Search results

An attempt to convey some of the diversity of human perceptions of the environment, to draw on specific studies in an attempt to dlarify how human beings in diff soc & cultural settings perceive the environment & react to it. 4 res themes are selected: (1) the use of illusion to infer the reality of visual perception, (2) the quest for the image of the city, (3) the interplay of environmental att's & landscapes, & (4) the adjustment to drought as environmental behavior. A discussion of theme (1) draws upon M. H. Segall, D. T. Campbell & M. J. Herskovits (see SA 0312/C5562), THE INFLUENCE OF CUL- TURE AND VISUAL PERCEPTION, discussing the fact that possibly 33.3% of the world's living space is carpentered, & 66.6% is not, & what diff this makes in the way we view the world. Re theme (2) reference is made to Kevin Lynch (see SA A1287) THE IMAGE OF THE CITY, who built up a city image as a function of 5 hyp'ed elements: paths, landmarks, edges, nodes & districts. It is felt that most relevant is the potential utility of the Ur image analysis as a tool for planning rather than for comparative Ur analysis. A list of studies on city images is presented. Re theme (3) it is asked how one can generalize about landscapes as varied in scale as those of the US, in detail as those of England, or in age as those of China. Various authors quoted do it by way of art & literature, soc & intellectual history, folk-saying & everyday comment. Sci'ts accustomed to minimizing inference might prefer some of the more current behavioral techniques to these modes of inquiry. Re theme (4), it is stated that perhaps the most reliable indicators of human conceptual environments are human enviornmental actions. A number of studies carried out on the occurrence of drought in various countries are cited. It is concluded that in addition to sensitizing those who manage environment to the needs of those who use environments, studies of environmental perceptions & att's can make plans & designs more effective: insuring their fit for the place & even providing a vehicle for informing as well as studying public preference & taste. E. Weiman.

Sustainable development exhibits broad political appeal but has proven difficult to define in precise terms. Recent scholarship has focused on the nature of a sustainability transition, described by the National Research Council as meeting the needs of a stabilizing future world population while reducing hunger and poverty and maintaining the planet's life-support systems. We identify a small set of goals, quantitative targets, and associated indicators that further characterize a sustainability transition by drawing on the consensus embodied in internationally negotiated agreements and plans of action. To illustrate opportunities for accelerating progress, we then examine current scholarship on the processes that influence attainment of four such goals: reducing hunger, promoting literacy, stabilizing greenhouse-gas concentrations, and maintaining fresh-water availability. We find that such analysis can often reveal "levers of change," forces that both control the rate of positive change and are subject to policy intervention.

The Environment as Hazard offers an understanding of how people around the world deal with dramatic fluctuations in the local natural systems of air, water, and terrain.