Chapter 1- Based on Raven and Berg 6 th ed. Introducing Environmental Science and Stability.
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Chapter 1- Based on Chapter 1- Based on Raven and Berg 6 Raven and Berg 6 th th ed. ed. Introducing Environmental Introducing Environmental Science and Stability Science and Stability
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Transcript of Chapter 1- Based on Raven and Berg 6 th ed. Introducing Environmental Science and Stability.
Chapter 1- Based onChapter 1- Based onRaven and Berg 6Raven and Berg 6thth ed. ed.Introducing Environmental Science Introducing Environmental Science and Stabilityand Stability
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
Real life ExamplesReal life Exampleso Green architecture LEED certifications-Green architecture LEED certifications-http://www.dvgbc.org/o SustainabilitySustainabilityhttp://www.london2012.com/videos/video=the-olympic-park-with-kevin-mccloud.htmlo Las Vegas- water concerns/ water rights Las Vegas- water concerns/ water rights
issues, “sustainability laboratory”issues, “sustainability laboratory”o Rachel Carson “Silent Spring” 1962 to Rachel Carson “Silent Spring” 1962 to
2012 50 years ago 2012 50 years ago
The Environment (Earth)The Environment (Earth)
o Life has existed on earth for 3.8 billion Life has existed on earth for 3.8 billion yearsyears
o Earth 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
o But humans are altering the planet; not But humans are altering the planet; not always in positive waysalways in positive ways
Human Impacts on Environment- Human Impacts on Environment- PopulationPopulation
o Earth’s Human Earth’s Human Population is over 6.7 Population is over 6.7 billion (2008)billion (2008)• Growing exponentiallyGrowing exponentially
o Expected to add Expected to add several billion more several billion more people in 21people in 21stst century century
o Increase will adversely Increase will adversely affect living conditions affect living conditions in many areas of the in many areas of the worldworld
World Population ClockWorld Population Clock
o http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html
PopulationPopulation
o Globally, 1 in 4 people Globally, 1 in 4 people lives in extreme lives in extreme poverty poverty • Cannot meet basic need Cannot meet basic need
for food, clothing, for food, clothing, shelter, healthshelter, health
o Difficult to meet Difficult to meet population needs population needs without exploiting without exploiting earth’s resourcesearth’s resources
Gap Between Rich and PoorGap Between Rich and Poor
o 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
o 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
Types of Natural ResourcesTypes of Natural ResourcesWhat are the two types? What are the two types?
Examples of these:Examples of these:
OverpopulationOverpopulation
o 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
o 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 nations, Problem in many highly developed nations,
US in particularUS in particular
Ecological FootprintEcological Footprinto The average amount of land, water and The average amount of land, water and
ocean required to provide that person with all ocean required to provide that person with all the resources they consumethe resources 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
IPAT ModelIPAT Model
o Measures 3 factors that affect Measures 3 factors that affect environmental impact (I)environmental impact (I)
I = P A TI = P A T
Environmental Environmental ImpactImpact
Number Number of peopleof people
Affluence per Affluence per personperson
Environmental Environmental effect of effect of
technologiestechnologies
Environmental SustainabilityEnvironmental Sustainabilityo The 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
o 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
Tragedy of the Tragedy of the CommonsCommons
In new edition- see pg.9In new edition- see pg.9o Garrett Hardin (1915-2003)Garrett Hardin (1915-2003)o Solving Environmental Problems is Solving Environmental Problems is
result of struggle between:result of struggle between:• Short term welfareShort term welfare• Long term environmental stability and Long term environmental stability and
societal welfaresocietal welfare
o Garrett used Common Pastureland in Garrett used Common Pastureland in medieval Europe to illustrate the medieval Europe to illustrate the strugglestruggle
Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Developmento Economic 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
What defines Environmental What defines Environmental Science?Science?
o An interdisciplinary study of human An interdisciplinary study of human relationship with other organisms and the relationship with other organisms and the earthearth• BiologyBiology• EcologyEcology• GeographyGeography• ChemistryChemistry• GeologyGeology• PhysicsPhysics• EconomicsEconomics• SociologySociology• DemographyDemography• PoliticsPolitics
ES Concepts:ES Concepts:Earth As a SystemEarth As a System
o SystemSystem• A set of components that interact and function A set of components that interact and function
as a wholeas a wholeo Global Earth SystemsGlobal Earth Systems
• Climate, atmosphere, land, coastal zones, Climate, atmosphere, land, coastal zones, oceanocean
o 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 environmento 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
o 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 othero Feedback- See Figure 1.13Feedback- See Figure 1.13
• 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
Scientific Method/ProcessScientific Method/Process
Controls and Variables in ExperimentControls and Variables in Experiment
o 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
o 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
Five Stages to Five Stages to Addressing An Addressing An Environmental Environmental
ProblemProblemo Five steps are Five steps are
idealisticidealistic• Real life is rarely so Real life is rarely so
neatneat
o 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
o Large, freshwater pondLarge, freshwater pondo Suburban sprawl in Suburban sprawl in
1940’s1940’s• 10 new sewage treatment 10 new sewage treatment
plants dumped effluent into plants dumped effluent into lakelake
o 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
o 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
o 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
o Public Education/InvolvementPublic Education/Involvement• Educated public on why changes were Educated public on why changes were
necessarynecessaryo 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!o EvaluationEvaluation
• Cyanobacteria slowly decreased until 1975 Cyanobacteria slowly decreased until 1975 (gone)(gone)
Assessing Environmental ProblemAssessing Environmental ProblemCase Study: Lake WashingtonCase Study: Lake Washington
o Results!Results!
Assessing Environmental ProblemAssessing Environmental ProblemCase Study: Lake WashingtonCase Study: Lake Washington
