Category: Environment

Evaluate how important it is for a person’s health, to spend time in the natural world.

Possible points for the importance of spending time in the natural world for a person’s health

  • assess the reasons why the natural world is important for physical and mental health
  • consider the possible limitations of nature in achieving physical and mental health
  • make a judgement based on a consideration of the evidence and argument put forward your stand on whether it is important to spend time in the natural world.
  • it is not always easy to discover nature when living in urban areas that have few or no parks
  • taking part in leisure activities in a green space is beneficial to a person’s health
  • the health benefits of working in a natural environment
  • the impact of prolonged time spent on the internet or a virtual world
  • nature can be harsh with storms, drought and famine sometimes leading to poverty and displacement of people
  • health benefits can be achieved through diet, indoor exercise and meditation or medical treatment
  • music, art and literature can also provide solace, healing and personal growth
  • working in a job you like, feeling needed and having family and friends can be a consolation.

Fossil fuel extraction belongs in the past not the future. Evaluate this statement.

Possible Points of discussion for fossil fuel extraction belonging in the past not the future.

  • consider the reasons why fossil fuels may be the energy of the past
  • assess the alternatives to fossil fuel extraction
  • make a judgement based on a consideration of the evidence and argument put forward.
  • fossil fuels becoming depleted, due to excessive extraction of them in the past
  • fossil fuels are damaging the environment and considerably increasing pollution
  • the stability of the international order being threatened by the dependence on fossil fuels
  • fossil fuels no longer being a primary source in many countries as they have been replaced by renewable energy
  • renewable energy not being able to meet the energy demands of many countries
  • continual improvements made in increasing the efficiency of renewable energy generation
  • modern nuclear energy provides a safe and reliable source of energy
  • the dangers of neglecting fossil fuels when other methods cannot deliver or are too costly.

To what extent is it necessary to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads of your country?

Possible points for discussing the necessity to reduce the number of vehicles

  • assess the number of vehicles on the roads
  • evaluate the extent to which it is necessary to reduce the number of vehicles
  • make a judgement, based on considering the evidence and argument put forward.
  • the need to reduce pollution and noise, especially in cities and towns
  • the negative impact of reducing the number of vehicles in terms of taxes,
  • jobs and technological developments
  • the constant need to replace road surfaces due to the number of cars
  • the need to create a safer environment for pedestrians, cyclists and commuters
  • the commercial benefits of pedestrianised zones might include access for supplies and people
  • reducing the number of cars being bought would have a negative economic impact
  • many jobs in the manufacturing industry are linked to the number of cars bought each year
  • improvements in urban infrastructure are often due to increased car usage.

Consider the  importance of nature in your society.

While intuitively we know that  nature is important for societies, we may take it for granted. By examining the roles  and  functions  nature plays  for [insert your country]. Evaluate  how  big  a part  nature plays  in the lives of citizens of [insert your country] and if our belief in the importance of nature truly reflects in the actions of citizens towards preservation and  conservation of nature in their country. The assumption is that there is worth in nature and  importance of nature [insert your country].

Demonstrate the purposes and  uses  of nature in [insert your country] and  evaluate the value and relevance of these purposes and  uses  to the  average citizen. Examine the challenges  that  will cause [insert your country] to  weigh  the  value  and  relevance of nature against  other  competing demands.

Present  the  impact  from  various  levels  of society  (individuals, community and  national). Provide an analysis of the  impact  (good or bad) and  come to a conclusion on whether do the impact  justify the presence of nature in [insert your country].

Consider also the counter-arguments by explaining  that  there are  other  areas  that  are  equally,  or more important than nature without any attempt to compare against the functions  of nature.

The movement of people from the countryside to cities cannot be sustained. Discuss.

• assess the scale of the movement of people to urban environments
• consider the extent to which movement of people from the countryside to cities can be sustained
• make a judgement, based on the consideration of the evidence and argument put forward
• the need for people to live in the countryside for resources and work
• the negative impact of excessive numbers of people moving from the countryside into the town
• the danger of overcrowding in urban environments and the negative impacts of this on people
• how urban life quickly adapts to the increasing number of people
• the provision of a wide range of facilities for large groups of people
• urban infrastructure may develop to meet the needs of a growing population
• the benefits to work/life balance of living in largely populated urban environments
• how it may be necessary and whether it is possible to reverse this process.

‘While environmental sustainability is desirable, it is an unachievable goal.’ Discuss.

While there is increased awareness and  education surrounding one’s  ecological footprint and  its impact  on the environment, conservation efforts through environmental sustainability have been questioned for its true effectiveness in mitigating the  impact  of our current  environmental degradation.   This begs the  question of whether true environmental sustainability is indeed possible to achieve or if it will only remain  as a mere  goal  that  is impossible to carry out, let alone, impactful.

The assumption in the question in that sustainability has intrinsic value. It has positive  benefits or impacts on our environment. Environmental sustainability is unachievable and  any efforts  will not  be  able  to mitigate the  existing problems and  impacts of our current  environment.

Discuss the desirability  of environmental sustainability and evaluate whether the goal or the  efforts  at  achieving  this goal  are  achievable  or not.  A thoughtful  response also  reflects  the perspective of “Ideal versus Reality”; reasons and factors that may hinder  the goal from arriving at its idealistic  outcomes are discussed, resulting in a key treatment of the contention “desirable, but unrealistic  goal”.

Provides  an accurate and  complete understanding of the  key terms  in the  question; the  concept of ‘environmental  sustainability,  as  well  as  the  contention of  ‘desirability’  and  ‘achievability’  of  this concept is explained  and  evaluated  against  each  other   consistently  and  extensively.  Explain  environmental  sustainability  in  terms   of  the  efforts  taken   by  various stakeholders (Individuals, Society, Government, NGO, etc.) in ensuring the longevity  of resources and ensuring that  environmental degradation is kept  to a minimum.  The ‘desirability’ of sustainability is explicitly discussed in terms  of its inherent worth, value, significance, or benefits. The ‘achievability’ of a goal  is also  discussed through analysing  the  outcomes of the  goal/objective, or the  process of carrying  out  the  objective.