By Jonathan Tijani
Lagos, Nigeria
The constant urge for surviving in humans had made us very sensitive to our surroundings. Our activities, actions, and intervention have an impact on the environment and the environment us. This is essentially just like the law of physics that states “ for every action, there’s equal but opposite reaction”. However, we have a strong desire to select different environmental attributes, such as safety and security, physical comfort with the right temperature, psychologically comfortable in a manner that is familiar with the environment with the actual amount of stimulus. These attributes cut across different sectors of the economic system that bonds us with the environment playing a crucial part of how they impact our perspective as an individual.Since the very beginning, the way we behave and treat our environment is how we view and perceive it. Perspective is relatively a process, resulting in how we see things surrounds us. Individual perspectives on the environment, human(s) relationship with nature in any form have traditionally been divided into different categories, these include imperialism, stewardship, romanticism, and utilitarianism. It still accounts for the majority of opinions and attitudes most people have or perceive about the environment today.The stewardship maintains a perspective that humans hold a certain responsibility to the surroundings just like the stewards of nature. Several persons see the environment like this and believe deeply in it and its sustainability. Similarly, just like the stewardship perspective, the imperialism perspective has a different view about the environment, this perspective is believed that individual has the right to control nature. This perspective helped in the development of the modern view of science which is based upon the assumption and believes that the aim is to control nature.
Every individual has a different perspective and how the environment is viewed. The romanticist also draws out their perspective of the environment from a different angle, it is believed that it does not value the environment for its own sake but value it for its worth to humans. It is believed that this perspective sees the beauty of nature and honoring it. Unlike others, utilitarians believed that the environment plays a fundamental role in history, thus, the need to protect its existence and conserve the environment. From the utilitarian point of view, the most important thing in life is happiness and contentment and nothing matters which cannot appreciate these feelings. This perspective gives utmost importance to humans in its environment because of human nature and capabilities. It is very crucial to know that every individual’s perspective is affected by environmental impact. An environmental impact involves any alteration to the environment, it could either be beneficial or adverse, resulting from a facility of activities, actions and products or services. In more simple terms, it is the effect of our actions on the environment; which takes a turn to affects our perspective of the environment. Individual perspective differs from persons to persons and it is dependent on the environment, thus, the environment impacts our perspective in the following ways:The environment can discourage interactions among people, this embedded a change on our perspective of the environment because of the inadequate subsequent benefits of social supports. For example, due to our interaction with the environment that has resulted in a negative outcome, leading to the removal of an inviting space, security, and safety. This act makes us perceive our surroundings as a place not safe for social support. Also, our perspective could be impacted by the environment in such a way that it influences our behavior and motivation to act. However, it goes in a long way either to be encouraged or discouraged about what we believe. The environment could also change moods over time due to how the environment is perceived by individuals.The different point of view from the human’s perspective needs to be sustained over time for continuity of thoughts and beliefs, thus, a need for Sustainability. Itis a concept that deals with our impact, through development on the environment. It is surely one of the subjects that attempts to bridge social science with construction engineering and environmental science with the technology of the future.
There are countless times throughout human history where civilization has damaged its environment, this act seriously affected the chances of surviving. Sustainability can also be explained as the study of how natural systems function, how they remain diverse and produce everything that is needed for the ecology to remain in balance. Sustainability also acknowledges that human civilization takes resources to sustain our modern way of life thus making it very important for the future.For every decision made about the future, it is crucial to assess them across the pillars of sustainability; economic development, social development, and environmental protection. Sustainability looks different to each person, and each person has different goals that encompass every area of humanity, nature protection, and development.It also put into consideration how it is possible to live in harmony with the natural world around us, preventing it from damage and destruction. It could be said that today’s environmental problems, like any form of pollution, are largely a consequence of the unsustainable consumption of natural resources and the mismanagement of waste products. Sustainability simply helps to protect the environment, sustain economic growth, and promote social equity. These elements, when considered together, result in a better future for everyone.
Thank you for reading,
Jonathan Tijani
REFERENCES
https://www.nap.edu/read/13497/chapter/12#196https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Environmental_impacthttps://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/healing-environment/what-impact-does-environment-have-ushttps://www.environmentalscience.org/sustainabilityhttps://www.isb-global.com/the-future-of-sustainability-2019/?gclid=CjwKCAjwssD0BRBIEiwA-JP5rHxyNsgQzSYAiLD57zQDYKEneBAi4qA1SDk6i2e9UOwtHJrmf4VLbBoCm0kQAvD_BwEhttps://www.futurelearn.com/courses/sustainable-business/1/steps/157438