Factors That Have a Positive Impact on the Environment - Essay Example

Factors That Deter People from Engaging In Pro- Environmental Behaviors Pro- environmental factors are those factors that have positive impact on the environment (Blazerman, 1997). There are factors that undermine the positive impacts in relation to the conservation of the environment, to deduce some of these factors; it is relevant for one to appreciate what the environment entails. The environment is composed of the surrounding that ranges from air, water, soil to other things like minerals and organisms. These factors are those that affect an organism within the specified environment at a given time. Therefore, to break down the pro-environmental factors, one requires understanding those aspects that work towards the preservation of these environmental elements. People tend to engage in other activities or omit to undertake activities that help in pro- environmental behavior. Factors that prevent people from engaging in pro-environmental activities are those that are manageable an unmanageable. In the modern world, most people are working hard to ensure their living standards are improved, this is by engaging in activities and works that enables them earn their income for their upkeep (Karash, et al, 2008). In the process of getting the income, some activities that people engage in are such that undermine the environment. A good example to such an issue is in the fast growing industrialization (Roberts & Russell, 2002). There are factories that utilize chemicals for the production of the products they sell to the public with the purpose of realizing profits. The purpose of planting industries is majorly to benefit financially by the stakeholders, this as opposed to initiating a company to be able to better the lives of people (Jurin et al, 2010). When these types of factories engages in these activities, in most instances there are harmful fumes which are produced and mix with the air that people breathe in. As a result, they lead to the deterioration of people’s health causing diseases to organs such as the lungs besides other complex conditions. Within some of these factories, there are inadequate measures and precautions taken in order to prevent harm done to the workers undertaking various tasks in the premises. The core value of any business has always been termed as that which utilizes resources to produce as much profit as can be realized and at the same time undergo very minimal expense. It is for this business principle that some of the big companies tend to undermine the environment. This is evident in situations whereby companies tend to utilize non-environmental friendly material such as energy which is cheaper as to be able to realize more profit. Man has made the realization that the environmental resources are being depleted, thus proper precaution should be taken as to educate on the upper value of the environment against the economy value of companies. By sacrificing some monetary allocation to acquire energy resources, which might be, costly but environmental friendly is a better solution in a long-term view perspective. There are types of plastics that are unrecyclable, despite this; these materials are more available compared to the recyclable ones. For the purpose of availability of resources, most companies prefer then going for the easily available resources that degrade the environment compared to the environment friendly ones. Aside to this factor of income earning, more factors that can be determined as those deter people from engaging in pro-environmental behavior. These factors range from climate change, population, resource depletion, pollution, species extinction and aesthetics. Climatic change Climatic change is the process whereby the weather patterns changes from time to time (Harris, 2011). Some conditions are termed as good condition being that they are favorable to undertaking particular activities. In relation to pro-environmental behaviors, climatic change is a major factor that can hinder people from undertaking pro-environmental activities (Parker & Shapiro, 2008). During times like the winter season, undertaking activities such as tree planting is irrelevant since these conditions are non-favorable in growing plants. Tree planting is a practice that many tend to undertake as to ensure that the environmental factors like soil and water are preserved (Bizikova, et al, 2008). In engaging in such activities as growing trees in barren lands, the environment is preserved. Such effects as the outbreak of pests, fires and droughts are some of the results that climatic changes bring. Human beings in most situations tend to avoid these types of drastic climatic effects therefore, tends to shy away from the activities that could enhance the environment. Climatic change as an element can then qualify as one of those that deter people from engaging in activities that upgrades the environment. Population As population of an area grows dense, some environmental factors are considerably affected. The increase or decrease in population of a place is likely to affect the people in that area as to undertaking certain pro-environmental activities (Stockdieck, 2011). In a place where the population of a place is dense or heavily populated the probability of establishments such as factories and companies are most likely (Chirkov, et al, 2011). Through establishing businesses in dense areas where there are many people, businesses are likely to grow. The negative impact to this is that as much as people will be conducting business related activities in the area, there are results, which considerably will degrade the environment (Taylor, 2010). Pollution Pollution is the degradation of the environmental factors by contamination. Pollution is one factor that deters people from engaging in pro-environmental activities (Abler & Shortle, 2001). Many people prefer travelling to their places of work using their cars, in this process contaminating the air by the fumes produced from the vehicles (Wapner, 2000). Travelling by a car is faster as to ensure that one gets to work early, which considerably is important. This then qualifies pollution as one of the factors that leads to people failing to undertake pro-environmental activities (Mumaw, et al, 1989). From the solar energy programs, findings have shown that the people who voluntary prefer this type of program endures more economic value compared to the people who use the other forms of energy. For this purpose, most people tend to shy away from using this type of clean energy and go for the ones that are cheaper and not environment friendly. Recycling habits Engaging in such activities as recycling household waste materials is considerably pro-environmental; this is by ensuring that the different waste products are recycled separately (Hall, 2005). The plastics and the non-plastic materials are placed under separate bins then later on recycled. Most people tend to view this exercise as time consuming and untidy, as a result, not many engage in such exercise (Wilcox, 2007). To curb the problems of waste products being thrown around leading to untidiness of the environment recycling habits should be encouraged (Morris, 2008). Responsible consumption One being a responsible consumer is one of the behaviors that considerably is pro-environmental (Crocker & Linden, 1998). A consumer tends to prefer products from the secondhand stores or opt for the ecologically produced products. In the process of undertaking this activity, the products that are considerably harmful to the environment can be avoided. Responsible consumption habit is not as regular as it is supposed to be by many as the products are much expensive and not available at regular stores (Bentley & United Nations Environment, 2005). Therefore, most people opt not to engage in consumption of the products that are more available as to save their time and money and in the process fail to observe the pro-environment behavior (Schradder, 2013). Resource depletion Resource depletion is the constant reduction of those elements needed by the humans for their daily (Henderson, 2012). In the current world, the population is increasing at a constant rate that the resources available are being used at an equally faster rate. The depletion of resources can be appreciated as one of the factors that contribute to deterring people from engaging in pro-environmental behaviors (Been & Michigan, 1966). As the resources, which are considerably eco-friendly, are being used up and undermined in a fast rate the remaining resources are the only solution forward as human continuity is to subsist (Diederen, 2010). Using clean energy is an activity that could help in alleviating the environmental condition as the pollution of the air could then be controlled at a fashionable manner. The tapping of resources of clean energy is known to be reducing at a high rate that leads to people engaging in other behaviors that are not pro environmental (Mukherejee, 1995). Aesthetics Aesthetics is the nature of art that deals with beautification and taste (Hegel, 1998). Aesthetics therefore involves undertaking those activities that beautifies the environment and makes it more conducive (Brady, 2003). The planting of trees and flowers in parks and places where there is barren land is considerably a practice that can beautify the environment (Fumerton, 1991). Aside to the environment being beautiful, the planting of trees, helps in conservation of moisture which when recycles in the process of rain helps in maintain the elements such as soil water and nutrients in the soils (Berleant, 2004). Innovations By people understanding the environment and getting to understand what activities could be undertaken, there are impacts that results. From such activities of creativity and idealism of how one can do certain things in a much faster and easier way, there are also problems, which are encountered relating to the environment. In the radical society, there are constant changes that can only be suppressed by the constant innovations taking place at an equal rate. By being able to come up with more ways by which energy could be tapped: be it clean or not clean energy, work could be made easier. In the environment, the process by which stabilization of the sources of energy is done could be harmful. Nuclear energy is considerable clean energy that does not pollute the environment and produces a significantly higher level of energy compared to the other sources. From the discovery of this type of energy, the stabilization of how the radiation emitted from the energy production has been a problem. Therefore, from people need to constantly experience various innovations; there is deterrence in pro environmental behavior. The pro environmental behavior is encouraged at a global level; education on the benefits is a factor that has been considered in order to get people to participate in such activities that are environment friendly. As much as the finding show that from the economic value and norms are still considerably the greatest challenge into getting people to appreciate the pro environmental practices, the change is gradual and effective in some parts of the world. Reference Abler, D. G., & Shortle, J. S. (2001). Environmental policies for agricultural pollution control. Wallingford [u.a.: CABI Publ. Bazerman, M. H. (1997). Environment, ethics, and behavior: The psychology of environmental valuation and degradation. San Francisco: New Lexington Press. Bentley, M., Consumers International (Foundation), & United Nations Environment Programme. (2005). 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