Chapter Chapter ##11Introducing Environmental Science Introducing Environmental Science

and Stabilityand Stability

Reading this Reading this Week:Week:

Chapter Chapter ##1 – “Hooknose”1 – “Hooknose”

In-class Discussion In-class Discussion Readers:Readers:

Chapter Chapter ##1 - Me1 - MeChapter Chapter ##2 – David Dudley2 – David DudleyChapter Chapter ##3 – Elizabeth Goodrich3 – Elizabeth GoodrichChapter Chapter ##4 – James McLeod4 – James McLeodChapter Chapter ##5 – Labecca Hampton and 5 – Labecca Hampton and Jessica VidalJessica VidalChapter Chapter ##6 – Patrick Grennan and 6 – Patrick Grennan and Scott ArnoldScott ArnoldChapter Chapter ##7 – William Arnold7 – William ArnoldChapter Chapter ##8 – Crissy Overgard8 – Crissy OvergardChapter Chapter ##9 – Juan Rodriguez9 – Juan Rodriguez

The Environment (Earth)The Environment (Earth)

o Life has existed on earth for 3.8 billion Life has existed on earth for 3.8 billion yearsyears

o Earth well suited for lifeEarth well suited for life• Water covers ¾ of planetWater covers ¾ of planet• Habitable temperatureHabitable temperature• Moderate sunlightModerate sunlight• Atmosphere provides oxygen and carbon Atmosphere provides oxygen and carbon

dioxidedioxide• Soil provides essential minerals for plantsSoil provides essential minerals for plants

o But humans are altering the planet; not But humans are altering the planet; not always in positive waysalways in positive ways

Human Impacts on Human Impacts on Environment PopulationEnvironment Population

o Earth’s Human Earth’s Human Population is over 6 Population is over 6 billionbillion• Growing exponentiallyGrowing exponentially

o Expected to add Expected to add several billion more several billion more people in 21people in 21stst century century

o Increase will adversely Increase will adversely affect living conditions affect living conditions in many areas of the in many areas of the worldworld

www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html

PopulationPopulation

o Globally, 1 in 4 people Globally, 1 in 4 people lives in extreme lives in extreme poverty poverty • Cannot meet basic need Cannot meet basic need

for food, clothing, for food, clothing, shelter, healthshelter, health

o Difficult to meet Difficult to meet population needs population needs without exploiting without exploiting earth’s resourcesearth’s resources

Gap Between Rich and PoorGap Between Rich and Poor

o Highly Developed Countries (HDC)Highly Developed Countries (HDC)• Complex industrialized bases, low Complex industrialized bases, low

population growth, high per capita population growth, high per capita incomesincomes

• Ex: US, Canada, JapanEx: US, Canada, Japan

o Less Developed Countries (LDC)Less Developed Countries (LDC)• Low level of industrialization, very high Low level of industrialization, very high

fertility rate, high infant mortality rate, low fertility rate, high infant mortality rate, low per capita incomeper capita income

• Ex: Bangladesh, Mali, EthiopiaEx: Bangladesh, Mali, Ethiopia

Types of Natural ResourcesTypes of Natural Resources

OverpopulationOverpopulationo Human Overpopulation

• Too many people in a given geographic Too many people in a given geographic areaarea

• Problem in many developing nationsProblem in many developing nations

o Consumption Overpopulation• Each individual in a population consumes Each individual in a population consumes

too large a share of the resourcestoo large a share of the resources• Problem in many highly developed nationsProblem in many highly developed nations

Ecological FootprintEcological Footprinto The average amount of land, water and The average amount of land, water and

ocean required to provide that person with ocean required to provide that person with all the resources they consumeall the resources they consume

Earth’s Productive Land and WaterEarth’s Productive Land and Water 11.4 billion 11.4 billion hectareshectares

Amount Each Person is AllottedAmount Each Person is Allotted

(divide Productive Land and Water (divide Productive Land and Water by Human Population)by Human Population)

1.9 hectares1.9 hectares

Current Global Ecological Current Global Ecological Footprint of each personFootprint of each person

2.3 hectares2.3 hectares

Ecological Footprint ComparisonEcological Footprint Comparison

9.6 hectares

Environmental SustainabilityEnvironmental Sustainability

o The ability to meet current human need for The ability to meet current human need for natural resources without compromising natural resources without compromising the needs of future generationsthe needs of future generations

o Requires understanding:Requires understanding:• The effects of our actions on the earthThe effects of our actions on the earth• That earth’s resources are not infiniteThat earth’s resources are not infinite

An Example:An Example:Tragedy of the Tragedy of the

CommonsCommons

o Garrett Hardin (1915-2003)Garrett Hardin (1915-2003)o Solving Environmental Problems is result Solving Environmental Problems is result

of struggle between:of struggle between:• Short term welfareShort term welfare• Long term environmental stability and societal welfareLong term environmental stability and societal welfare

o Garrett used Common Pastureland in Garrett used Common Pastureland in medieval Europe to illustrate the struggle.medieval Europe to illustrate the struggle.

Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development

o Economic development that meets the Economic development that meets the needs of the present generation without needs of the present generation without compromising future generations.compromising future generations.

Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science

o An interdisciplinary study of human An interdisciplinary study of human relationship with other organisms and the relationship with other organisms and the earthearth• BiologyBiology• EcologyEcology• GeographyGeography• ChemistryChemistry• GeologyGeology• PhysicsPhysics• EconomicsEconomics• SociologySociology• DemographyDemography• PoliticsPolitics

Earth As a Earth As a SystemSystem

o SystemSystem• A set of components that interact and function A set of components that interact and function

as a wholeas a wholeo Global Earth SystemsGlobal Earth Systems

• Climate, atmosphere, land, coastal zones, oceanClimate, atmosphere, land, coastal zones, oceano EcosystemEcosystem

• A natural system consisting of a community of A natural system consisting of a community of organisms and its physical environmentorganisms and its physical environment

o Systems approach to environmental scienceSystems approach to environmental science• Helps us understand how human activities Helps us understand how human activities

effect global environmental parameterseffect global environmental parameters

Earth SystemsEarth Systemso Most of earth’s systems are in dynamic Most of earth’s systems are in dynamic

equilibrium or steady state (resiliency).equilibrium or steady state (resiliency).• Rate of change in one direction equals that Rate of change in one direction equals that

in the otherin the othero FeedbackFeedback

• Change in 1 part of system leads to change Change in 1 part of system leads to change in another.in another.

• NegativeNegative feedback- change triggers a feedback- change triggers a response that counteracts the changed response that counteracts the changed condition.condition.

• PositivePositive feedback- change triggers a feedback- change triggers a response that intensifies the changing response that intensifies the changing condition.condition.

Scientific MethodScientific Method

Controls and Variables in Controls and Variables in ExperimentExperiment

o VariableVariable• A factor that influences a processA factor that influences a process• The variable may be altered in an The variable may be altered in an

experiment to see its effect on the outcomeexperiment to see its effect on the outcome

o ControlControl• The variable is not alteredThe variable is not altered• Allows for comparison between the altered Allows for comparison between the altered

variable test and the unaltered variable variable test and the unaltered variable testtest

Inductive and Deductive Inductive and Deductive ReasoningReasoning

o Inductive ReasoningInductive Reasoning• Used to discover general principlesUsed to discover general principles• Seeks a unifying explanation for all the Seeks a unifying explanation for all the

data availabledata available• Ex:Ex:

• FACTFACT: Gold is a metal heavier than water.: Gold is a metal heavier than water.• FACTFACT: Iron is metal heavier than water.: Iron is metal heavier than water.• FACTFACT: Silver is a metal heavier than water.: Silver is a metal heavier than water.• CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION (based on inductive reasoning): (based on inductive reasoning):

All metals are heavier than water.All metals are heavier than water.• Conclusions reached with inductive Conclusions reached with inductive

reasoning may change with new reasoning may change with new information.information.

Inductive and Deductive Inductive and Deductive ReasoningReasoning

o Deductive ReasoningDeductive Reasoning• Proceeds from Proceeds from generalitiesgeneralities to to specificsspecifics• Adds nothing new to knowledge, but makes Adds nothing new to knowledge, but makes

relationships (possible cause and effect) and relationships (possible cause and effect) and associations (not cause and effect) among associations (not cause and effect) among data more apparent.data more apparent.

• Ex:Ex:• GENERAL RULEGENERAL RULE: All birds have wings.: All birds have wings.• SPECIFIC EXAMPLESPECIFIC EXAMPLE: Robins are birds.: Robins are birds.• CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION (based on deductive reasoning): (based on deductive reasoning):

All Robins have wings.All Robins have wings.

Five Stages to Five Stages to Addressing An Addressing An Environmental Environmental

ProblemProblemo Five steps are Five steps are

idealisticidealistic• Real life is rarely so Real life is rarely so

neat, but it does neat, but it does allow for solutions.allow for solutions.

o Following Slides are Following Slides are Case Study Using Case Study Using the Five Stagesthe Five Stages

Assessing Environmental ProblemAssessing Environmental ProblemCase Study: Lake WashingtonCase Study: Lake Washington

o Large, freshwater pondLarge, freshwater pondo Suburban sprawl in Suburban sprawl in

1940’s1940’s• 10 new sewage treatment 10 new sewage treatment

plants dumped effluent into plants dumped effluent into lake.lake.

o Effect = excessive Effect = excessive cyanobacteria growth cyanobacteria growth that killed off fish and that killed off fish and aquatic life (nitrogen & aquatic life (nitrogen & phosphorous).phosphorous).

Assessing Environmental ProblemAssessing Environmental ProblemCase Study: Lake WashingtonCase Study: Lake Washington

o Scientific AssessmentScientific Assessment• Aquatic wildlife assessment done in 1933 Aquatic wildlife assessment done in 1933

was compared to the 1950 assessmentwas compared to the 1950 assessment• Hypothesized treated sewage was Hypothesized treated sewage was

introducing high nutrients causing growth introducing high nutrients causing growth of cyanobacteriaof cyanobacteria

o Risk AnalysisRisk Analysis• After analyzing many choices, chose new After analyzing many choices, chose new

location (freshwater) and greater treatment location (freshwater) and greater treatment for sewage to decrease nutrients in effluentfor sewage to decrease nutrients in effluent

o Public Education/InvolvementPublic Education/Involvement• Educated public on why changes were Educated public on why changes were

necessarynecessaryo Political ActionPolitical Action

• Difficult to organize sewage disposal in so Difficult to organize sewage disposal in so many municipalitiesmany municipalities

• Changes were not made until 1963!Changes were not made until 1963!o EvaluationEvaluation

• Cyanobacteria slowly decreased until 1975 Cyanobacteria slowly decreased until 1975 (gone)(gone)

Assessing Environmental ProblemAssessing Environmental ProblemCase Study: Lake WashingtonCase Study: Lake Washington

o Results!Results!

Assessing Environmental ProblemAssessing Environmental ProblemCase Study: Lake WashingtonCase Study: Lake Washington

Your First Assignment is. .Your First Assignment is. .

o From where does your energy come?From where does your energy come?o Focus on this campus.Focus on this campus.o Focus on this building.Focus on this building.o Use your ideas to solve simple Use your ideas to solve simple

questions:questions:

o A small, 1-page response is due next A small, 1-page response is due next Wednesday (10 pts.)Wednesday (10 pts.)

The electrical source for this building originates ?????

How much CO2 does this building put into the atmosphere each school year?