Lesson 5.2

Lesson 2

Lesson 2—Actions and Policies

Which actions and policies impact the environment?

Get Focused

In April 2008 Syncrude, a company that extracts oil from the oil sands in northern Alberta, announced that 500 migratory birds died after landing in a Syncrude tailings pond.

A tailings pond holds the leftover metal dust from mineral extractions. A pond is created by covering the metal dust with water to prevent the dust from becoming airborne. This allows the metals to settle to the bottom of the pond.

Tailings ponds were never intended for use by wildlife or people. Covers and noise equipment to prevent wildlife from entering the ponds are typically used. Syncrude had not activated the noise equipment that would have deterred the migratory birds from landing in this particular tailings pond. Exposure to the toxic pond was fatal to nearly all the birds that landed. Wildlife organizations were able to rescue less than five birds.

Syncrude was criticized by many for failing to prevent this disaster. Beyond the failure to ensure safety, Syncrude was also condemned for supporting the business of tar sands extractions over environmental sustainability. A company apology to the public was featured in the media along with the commitment to do better next time.

What relationship did this environmental disaster have with globalization?

Notebook

This is a required activity to support Get Focused but will not be graded.

In your Notebook record key ideas from Get Focused.

Internet

Investigate the business of Syncrude. Go to the Syncrude website. Compare its stated vision and values and its current report on environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Assignment

Please complete the Economic Growth or Sustaining the Environment? Assignment at this point.

Explore 2

Explore 1

In what ways do actions and policies that support globalization affect the environment?

You will explore the immediate and visible impacts that actions and policies of governments and organizations have on the environment.

Notebook

In your Notebook record key ideas from your Explore selection.

Read

Read the following pages in your textbook. Record key ideas in your Notebook.

• Read “How does globalization affect resource development?” on page 272 in Perspectives on Globalization.

• Read “Resource Development and the Oil Industry” on pages 273 to 275 in Perspectives on Globalization.

• Read “The Politics of Resource Development” on pages 276 to 278 in Perspectives on Globalization.
  
  
• Read “Resource Development Agreements and Environmental Legislation” on pages 279
  to 284 in Perspectives on Globalization.

Assignment

Please complete the Globalization and the Environment Assignment at this time.

Lesson 3 Intro

Lesson 3—Environmental Sustainability

What is the relationship between globalization, the environment, and sustainability?

Get Focused

There are views that globalization directly causes issues for the environment and threatens sustainability. Is this the only relationship between globalization and the environment? Is it possible that globalization could sustain a viable environment that would protect resources for future generations? Can you enjoy the benefits of economic globalization and do your part in sustaining the environment?

Notebook

This is a required activity to support Get Focused.

Record key ideas in your Notebook

Internet

Gather details about the current ecoAUTO Rebate Program offered by the Government of Canada. This program is no longer available but write a summary of it.

Research

What guides your first new car purchase?

1. Identify the year, make, and model of the car you would purchase. The Internet has many car websites that can provide the information you need.

2. In your Notebook explain what guided your choice.
3. Post your comments on the discussion forum.

Explore 1

Section 1—The Environment

Explore 1

In what ways does globalization create issues for environmental sustainability?

Is environmental loss the price of globalization? Are developed countries sacrificing prosperity for all people in order to maintain economic systems of capitalism and free trade? Are less-developed countries limiting their own prosperity because of the inability to maintain environmental sustainability within their own borders? Damage to the land and water are the most visible signs of environmental loss. Severe weather is evidence of climate change. What else results from environmental loss?

environmental sustainability: the condition of maintaining the current state of the environment without further damage in the future

Notebook

In your Notebook, record key ideas from the Explore 1 activities to support your assignment.

Read

Read “Food for All” on pages 305 and 306 in Perspectives on Globalization.

How does the globalization of agriculture create issues for environmental sustainability? Record your key ideas in your Notebook.

Research

Choose one developed country and one less-developed country. Research the information necessary to create a comparison between the two countries.

1. What ranks the country as a developed or a less-developed country?

2. What are indicators of the prosperity of each country? Keep in mind that prosperity includes aspects of life (both financial and other) that create satisfaction for the people of the country.

Record your key ideas in your Notebook.

Continue to research the selected countries.

1. What type of economy does each country have?
2. What is the Genuine Progress Index ranking of each country?
3. Research two key environmental issues for each country.

genuine progress index: an indicator of the sustainable prosperity of a country through the measure of the value of positive non-economic factors, such as volunteerism and education, against negative factors, such as pollution and crime

Assignment

Please complete theThe Impacts of Countries on Environmental Sustainability Forum Assignment at this point.

Explore 2

Explore 2

What are the perspectives on the role of globalization in sustaining our environment?

In Explore 1 you may have found that opportunities of globalization may drive some people and countries to place economic success above the sustainability of the environment. Is this always the impact of globalization? Is it possible that globalization may aid in sustaining the environment?

Notebook

In your Notebook, record key ideas from Explore 2.

Read

Read about the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on page 307 in Perspectives on Globalization. How can globalization respond to issues of environmental sustainability? Record your key ideas in your Notebook.

Internet

Corporations are going green. The Hewlett-Packard (HP) Development Company is one example of a multinational corporation that is attempting to demonstrate a balance between economic benefits and environmental sustainability in a globalizing world. HP is in the business of digital technologies such as computers, cameras, and printers. The environment and Eco Solutions are now features of its business.

• Go to the HP website and click on “Company Information” and then “Environment.” Explore the “Eco Solutions” web page. View videos on HP’s participation in the environment and the World Wildlife Federation program on climate change.

Is it possible to be green and profitable? What effect do the manufacture, marketing, use, and disposal of digital technologies have on the environment? Record your key ideas in your Notebook.

• The Global Issues website features articles on sustainable development. Use the website search tool to locate “The Impact of Richer Nations on the Environment.” Find out what Vandana Shiva identifies as environmental impacts in the quote from Stolen Harvest. How has globalization impacted the environment? Record your key ideas in your Notebook.

• The Global Envision website features an article that explores whether there are environmental benefits to globalization. Use the website search tool to find the 2004 article entitled “The Environmental Benefits of Globalization.” Can globalization encourage environmental sustainability? Record your key ideas in your Notebook.

Research

This is a required activity to support Explore 2.

Select one multinational corporation to research.

1. What is the environmental track record of this corporation?
2. What commitments to the environment has this corporation made?

Record your key ideas in your Notebook.

Assignment

Please complete the Globalization and Environmental Sustainability Assignment at this time.