Chapter 1 Science and the Environment
UNIT 1 INTRO TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE?
Environment everything around us, including natural and man-made
Complex
web of relationships connecting us with the rest of the world
Environmental science study of the impact of humans on the environment --- 2 focuses
How
we use natural resources How our actions impact the environment
MANY FIELDS OF STUDY WITHIN ES
Interdisciplinary science Biology Chemistry Earth science Physics Social Sciences
What is the difference between ES and Ecology?
SCIENTISTS AS CITIZENS, CITIZENS AS SCIENTISTS
Governments, cities and business understand that studying the environment is vital to maintaining a healthy and productive society Environmental scientists share their research with the world Non-scientists often collect data and make initial observations and then report to scientists i.e. students and deformed frogs in Minn. lakes
ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS
CASE STUDY
Lake Washington: An Environmental Success Story Pg 12-13
Critical thinking #1 and 2
OUR ENVIRONMENT THROUGH TIME
Fill in the table with describing how humans have used the environment or impacted the environment over time
Hunter-Gatherer
Agricultural
revolution Industrial revolution
HUNTER-GATHERERS
CHARACTERISTICS People who get food by collecting plants, hunting wild animals or scavenging their remains Small migrant groups who went where the food was
IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT fires in prairies to keep trees from growing, maintaining grassland area for hunting, over hunting = extinction of species
AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION
CHARACTERISTICS Agriculture growing, breeding and caring for plants, and animals that are used for food, clothing, housing, transportation, etc. H-Gs started collecting seeds of plants and domesticating animals Dramatic change on humans and environment Human population increased greatly and concentrated in small areas Todays plants that are eaten are descendents of wild plants artificial selection
IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT Habitat destruction Soil loss, floods, water shortages Poor techniques led to infertile soil Collapse of civilizations when soil became infertile
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
CHARACTERISTICS Shift of energy resources from humans and animals to fossil fuels Increase efficiency of agriculture, industry, and transportation Large scale production of goods in factories More people in urban areas Better quality of life Better sanitation, medicine, nutrition, convieniences
IMPACTS Less land needed for farming Increased use of fossil fuels Artificial substances used in place of natural, i.e. plastics Trash, pollution
SPACESHIP EARTH
Nickname for earth Closed system the only thing that comes in is energy from the sun and the only thing that leaves is heat Cannot dispose of waste and cannot bring new material in Some supplies are limited Environmental problems occur on local, regional, and global levels
Problem: Pressure on environment with population growth
Ag and Indust. Revolution led to population boom Vast amounts of resources are being used to feed the world Result = habitat destruction and pesticide pollution
MAIN ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
Resource depletion
Renewable replace fairly quickly by nature Non-renewable forms at a much slower rate than is consumed
Pollution
Undesired change in air, water, or soil that adversely affects health, survival, or activities of living organisms Wastes are produced faster than they can be disposed of Biodegradable and nonbiodegradable waste
Extinction of species
Loss of Biodiversity
1.2 THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY
Read page 16 The Tragedy of the Commons
Natural resources = commons Short term individual interests sacrificed sometimes for common long term interests
Economics
Supply and Demand the greater the demand for a limited supply of something, the more something is worthi.e supply of oil Costs and Benefits are the benefits worth the costs Risk Assessments risk for undesirable outcomes
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPED
Lower than average incomes Simple, agricultural based economies Rapid population growth
Higher average incomes Slower population growth Diverse industrial economies Stronger social support systems US, Canada, Japan, Western Europe
DEVELOPED VS DEVELOPING
POPULATION AND CONSUMPTION
Rapid population growth local environment often cannot supply resources to support population which leads to habitat destruction, soil exhaustion, and extinction
More of a problem in developing countries
Consumption
Developed countries use 75% of the worlds resources while only making up 20% of the worlds population Creates more waste and pollution per person than in developing countries
ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINTS
Method of expressing differences in consumption Shows the productive area of earth (amount of land and resources) needed to support one person in a particular country Developed countries = 4xs that of developing
A SUSTAINABLE WORLD
Sustainability condition in which human needs are met in such a way that the human population can survive indefinitely Consumption patterns put us far from living as a sustainable world
