things, and owe them moral treatment.

In this post, we will discuss why environmental ethics is so important, and how environmental ethics plays a role in society today.

Background information: What Is Environmental Ethics?

importance of environmental ethics

What Are The Key Points of Environmental Ethics?

At its core, environmental ethics focuses on using ethical principles to make moral decisions about the environment. Generally, there are three main branches of environmental ethics:

  1. Anthropocentrism: This ethical philosophy argues that humans are superior to other creatures.
  2. Biocentrism: This ethical philosophy argues that all living beings deserve moral consideration and treatment.
  3. Ecocentrism: This ethical philosophy argues that all parts of the ecosystem, including non-living things like water or rocks, deserve moral consideration and treatment.

There are three basic principles of ethics that act as the basis of many of the questions environmental ethics focuses on. 

  1. Justice and sustainability: Equal beings deserve fair treatment that can be sustained into the future.
  2. Sufficiency and compassion: All beings deserve access to the resources they need to survive and thrive
  3. Solidarity and participation: We are part of a community (or multiple communities) and we must act in a way that reflects concern for the well being of others.

Each of these ethical principles informs how we respond to environmental problems, but our understanding of our place in relation to nature (our chosen environmental philosophy) impacts this response as well.

For example, under the principle of justice and sustainability, all equal beings deserve equal treatment. But are animals equal to humans, and do they deserve the same treatment? Environmental ethics can help us answer this question.

Similarly, who is deserving of sufficiency and compassion? Humans alone (an anthropocentric viewpoint), all living beings (a biocentric viewpoint), or all parts of the ecosystem, even non-living things (an ecocentric viewpoint)?

Finally, the solidarity and participation principle asks us to decide who is in our community – just humans, all living things, or the natural world as a whole – and guides us on how we can make decisions that take our community as a whole into account.

These guiding principles help determine what moral action is, and environmental ethics helps us apply these principles to environmental problems.

What Is The Importance Of Environmental Ethics?

Environmental ethics revolves around making human communities as well as ecosystems better. It prioritizes the importance of preserving and protecting resources for all kinds in the present as well as the future. 

Environmental ethics is a philosophical approach that values the human/nonhuman dynamics in nature. It notices how humans and the environment have an ongoing relationship with one another that needs to be cherished and looked after. 

Just like the earth gives humans resources to sustain themselves, humans need to help give back resources to nature and other ecosystems to help them sustain themselves as well. Ultimately, we’re part of a complicated web of beings and ecosystems that cannot thrive without each other.

What Is The Role Of Environmental Ethics In Society?

Environmental ethics help us to establish a moral relationship between humans and nature. These guiding principles help us make decisions, both when it comes to how to use environmental resources morally, and when considering our impacts on the environment.

Environmental ethics also helps us understand our place in the world. No matter how big or small an ecosystem might be, each ecosystem and organism impacts the world around it. Environmental ethics helps us understand that we all have a part to play on this earth and that without each piece, a crucial link in the chain would be missing. By understanding our relationship to other species and ecosystems, we are better prepared to make decisions based on ethics.

Conclusion 

Environmental ethics helps human beings extend moral consideration to nonhumans, helping us understand our place in relation to nature. This is important because, with a strong set of environmental ethics, we can more easily make decisions about environmental issues.

To learn about each of the main environmental ethical philosophies, read our article What Is Environmental Ethics?

What Is The EPA Responsible For?

EPA logo - what is the epa responsible for

Did you know that the United States has one of the safest and most reliable drinking water systems in the world? We have safe drinking water because the EPA has spent hundreds of hours developing plans, implementing them, and ensuring their effectiveness. And it’s not just water that the EPA protects; the EPA works to conserve a huge variety of natural resources related to environmental and human health, such as clean air. Without the EPA’s work to protect our natural resources, who knows where our environment and living conditions might be today.  

Here, we will explore what the EPA is, and how they have worked hard to improve our environment, health, and lives.

What Is The EPA?

The EPA is the United States Environmental Protection Agency. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA back in July of 1970. The agency began operation in December 1070 after Nixon signed an executive order. It was originally created due to increasing concerns about growing degradation to natural resources in the 1950s and 60s.

The EPA is responsible for the protection of human and environmental health. They provide rules that govern how we use natural resources in the United States. They also provide technical assistance to environmentally-related infrastructure, such as supporting the creation of wastewater treatment plants.

The EPA’s main duties include:

  • Promoting energy efficiency
  • Supporting environmental stewardship
  • Ensuring sustainable growth
  • Protecting air and water quality
  • Preventing pollution

The EPA is responsible for guiding us to a safer and cleaner environment. They make decisions based on what is best for the environment as well as for humanity. By ensuring our water is clean, we use resources responsibly, and our waste is taken care of correctly, we can continue to depend on natural resources that support human health. 

While the EPA is an American agency, its innovative work inspires governments and environmental agencies around the world, and many countries have similar agencies. 

What Are The Three Major Responsibilities Of The EPA?

The EPA has various responsibilities to help ensure that the environment, as well as the people of America, are kept safe and clean. Below are three of the major responsibilities that they hold. 

  1. Americans have clean air, land, and water
  2. National efforts to reduce environmental risks are based on the best available scientific information
  3. Federal laws protecting human health and the environment are administered and enforced fairly, effectively, and as Congress intended

The following responsibilities are derived from their mission statement and what they intend to accomplish while they are operating.

Additionally, they are responsible for creating laws that protect human health as well as the environment. They strive to guarantee that no matter who you are, you have access to a clean environment. Animals and critters of all types are included in this group.  

How Does the EPA Affect Businesses?

The EPA provides regulations that govern how businesses conduct their practices in order to reduce damage to human health and the environment. People across the United States are becoming more aware of environmentally friendly processes to help ensure that the environment is harmed as little as possible when it comes to manufacturing and other industries. While some of this is due to increasing pressure from consumers to “go green,” many businesses today are more environmentally conscious as a result of regulatory pressure from the EPA.

EPA provides businesses with guidelines that ensure the environment around the business is kept as safe as possible from toxins and gases emitted into air, water, or land. These requirements have pushed companies to change the way their business affects the environment. 

For example, The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System regulates the discharge of pollutants into U.S. waterways, helping protect the health of the ecosystem and humans that live nearby. Another example of an EPA regulation that impacts business is the The EPA Safer Choice program, which requires companies to label products in a way that helps consumers make safe choices when it comes to the chemicals in products they use in their homes.

What Has The EPA Done For America Over The Years?

There are several laws and regulations that the EPA has put into place over the years that have helped ensure the safety of humankind as well as the environment. These include:

  • In 1970, the EPA passed the Clean Air Act, which gave them the power to fight air pollution. This is one of the EPA’s major roles today. Read more: History of Air Pollution and Protection.
  • In 1971, the EPA, in partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, banned the use of lead-based interior paints in residences built or renovated by the federal government. This aimed to protect children’s health through lead-based paint prevention activities. 
  • In 1972, the EPA banned the use of DDT, a commonly used pesticide that was found to cause cancer and endanger the environment.
  • In 1985, British scientists discovered a giant hole in the ozone layer, a layer of the Earth’s atmosphere that protects us from UV radiation. The EPA participated in an international convention in Vienna. As part of the convention, a worldwide cooperative effort was called to help eliminate the use of substances that deplete the ozone layer.

The Bottom Line 

EPA programs work to ensure that we are using natural resources responsibly while taking care of the health and wellbeing of all living organisms. While we often take natural resources in our every day lives for granted, we have the EPA to thank for our breathable air and clean water.

What Is Biocentrism?

Understanding the Term Biocentrism in Environmental Ethics

As environmentalism becomes more popular, many people are becoming more aware of the lives around them, as well as the claim that we need to protect nature. There are many different environmental ethics, or philosophies, that can help us examine and understand the human relationship with the natural world.

Biocentrism is the idea that we need to protect nature not because it provides resources, but because all living beings have intrinsic value. Unlike anthropocentrism, which believes humans are more important and worth of value than other beings, biocentrism places all life at the center of its value system. In fact, the term biocentrism comes from the Greek word, ‘βίος bios’, which means ‘life’, and ‘κέντρον kentron’, which means ‘center’.

Today, we will explain the meaning of biocentrism, discuss a brief history of biocentrism and give you some examples of biocentrism in order to provide a better understanding of biocentrism, its main claims, and how the concept affects us as human beings.  

Jump to a Section:

What Is Biocentrism?

History of Biocentrism in Environmental Ethics

What Is an Example of Biocentrism?

What Are Biocentrism’s Main Claims?

What Is Biocentrism?

First, how does biocentrism relate to environmental ethics? Environmental ethics is the study of how humans relate to other beings in nature, both living and nonliving. There are a number of different environmental ethics, each of which argues for a different moral relationship between humans and other things. Biocentrism is an environmental ethical philosophy that extends the status of a “moral object,” something worthy of moral consideration, from human beings to all other living things in nature. 

So, what is biocentrism and what are its main claims? At its core, biocentrism believes that all living beings are worth of respect simply for existing, rather than because they provide any value to humans. In other words, biocentrism emphasizes the intrinsic value and rights of all living individuals. It is the belief that moral priority should be given to the survival of all living beings on earth, not just humans.

Under a biocentric view, all life deserves equal consideration and equal moral standing. No life is worth more than another life, no matter how big or small the being might be. In this way, biocentrism argues against causing harm to any other living being for any reason.

A biocentric view believes all living beings have equal intrinsic value.

A Brief History of Biocentrism

The concept of extending moral value to animals and living things dates back centuries, although it was not an official scholarly philosophy until the 20th century. For example, Buddhism teaches the principle of ahimsa, doing no harm to any living thing, and many Native American cultures believe that all living things are sacred.

Modern biocentrism first originated in the Western academic world with Albert Schweitzer’s “reverence for life” theory, which argues that all life should be valued equally, rather than distinguishing between high or low forms of life. This philosophy was one of the first in academic history to extend moral standing to species other than humans.

Peter Singer continued with this theory in his book Animal Liberation, arguing choosing human life as the only beings worthy of moral importance is arbitrary. Why should only humans be worthy of moral value? Instead, Singer argues, the real characteristic that “deserves” moral standing is sentience, so all sentient beings deserve equal moral consideration.

What Is an Example Of Biocentrism?

Biocentrism does not value other living things for their usefulness to humans, but rather, believes that every living thing has an intrinsic, inherent value. This leads to an argument against harming other living things.

One example of biocentrism is vegetarianism or veganism. While an anthropocentric viewpoint (one in which humans are considered of higher moral value) considers it acceptable for humans to take the life of another animal in order to feed themselves, a biocentric one argues that because all living things are valued equally.

Another example of a biocentric viewpoint is the concept of stopping deforestation out of a simple desire not to harm trees, as they are a living being with moral value, or to preserve biodiversity (Rottman et al. 2014). A more anthropocentric view might argue that trees should be cut down to supply humans with resources, or that we should stop deforestation because of the negative effects deforestation is having on human life. Biocentrism argues simply that trees should not be cut down because they’re living things.

Boots on tree stumps - biocentrism in environmental ethics

What Are Biocentrism’s Main Claims?

One of the main claims of biocentrism is that the only non-random way to assign moral value is to assign moral standing for life itself. This means that it extends value and moral standings about as far as it can go, excluding only inanimate objects from having moral standing.

All living beings should be valued simply for existing. However, because humans are the only beings on the earth that can understand and practice morals, it is our duty to ensure that all living beings are treated with the same respect. 

Conclusion 

Biocentrism is the environmental ethical belief that all living organisms must be allowed to pursue their own good, in the sense that each individual is pursuing a unique path for their own good in their own way. This may mean a tree pursuing growth or a snake pursuing food or reproduction. Every life is equal, deserves to be valued equally, and should be treated with the same respect. 

Learn more: What Are Environmental Ethics?

What Is Ecocentrism in Philosophy and Environmental Ethics?

ecocentric philosophy viewpoint - image of ecosystem

Understanding the Concept of Ecocentrism in Philosophy

Ecocentrism is the idea that all things, living and nonliving, have intrinsic value. Ecocentrism is a philosophy within environmental ethics, as it organizes human moral standing in relation to other life and things; in the case of ecocentrism, all is equal.

Ecocentrism is often considered an “ecosystem-based” system of environmental ethics, as it believes that all parts of the ecosystem, including non-living things like rivers or mountains, deserve moral standing.

Today, we will share with you what ecocentrism is, some examples of ecocentrism, and how the ecocentrist philosophy impacts our relationship with nature.

What Is Ecocentrism?

Ecocentrism focuses primarily on the ecosystem in its entirety, rather than looking at the environment from a perspective of human interest or need fulfillment. It is the focus on the interests and moral value of all species, as well as abiotic (nonliving) features of Earth’s ecosystems. Ecocentrism, unlike biocentrism, does not focus on all living organisms having equal value, but instead, on the Earth, or “ecosphere” as the most important central value.

Ecoscentrism is a philosophy that does not place another ecosystem above others. Ecocentrists focus on the fundamental value of all these entities in their own right, whilst still noticing their instrumental value to one another as part of the natural process. For example, bees can be harmful to some people but they play a key role in pollination. Without bees, our natural environment would not be sustainable. Thus, bees are not valued (or disvalued) for their use or relationship to humans, but for their intrinsic value, as well as their role in natural processes.

ecocentrism in environmental ethics - ecocentrism in philosophy example
Ecocentrism believes all parts of an ecosystem have intrinsic value, not just humans or living things.

Origins of Ecocentrism

The central tenets of ecocentrism have existed for centuries. Many indigenous cultures prescribed to an ecocentric view of the world around them. However, ecocentrism emerged in the academic Western world in the early 1940s. Aldo Leopold’s 1937 collection of essays, A Sand County Almanac, is considered to be the basis of modern ecocentrism, as he writes about a “land ethic” that extends the concept of “community” to include land, in addition to living species.

We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.

Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Alamanac 1937

In 1973, philosopher Arne Naess coined the term ‘deep ecology,” a collection of principles that describes a similar philosophy to ecocentrism. He argues that nature must be valued not for its usefulness to humans, but for its inherent value.

Why Is Ecocentrism Important?

Ecocentrism is important for several reasons. If you look at it from an ethical point of view, ecocentrism expands the moral population and allows and encourages human beings to worry about more than just themselves. When you adopt an ecocentric philosophical outlook, you are not only concerned about humanity or about how other things can provide for human needs. You also respect and care for all life and parts of ecosystems.

Ecocentrists also value the idea of conservation, and some argue that ecocentrism is a crucial philosophy to achieve sustainable living (Cryer et al. 2017). This theory argues that all life is sustained by geological, nonliving processes, so we must extend moral consideration to its widest point to include the ecosystem. From an ecocentrist viewpoint, every being has a purpose to help sustain and grow all ecosystems on the planet. 

What Is an Example Of Ecocentrism?

A great example of ecocentrism is opposition to mining that causes damage to the environment. Strip mining is the process whereby one can obtain ore or coal by opencast mining. This process harms the environment but it can open the door to more natural resources for the human population to use. An ecocentric point of view is that since this process harms the environment, it is immoral. 

It is because of this argument that environmentalist policies are often ecocentric in nature. There needs to be a balance between preserving all ecosystems as well as sustaining humankind. 

Mining - ecocentric philosophy ecocentrism in environmental ethics

Final Thoughts 

We end this discussion of ecocentrism with quotes from its “godfather,” Aldo Leopold. Aldo used the term land when he was referring to the entire ecological community. He summed up the concept of ecocentrism beautifully, writing: ”That land is a community is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics.”

Ecocentrism looks at the world as a whole and ensures that all systems live and thrive as a unit. 

What Is Anthropocentrism in Environmental Ethics?

Environmental ethics is the study of of the human relationship to the environment. While there are many different environmental ethical philosophies, each helps us answer one important question: what is our duty to the environment?

Anthropocentrism is one of the main branches of environmental philosophy. It argues that human beings are more important than other life forms and beings, and ultimately leads to the idea that we should only value nature for the benefits it provides to humankind.

In this article, we’ll look into the concept of anthropocentrism in environmental ethics, including what it means, how it impacts our belief systems, and some of the dangers that may accompany an anthropocentric viewpoint. 

Background information: What Is Environmental Ethics?

What Is Anthropocentrism?

Anthropocentrism comes from the greek work anthropos, meaning ‘human’, and the word kentron, meaning ‘center.’ Thus, anthropocentrism is an environmental philosophy that believes humans are the “center” of the universe, and are thus the only beings worthy of moral standing. This philosophy places humans not only as separate from nature, but as more important than nature.

Under an anthropocentric viewpoint, humans regard the environment to be in service of the wellbeing of humans. When evaluating what is ethical under anthropocentrism, only human beings’ needs and emotional wellbeing must be taken into consideration. Other entities such as animals, plants, and minerals are viewed as resources for humans to use and consume. Some also refer to the concept as human exceptionalism. 

Most modern Western societies operate from an anthropocentric viewpoint, believing it is morally acceptable to use nature for our own purposes. However, many older societies or non-Western societies leaned towards a more biocentric viewpoint, in which all life was valued, or even towards ecocentrism, in which all parts of nature, including non-living things, are valued.

anthropocentrism in environmental ethics
Anthropocentrism believes human beings are superior to all other living and non-living things.

Anthropocentrism and the Environment: What Does This Philosophy Lead To?

Anthropocentrism can lead to exploitation of nature and depletion of natural resources. If we believe that we don’t owe anything to nature, then it follows that we can use it as we like to meet our own needs. For example, anthropocentrists would argue that there is no moral wrong in cutting down trees, as we can use them to keep ourselves warm. Many of today’s environmental crises, including climate change, ultimately stem from an anthropocentric view that humans are entitled to natural resources.

However, anthropocentrists may still value nature and find reasons to protect it that fit within a viewpoint that humans are superior. This way of thinking values nature for its usefulness to people. For example, some might argue that we must protect nature so that humans can continue to rely on it (In other words, we can’t deplete natural resources completely because that would endanger human survival). Anthropocentrists would argue for conservation, the protection of nature so that it may be used in the future, rather than preservation, the protection of nature from any interference at all.

Similarly, anthropocentrists may argue for environmental protection because a healthy environment is crucial to human health. For example, polluting water or air often leads to health problems in humans that drink the polluted water or breathe the polluted air.

Finally, some anthropocentrists argue that because humans have superior intellect, we have a moral responsibility to protect lesser species. According to this viewpoint, the very fact that we’re superior is what compels us to act in the favor of other species. Wesley J. Smith summed up this outlooks well in his book A Rat Is a Pig is a Dog is a Boy: The Human Cost of the Animal Right Movement: “Because we are unquestionably a unique species—the only species capable of even contemplating ethical issues and assuming responsibilities—we uniquely are capable of apprehending the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, proper and improper conduct toward animals. Or to put it more succinctly, if being human isn’t what requires us to treat animals humanely, what in the world does?”

Conclusion 

In summary, anthropocentrism is an environmental ethical philosophy that places humans above all other living and non-living beings. While this philosophy can lead to exploitation of nature, it can also lead to valuing nature for its use to humans – in other words, protecting nature so that we can continue to use it.

Learn more about other environmental philosophies: