Strategies for Promoting Environmental Behavior - Essay Example

Air Pollution Introduction The biggest environmental problem in this region is air pollution. The continuous release of greenhouse gasses, industrial smoke and motor vehicle fumes are the major contributors of air pollution. The greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide have led to climatic change over the years leading to more heating and global warming. The industrial smoke and motor vehicle fumes have continuously tampered with the ozone layer. It has led to global warming, more adverse effects of human, animal, and plants health at large (Chapman, & Bowden, 2002). Air pollution depreciates the health of humans in that it leads to respiratory diseases that eventually lead to higher mortality rates in this region. The sulfur oxides that cause respiratory illnesses also lead to acid rain. This is where the untreated sulfur oxides in the industrial smokes form clouds thus rain drops that contain sulfuric and nitric acids fall from the sky. These raindrops eventually contaminate water, and damage plantations thus affect the entire eco-system in the locality (Gullotta, & Bloom, 2002). Over the years, air pollution when not addressed has led to severe deaths. For instance, in 1952 London smog that killed 4,000 people was due to the adverse conditions that air pollution can bring if people continue polluting air. The increment of cancer cases in the world today is due to the exposure of air pollution. Cigarette smoking and inadequate air supply in houses also causes air pollution (Chapman, & Bowden, 2002). This study aims to inform the community on the effects of air pollution and the best strategies to promote positive environmental action. The study will also include the positive and negative consequences that increase pro-environmental behavior and cover the impact of technology advances to the environment. Finally, this paper will assess the influence of environmental policies. Strategies for promoting environmental behavior The best strategy to promote positive environmental action is to enlighten the community on the causes of air pollution, its effects and the best ways to prevent air pollution. Societal enlightenment on the causes of air pollution will ensure the society limit activities that cause air pollution. The community having the knowledge on the effects their activities results in when they pollute the air will help them change their lifestyles in the future. Many people know that an increment in air pollution means more cancer patients, respiratory diseases and global warming that will affect them negatively. Social awareness being the first strategy will play a key role in ensuring that the next strategy is successful or will eventually fail (Gullotta, & Bloom, 2002). When a society is conversant with the causes, effects and ways to prevent air pollution, environmental behavior change is the second strategy that the community should be advised to adopt. This plan calls for a society to change their activities and their behaviors towards the environment (Chapman, & Bowden, 2002). It advocates for people to treat the environment in a way that it will be eco-friendly in the future. Environmental action approach is divided into some other ways to ensure that the society’s behavior changes to reduce air pollution among other forms of pollution. Modeling is where video tapes and other ways that demonstrate the environmental friendly behaviors that the environmentalists are advocating in the community. This is a way to show the community ways to change their behavior while at work or at home to minimize air pollution. The community may also engage in commitment environmental behavior. In this method, the society makes verbal or written commitment to perform a desired behavior that will ensure minimum air pollution. Environmentalists should use the two strategies namely; social awareness and environmental action to ensure the reduction of air pollution for better living conditions and a better place for the future generations. Failure to do so global warming will be rampant thus more illnesses and poor health for the population at large (Gullotta, & Bloom, 2002). Ways that positive and negative effects can increase pro-environmental behavior The effects of air pollution are harmful to the inhabitants of the entire world thus it may be complicated to note that the negative consequences can increase pro-environmental behavior. Negative consequences are the key to the need to eradicate air pollution thus experience is the best teacher in this case. Air pollution leads to global warming, acid rain, cancer and respiratory illnesses among other diseases. A society that has endured this is deemed to embrace pro-environmental behavior to change their fate faster than a person who has not experienced the adverse effects. The adverse effects will make the community engage in pro-environmental behaviors that will reduce the complexity of life due to the harsh conditions and diseases brought by air pollution. Positive consequences of engaging in pro-environmental behaviors will also promote pro-environmental behavior since the community understands the need of having fresh air since it reduces respiratory illness and climatic changes among other adverse effects of air pollution. The society will continue to enjoy a clean environment thus increase in their pro-environmental behavior in order to limit the chances of suffering from air pollution effects and to preserve a clean environment for the future generations. How technological advances have affected the environment During the past years, technology has played a vital role in the environmental conservation and pollution. During the industrial revolution in Europe, the use of fossil fuels increased due to the improved technology at the time. The engines consumed a lot of fuels thus, emitting contaminated gasses inform of smoke to the environment. The smoke polluted the air and led to the increase of respiratory illnesses and global warming (Steg, Van & De, 2012). As the technology advanced, the industrial engines were improved thus reducing smoke emersion to the air. The smoke was also treated before being released in the atmosphere thus reducing the rate of air pollution. The use of vehicles has increased with the improvement of technology and population growth in the world. Technology advancement ensures that the vehicle production companies can produce cars at a cheaper cost and more efficient ways. The dense populations provide a ready market for the cheap vehicles, but the cars have played different roles to pollute or conserve the environment (Steg, Van & De, 2012). Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) is the latest technological advancement of late. HEV combines conventional internal combustion engine propulsion with an electric propulsion system. HEV reduces the emissions of fumes to the atmosphere, which is accustomed to other fuel vehicles (Steg, Van & De, 2012). These vehicles are eco-friendlier compared to other cars. Although technological progress of vehicles has reduced air pollution, it is not very effective since some part of the engine system uses fossil fuel and thus emit fumes that pollute the air. Technology have affected the environment it conflicting ways but as the latest technological advancement indicates, in the future technology will provide locomotive devices that will not pollute the air. This is based on the change noted by differentiating HEVs and the ordinary vehicles. Assess the influence of environmental policies. Environmental policies are set to ensure the society preserves the environment. Planting of trees and cutting felling trees is one of the policies Prof. Wangari Mathai a noble Loiret winner, she began a program to plant more trees to ensure a reduction of air pollution. Trees cleanse the air by consuming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and emitting oxygen thus reducing global warming in the end (Holgate, 1999). Other strategies include countries or industries paying some tax according to the pollutant gasses they emit when carrying on their production or other activities. The tax ensures the industries and countries feel the pain of polluting the environment by having to pay for it. These policies may affect the economic standards of an individual or an industry by limiting their production due to more pollution. This leads to higher taxes, but the policies help preserve the environment (Steg, Van & De, 2012). The industries and countries will reduce air pollution due to the enormous fees involved for polluting the air. This means that the policies provide positive impacts towards environmental conservation. On the other hand, the policies may be seen to be a way of exploiting the industries and countries. The taxes paid do not clearly indicate the impact of the air pollution and the calamities that it may result. The environmentalist should use the taxes paid to carry out researches that will help mitigate the effects of air pollution and ways that manufacturers can produce at their optimum while not polluting the atmosphere (Holgate, 1999). If this move is not taken, the policies are just blind moves by the United Nations in its attempt to eradicate air pollution and to ensure better environment for the world’s population. This is because global warming is affecting the entire population, and the taxes of air pollution are doing nothing to help the community that is innocent of the crime of pollution. Acquiring ways to reduce air pollution is the best policy that should be adopted. Planting trees will help, but it needs other policies that will ensure habitable environment for human, animals and plants. Conclusion Air pollution is an environmental problem that the world at large is responsible for ensuring it is stopped. It is clear to note that air pollution leads to other forms of pollution. For instance; air pollution leads to acid rain that results to water pollution. It also causes global warming that leads to death of living things and may lead to our extinction (Holgate, 1999). The environmentalists have tried to enlighten the population on the best ways to limit air pollution, but they have not gained many outcomes. The policies and technology have shown improvements in the move to ensure the reduction of air pollution, but they have not clearly demonstrated that they are capable. The society should be willing to change and have pro-environmental behavior to prevent air pollution and preserve the world for the future generation. It is our duty to protect the environment and nature will reward us with fewer calamities and illnesses. References Chapman, M., & Bowden, R. (2002). Air pollution: Our impact on the planet. Austin, TX: Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers. Gullotta, T. P., & Bloom, M. (2002). The encyclopedia of primary prevention and health promotion. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum. Holgate, S. T. (1999). Air pollution and health. San Diego: Academic Press. Steg, L., Van,. B. A. E., & De, G. J. I. M. (2012). Environmental Psychology: An Introduction. Hoboken: BPS Blackwell. Read More