Maintaining BiodiversityMaintaining Biodiversity

The Web of LifeThe Web of Life

What is Biodiversity?What is Biodiversity?

•Biodiversity is the variety of life: Biodiversity is the variety of life:

•the different plants, animals and the different plants, animals and micro-organisms, micro-organisms,

•their genes and the ecosystems their genes and the ecosystems of which they are a part.of which they are a part.

Biodiversity gives Biodiversity gives us:us:

Ecosystem Services -- What Ecosystem Services -- What Nature Does for Us Every DayNature Does for Us Every Day

• transfer of energytransfer of energy from sunlight to from sunlight to plants and its distribution throughout food plants and its distribution throughout food webs;webs;   

• storage, release, and distribution of storage, release, and distribution of carboncarbon - an essential building block of all - an essential building block of all life forms--by forests, oceans, and the life forms--by forests, oceans, and the atmosphere;atmosphere;   

• cycling of nutrientscycling of nutrients, such as , such as nitrogen and phosphorus, between nitrogen and phosphorus, between air, water, soil, and living organisms;air, water, soil, and living organisms;   

• water cyclewater cycle, which purifies and , which purifies and distributes Earth's fresh water; anddistributes Earth's fresh water; and   

• oxygen cycleoxygen cycle, through which plants , through which plants and animals exchange carbon and animals exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen. dioxide and oxygen.

FoodFood

• 90% of the world's food is derived 90% of the world's food is derived from only 15 species of plants from only 15 species of plants

• humans use only about 150 species humans use only about 150 species of plants for food, out of 80,000 of plants for food, out of 80,000 potentially edible plants.  potentially edible plants. 

• Because we depend on such a Because we depend on such a narrow range of plants, our ability to narrow range of plants, our ability to produce and sustain food crops is produce and sustain food crops is important for human survival.important for human survival.

MedicineMedicine• Approximately 1 in 5 prescription Approximately 1 in 5 prescription

drugs in the US come from plants. drugs in the US come from plants.

• potential hidden within the natural potential hidden within the natural world is largely untapped--only 1% of world is largely untapped--only 1% of the plant species in rainforests have the plant species in rainforests have been tested for their possible been tested for their possible pharmaceutical value, and other pharmaceutical value, and other ecosystems have been largely ecosystems have been largely unexplored as well.  unexplored as well. 

• Out of the top 150 prescription drugs, Out of the top 150 prescription drugs, 118 originally came from living 118 originally came from living creatures, mostly plants. creatures, mostly plants.

Raw MaterialsRaw Materials

•clothing, household goods, and clothing, household goods, and cosmetics. cosmetics.

•forests produce pulp for paper forests produce pulp for paper products products

•wood for construction of homes wood for construction of homes and furniture.and furniture.

Natural BeautyNatural Beauty

• nature is beautiful and valued for its nature is beautiful and valued for its aesthetic appeal aesthetic appeal

• brings pleasure to our lives and brings pleasure to our lives and enriches the human experience enriches the human experience

• When describing "quality of life," When describing "quality of life," many people mention access to many people mention access to nature and to open space nature and to open space

• Biodiversity = full tapestry of nature Biodiversity = full tapestry of nature

• It’s loss makes us poorer – for It’s loss makes us poorer – for ourselves & future generationsourselves & future generations

StabilityStability• Many parts of the natural world Many parts of the natural world

prevent or slow rapid changeprevent or slow rapid change

• Eg Forests prevent erosion and also Eg Forests prevent erosion and also prevent heavy rains from turning into prevent heavy rains from turning into floods floods

• Our current infrastructure & crops Our current infrastructure & crops dependent on stabilitydependent on stability

• If conditions change, have to: If conditions change, have to:

move crops, develop new strains, move crops, develop new strains, rebuild roads, buildings, bridges, rebuild roads, buildings, bridges, repair flood damagerepair flood damage

Community of LifeCommunity of Life• Mohawk saying: "In our every Mohawk saying: "In our every

deliberation, we should consider the deliberation, we should consider the impact of our decisions on the next impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." seven generations." 

• Responsible stewardship = value in Responsible stewardship = value in nature beyond health, economics, or nature beyond health, economics, or food. food.

• spiritual or symbolic significance of spiritual or symbolic significance of humans' place in an intact natural humans' place in an intact natural community. community.

• worth preserving for its own sakeworth preserving for its own sake

Development vs Development vs ConservationConservation

Economic Dev.Economic Dev. ConservationConservation

clearing forestsclearing forests

cultivating the land cultivating the land

building damsbuilding dams

warehouses warehouses

power linespower lines

increasing business increasing business

manufacturing manufacturing

wildlife managementwildlife management

planting treesplanting trees

establishing establishing protected protected

land areasland areas

stocking lakes with stocking lakes with fish fish

Economic Benefits of Economic Benefits of ConservationConservation

•Healthy environment = healthy Healthy environment = healthy economyeconomy

•biodiversity provides between $3-biodiversity provides between $3-$33 trillion dollars to the global $33 trillion dollars to the global economy, or upwards of 11% of economy, or upwards of 11% of world GDP world GDP

•US: In 1995 alone, visitors to US: In 1995 alone, visitors to national wildlife parks contributed national wildlife parks contributed $401 million to local businesses in $401 million to local businesses in communities surrounding them.communities surrounding them.

Economic Cost of Economic Cost of DevelopmentDevelopment

• Polluted air and water increase illness + Polluted air and water increase illness + reduce productivity - in people + reduce productivity - in people + ecosystemsecosystems

• Lost pollinators either cannot be replaced Lost pollinators either cannot be replaced or can be replaced only at a high cost. or can be replaced only at a high cost.

• Degraded wetlands and forests lose their Degraded wetlands and forests lose their capacity to filter and store water – need to capacity to filter and store water – need to build expensive water treatment plants build expensive water treatment plants instead instead

• availability of clean water from the availability of clean water from the Delaware-Catskill watershed saved New Delaware-Catskill watershed saved New York City an estimated $6 to $8 billion in York City an estimated $6 to $8 billion in construction costs for a water filtration construction costs for a water filtration plant.plant.

Solutions?Solutions?

• 3 Rs 3 Rs

ReduceReduce the amount and toxicity of the amount and toxicity of trash you discard trash you discard

ReuseReuse containers and products; repair containers and products; repair what is broken or give it to someone what is broken or give it to someone who can repair it who can repair it

RecycleRecycle as much as possible, which as much as possible, which includes buying products with includes buying products with recycled content recycled content

Clean EnergyClean Energy• Solar Solar

- - Photovoltaic (solar cell) systemsPhotovoltaic (solar cell) systemsProducing electricity directly from sunlight. Producing electricity directly from sunlight.

- - Concentrating solar systemsConcentrating solar systemsUsing the sun's heat to produce electricity Using the sun's heat to produce electricity

- Passive solar heating and daylighting- Passive solar heating and daylightingUsing solar energy to heat and light buildings Using solar energy to heat and light buildings

- Solar hot water- Solar hot waterHeating water with solar energy Heating water with solar energy

- Solar process heat and space heating and - Solar process heat and space heating and coolingcoolingIndustrial and commercial uses of the sun's Industrial and commercial uses of the sun's heat heat

WindWind

•WindmillsWindmills

•Wind turbinesWind turbines

- mounted on a tower to capture - mounted on a tower to capture the most energy the most energy

- 100 feet or more- 100 feet or more

- can take advantage of the - can take advantage of the faster and less turbulent windfaster and less turbulent wind

BiomassBiomass

• wood, plants, residues from wood, plants, residues from agriculture/ forestryagriculture/ forestry

• potential to greatly reduce our potential to greatly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions greenhouse gas emissions

• every time a new plant grows, every time a new plant grows, carbon dioxide is actually removed carbon dioxide is actually removed from the atmosphere from the atmosphere

Biofuels Biofuels - releasing the sugars that make up - releasing the sugars that make up starch and cellulose in plants — can be starch and cellulose in plants — can be used to make antifreeze, plastics, used to make antifreeze, plastics, glues, artificial sweeteners, and gel for glues, artificial sweeteners, and gel for toothpastetoothpaste- biomass heated with oxygen = - biomass heated with oxygen = biosynthesis gas (used to make biosynthesis gas (used to make plastics and acids, which can be used plastics and acids, which can be used in making photographic films, textiles, in making photographic films, textiles, and synthetic fabrics)and synthetic fabrics)- biomass heated without oxygen = - biomass heated without oxygen = pyrolysis oilpyrolysis oil . . PhenolPhenol can be extracted can be extracted from pyrolysis oil - make wood from pyrolysis oil - make wood adhesives, molded plastic, and foam adhesives, molded plastic, and foam insulationinsulation

BiopowerBiopower

The use of biomass to generate The use of biomass to generate electricity electricity

There are six major types of biopower There are six major types of biopower systems: systems:

direct-fireddirect-fired, ,

cofiringcofiring, ,

gasificationgasification, ,

anaerobic digestionanaerobic digestion, ,

pyrolysispyrolysis, and , and

small, modularsmall, modular. .

Geothermal Geothermal EnergyEnergy

• Geothermal electricity productionGeothermal electricity productionGenerating electricity from the Generating electricity from the earth's heat. earth's heat.

• Geothermal direct useGeothermal direct useProducing heat directly from hot Producing heat directly from hot water within the earth. water within the earth.

• Geothermal heat pumpsGeothermal heat pumpsUsing the shallow ground to heat and Using the shallow ground to heat and cool buildings. cool buildings.

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric Power

• Dam : Water released from the Dam : Water released from the reservoir flows through a turbine, reservoir flows through a turbine, spinning it, which in turn activates a spinning it, which in turn activates a generator to produce electricity. generator to produce electricity.

• Pumped Storage Plant: stores powerPumped Storage Plant: stores power

• A small or micro-hydroelectric power A small or micro-hydroelectric power system can produce enough system can produce enough electricity for a home, farm, or ranch. electricity for a home, farm, or ranch.

Hydrogen EnergyHydrogen Energy

• simplest element simplest element • most plentiful in the universemost plentiful in the universe• found in water & organic compoundsfound in water & organic compounds• high in energy, yet an engine that high in energy, yet an engine that

burns pure hydrogen produces burns pure hydrogen produces almost no pollution almost no pollution

• Hydrogen fuel cells power the Hydrogen fuel cells power the shuttle's electrical systems, shuttle's electrical systems, producing a clean byproduct—pure producing a clean byproduct—pure water, which the crew drinks water, which the crew drinks

Ocean EnergyOcean Energy• thermal energythermal energy from the sun's heat from the sun's heat • mechanical energymechanical energy from the tides and from the tides and

waves waves • Oceans cover more than 70% of Oceans cover more than 70% of

Earth's surface, making them the Earth's surface, making them the world's largest solar collectors world's largest solar collectors

• sun's heat warms the surface water a sun's heat warms the surface water a lot more than the deep ocean water, lot more than the deep ocean water, and this temperature difference and this temperature difference creates thermal energy creates thermal energy

• Just a small portion of the heat Just a small portion of the heat trapped in the ocean could power the trapped in the ocean could power the world world

Online ForumOnline Forum

• ““Singapore is not doing enough to save Singapore is not doing enough to save the environment. What do you think?”the environment. What do you think?”

• Please go online to write your Please go online to write your comments on this issue.comments on this issue.

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