Introduction to Environmental Science

What is environmental science? Environmental science is the study

of the impact of humans on the environment

Goals of env sci – to understand and solve environmental problems

Many fields of study contribute to environmental science: Biology, earth science, physics,

chemistry, social sciences

Let’s brainstorm – some problems in the world today and their solutions:

Environmental Problems

Solutions to Problems

In your opinion, why have people let the environment suffer??

What is causing so many of our environmental problems? Agricultural revolution and industrial

revolution have allowed the human population to grow much faster than it had ever grown before.

Medicine and sanitation helped increase population

Increased population increased demand for Earth’s resources!

About 7.2 billion people in world today!

Let’s think…….What happens when there are

too many people:In class?In Livingston?In the U.S.?In the world?

3 main environmental problems1. resource depletion – we are using up too many of our natural resources!2. pollution- undesired change in air, water or soil that adversely affect health, survival or activities of humans or other organisms3. loss of biodiversity- a decrease in number and variety of species

Resource DepletionResources are depleted when a

large fraction has been used upCan we deplete renewable

resources?

As the world’s population increases, what happens to its resources?

Problem 1 – Resource Depletion Natural resource – any material that is used by

humans Non-renewable resource – forms at a much

slower rate than it is consumed; once supply is used up, it will take millions of years to replace it

Fossil fuels minerals

Renewable resource – resource that can be replaced relatively quickly by natural processes Air, water, soil, trees and crops

Problem 2 – PollutionWhat is pollution?

AIR LAND WATER

Problem 3 – Loss of Biodiversity

Biodiversity – number and variety of species

Why is there a loss of biodiversity?What are some animals that are

endangered or extinct? (remember our projects!)

The Tragedy of the Commons Garrett Hardin said that the main

difficulty in solving environmental problems is the conflict between the short-term interests of individuals and the long-term welfare of society

Look at the diagrams of grazing sheep….When land was held in common,

individuals tended to graze as many animals as possible. Overgrazing led to destruction of land.

When commons were replaced by enclosed fields owned by individuals, people tended to graze only the number of animals that the land could support.

Tragedy of commons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTuri

hxSTnI Great pacific garbage clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5y1

W5xduiE Gpgp clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP1nzCqoT9g

Ecological footprint video clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZFkUeleHPYTragedy of the commons animation

Ecological Footprint Ecological footprint- productive area

of earth needed to support one person in a particular country

How much of the Earth’s resources a person/country uses

Look at table, which country has largest ecological footprint?

Why? Which countries have larger ecological

footprints, developed or developing? Why?

Developed countries

Higher average incomes

Slower population growth

Diverse industrial economies

Stronger social support systems

US, Canada, Japan

Developing countries

Lower average incomes

Simple and agriculture-based economies

Rapid population growth

HOW IS THE US WASTEFUL?

WHAT ARE SOLUTIONS?

What can YOU do to reduce your ecological footprint???

What is poverty? Poverty - state of being poor; the state

of not having enough money to take care of basic needs such as food, clothing, and housing

People that live in poverty have

__________ (great/little) healthcare

__________ (great/little) education

__________ (great/little) access to food

__________ (great/little) access to water

__________ (few/many) children

An __________

(increase/decrease) in

population creates an

___________ (increase/decrease)

in resources which creates an

(increase/decrease) in poverty

sustainabilitySustainability – the condition in

which human needs are met in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely

Are we living in a sustainable world right now?

Sustainability is the balance between the humans and the environment!