SHAH AND ANCHOR KUTCHHI ENGINEERING COLLEGE - DoMS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to thank our Principal Dr. B.K. Lande and HOD Dr. Saji Daniel for

laying their tremendous support for arranging the necessary hardware support like computers

and use of internet which helped us a lot for doing research on our report.

A special thank goes to our professor Prof. Rama Iyer, who is most responsible for

helping us complete the writing of this report as well as the challenging research that lies

behind it. She was always there to meet and talk about our ideas, to proofread and mark up

my papers and chapters, and to ask me good questions to help me think through my problems

(whether philosophical, analytical or computational).

We are extremely grateful to the Shah and Anchor Kutchhi Engineering College –

Department of Management Studies for having prescribed this assignment to us as a part of

the academic requirement.

We wish to appreciate for providing us the library staff for their support in providing

academic content for the encouragement and helpful approach and for providing the entire

state of resources to enable the completion and enrichment of our assignment.

A heart full thanks to all respondents who had taken a pain to fill our survey forms so we

were able to complete our project report.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1

1. Introduction to Environmental Ethics 3

2. Three areas of Environmental Ethics 4

3. The socio-economic background and environmental responsibility 5

4. The complexity of environmental problems 6

a. Air Pollution 6

b. Land Pollution 7

c. Light Pollution 8

d. Noise Pollution 9

e. Thermal Pollution 9

f. Visual Pollution 10

g. Water Pollution 10

5. Water Pollution 11

6. Overall Ecological Risk 13

7. CASE STUDY – 1 14

8. CASE STUDY – 2 16

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INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS

Environmental ethics is the part of environmental philosophy which considers extending the

traditional boundaries of ethics from solely including humans to including the non-human

world. It exerts influence on a large range of disciplines including environmental law,

environmental sociology, Eco theology, ecological economics, ecology and environmental

geography.

The general goals are to learn what environmental ethics are. Environmental ethics is about

moral care for nature and environment. That moral care depends on what is and what has the

moral status. The moral status of nature and environment depends on anthropocentric and

non-anthropocentric arguments.

The definition of environmental ethics is: “The systematical thinking about the action of

humans towards nature and/or environment asking the question whether that action is

good/not good in the end.”

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Three areas of environmental ethics

Environmental ethics is an ethics of application. Its worth depends on whether moral intrinsic

value is attached to the environment of the human society - that is nature - or not. If we do so,

we can distinguish three "areas" of environmental ethics, which together build an ascending

sequence. Each subsequent area includes the former or extends it with an additional "moral

agent":

(1.) Ethics of resources: In case that a value is adjudged to nature only in relation to humans,

we talk about "ethics of resources". Resource ethics asks about how we can use the raw

materials and environmental media (such as water and soil) provided by nature without

causing irreversible damages (overexploitation or environmental pollution). Such ethics can

be justified solely by anthropocentric reasons, i.e. by the interests of people.

(2.) Animal ethics is concerned with the well-being of individual beings, which are sensitive

to pain. The term "animal ethics" is a bit ambiguous, as animal ethics usually only attends to

sentient organisms. So animal ethics asks whether animals - at least the ones with sensitivity

(to pain) - possess a value and a purpose in themselves. And - if so - asks, what this means in

an ethical sense with regard to our relation and behaviour towards them. A consequent animal

ethics moves beyond the sole anthropocentric approach by thinking in a "pathocentric" way.

(3.) Ethics of nature attends to the moral aspects of the dealing with lower "insentient" life

forms (plants, fungi, bacteria etc.) as well as with other supra-individual biotic entities as

species, biocoenosis, ecosystems and landscapes. Nature ethics asks whether each form of

life or complex natural systems - and perhaps even the nature as a whole - possesses moral

value and therefore is absolutely worth to be protected. Such ethics (however it might be

substantiated) goes - even more as the animal ethics - beyond the scope of an environmental

ethics which solely respects the interests of humans. Instead of anthropocentric, nature ethics

is physiocentric oriented.

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The socio-economic background and environmental responsibility

Unfortunately, we don't have enough time. We are very close to the end of present

consumption habits and living styles, in other words, behaviors does not change towards

environmentally sensitive manner. Some issues occur suddenly and unexpectedly so delays

before science catches up may be unavoidable. For example we don't know when economical

or ecological crisis will come or we don't know the long term impacts of some technological

developments on environment. Technological unknowns like, the use of nanotechnology,

artificially created lives, the use of biofuels, etc. Therefore, moral development of individuals

is needed urgently. That means individuals should form their own ethical framework to live

in harmony with nature by assessing the consequences of their relationship with nature. Basic

facts about how natural ecosystems function and technical dimension of the environmental

pollution and control practices should be integrated with our judgments concerning the

intrinsic value of nature and our commitments to other living things and future generations.

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The complexity of environmental problems

Nowadays environmental problems are growing faster and faster and as a human being, we

have been facing their destructive consequences heavily. Unfortunately those problems have

several dimensions that have to be considered while solving them: ecological, economical,

social, cultural, technical, etc. this makes environmental problems complicated, complex and

peculiar. Therefore several dilemmatic situations caused by multidimensional characteristic

of environmental problems. Its complexity might be confronted if and only if by changing

human behaviors towards environment. That is, it is necessary for people (especially for

environmental experts as a role-model in the society and decision maker as shaping

environmental policies) to adopt and harmonize ethical dimensions to the scientific,

technological, economical, social and legal aspects of controlling environmental pollution to

achieve effective environmental protection.

Air Pollution

According to the dictionary, air pollution is the contamination of air by smoke and harmful

gases, mainly oxides of carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen.

Some examples of air pollution include:

Exhaust fumes from vehicles.

The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil or gas.

Harmful off-gassing from things such as paint, plastic

production and so on.

Radiation spills or nuclear accidents.

Air pollution is linked to asthma, allergies and other respiratory

illnesses. You can more about how the environment affects human

health here.

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Land Pollution

Land pollution is the degradation of the Earth's surface caused by a misuse of resources and

improper disposal of waste.

Some examples of land pollution include:

Litter found on the side of the road.

Illegal dumping in natural habitats.

Oil spills that happen inland.

The use of pesticides and other farming chemicals.

Damage and debris caused from unsustainable mining and logging practices.

Radiation spills or nuclear accidents.

Land pollution is responsible for damage done to natural habitat of animals, deforestation and

damage done to natural resources, and the general ugly-ing up of our communities.

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Light Pollution

Light pollution is the brightening of the night sky inhibiting the visibility of stars and planets

by the use of improper lighting of communities.

Some examples of what causes light pollution:

Street lamps that shine light in all directions, instead of with a hood to point light

downward toward the street.

Unnecessary lights, especially around the home

Light pollution uses more energy (by shining more light up instead of down), may affect

human health and our sleep cycles and most importantly, corrupts our kid’s telescopes and

their curiosity.

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Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is any loud sounds that are either harmful or annoying to humans and

animals.

Some examples of noise pollution:

Airplanes, helicopters and motor vehicles

Construction or demolition noise

Human activities such as sporting events or

concerts

Noise pollution is disruptive to humans' stress levels, may be harmful to unborn babies, and

drives animals away, causing nervousness and decreasing their ability to hear prey or

predators.

Thermal Pollution

Thermal pollution is the increase of temperature caused by human activity.

Warmer lake water from nearby manufacturing

(using cool water to cool the plant and then

pump it back into the lake).

Included in thermal pollution should also be

the increase in temperatures in areas with lots

of concrete or vehicles, generally in cities.

These kinds of environmental pollution can cause aquatic life to suffer or die due to the

increased temperature, can cause discomfort to communities dealing with higher

temperatures and can even affect plant-life in and around the area.

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Visual Pollution

Visual pollution is what you would call anything unattractive or visualizing damaging to the

nearby landscape. This tends to be a highly subjective topic, as we all find different things

attractive and unattractive.

Some examples of visual pollution:

Skyscrapers might block the view of a mountain.

Graffiti or carving on trees, rocks or other natural landscapes.

Billboards, litter, abandoned homes and junkyards could also

be considered among three kinds of environmental pollution.

Mostly visual kinds of environmental pollution are annoying, although some may say they

are also depressing (such as when they can't see a view through a billboard).

Water Pollution

Water pollution is the contamination of any body of water (lakes, groundwater, oceans, etc).

Some examples of water pollution:

Raw sewage running into lake or streams.

Industrial waste spills contaminating groundwater.

Radiation spills or nuclear accidents.

Illegal dumping of substances, or items in bodies of

water.

Biological contamination, such as bacteria growth.

These kinds of environmental pollution are linked to health issues in humans, animals and

plant-life. You can read more about how the environment is affecting our health here.

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WATER POLLUTION

Any kind of harmful components or contaminants entering the water bodies like river,

oceans, lakes, ponds, and streams cause water pollution. Many human activities like washing

cleaning, and dumping waste significantly contribute to water pollution. The soaps and

detergents used these days are also made of harmful chemicals and synthetic materials that

produce more contaminants in water. Furthermore, dumping waste like cans, bottles, and

plastic materials also pose danger. It not only destroys marine life but is also hazardous to

human life. This kind of polluted water is not safe for drinking, agriculture or even industrial

use.

Water pollution has been documented as a contributor to a wide range of health problems and

disorders in humans. It has also been shown to have drastically negative impacts on wild

animals and the environment as a whole. There are quite a few different effects of water

pollution that are of significant importance to humans.

Human Health Effects

Water pollution can pose health dangers to humans who come into contact with it, either

directly or indirectly.

Contaminated Drinking Water

The risks of your health being negatively impacted by polluted drinking water in a developed

country are small in comparison with developing countries. However, it is possible to become

ill from contaminated water. When you are out hiking, you can acquire giardiasis that can

lead to the presentation of acute symptoms like vomiting and intense nausea. This infection is

caused by drinking water that has been fouled by animal wastes in untreated waterways. In

anthropogenic environments like cities and towns, the potential toxins are far more numerous.

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Mercury Level Risks

Health risks from pollution vary from area to area. One of the most pervasive non-localized

water pollution issues facing the world today is the level of mercury in the oceans. Inorganic

mercury is a common byproduct of a number of industrial processes. The level of mercury in

fish is mostly dangerous for small children and women who might become pregnant, are

pregnant or are nursing. Mercury has been found to interfere with the development of the

central nervous system in fetuses and young children, which could potentially lead to a large

amount of long-term side effects.

Health Effects of Toxic Runoff

In Louisiana, water quality can be

so bad in many waterways that fish

advisories are often posted to warn

people against eating fish out of

contaminated waterways. This is

largely due to industrial runoff from

localized sources and the

accumulative effects of runoff and

dumping from states that lie along

the Mississippi river. When the river

empties into Louisiana, it brings those accumulated toxins with it. This is believed to lead to

higher rates of cancer in areas surrounding the Mississippi delta in an area that is colloquially

referred to as "cancer alley."

Phosphorous runoff from industry can get into waterways and create toxic algal blooms.

These blooms have been linked to higher occurrences of paralytic shellfish poisoning in

humans, which can lead to death.

Glyphosate is an herbicide that is often used on crops throughout the United States. In areas

where GM crops resistant to glyphosate are planted, the pesticide is often overused and laid

out using a cascade spray. This can get into water and cause reproductive issues and kidney

failure.

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Overall Ecological Risks

Ecological Dead zone

The entrance of pollutants into waterways can have a wide range of impacts. It is possible for

the pollutants to raise the temperature of the water enough to force fish out in search of cooler

waters. This can itself create an ecological dead zone.

Increase in Algal Blooms

Water pollution can also significantly increase the rate of algal blooms. These blooms create

massive fish die-offs as the oxygen in the water gets depleted and the fish suffocate. Fish can

also be killed when excessive algae get caught in their gills.

Oil Spill Ramifications

Oil spills are a common occurrence throughout the world; however major spills like the

Exxon Valdez and the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster have shown what water pollution can

do on a very large scale. It was found that dolphins have been dying in record numbers near

the site of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster. It has also been found that the oil from the BP

disaster has gotten into wetlands, which are considered the nursery for nearly every creature

that lives in the area.

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CASE STUDY 1

Gist

Rajasthan's Kaladehra village is tense after angry protests by villagers and activists against a

Coca Cola bottling plant.

The demonstrators including Magsaysay award winner Aruna Roy say the water table in the

area has fallen drastically because the soft drink company is drawing large amounts of ground

water.

The Cola giant however says recent reports of the ground water board have established that

water levels in villages around its plant are not lower than those in other parts of Jaipur.

A leading environmental research group based here has asked Coca-Cola to consider shutting

down a bottling plant in the drought-stricken state of Rajasthan, saying the plant was

depleting scarce water supplies. The study found no pesticides in the water used at the six

bottling plants it sampled, and said that water quality "generally meets the government

regulatory standards". But the report expressed concern about the company's use of scarce

water supplies—an issue that has been raised repeatedly by villagers who live near several of

the company's bottling sites. The assessment looked at six of the company's 49 bottling plants

in India, but highlighted conditions at the Kaladera plant in Rajasthan. The plant's presence in

this area would "continue to be one of the contributors to a worsening water situation and a

source of stress to the communities around," it said. The company should find alternative

water supplies, relocate or shut down the plant.

Stakeholders

1. Farmers.

2. The cola company.

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Key issues

He accused the Coca-Cola plant of lowering the water table in the area through water mining

operations — charges that the bottler denies.

Coca-Cola is prepared to help farmers make the transition. "Last year, we entered into a

public-private partnership with the government agency Krishi Vigyan Kendra [an agricultural

extension service] to help farmers install drip irrigation projects in Kala Dera to improve

water and energy efficiency," Sharma said. "So far, we have installed 27 drip irrigation

projects and we plan to set up 200 more in the next few months."

The drip irrigation method allows water to drip slowly to the roots of crops, thus minimizing

the use of water and fertilizer.

But the farmers have a different take on the issue. Mahesh Yogi, a farmer and campaigner

who spoke with IPS, said that while Coca-Cola was giving out subsidies for drip irrigation,

the scheme was costly and unsustainable, considering the equipment needed, which would

also require maintenance

Conclusions

The Institute’s key recommendations were that Coca-Cola relocate the plant to a water-

abundant area or else transport water to the plant from an aquifer, which was not stressed for

its needs, rather than resort to water mining.

TERI’s report was prompted by an international, student-led campaign in the United States,

Canada and Britain involving 20 colleges and universities that called for the removal of

Coca-Cola products from their campuses for creating water shortages and pollution in the

areas where it operates in India.

The company is shut down finally because 25000 farmers were suffering due to the company

and its operations. Even we feel it was right because the farmers’ basic living is depended on

farming activities and hence it was right and ethical to shut down the plant.

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CASE STUDY 2

Gist

The Sellafield Nuclear Plant is located on the Northwest coast of the Irish Sea in England. It

is a government owned facility which produces about one-fourth of the United Kingdom's

energy. Nuclear waste from this facility has turned the Irish Sea into one of the most

radioactive bodies of water in the world. This pollution has the potential to threaten the health

of both the British and Irish people. Fish and shellfish are contaminated by the radiation and

cannot be safely used in trade. The Irish people and fishermen are the most seriously affected

by this radioactivity, however, they receive no benefits from the plant.

This problem has come to the attention of both the Irish and British authorities. Concern for

the health and well being of the Irish and British people has given this problem wide spread

attention

Key issues

Nuclear plant was releasing the nuclear waste in water bodies which contained radioactive

cell. This not only contaminated the water but health of both Irish and British people was at

stake. Fish and shellfish are contaminated by the radiation and cannot be safely used in trade.

The Irish people and fishermen are the most seriously affected by this radioactivity.

Stake holders

1. Sellafield nuclear plant.

2. People of Ireland & British.

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Conclusion

British government and Irish government should come forward to clean up radio activity

caused by shellafield. Shellafield cannot be closed down because it is providing energy to ¼

of UK people. Government should urge the shellafield to install some waste management

program so that very minimum waste needed to be discarded.

The environment is one of the most important moral issues not only because harming the

environment often violates our right to non-injury, but also because environmental damage

has been incredibly harmful to both people and other animals. Not to mention that many

environmental issues can create even more devastation in the future, such as the possible

depletion of the world’s resources to future generations.

The importance of the environment not only shows traditional failures of business ethics of

the past and present, but it also helps clarify the importance of externalities and animals.

Businesses traditionally saw no need to pay for externalities, but we now know that

externalities are of grave importance and are often a matter of life and death. Businesses

traditionally saw no need to respect animals, but many moral philosophers no longer see any

reason to value ourselves over other animals at any cost.

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