Chapter 2: Human Systems, Environment, and Social Science

The chapter, Human Systems, Environment, and Social Science explains the background and evolution of society today. It begins by describing sociocultural systems. These are unique to humans because, although some animals have social systems, they lack culture. Sociocultural systems are a combination of interdependent institutions such as organizations and individuals that commonly interact together.
Humans are a unique species because, although they exist in the natural environment and depend on it for survival, they live in a world constructed by human technology and cultural symbols. Cognized environment is humans’ view of the environment, however inaccurate it may be.
Humans did not always have a skewed view of the environment however. For three quarters of human existence, the world consisted of hunter-gatherer societies. During this time, humans hunted animals for meat and foraged for edible plants. They depended directly on nature for survival. Agricultural societies followed, in which humans learned to cultivate crops and breed animals. The Industrial Revolution came when humans began to invent various technologies to assist in the cultivating of crops. This led to the more modern view of the world as something to be taken advantage of rather than valued.
The chapter then goes on to describe the evolution of sociocultural society into what we have today. It describes the process of devolution, where climate changes, human growth, and the destruction of natural resources that supported life such as edible plants and animals forced humans into the agricultural period. Technological advancements followed during the industrial revolution, which shifted the economy from production for use to production for exchange.
The chapter ends by explaining that environmental issues are also social issues because of our ever-changing and skewed views of the environment. Humans today need to be reintroduced to the value of the natural resources around them, rather than be wasteful consumers with no appreciation for where their possessions came from.

Blog posting due dates- Winter Quarter 07

Leslie - Enviro and Society Chap 2 - Jan 29th
Richard - I, Rigoberta Menchu Chap 1-7 Feb 5th
Dean - I, Chap 8-14 Feb 5th
David - I, - Chap 15-23 Feb 12th
Laura - I Chap 24-2nd Feb 12th
Nicole - Racism Chap 1 Feb 19th
Amy - Racism Chap 2 Feb 19th
Kyle - Racism Chap 3 Feb 19th
Alaynna - Racism Chap 4 Feb 19th
Aderonke - Racism Chap 5 - Feb 26th
Chamiyah - Racism Chap 6 Feb 26th
Gordy - Racism Chap 7 Feb 26th
Antoinette - Ecocide Mar 5th
Joanna - Women, Race Class Chap 12 - Mar 5th