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Human Population Issues
Human Impact ModelI = PATS
• Models are simplified representations of complex systems.
• Models can be precise or conceptual.
• This model is conceptual, to guide your thinking about human impact and sustainability.
I = PATS• I is the impact of humans on the environment• P is the population of humans in the affected
environment• A is the affluence level of the human population• T is the technologies that the human population
is using• S is the sensitivity of the environment to human
disturbance
Population
• Population growth is the root of many environmental problems, although it is NOT the only root.
• There is a carrying capacity for humans based on environmental limitations
• Our technology has increased human carrying capacity, but there have been other consequences to these increases.
Human carrying capacity
Affluence
• Affluence means quality of life. • In terms of environmental impact it is often
proportional to the amount of natural resources that an individual (or country) uses.
• Higher affluence often correlates with higher environmental impact
• The gap between rich and poor societies is a cause of social and environmental stress
Consumption leads to waste
Rich vs. poor
Ecological Footprints
Technology -what do you think?
• How does technology make human impact greater?
• How can technology reduce human impact?
Sensitivity
• Sensitive environments are more affected by a given amount of human activity
• Sensitive environments include deserts, grasslands, and tundras
• Luckily, humans populations are not very dense in these types of environments
Another representation…
• In Industrial Ecology, IPATS is couched as the “Master Equation:”
• In this form we can see the opportunity for improvement lies in the technology term, environmental impact per unit GDP