1. Different Cultural View of Nature Our view of nature and the environment are culturally bound Western View of the Environment Judeo-Christian tradition sees man as superior to other creatures. God gave man dominion over plants and animals Garden of Eden story Implicit theory of stewardship but freedom to use nature to improve life

2. Faith in the power of reason and science to solve problems Unlock secrets of nature to serve man Nature as something to be exploited Air, Land and Water treated as “free goods” Environmental problems treated as “externalities”- external to the cost of production

3. Non-Western View of the Environment Man seen as part of nature, not separate from it or superior to it Nature viewed in spiritual terms Man shouldn’t seek to control nature but work with it, preserve it Gods or spirits may inhabit nature See change a cyclical rather than linear Social responsibilities more important Educated elites frequently share a more western view of the environment