Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is...
-
Upload
jeff-modrall -
Category
Documents
-
view
219 -
download
1
Transcript of Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is...
![Page 1: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Environmental Science and Sustainability
![Page 2: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
What is Environmental Science?
• Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an organism or a community, which ranges from a small area to Earth’s entire biosphere.
• It includes the study of the impact of humans on the environment.
![Page 3: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
The Earth• Life has existed on earth for 3.8
billion years• Earth is well suited for life
– Water covers over 71% of the planet– Habitable temperatures– Moderate sunlight– Atmosphere provides oxygen and
carbon dioxide– Soil provides essential minerals for
plants• However, each day humans are
altering the planet.
![Page 4: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Human Impact through History
• Hunter-gathers- caused some animals to become extinct, including:
• giant sloths• giant bison• mastodons• cave bears• saber-toothed cats
• Agricultural revolution-caused human population to grow and destroyed land.
• Industrial revolution- shift to fossil fuels. Improved quality of life for people but allowed for urban areas to flourish.
![Page 5: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Industrial Revolution
• The Industrial Revolution introduced many positive changes. However, it also introduced many new environmental problems, such as pollution and habitat loss.
• In the 1900s, modern societies began to use artificial substances in place of raw animal and plant products.
• As a result, we know have materials such as plastics, artificial pesticides, and fertilizers.
![Page 6: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Earth As a System• System
– A set of components that interact and function as a whole
• Global Earth Systems– Climate, atmosphere, land, coastal zones,
ocean• Ecosystem
– A natural system consisting of a community of organisms and its physical environment
• System approach to environmental science– Helps us understand how human activities
effect global environmental parameters
![Page 7: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
The Earth -Closed System
• We produce wastes (pollution) that we can not get rid of.
• We have local and global environmental issues.
• Limited resources• Population increase causes a strain
on resources
![Page 8: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Population Growth
• In the past 50 years, nations have used vast amounts of resources to meet the worlds need for food.
• Producing enough food for large populations has environmental consequences such as habitat destruction and pesticide pollution.
![Page 9: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Carrying Capacity
• Carrying capacity is the largest population that can be maintained for an indefinite period by a particular environment that is not undergoing change
![Page 10: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Human Population Growth
The world population reached 7 billion in 2012– Growing exponentially
![Page 11: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Population
• Globally, 1 in 4 people lives in extreme poverty – Without basic food,
clothing, and shelter
• Difficult to meet population needs without utilizing earth’s resources
![Page 12: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Gap Between Rich and Poor
• In highly developed countries (U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Japan…):– Low birth rate, low infant mortality, low fertility
rate, long life expectancies, and goods and services a citizen can buy
• In developing countries – High birth rate, high infant mortality, high
fertility rate, short life expectancies, and low goods and services a citizen can buy
![Page 13: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Overpopulation• People overpopulation
– Too many people in a given geographic area
– Problem in many developing nations
• Consumption overpopulation– Each individual in a population consumes
too large a share of the resources– Problem in many highly developed
nations
![Page 14: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
What are our main Environmental Problems?
1. Resource depletion- Using our resources up faster that they can be replaced.
a. Renewable resource- resources that can be replaced relatively quickly
ex. Trees, water, soil, air and cropsb. Nonrenewable resource- can not be replaced
quicklyEx. Fossil fuels, minerals, and metals
![Page 15: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
»Easter Island
![Page 16: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Tragedy of the Commons
• Garrett Hardin (1915-2003)• Solving Environmental Problems is
result of struggle between:– Short term welfare– Long term environmental stability and
societal welfare
• Garrett used Common Pastureland in medieval Europe to illustrate the struggle
![Page 17: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Tragedy of the Commons
![Page 18: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Tragedy of the Commons
• The commons were eventually replaced by closed fields owned by individuals.
• Owners were now careful not to but too many animals on their land, because overgrazing wouldn’t allow them to raise as many animals next year.
• Hardin’s point being that someone or some group must take responsibility for maintaining a resource or it will become depleted.
![Page 19: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
What’s your Ecological Footprint?
![Page 20: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Ecological FootprintThe average amount of land, water and ocean required to provide that person with all the resources they consume
![Page 21: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
What are our main Environmental Problems?
2.Pollution- undesired change in air, water or soil that has adverse affects.a. biodegradable pollutants- can be broken down by natural processes.
ex. Human sewage and paper b. nonbiodegradable pollutants- can not be broken down by nature.
ex. Mercury, lead, and some types of plastic
![Page 22: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
E-Waste
![Page 23: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
What are our main Environmental Problems?
3. Loss of biodiversity- refers to the number and variety of species that live in an area.
Endangered species-A species that is in danger of becoming extinct
Threatened species-a species that numbers are falling rapidly
![Page 24: Environmental Science and Sustainability. What is Environmental Science? Environmental Science is the study of the air, water, and land surrounding an.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022070307/551afb7f5503465e7d8b5431/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Environmental Sustainability
• The ability to meet current human need for natural resources without compromising the needs of future generations
• Requires understanding:– The effects of our actions on the earth– That earth’s resources are not infinite