Introducing Introducing EnvironmentaEnvironmental Science and l Science and SustainabilitySustainability
Chapter 1
Overview of Chapter 1Overview of Chapter 1
o Human Impacts on The EnvironmentHuman Impacts on The Environmento Population, Resources and the Population, Resources and the
EnvironmentEnvironmento Environmental SustainabilityEnvironmental Sustainabilityo Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Scienceo Assessing Environmental ProblemsAssessing Environmental Problems
The Environment (Earth)The Environment (Earth)
Life has existed on earth for 3.8 billion Life has existed on earth for 3.8 billion yearsyearsEarth well suited for lifeEarth well suited for life
• Water covers ¾ of planetWater covers ¾ of planet• Habitable temperatureHabitable temperature• Moderate sunlightModerate sunlight• Atmosphere provides oxygen and carbon Atmosphere provides oxygen and carbon
dioxidedioxide• Soil provides essential minerals for plantsSoil provides essential minerals for plants
But humans are altering the planet; not But humans are altering the planet; not always in positive waysalways in positive ways
Human Impacts on the Human Impacts on the EnvironmentEnvironment
Increasing Increasing Human Human NumbersNumbers
Human Impacts on the Human Impacts on the EnvironmentEnvironment
Most populous countries:Most populous countries:
1) China1) China 1,343,239,9231,343,239,923
2) India2) India 1,205,073,6121,205,073,612
3) United States3) United States 313,847,465313,847,465
4) Indonesia4) Indonesia 248,645,008248,645,008
5) Brazil5) Brazil 199,321,413199,321,413
Source: CIA.gov, Global Population Profile: 2012 estimates
PUT A CLOCK ON IT!PUT A CLOCK ON IT!o SHOW CLOCK
Human Human Impacts on Impacts on
the the EnvironmentEnvironment
PopulationPopulation
Globally, 1 in 4 people Globally, 1 in 4 people lives in extreme lives in extreme poverty poverty
Difficult to meet Difficult to meet population needs population needs without exploiting without exploiting earth’s resourcesearth’s resources
Human Impacts on the Human Impacts on the EnvironmentEnvironment
Poverty :Poverty :• per capita income of less than $1 a per capita income of less than $1 a dayday• 1.2 billion worldwide currently live at 1.2 billion worldwide currently live at
this levelthis levelLeads to . . .
Inadequate health care
Unsanitary water
Poor nutrition
Lower life expectancy
Population, Resources, and the Population, Resources, and the EnvironmentEnvironment
The contrast between less developed and The contrast between less developed and highly developed countries is great:highly developed countries is great:
Gap Between Rich and PoorGap Between Rich and Poor
Highly Developed Countries (HDC)Highly Developed Countries (HDC)• Complex industrialized bases, low Complex industrialized bases, low
population growth, high per capita incomespopulation growth, high per capita incomes• Ex: US, Canada, JapanEx: US, Canada, Japan
Less Developed Countries (LDC)Less Developed Countries (LDC)• Low level of industrialization, very high Low level of industrialization, very high
fertility rate, high infant mortality rate, low fertility rate, high infant mortality rate, low per capita incomeper capita income
• Ex: Bangladesh, Mali, EthiopiaEx: Bangladesh, Mali, Ethiopia
Population, Resources, and the Population, Resources, and the EnvironmentEnvironment
Types of resources:Types of resources:
Renewable, but only when managed in a sustainable way
Population, Resources, and the Population, Resources, and the EnvironmentEnvironment
Resource Consumption:
• because of our greater consumption rates, 1 US child has the environmental impact of 12+ children in less developed countries.
OverpopulationOverpopulation
People overpopulationPeople overpopulation• Too many people in a given geographic Too many people in a given geographic
areaarea• Problem in many developing nationsProblem in many developing nations
Consumption overpopulationConsumption overpopulation• Each individual in a population consumes Each individual in a population consumes
too large a share of the resourcestoo large a share of the resources• Problem in many highly developed nationsProblem in many highly developed nations
Ecological FootprintEcological Footprint
The average amount of land, water and ocean The average amount of land, water and ocean required to provide that person with all the required to provide that person with all the resources they consumeresources they consume
Earth’s Productive Land and WaterEarth’s Productive Land and Water 11.4 billion 11.4 billion hectareshectares
Amount Each Person is Allotted Amount Each Person is Allotted (divide Productive Land and Water (divide Productive Land and Water by Human Population)by Human Population)
1.9 hectares1.9 hectares
Current Global Ecological Footprint Current Global Ecological Footprint of each personof each person
2.3 hectares2.3 hectares
Ecological Footprint ComparisonEcological Footprint Comparison
Population, Resources, and the Population, Resources, and the EnvironmentEnvironment
IPAT ModelIPAT Model
I = P A T
Environmental Impact
Number of people
Affluence per person
Environmental effect of technologies
Environmental SustainabilityEnvironmental Sustainability
Sustainability:Sustainability:
StewardshipStewardship
Environmental SustainabilityEnvironmental SustainabilityThe ability to meet current human need The ability to meet current human need for natural resources without for natural resources without compromising the needs of future compromising the needs of future generationsgenerations
Requires understanding:Requires understanding:• The effects of our actions on the earthThe effects of our actions on the earth• That earth’s resources are not infiniteThat earth’s resources are not infinite
Environmental SustainabilityEnvironmental Sustainability
Sustainability Sustainability
and the and the
Tragedy of the Tragedy of the Commons Commons
Garrett Hardin
Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable DevelopmentEconomic development that meets the Economic development that meets the needs of the present generation without needs of the present generation without compromising future generationscompromising future generations
Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science
• Interdisciplinary study of the interconnected problems
associated with the environment.
• Heavily leans upon ecology.
Scientific MethodScientific Method
Environmental ScienceEnvironmental ScienceControls and Variables in
Experimental DesignVariable:
Control group :• examined variable is left unaltered
• factors influencing processes being examined.• hypothesis examines ONE variable, holding others constant.
This is the experimental group.
Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science
o HypothesisHypothesis: Burning will increase : Burning will increase frequency of prairie wildflowers.frequency of prairie wildflowers.
Which is the control group?
Earth As a SystemEarth As a System
SystemSystem• A set of components that interact and A set of components that interact and
function as a wholefunction as a whole
Global Earth SystemsGlobal Earth Systems• Climate, atmosphere, land, coastal zones, Climate, atmosphere, land, coastal zones,
oceanocean
EcosystemEcosystem• A natural system consisting of a community of A natural system consisting of a community of
organisms and its physical environmentorganisms and its physical environment
System approach to environmental scienceSystem approach to environmental science• Helps us understand how human activities Helps us understand how human activities
effect global environmental parameterseffect global environmental parameters
Earth SystemsEarth Systems
Most of earth’s systems are in dynamic Most of earth’s systems are in dynamic equilibrium or steady stateequilibrium or steady state
• Rate of change in one direction equals that Rate of change in one direction equals that in the otherin the other
FeedbackFeedback• Change in 1 part of system leads to change Change in 1 part of system leads to change
in anotherin another• Negative feedback- change triggers a Negative feedback- change triggers a
response that counteracts the changed response that counteracts the changed conditioncondition
• Positive feedback- change triggers a Positive feedback- change triggers a response that intensifies the changing response that intensifies the changing condition condition
Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science
How does the view of a How does the view of a TheoryTheory differ between scientists and the differ between scientists and the
public?public?
Controls and Variables in ExperimentControls and Variables in Experiment
VariableVariable• A factor that influences a processA factor that influences a process• The variable may be altered in an The variable may be altered in an
experiment to see its effect on the experiment to see its effect on the outcomeoutcome
ControlControl• The variable is not alteredThe variable is not altered• Allows for comparison between the altered Allows for comparison between the altered
variable test and the unaltered variable variable test and the unaltered variable testtest
Inductive and Deductive Inductive and Deductive ReasoningReasoning
Deductive ReasoningDeductive Reasoning• Proceeds from generalities to specificsProceeds from generalities to specifics• Adds nothing new to knowledge, but makes Adds nothing new to knowledge, but makes
relationships among data more apparentrelationships among data more apparent• Ex:Ex:
• GENERAL RULEGENERAL RULE: All birds have wings: All birds have wings• SPECIFIC EXAMPLESPECIFIC EXAMPLE: Robins are birds: Robins are birds• CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION (based on deductive reasoning): (based on deductive reasoning):
All Robins have wingsAll Robins have wings
Inductive and Deductive Inductive and Deductive ReasoningReasoning
Inductive ReasoningInductive Reasoning• Used to discover general principlesUsed to discover general principles• Seeks a unifying explanation for all the Seeks a unifying explanation for all the
data availabledata available• Ex:Ex:
• FACTFACT: Gold is a metal heavier than water: Gold is a metal heavier than water• FACTFACT: Iron is metal heavier than water: Iron is metal heavier than water• FACTFACT: Silver is a metal heavier than water: Silver is a metal heavier than water• CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION (based on inductive reasoning): All (based on inductive reasoning): All
metals are heavier than watermetals are heavier than water• Conclusions reached with inductive Conclusions reached with inductive
reasoning may changed with new reasoning may changed with new informationinformation
Five Stages to Five Stages to Addressing An Addressing An Environmental Environmental
ProblemProblemFive steps are Five steps are
idealisticidealistic• Real life is rarely so Real life is rarely so
neatneat
Following Slides are Following Slides are Case Study Using Case Study Using the Five Stagesthe Five Stages
Assessing Environmental ProblemAssessing Environmental ProblemCase Study: Lake WashingtonCase Study: Lake Washington
Large, freshwater pondLarge, freshwater pond
Suburban sprawl in 1940’sSuburban sprawl in 1940’s• 10 new sewage treatment 10 new sewage treatment
plants dumped effluent plants dumped effluent into lakeinto lake
Effect = excessive Effect = excessive cyanobacteria growth that cyanobacteria growth that killed off fish and aquatic killed off fish and aquatic lifelife
Assessing Environmental ProblemAssessing Environmental ProblemCase Study: Lake WashingtonCase Study: Lake Washington
Scientific AssessmentScientific Assessment• Aquatic wildlife assessment done in 1933 Aquatic wildlife assessment done in 1933
was compared to the 1950 assessmentwas compared to the 1950 assessment• Hypothesized treated sewage was Hypothesized treated sewage was
introducing high nutrients causing growth introducing high nutrients causing growth of cyanobacteriaof cyanobacteria
Risk AnalysisRisk Analysis• After analyzing many choices, chose new After analyzing many choices, chose new
location (freshwater) and greater treatment location (freshwater) and greater treatment for sewage to decrease nutrients in effluentfor sewage to decrease nutrients in effluent
Assessing Environmental ProblemAssessing Environmental ProblemCase Study: Lake WashingtonCase Study: Lake Washington
Public Education/InvolvementPublic Education/Involvement• Educated public on why changes were Educated public on why changes were
necessarynecessary
Political ActionPolitical Action• Difficult to organize sewage disposal in so Difficult to organize sewage disposal in so
many municipalitiesmany municipalities• Changes were not made until 1963!Changes were not made until 1963!
EvaluationEvaluation• Cyanobacteria slowly decreased until 1975 Cyanobacteria slowly decreased until 1975
(gone)(gone)
Addressing Environmental Addressing Environmental ProblemsProblems
Case in Point: Lake WashingtonCase in Point: Lake Washington
RESULTS
Addressing Environmental Addressing Environmental ProblemsProblems
Case in Point: Lake WashingtonCase in Point: Lake Washington
RESULTS
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