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Chapter 1:Chapter 1:Key Themes in Environmental Key Themes in Environmental ScienceScience
OverviewOverview
Major Themes of Environmental ScienceMajor Themes of Environmental Science Human Population GrowthHuman Population Growth Sustainability and Carrying CapacitySustainability and Carrying Capacity A Global PerspectiveA Global Perspective An Urban WorldAn Urban World People and NaturePeople and Nature Science and ValuesScience and Values
Major Themes of Major Themes of Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science Human population has more than Human population has more than
doubled in the last 40 yearsdoubled in the last 40 years 6.8 billion people alive today6.8 billion people alive today This trend indicates 9.4 billion people by This trend indicates 9.4 billion people by
20502050 How many people can the Earth How many people can the Earth sustainsustain??
Depends on science and valueDepends on science and value Also question of people and natureAlso question of people and nature
Major Themes in Environmental Major Themes in Environmental ScienceScience
Six interrelated themes:Six interrelated themes: Human Population GrowthHuman Population Growth SustainabilitySustainability A Global PerspectiveA Global Perspective An Urbanizing WorldAn Urbanizing World People and NaturePeople and Nature Science and ValuesScience and Values
Human Population GrowthHuman Population Growth
Rapid Population GrowthRapid Population Growth
Famine and Food CrisisFamine and Food Crisis
Famine occurs when Famine occurs when population exceeds its population exceeds its environmental resourcesenvironmental resources
Sahel region of Africa in Sahel region of Africa in 1970s1970s ½ million people starved to ½ million people starved to
death death Millions affected by Millions affected by
malnutritionmalnutrition Emerging global food crisisEmerging global food crisis
Due to rise in fuel cost = Due to rise in fuel cost = higher food costhigher food cost
Underweight children under the age of Underweight children under the age of 5 by region (mostly from low and 5 by region (mostly from low and middle-income countries)middle-income countries)
Famine and Food CrisisFamine and Food Crisis
Food crisis caused by rising food Food crisis caused by rising food costscosts
Sustainability and Carrying Sustainability and Carrying CapacityCapacity What is the maximum What is the maximum
number of people the number of people the Earth can sustain?Earth can sustain?
Currently we are using Currently we are using resources unsustainably resources unsustainably (faster that they can be (faster that they can be replenished)replenished) MineralsMinerals PetroleumPetroleum GroundwaterGroundwater Land and wildlifeLand and wildlife
SustainabilitySustainability
Difficult term to define because used Difficult term to define because used in many waysin many ways
Two formal scientific uses:Two formal scientific uses: Sustainability of ResourcesSustainability of Resources Sustainability of an EcosystemSustainability of an Ecosystem
Two global economics uses:Two global economics uses: Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development Sustainable GrowthSustainable Growth
Sustainable Global EconomySustainable Global Economy To achieve a Sustainable Global Economy, To achieve a Sustainable Global Economy,
humans must:humans must: Develop an effective population control Develop an effective population control
strategystrategy Restructure the energy programRestructure the energy program Institute economic planning (taxes to Institute economic planning (taxes to
encourage low population and high resource encourage low population and high resource conservation)conservation)
Implement social, legal, political and Implement social, legal, political and educational changes to this endeducational changes to this end
Moving Toward Moving Toward SustainabilitySustainability
The new paradigmThe new paradigm Evolutionary rather Evolutionary rather
than revolutionarythan revolutionary Inclusive, not exclusiveInclusive, not exclusive Proactive, not reactiveProactive, not reactive Attracting, not Attracting, not
attackingattacking Assisting the Assisting the
disadvantage, not disadvantage, not taking advantagetaking advantage
Carrying Capacity of the Carrying Capacity of the EarthEarth Defined as Defined as
the maximum the maximum number of number of individuals of a individuals of a species that can be species that can be sustained by an sustained by an environment w/o environment w/o decreasing the decreasing the capacity of the capacity of the environment to environment to sustain that same sustain that same amount in the futureamount in the future
A Global PerspectiveA Global Perspective
The actions of many groups of people The actions of many groups of people at many locations affects the at many locations affects the environment of the entire world.environment of the entire world.
Gaia hypothesisGaia hypothesis James Lovelock and Lynn MargulisJames Lovelock and Lynn Margulis Life affects the environment at a global Life affects the environment at a global
levellevel
An Urban WorldAn Urban World
We are We are becoming an becoming an urban urban speciesspecies
In developed In developed countriescountries 75% live in 75% live in
urban areaurban area Developing Developing
countriescountries 40%40%
An Urban WorldAn Urban World MegacitiesMegacities
Urban areas with Urban areas with more than 2 more than 2 million million inhabitantsinhabitants
Increased from 2 Increased from 2 in 1950 (NYC and in 1950 (NYC and London), to 22 in London), to 22 in 20052005
By 2015 most By 2015 most megacities will megacities will be in Asiabe in Asia
Megacities by 2015Megacities by 2015
People and NaturePeople and Nature We depend on nature We depend on nature
directly fordirectly for Wood, water, airWood, water, air
And indirectly for And indirectly for “public services “public services functions”, including:functions”, including: soil to farm landsoil to farm land AtmosphereAtmosphere ozone layer to protect ozone layer to protect
us from radiationus from radiation trees to create oxygentrees to create oxygen wetlands to filter wetlands to filter
waterwater
People and NaturePeople and Nature
New unity: Humanity and the New unity: Humanity and the Environment must persist togetherEnvironment must persist together
Success for one involves success for the Success for one involves success for the otherother
Science and ValuesScience and Values
We must choose what we want the We must choose what we want the environment to beenvironment to be
Value judgment regarding the Value judgment regarding the world’s human population problemworld’s human population problem Choice between desire to have large Choice between desire to have large
family and the need to limit the human family and the need to limit the human populationpopulation
The more high tech and powerful our The more high tech and powerful our civilization, the more knowledge and civilization, the more knowledge and critical thinking is requiredcritical thinking is required
Science and ValuesScience and Values Selected Intellectual Standards:Selected Intellectual Standards:
ClarityClarity AccuracyAccuracy PrecisionPrecision Relevance Relevance DepthDepth BreadthBreadth LogicLogic SignificanceSignificance FairnessFairness
Precautionary PrinciplePrecautionary Principle
1992 - Rio Earth Summit on Sustainable 1992 - Rio Earth Summit on Sustainable DevelopmentDevelopment
Definition:Definition: When there is a great threat of serious When there is a great threat of serious
environmental damage, we should not wait environmental damage, we should not wait for scientific proof before taking for scientific proof before taking precautionary steps to prevent potential precautionary steps to prevent potential harmharm
PROACTIVE Tool for environmental PROACTIVE Tool for environmental managementmanagement San Francisco uses itSan Francisco uses it
Placing a Value on the Placing a Value on the EnvironmentEnvironment The value of the environment The value of the environment
based on 8 justificationsbased on 8 justifications
InspirationalInspirational CreativeCreative MoralMoral CulturalCultural
UtilitarianUtilitarian EcologicalEcological AestheticAesthetic RecreationalRecreational
Placing a Value on the Placing a Value on the EnvironmentEnvironment
Utilitarian (Materialistic) Utilitarian (Materialistic) The environment has value because it The environment has value because it
benefits individuals economically or is benefits individuals economically or is necessary for human survivalnecessary for human survival
EcologicalEcological Ecosystem is necessary for survival of Ecosystem is necessary for survival of
some species of interest or that the some species of interest or that the system itself provides benefit.system itself provides benefit.
Placing a Value on the Placing a Value on the EnvironmentEnvironment AestheticAesthetic
Based on our appreciation of the beauty Based on our appreciation of the beauty of natureof nature
RecreationalRecreational Viewing organisms in a natural settingViewing organisms in a natural setting
InspirationalInspirational Benefit to the inner selfBenefit to the inner self
CreativeCreative Aid to human creativityAid to human creativity
Placing a Value on the Placing a Value on the EnvironmentEnvironment
MoralMoral Belief that various aspects of the Belief that various aspects of the
environment have the right to exist and environment have the right to exist and it is our obligation to allow them to it is our obligation to allow them to continuecontinue
CulturalCultural Different cultures have different values Different cultures have different values
when it comes to the environmentwhen it comes to the environment
How is the environment How is the environment valuable to each of youvaluable to each of you?? Think of at least 1 example for each Think of at least 1 example for each
category: category:
InspirationalInspirational CreativeCreative MoralMoral CulturalCultural
UtilitarianUtilitarian EcologicalEcological AestheticAesthetic RecreationalRecreational