I think that the I=PAT equation is a good way to start looking at the environmental problems the earth is facing. It's simple enough, and is pretty easy to remember, but it's also pretty comprehensive. All three are definitely related to each other and affect each other's impact on the environment. I did think that the technology part of the equation is a bit iffy though. Like we discussed in the last class, technology might actually even help the environment in some ways (like solar panels or whatever).
I think affluence is probably the most important and influential part of the equation. As computed in the ecological footprints, we would need a lot more than one earth if everyone lived like an average "modern" person. I actually thought I was going to do okay in that footprint thing, because I walk and commute and I recycle almost everything (I hardly throw anything out;my apartment is full of empty boxes and grocery bags), but I still got a really bad score of 7 earths or something like that because of all the flying around I do. I guess we can't have people flying around all the time.
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