1. Now that you have almost completed this course in environmental sociology, please describe what you think an environmental sociologist does. What have you learned about what an Environmental Sociologist does since you started this course?
2. Give a few examples of how materialism creates inequality in minority populations.
3. As an expert in environmental sociology, you have been asked to give a brief speech at a major international conference on the future of the world's environment.
What will you say? Be sure in your speech to say whether we should be optimistic or pessimistic. Justify your answer sociologically, drawing on material from this course on consumer products and services and how they will impact the environment in the future. Also, please be sure to describe how environmental goods and bads play a role in the future of the world's environment in terms of social-economic status.
4. Discuss the pros and cons of using the term invironment instead of environment. What is the difference between environment and invironment? Be sure to provide an example of each and an example of how they connect. Compare and contrast how this relates to consumer products and services derived from the environment. You should focus on both human and environmental health.
5. The sociologist Maynard Haskins once wrote that, "The biggest environmental problem is not any of the gang of five usually pointed to--pollution, overpopulation, overconsumption, the treadmill of production, or our concepts of nature. Rather, the biggest environmental problem is social inequality, for it is ultimately responsible for all the others."
Drawing on readings and lectures from this course, defend or critique Haskins' pronouncement. In your answer, be sure to discuss the role (or lack thereof) of social inequality in at least three of the "gang of five." Compare and contrast how these impact free market economics and capitalism.
6. The public health and environmental movements are sometimes at odds with each other. Why is this the case? What might be done to improve the situation? How does this relate to the role of producers and marketers in selling goods and services in a capitalist society? Compare and contrast how this relates to green businesses and our society's ever increasing focus on being more sustainable.
7. Explain how the dialogue of solidarities is a kind of ecological dialogue between the realms of the material and the ideal. Describe how this relates to the relationship between population growth and environmental impacts. Compare and contrast how this relationship impacts poverty, debt, and hunger. Please be sure to outline in detail the dialogue of solidarities as described in your course readings.