1. Welcome to
Environmental Sociology!
John Bradford, Ph.D.

2. What is Sociology?
My favorite definitions: (these mean basically the same thing)
1. The scientific study of inter-actions and
relations among human beings
2. The study of how people influence one
another and the (intended and unintended)
consequences of these influences.

3. What is ‘Environmental Sociology?’
• The Study of the Relationship between Societies
(people) and their Natural Environments
– Co-relation; Co-evolution; Inter-dependence; ‘Feedback’
(reciprocal, two-way causality); Dialogue, Dialectical
• “Environmental sociology is ultimately about the study
of community in the largest possible sense.” (Bell)
NATURE SOCIETY

4. The Three Dimensions of
Environmental Sociology
1. Material- how consumption, the
economy, technology, and
population affect environmental
conditions;
2. Ideal- how patterns of thought,
cultural practices, beliefs, and
social experiences affect Taijitu
environmental conditions
3. Practical- what we can do to not
only study these problems, but
to ameliorate them

5. CHAPTER ONE
1. Sustainability: How long can we keep doing
what we are doing?
– Energy
– Global Climate Change (Warming)
– Ozone Depletion (‘Holes’)
– Pollution: Acid Rain, Nuclear Waste, Oil Spills,
‘Smog’, Mountain Top Removal, ‘Fracking’, etc.
– Species Extinction
2. Environmental Justice: Who gets the ‘Goods’
and who gets the ‘Bads’?