Virginia Tech
    • Log in
    View Item 
    •   VTechWorks Home
    • College of Science (COS)
    • Department of Biological Sciences
    • Faculty Works, Department of Biological Sciences
    • View Item
    •   VTechWorks Home
    • College of Science (COS)
    • Department of Biological Sciences
    • Faculty Works, Department of Biological Sciences
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    The End of Contagious Optimism and Denial

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    cairns_end_contagious_optimism.pdf (29.42Kb)
    Downloads: 120
    Date
    2008
    Author
    Cairns, John
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    The term tipping point was coined in the field of epidemiology to explain the concept that small changes will have little or no effect on a system until a specific critical mass is reached. Once this pint is reached, any further small change _tips the system and a large effect is observed. Tipping points indicate when slow, gradual change switches suddenly and becomes irreversible and the return to the predisturbance state is impossible. One distinct attribute of both societal and ecological tipping points is that they go unrecognized until the damage has already been done. Earth has already passed one tipping point and if the focus is not shifted from protecting the economy to protecting the environment more irreversible damage will be done.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10919/25060
    Collections
    • Faculty Works, Department of Biological Sciences [584]

    If you believe that any material in VTechWorks should be removed, please see our policy and procedure for Requesting that Material be Amended or Removed. All takedown requests will be promptly acknowledged and investigated.

    Virginia Tech | University Libraries | Contact Us
     

     

    VTechWorks

    AboutPoliciesHelp

    Browse

    All of VTechWorksCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    Log inRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    If you believe that any material in VTechWorks should be removed, please see our policy and procedure for Requesting that Material be Amended or Removed. All takedown requests will be promptly acknowledged and investigated.

    Virginia Tech | University Libraries | Contact Us