Some human responses to global problems

Abstract

Despiteabundantevidencethatmuchof Earth's resourcesarebeingusedata faster than replacement rate, western industrial societies tend to behave as if they were not. As several authors in this volume note, a change in behaviour must be preceded by a change in mind. This chapter takes a brief look at a range of attitudes towards the increasing pressure that human beings, through western technology, are placing on Earth. It aims to illustrate the diversity of responses to population pressure and environmental degradation that exist today as a step towards identifying the common ground required for attitudinal change.