Understanding Our Understanding Our EnvironmentEnvironmentSection 1.1Section 1.1

Objectives:Objectives:1.1. Identify the influence of human Identify the influence of human

population, technology, and cultural population, technology, and cultural and industrial changes on the and industrial changes on the

environment.environment.

Define Environmental ScienceDefine Environmental Science

• How do you think environmental problems are identified?

• How long ago do you think environmental “problems” started?

• Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring

• New York City and Manhattan

• The Fall of Troy

• Large mammal extinction

Our Environment Through TimeOur Environment Through Time

Hunter-Gatherers

The Agricultural Revolution

The Industrial

Revolution

Characteristics

Effects on the Environment

Hunter-GatherersHunter-Gatherers• Obtain food by ______________.• Small groups migrated from place to

place, following game and crops.• Still exist in New Guinea and Amazon rain

forests of South America• How do they affect the environment?1.Spread plants2.Animal extinction3.Destruction of land (i.e., burning prairies)

The Agricultural RevolutionThe Agricultural Revolution

• Collect seeds of plants gathered and domesticate animals.

• More people in smaller areas.

• What effects would this have?

1.Slash-and-burn to convert land to farmland.

2.What happens when forests are cleared like this?

The Industrial RevolutionThe Industrial Revolution

• Mid-1700’s

• Energy use shifted from animal muscle and water power to fossil fuels to power machines.

• Even more people in smaller areas.

• Effects? (Think both positive and negative.)

• “Population Growth” – p.13

Our Main Environmental Our Main Environmental ProblemsProblems

1. Pollution– Biodegradable– Nondegradable

2. Resource depletion– Natural resource

• Renewable resources - examples• Non-renewable resources - examples

3. Loss of biodiversity