Concepts of Environmentalism and Possibilism.


The study of man’s relationship with environment is as long as history and has lead to long standing debate, about the position of the man in relation to nature.
• First weather man is a part or apart from nature
• About the extant to which man is affected by the environment

The close relationship between man and the environment has attracted the attention of many scholers. Several theories have been formulated to explain this relationship; they can be reduced in three concepts.

1. Physical determinism- nature is the master and main obey its orders.
2. Possibilism- nature offer several possibilities and man adopts one that suit him
3. Cultural determinism-with the help of technology man is becoming independent of nature

Environmentalism

The influence of environment on man

Most geographer take possibilist rather determinist today, although some introductory texts are still adhere to earlier approach.

Environmentalism is a philosophical doctrine that stresses the influence on the man's patron of life.

The dominance of environment and the servile role of man were presented in forceful manner by Ellen Sempl in 1911, man is product of earth surface, that the earth has mothered him, feed him, set him task, directed his thoughts, confronted him with difficulties and at same time whispered hints for their solution.

Ellsworth Huntington, who not only preached environmental determinism, also collected mass of evidence from different part of the world to show how human beings obey the dictate of nature. He claimed that human activities change from one part to another part of the world in accordance with changing physical environment, man’s dress, his shelter, his food, his physique and his health. All depend upon the physical environment

The constant change in natural resources affects man in different modes.

Three main types of change

1. long term regular change
Such as silting of coasts and rivers, silt plays important role in the fertility of flood plains for agriculture.

2. Short term regular change.
Such as rhythm of seasons, this closely regulates agriculture or annual migration of birds, animal and fish which dominate the life of the hunters and fishermen.
• Failure of monsoon in indo-Pak subcontinent causes severs hardship.

3. rapid unpredictable change
Such as earthquakes, hurricanes, cyclones or floods



There is some simple questions makes confusion in the environmentalism.
• If that is so, why did rubber cultivation start there only after the arrival of the Europeans, and why is rubber not yet, for example cultivated in the Congo basin where conditions are favorable?

• If that is so, how is it that the Indus valley, the Nile valley, and the valley of Euphrates and triggers were the cradles of civilization?





Possiblism
Man’s impact on environment
The school of possibilism believes that physical environment presents a number of possibilities and its up to man to select the one that he desires. This he does according to his culture.


History
• The term possibilism was first time used by Febvre in his book Geographical interpretation to history (1925). He said that possibilities are widespread, and man as the master of possibilities is the judge of their use.

• But it was Vidal de la Blache who emerged as a greatest exponent of possibilism, he looked at man as an active agent of nature as an adviser.


Man’s knowledge and technology has changed the face of the world
• He has domesticated plants and animals.

• He has the cleared the forests and grasslands and turn them into farmlands.

• With irrigation, he has expanded agriculture in the desert areas and by terracing, he has put under plough the hill and mountain slopes.

• Greenhouse and heaters have been used in orchards and forms in cold regions.

• Less fertile soil has been enriched by the application of manure and fertilizers.

• Development of drought tolerant plants, breeding of animals thriving in hot climates.
• Large migration to almost part of the world.

• Hostile environments, such as desert high altitude areas, and even sea floor exploited by the means of minerals.

• New substances like, DDT, plastics, and radio active material have been introduced which affected environment at the alarming level.

• It is estimated that an American child has an impact on environment which is 40 times as great as an impact by the birth of an Indian child because of difference in the amount of resources that he will consume in his life