Unit 1 Intro to Environmental Science

8/2/2019 Unit 1 Intro to Environmental Science

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UNIT 1 INTRO TO ENVIRONMENTAL

SCIENCE

Chapter 1 Science and the Environment


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WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE?

Environment everything around us,including natural and man-made

Complex web of relationships connecting us with

the rest of the world

Environmental science study of the impactof humans on the environment --- 2 focuses

How we use natural resources

How our actions impact the environment


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MANY FIELDS OF STUDY WITHIN ES

Interdisciplinary science

Biology

Chemistry

Earth science

Physics

Social Sciences

What is the difference between ES andEcology?


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SCIENTISTS AS CITIZENS, CITIZENS AS SCIENTISTS

Governments, cities and businessunderstand that studying theenvironment is vital to maintaining a

healthy and productive society Environmental scientists share their

research with the world

Non-scientists often collect data andmake initial observations and thenreport to scientists i.e. students anddeformed frogs in Minn. lakes


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ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS


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CASE STUDY

Lake Washington: An EnvironmentalSuccess Story

Pg 12-13

Critical thinking

#1 and 2


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OUR ENVIRONMENT THROUGH TIME

Fill in the table with describing how humanshave used the environment or impacted theenvironment over time

Hunter-Gatherer

Agricultural revolution

Industrial revolution


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HUNTER-GATHERERS

CHARACTERISTICS

People who get foodby collecting plants,

hunting wild animals orscavenging theirremains

Small migrant groupswho went where thefood was

IMPACT ON

ENVIRONMENT

fires in prairies to keep

trees from growing,maintaining grasslandarea for hunting,

over hunting =extinction of species


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AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION

CHARACTERISTICS

Agriculture growing, breedingand caring for plants, andanimals that are used for food,clothing, housing,transportation, etc.

H-Gs started collecting seeds ofplants and domesticatinganimals

Dramatic change on humansand environment

Human population increasedgreatly and concentrated insmall areas

Todays plants that are eaten aredescendents of wild plantsartificial selection

IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT

Habitat destruction Soil loss, floods, water shortages Poor techniques led to infertile

soil

Collapse of civilizations when soilbecame infertile


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INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

CHARACTERISTICS

Shift of energy resourcesfrom humans and animalsto fossil fuels

Increase efficiency ofagriculture, industry, andtransportation

Large scale production ofgoods in factories

More people in urbanareas Better quality of life Better sanitation,

medicine, nutrition,

convieniences

IMPACTS

Less land needed forfarming

Increased use of fossil fuels

Artificial substances used inplace of natural, i.e. plastics Trash, pollution


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SPACESHIP EARTH

Nickname for earth Closed system the

only thing that comes inis energy from the sun

and the only thing thatleaves is heat Cannot dispose of waste

and cannot bring newmaterial in

Some supplies arelimited

Environmental problemsoccur on local, regional,and global levels

Problem: Pressure onenvironment withpopulation growth Ag and Indust. Revolution

led to population boom

Vast amounts of resourcesare being used to feed theworld

Result = habitat destructionand pesticide pollution


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MAIN ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

Resource depletion Renewable replace fairly

quickly by nature Non-renewable forms at a

much slower rate than isconsumed

Pollution Undesired change in air,

water, or soil that adverselyaffects health, survival, oractivities of living organisms

Wastes are produced fasterthan they can be disposed of

Biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste

Loss of Biodiversity Extinction of species


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1.2 THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY

Read page 16 The Tragedy of the Commons Natural resources = commons

Short term individual interests sacrificed sometimes

for common long term interests Economics

Supply and Demand the greater the demand for alimited supply of something, the more something is

worthi.e supply of oil Costs and Benefits are the benefits worth the costs

Risk Assessments risk for undesirable outcomes


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DEVELOPED VS DEVELOPING

DEVELOPING DEVELOPED

Lower than averageincomes

Simple, agricultural basedeconomies

Rapid population growth

Higher average incomes

Slower population growth

Diverse industrialeconomies

Stronger social supportsystems

US, Canada, Japan,Western Europe


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POPULATION AND CONSUMPTION

Rapid population growth localenvironment often cannot supplyresources to support populationwhich leads to habitat destruction,

soil exhaustion, and extinction More of a problem in developing

countries

Consumption

Developed countries use 75% of theworlds resources while only making up20% of the worlds population

Creates more waste and pollution perperson than in developing countries


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ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINTS

Method of expressingdifferences inconsumption

Shows the productivearea of earth (amount ofland and resources)

needed to support oneperson in a particularcountry

Developed countries =4xs that of developing


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A SUSTAINABLE WORLD

Sustainability condition in which humanneeds are met in such a way that the humanpopulation can survive indefinitely

Consumption patterns put us far from livingas a sustainable world

Documents

Unit 1 Intro to Environmental Science