Environmental ScienceEnvironmental ScienceA Global PerspectiveA Global Perspective

Understanding our EnvironmentUnderstanding our Environment

Section 1.1Section 1.1

Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science

Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science – study of – study of how humans interact with their how humans interact with their environmentenvironment

EnvironmentEnvironment – anything that – anything that surrounds us, including natural surrounds us, including natural things as well as anything created by things as well as anything created by humanshumans

Major FocusMajor Focus – to solve environmental problems such – to solve environmental problems such as extinction or pollutionas extinction or pollution

-often involves looking at the bigger picture -often involves looking at the bigger picture such as economics and jobssuch as economics and jobs

AgeAge - with respect to the other sciences (biology, - with respect to the other sciences (biology, chemistry and physics) it is quite newchemistry and physics) it is quite new- post WWII brought bigger cars and home - post WWII brought bigger cars and home appliances, farmland was used for homes, etc.appliances, farmland was used for homes, etc.- the result was polluted rivers and lakes, smog - the result was polluted rivers and lakes, smog and many other problems and with it a greater and many other problems and with it a greater concern for the environment and the desire for a concern for the environment and the desire for a way to possibly save it.way to possibly save it.

ImportanceImportance

-with respect to the other sciences it -with respect to the other sciences it is quite possibly the most important. is quite possibly the most important.

-At no time in our history has an -At no time in our history has an understanding of our environment understanding of our environment been more importantbeen more important

Main Environmental ProblemsMain Environmental Problems

Environmental Problem

Resource Depletion Pollution Extinction

Resource DepletionResource Depletion

Natural ResourceNatural Resource – any naturally occurring – any naturally occurring substance that can be used by living thingssubstance that can be used by living things

- some examples are sunlight, air, water, soil, - some examples are sunlight, air, water, soil, minerals, animals and fossil fuelsminerals, animals and fossil fuels

- it is considered depleted when a large amount - it is considered depleted when a large amount of it has been consumedof it has been consumed

Resource Depletion Resource Depletion

Nonrenewable resources – any resource that Nonrenewable resources – any resource that cannot be replacedcannot be replaced

- some examples are earth minerals and fossil - some examples are earth minerals and fossil fuels (in recent years there has been a lot of fuels (in recent years there has been a lot of importance put on alternate fuels to slow the importance put on alternate fuels to slow the use of fossil fuelsuse of fossil fuels

Resource DepletionResource Depletion

Renewable Resources Renewable Resources – any resource that is – any resource that is continually replacedcontinually replaced

- solar power is continually being replenished- solar power is continually being replenished

- trees are a renewable resource but are an - trees are a renewable resource but are an example of a resource that must be taken care example of a resource that must be taken care of of

- for example the rain forest is continually - for example the rain forest is continually being cut down faster than new trees can growbeing cut down faster than new trees can grow

PollutionPollution

PollutionPollution – introduction of chemicals or waste – introduction of chemicals or waste material into an environment that is at a harmful material into an environment that is at a harmful amountamount

PollutantsPollutants – some are by products of daily – some are by products of daily processes. For example nitrous oxides and heat processes. For example nitrous oxides and heat energy are by products of fuel combustionenergy are by products of fuel combustion- others such as pesticides are both helpful and - others such as pesticides are both helpful and harmfulharmful- some are just direct results of human ignorance - some are just direct results of human ignorance such as the dumping of poisonous chemicals in such as the dumping of poisonous chemicals in rivers and lakesrivers and lakes

ExtinctionExtinctionExtinctionExtinction – members of a species have died – members of a species have died

and the species is gone foreverand the species is gone forever- scientists estimate that thousands of - scientists estimate that thousands of species are becoming extinct every year, species are becoming extinct every year, some without even being named or some without even being named or studiedstudied- one response is an endangered species - one response is an endangered species list which lists species that are at risk for list which lists species that are at risk for extinctionextinction- scientists say that species are going - scientists say that species are going extinct at a greater rate now than at any extinct at a greater rate now than at any other time in Earth’s historyother time in Earth’s history- one possible cause is the loss of their - one possible cause is the loss of their habitat due to humans building into forestshabitat due to humans building into forests

Global PerspectiveGlobal Perspective- Sulfur dioxide from power generating plants in - Sulfur dioxide from power generating plants in

the american mid-west result in acid rain in the american mid-west result in acid rain in Canada and the northeastern USCanada and the northeastern US

- Pollution from automobiles in North America Pollution from automobiles in North America and Europe are putting more COand Europe are putting more CO2 2 in the in the atmosphere which is believed to be one of the atmosphere which is believed to be one of the major causes of the world’s climate changemajor causes of the world’s climate change

- Destruction of the tropical rain forest is also Destruction of the tropical rain forest is also contributing to the increase in COcontributing to the increase in CO22 in the in the atmosphereatmosphere

- All these issues effect the biosphereAll these issues effect the biosphere

BiosphereBiosphere-Extends 8km above and 8 km below -Extends 8km above and 8 km below

the sea levelthe sea level

- All living things exist in this area- All living things exist in this area

Developed and DevelopingDeveloped and DevelopingCountriesCountries

Developed countryDeveloped country – highly – highly industrialized countries in which the industrialized countries in which the citizens have high average incomes, citizens have high average incomes, health care and education systemshealth care and education systems

- major countries are USA, Canada, - major countries are USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the western European countriesthe western European countries

Developed and DevelopingDeveloped and DevelopingCountriesCountries

Developing country – less Developing country – less industrialized and the citizens have a industrialized and the citizens have a much lower average incomemuch lower average income

- the economies in developing - the economies in developing countries vary greatly depending on countries vary greatly depending on their ability to sustain industriestheir ability to sustain industries

Population and Population and ConsumptionConsumptionMany of the earth’s environmental problems Many of the earth’s environmental problems

can be linked to increase population growth can be linked to increase population growth or increased demand on human consumptionor increased demand on human consumption

Population crisisPopulation crisis – human population is growing – human population is growing faster than the region can supportfaster than the region can support

Consumption crisisConsumption crisis – when humans use up, – when humans use up, waste or pollute the resources quicker than waste or pollute the resources quicker than they can be replace or renewed they can be replace or renewed

Population and Population and ConsumptionConsumptionPopulation crisis - basically exists in Population crisis - basically exists in

developing countries. Even though there developing countries. Even though there isn’t enough resources the population isn’t enough resources the population continues to grow rapidlycontinues to grow rapidly

- because there isn’t enough resources - because there isn’t enough resources the people overuse the resources by the people overuse the resources by driving animals to extinction, cutting driving animals to extinction, cutting down forests for farmland and farmland is down forests for farmland and farmland is overused. overused.

- Health issues are a great concern- Health issues are a great concern

Population and Population and ConsumptionConsumptionConsumption crisis – exists mostly in Consumption crisis – exists mostly in

developed countriesdeveloped countries

- population is growing slowly and the - population is growing slowly and the citizens have a disproportionate share of citizens have a disproportionate share of the earth’s resourcesthe earth’s resources

- due to their disposable income they tend - due to their disposable income they tend to overuse the resources or over polluteto overuse the resources or over pollute

- developed countries comprise about 20% - developed countries comprise about 20% of the earth’s population and use about of the earth’s population and use about 75% of the earth’s resources75% of the earth’s resources

Sustainable WorldSustainable World

Goal of environmental problem solvers is to achieve Goal of environmental problem solvers is to achieve a sustainable earth.a sustainable earth.

Sustainable world – a world in which humans can Sustainable world – a world in which humans can continue to exist indefinitely with a high level of continue to exist indefinitely with a high level of health and standard of livinghealth and standard of living- habitats will be preserved and garbage will be - habitats will be preserved and garbage will be turned into harmless substancesturned into harmless substances- non renewable resources will be used sparingly - non renewable resources will be used sparingly and renewable resources will be used at a pace at and renewable resources will be used at a pace at which they can be replacedwhich they can be replaced