Human and Nature

Review of last lecture

• Large spread in projected temperature change comes from uncertainties in climate feedbacks

• Main climate feedbacks for global warming: ice-albedo, temperature, water vapor, cloud, aerosol, carbon cycle

• Abrupt climate change and tipping points

Life cycle of the Sun and Earth

Length of human history

Cradles of civilization

Were the ancient people stupid?

?

Ancient Greece ： Art

God of Wine (600BC) Bell krater depicting the return of Persephone (440 BC)

Ancient Greece: Art

~130BC~400BC

Ancient Greece: Philosophy & Science

Ancient China: Art

Jade dragon, 3000BCBone flute, 6000BCCan still play

Ancient China: Art

Silk clothes, 200BCWeight 49gBronze art, 400BC

Ancient China: Philosophy

Egyptian pyramid (2600-600BC)How were they constructed?

Dujiangyan irrigation system 250BC (都江堰 )

Eliminate floods. still in use today to irrigate over 5,300 km2 of land. Survived the big earthquake in 2008.

Ancient view of nature: Quite modern

Basic elements of natural systems

•Wind

•Earth

•Fire

•Water

Respect and be in harmony with nature

(Conservation of monmentum)

(Conservation of mass)

(Conservation of energy)

Video: Feelings of mountain and water

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhido7QSvGQ

The industry revolution

James Watt (1736-1819)

Watt’s steam engine (~1770)

Positive effects of industry era: Abundance of materials

Positive effects of industry era: Convenient transportation & communication

Negative effects of industry era: Environmental issues

Negative effects of industry era: Competition, unsatisfied, stress

Possible solutions

• Take advantage of the positive effects

• Try to avoid the negative effects

• Enjoy the bare necessities

• Be independent

Vision: Setup of the National Parks

John Muir (1838-1914)

Vision: Enjoy the bare necessities

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ogQ0uge06o

• Sustainability• Human rights and dignity• Accountability• Efficiency• Investment in the future

Vision: Green Economy

Summary

• Cradles of civilization. Were the ancient people stupid?

• Ancient view of nature• Industry revolution: positive effects and

negative effects • Vision: environmental protection and enjoy

the bare necessities

Work cited• http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/ctl/abrupt.html • http

://intercongreen.com/2010/03/15/green-building-ebbs-slightly-in-recession-but-sentiment-remains-strong/

• http://nimbuseco.com/2013/01/deforestation-and-pollution-facts/ • http://greenbalkans.org/category.php?language=en_EN&cat_id=63 • http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ia/newsroom/releases/?cid=

nrcs142p2_011847 • http://www.csiro.au/en/Portals/Multimedia/On-the-record/Megan-Clark-presentation-2

0090526-generating-industries/Post-Combustion-Carbon-Capture.aspx

• http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2005/09/the_consumer_dr.html • http://nca2009.globalchange.gov/human-health • http://yosemite.epa.gov/ee/epa/eerm.nsf/vwAN/EE-0564-112.pdf/$file/EE-0564-112.

pdf • http://livinggreenmag.com/2012/06/13/climate-change/scientists-warn-that-earth-is-

close-to-climate-tipping-point/ • http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/29/opinion/mystreet-digital-anthropology/ • http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World-airline-routemap-2009.png