Sustainable Living

Economic growth Economic growth • An increase in the capacity to provide goods and An increase in the capacity to provide goods and

services for people’s final useservices for people’s final use• economic growth is measured by an increase in economic growth is measured by an increase in

GNP.GNP.– GNP: gross national product: $ value of goods and services GNP: gross national product: $ value of goods and services

produced by a country’s businesses within and outside the produced by a country’s businesses within and outside the countrycountry

– GDP: gross domestic product: $ value of goods and GDP: gross domestic product: $ value of goods and services produced within the country services produced within the country

– GWP: gross world product: total $ value of goods and GWP: gross world product: total $ value of goods and services produced in the worldservices produced in the world

Environmentally Sustainable Environmentally Sustainable DevelopmentDevelopment

• economic growth has economic growth has allowed us to allowed us to – Live longerLive longer– be healthierbe healthier– have more comforthave more comfort

• It has not allowed us toIt has not allowed us to– stop environmental stop environmental

problemsproblems– Wipe out povertyWipe out poverty

What is a resourceWhat is a resource

– anything that we get from the environment anything that we get from the environment to meet our needs and desiresto meet our needs and desires

– perpetual resource: something that is perpetual resource: something that is continually renewed like solar energycontinually renewed like solar energy

– renewable: On a human time scale renewable: On a human time scale something that can be renewed fairly something that can be renewed fairly rapidly (Within decades)rapidly (Within decades)

Fig. 1.11, p. 11

Resources

Perpetual Nonrenewable

Renewable

Freshair

Freshwater

Fertilesoil

Plants andanimals

(biodiversity)

Directsolar

energy

Winds, tides,

flowing water

Fossilfuels

Metallic minerals

Non- metallic

minerals

(iron, copper,

aluminum)

(clay, sand,

phosphates)

Environmental Degradation: occurs when the Environmental Degradation: occurs when the resource’s natural replacement rate is exceeded. resource’s natural replacement rate is exceeded.

The following are examples of degradationThe following are examples of degradation - - deforestationdeforestation– water logging or water logging or

salinization of soilsalinization of soil– deforestationdeforestation– pollutionpollution– reduction in reduction in

biodiversitybiodiversity– groundwater groundwater

depletiondepletion– Wetlands Wetlands

destructiondestruction

non-renewable: resources that exist in non-renewable: resources that exist in fixed quantities in the earth’s crustfixed quantities in the earth’s crust

• energy resources energy resources like coal, gas, like coal, gas, uranium which uranium which are burned and are burned and lostlost

• metallic mineral metallic mineral resources that resources that can recycledcan recycled

• Non-metallic Non-metallic mineral mineral resources that resources that are difficult to are difficult to recyclerecycle

What is PollutionWhat is Pollution

• Any addition to air, water, soil, or food that Any addition to air, water, soil, or food that threatens the health, survival, or activities of threatens the health, survival, or activities of humans or other animals. It can be natural or humans or other animals. It can be natural or from humansfrom humans

Two types of pollutant sources:Two types of pollutant sources:• point source: where pollutants come from a single point source: where pollutants come from a single

identifiable source, like a drainpipe or a smokestack. identifiable source, like a drainpipe or a smokestack. • Non-point source: pollutants that come from dispersed Non-point source: pollutants that come from dispersed

sources. Examples are runoff from fertilizers and sources. Examples are runoff from fertilizers and pesticides or oil from cars. pesticides or oil from cars.

Two approaches to dealing with pollution:Two approaches to dealing with pollution:• pollution preventionpollution prevention• pollution clean-uppollution clean-up

Air Pollution

• Global climate change• Stratospheric ozone

depletion• Urban air pollution• Acid deposition• Outdoor pollutants• Indoor pollutants• Noise

Biodiversity Depletion

• Habitat destruction• Habitat degradation• Extinction

Water Pollution

• Sediment• Nutrient overload• Toxic chemicals• Infectious agents• Oxygen depletion• Pesticides• Oil spills• Excess heat

Waste Production

• Solid waste• Hazardous waste

Food Supply Problems

• Overgrazing• Farmland loss

and degradation• Wetlands loss

and degradation• Overfishing• Coastal pollution• Soil erosion• Soil salinization• Soil waterlogging• Water shortages• Groundwater depletion• Loss of biodiversity• Poor nutrition

MajorEnvironmental

Problems

Fig. 1.13, p. 14

United States

The Netherlands

India

CountryPer Captia Ecological Footprint(Hectares of land per person)

10.9

5.9

1.0

Fig. 1.10a, p. 11

CountryTotal Ecological Footprint

(Hectares)

United States

The Netherlands

India

3 billion hectares

94 million hectares

1 billion hectares

Fig. 1.10b, p. 11

Fuel type Unit CO2 emitted per unit

Petrol 1 gallon (UK) 10.4 kg

Petrol 1 liter 2.3 kg

Gasoline 1 gallon (USA) 8.7 kg

Gasoline 1 liter 2.3 kg

Diesel 1 gallon (UK) 12.2 kg

Diesel 1 gallon (USA) 9.95 kg

Diesel 1 liter 2.7 kg

Oil (heating) 1 gallon (UK) 13.6 kg

Oil (heating) 1 gallon (USA) 11.26 kg

Oil (heating) 1 liter 3 kg

Each of the following activities add 1 kg of CO2 to your personal carbon footprint:

• Travel by public transportation (train or bus) a distance of 10 to 12 km (6.5 to 7 miles)

• Drive with your car a distance of 6 km or 3.75 miles (assuming 7.3 litres petrol per 100 km or 39 mpg)

• Fly with a plane a distance of 2.2 km or 1.375 miles. • Operate your computer for 32 hours (60 Watt

consumption assumed) • Production of 5 plastic bags • Production of 2 plastic bottles • Production of 1/3 of an American cheeseburger (yes, the

production of each cheeseburger emits 3.1 kg of CO2!)

Renewable Resources

• Resources that can be renewed within a lifetime.

• Solar

• Hydro

• Geothermal

• Biomass

• Wind

Wind Energy

• Harnessing wind’s energy to turn turbines connected to a generator.

Wind

Energy

Solar Energy

• Capturing sun’s energy.

• Photovoltaic cells.

Solar

Energy

Biomass

• Burning living, once living or from living organisms for fuel. Ethanol Cars

Hydroelectric Power• Using current from water to turn turbines

that are hooked up to generators.

Hoover Dam

Geothermal Energy• Geothermal

energy is energy generated by heat stored beneath the Earth's surface.

GeothermalEnergy

Iceland Geothermal

Basic History of Humans and the Environment

• Hunter-Gatherers– Obtain food by collecting plants and hunting

wild animals.

• How did they affect the environment?– Hunted and killed animals– Picked up and spread plants/seeds to new

areas.– Prairie fires were started by native American

to improve bison hunting.

Basic History of Humans and the Environment

• Agricultural Revolution– Developed the process of breeding, growing,

and harvesting plants for food.

• How did this affect the environment?– Human population grew quickly– Natural habitats (grasslands, rainforests)

replaced by farmland.– New breeds of animals and plants were

created.

Slash and Burn Agriculture

• Burning down trees to clear land to grow crops.

Basic History of Humans and the Environment

• Industrial Revolution– Shift in the source of energy to fossil fuels

• How did they affect the environment?– Increased the efficiency of farming– Increased the size of cities– Introduced plastics, pesticides, fertilizers and

air pollution.

Earth

• Earth is a Closed System– Nothing enters or leaves the Earth in large

quantities.

• Problems with closed systems – Resources are limited, but the population

continues to increase– Wastes do not go away

Major Environmental Problems

• Resource depletion– Resources can be renewable (water) or

nonrenewable (oil)– The supply of fossil fuels and metals will

eventually run out

• Pollution – Undesired change in air, water, or soil that

affects the health of living things.

Major Environmental Problems

• Loss of Biodiversity– The number and variety of species is

decreasing.– Extinction – natural or man-made?

The Tasmanian tiger may be the only mammal to become extinct in the past 200 years on the island of Tasmania. During the same period of time, on nearby Australia, as much as 50% of all mammals became extinct.

Environmental Ethics

• Environmental ethics is the discipline that studies the moral relationship of human beings to, and also the value and moral status of, the environment.

Types of Environmental Ethics

• Five Distinct Stages:– Anthropocentric– Pragmatic Resource Conservation– Moral and Aesthetic Nature Preservation– Modern Environmentalism– Global Environmental Citizenship

Hetch Hetchy Valley

• San Francisco in 1903 is experiencing severe water shortages due to a rapidly increasing population.

• The Tolumne river runs through nearby Hetch Hetchy valley.

• Proposal: Dam the river, create a reservoir for water supplies and hydroelectric power.

• Problem: The valley lies within Yosemite National Park; public land.

Built between 1919 - 23

Build the Dam vs. Protect the natural ecosystem of the park

• The nearby people need water.

• The dam will produce pollution-free renewable electricity.

• The valley will be even more beautiful.

• The natural ecosystem will be flooded and destroyed.

• Beauty will be ruined.

• Hetch Hetchy is on a national park.

Anthropcentrism

• “human-centered”– The protection or promotion of human

interests or well-being at the expense of all other factors.

Pragmatic Resource Conservation

• Advocated by President Theodore Roosevelt.– The environment

should be used in a planned way to benefit everyone.

– Should be used for “the greate4st good for the greatest number, for the longest time.”

Moral and Aesthetic Nature Preservation

• Advocated by John Muir, first president of the Sierra Club.– Nature deserves to exist for its own sake

regardless of degree of usefulness to humans.

Modern Environmentalism

• Rachel Carson wrote a book, Silent Spring about the effects of pesticides on birds.– Awakened the public to

threats of pollution and toxic chemicals to humans as well as other species.

Global Environmentalism

• Increased travel and communication enables people to know about daily events in places unknown in previous generations.– Issues and problems are explored on a global

scale instead of a local one.

Economics and the Environment

• Supply and Demand – The greater the demand for a limited resource, the higher the price.

• Cost/Benefit Analysis – Is the cost of doing something worth the price?– Ex. Pollution cleanup

• Risk Analysis – The probability that something will cause injury or death.– Ex. Nuclear power

Developed and Developing Countries

India Market Wegmans

Developing and Developed Countries

• Developing – Have lower incomes, agriculture-based economies, and rapid population growth.– Ex. India

• Developed – Higher incomes, industrial economies, slower population growth.– Ex. United States, Japan, Europe

Indicators of Development for the US, Japan, Mexico, and Indonesia

Measurement US Japan Mexico Indonesia

Health Life expectancy in years

77 81 71.5 68

Population growth

Per year .8% 0.2% 1.7% 1.8%

Wealth Gross national product per person

$29,240 $32,350 $3,840 $640

Living Space People per square mile

78 829 133 319

Energy Use Per person per year (millions of Btu)

351 168 59 18

Pollution Carbon dioxide from fossil fuels per person per year (tons)

20.4 9.3 3.5 2.2

Waste Garbage produced per person per year (kg)

720 400 300 43

Population and Consumption

• Developing countries tend to have severe overpopulation. This leads to:– Deforestation– Bare soil– Native animals driven to extinction– Malnutrition, starvation, disease

• About 80% of the world’s population falls in this category.– Only use 25% of the world’s resources

Overconsumption

• http://www.coloradotrees.org/benefits.htm

Carbon Footprint

• Total amount of greenhouse gases emitted by an organization or household.

Ecological Footprint• Measure of human demand on the Earth’s

ecosystem.

CARBON FOOTPRINT CALCULATOR

http://www.myfootprint.org/

Sustainability

• Human needs are met so that the population can survive indefinitely.

Fig. 1.1, p. 2

16

15

14

13

12

11 Billio

ns o

f peo

ple

?

?

?

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

02-5 million

years8000 6000 4000 2000 2000 2100

Hunting and gathering

Black Death–the Plague

Time

Industrialrevolution

Agricultural revolution

B.C. A.D.