Introducing Environmental Science and Sustainability

Introducing Environmental

Science and Sustainability

Chapter 1

Do Now Essay:Please write a short essay answering the

following.

• Describe five ways that Highly developed countries differ from less developed countries.

Human Impacts on the Environment

Learning Objectives

–Define: Poverty

–Distinguish among

highly developed

moderately developed

less developed countries

Source: US Census Bureau, Global Population Profile: 2002

A. Human Impacts on the Environment1. Increasing Human Numbers

• Over the past 800 thousand years human population continues to grow despite Earth’s finite ability to support us.

Do Now Essay:Please write a short essay answering the

following question(s).

• What does the term “ environmental sustainability” mean to you?

• How can you realistically live a more sustaining lifestyle than at present?

A. Human Impacts on the Environment1. Increasing Human Numbers

Most populous countries:

1) China 1,374,853,000

2) India 1,155,011,000

3) United States 309,163,000

4) Indonesia 258,825,000

5) Brazil 195,580,000

Source: US Census Bureau, Global Population Profile: 2002

A. Human Impacts on the Environment1. Increasing Human Numbers

A. Human Impacts on the Environment1. Increasing Human Numbers

Poverty :

• per capita income of less than $1 a day

• 1.2 billion worldwide currently live at this level

Leads to . . . Lower life expectancy

Inadequate health care

Unsanitary water

Poor nutrition

Illiteracy

A. Human Impacts on the Environment1. Increasing Human Numbers

• per capita: [(puhr kap-i-tuh)]

A Latin phrase literally meaning “by heads,” and translated as “for each person.” It is a common unit for expressing data in statistics. A country's per capita personal income, for example, is the average personal income per person.

Population, Resources, and the Environment

The contrast between less developed and highly developed countries is great:

A. Human Impacts on the Environment2. Increasing Human Numbers

a. Highly Developed Countries

USA, Canada, Japan, Most of Europe20% of worlds populationHigh complex industrialization basesLow rates of population growthHigh per capita incomes

b. Moderately Developed Countries

Mexico, Turkey, South Africa, ThailandMedium levels of industrializationAvg. per capita income lower

c. Less Developed Countries (LDC)

Bangladesh, Mali, Ethiopia, LaosLow level of industrializationVery low per capita incomeVery fertility rates with a high infant mortality rate

Cheap, unskilled laborCapital for investment is scarceHunger, disease, Illiteracy common in LDC

B. Population, Resources, and the Environment

Types of resources:

Renewable, but only when managed in a sustainable way

B. Population, Resources, and the Environment

Resource Consumption:

• because of our greater consumption rates, 1 US child has the environmental impact of 12+ children in less developed countries.

B. Population, Resources, and the Environment

•People Overpopulation:

when excess # of people cause environmental damage.

•Consumption Overpopulation:

when people consume enormous amounts of natural resources.

B. Population, Resources, and the Environment

Ecological footprint

B. Population, Resources, and the Environment

IPAT Model

I = P A T

Environmental Impact

Number of people

Affluence per person

Environmental effect of

technologies

Environmental Sustainability

Sustainability:

stewardship of natural resources leading to their perpetual availability for successive generations.

Environmental Sustainability

Sustainability and the Tragedy of the Commons

Garrett Hardin

Environmental Science

• Interdisciplinary study of the interconnected problems associated with the environment.

• Heavily leans upon ecology.

Environmental Science

The Process of ScienceProblem recognition or

question

Hypothesis development

Experimentation

Analysis

Share knowledge

Make predictions

Hypothesis supported? YESNO

Other scientistsNew knowledge

Environmental Science

Controls and Variables in Experimental Design

Variable:

Control group :• examined variable is left unaltered

• factors influencing processes being examined.

• hypothesis examines ONE variable, holding others constant.

This is the experimental group.

Environmental Science

Hypothesis: Burning will increase frequency of prairie wildflowers.

Which is the control group?

Environmental Science

How does the view of a theory differ between scientists and the public?

Environmental Science

Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

• Inductive examines a series of facts for commonalities that can be concluded.

Example:

Fact: an ant has six legs

Fact: a wasp has six legs

Fact: a beetle has six legs

Conclusion: all insects have six legs

Environmental Science

• Deductive examines for relationships among data moving from generalities to specifics.

Example:

General rule: all insects have six legs

Specific example: a grasshopper is an insect

Therefore: a grasshopper has six legs

Addressing Environmental Problems

Scientific Assessment

Risk Analysis

Public education and involvement

Political action

Evaluation

Addressing Environmental Problems

Case in Point: Lake Washington

•Scientific assessment

•Public education and involvement

•Political action

Addressing Environmental Problems

Case in Point: Lake Washington

Evaluation

Addressing Environmental Problems

Case in Point: Lake Washington

Evaluation