Chapter 1:Chapter 1:Key Themes in Environmental Key Themes in Environmental ScienceScience

OverviewOverview

Major Themes of Environmental ScienceMajor Themes of Environmental Science Human Population GrowthHuman Population Growth Sustainability and Carrying CapacitySustainability and Carrying Capacity A Global PerspectiveA Global Perspective An Urban WorldAn Urban World People and NaturePeople and Nature Science and ValuesScience and Values

Major Themes of Major Themes of Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science Human population has more than Human population has more than

doubled in the last 40 yearsdoubled in the last 40 years 6.8 billion people alive today6.8 billion people alive today This trend indicates 9.4 billion people by This trend indicates 9.4 billion people by

20502050 How many people can the Earth How many people can the Earth sustainsustain??

Depends on science and valueDepends on science and value Also question of people and natureAlso question of people and nature

Major Themes in Environmental Major Themes in Environmental ScienceScience

Six interrelated themes:Six interrelated themes: Human Population GrowthHuman Population Growth SustainabilitySustainability A Global PerspectiveA Global Perspective An Urbanizing WorldAn Urbanizing World People and NaturePeople and Nature Science and ValuesScience and Values

Human Population GrowthHuman Population Growth

Rapid Population GrowthRapid Population Growth

Famine and Food CrisisFamine and Food Crisis

Famine occurs when Famine occurs when population exceeds its population exceeds its environmental resourcesenvironmental resources

Sahel region of Africa in Sahel region of Africa in 1970s1970s ½ million people starved to ½ million people starved to

death death Millions affected by Millions affected by

malnutritionmalnutrition Emerging global food crisisEmerging global food crisis

Due to rise in fuel cost = Due to rise in fuel cost = higher food costhigher food cost

Underweight children under the age of Underweight children under the age of 5 by region (mostly from low and 5 by region (mostly from low and middle-income countries)middle-income countries)

Famine and Food CrisisFamine and Food Crisis

Food crisis caused by rising food Food crisis caused by rising food costscosts

Sustainability and Carrying Sustainability and Carrying CapacityCapacity What is the maximum What is the maximum

number of people the number of people the Earth can sustain?Earth can sustain?

Currently we are using Currently we are using resources unsustainably resources unsustainably (faster that they can be (faster that they can be replenished)replenished) MineralsMinerals PetroleumPetroleum GroundwaterGroundwater Land and wildlifeLand and wildlife

SustainabilitySustainability

Difficult term to define because used Difficult term to define because used in many waysin many ways

Two formal scientific uses:Two formal scientific uses: Sustainability of ResourcesSustainability of Resources Sustainability of an EcosystemSustainability of an Ecosystem

Two global economics uses:Two global economics uses: Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development Sustainable GrowthSustainable Growth

Sustainable Global EconomySustainable Global Economy To achieve a Sustainable Global Economy, To achieve a Sustainable Global Economy,

humans must:humans must: Develop an effective population control Develop an effective population control

strategystrategy Restructure the energy programRestructure the energy program Institute economic planning (taxes to Institute economic planning (taxes to

encourage low population and high resource encourage low population and high resource conservation)conservation)

Implement social, legal, political and Implement social, legal, political and educational changes to this endeducational changes to this end

Moving Toward Moving Toward SustainabilitySustainability

The new paradigmThe new paradigm Evolutionary rather Evolutionary rather

than revolutionarythan revolutionary Inclusive, not exclusiveInclusive, not exclusive Proactive, not reactiveProactive, not reactive Attracting, not Attracting, not

attackingattacking Assisting the Assisting the

disadvantage, not disadvantage, not taking advantagetaking advantage

Carrying Capacity of the Carrying Capacity of the EarthEarth Defined as Defined as

the maximum the maximum number of number of individuals of a individuals of a species that can be species that can be sustained by an sustained by an environment w/o environment w/o decreasing the decreasing the capacity of the capacity of the environment to environment to sustain that same sustain that same amount in the futureamount in the future

A Global PerspectiveA Global Perspective

The actions of many groups of people The actions of many groups of people at many locations affects the at many locations affects the environment of the entire world.environment of the entire world.

Gaia hypothesisGaia hypothesis James Lovelock and Lynn MargulisJames Lovelock and Lynn Margulis Life affects the environment at a global Life affects the environment at a global

levellevel

An Urban WorldAn Urban World

We are We are becoming an becoming an urban urban speciesspecies

In developed In developed countriescountries 75% live in 75% live in

urban areaurban area Developing Developing

countriescountries 40%40%

An Urban WorldAn Urban World MegacitiesMegacities

Urban areas with Urban areas with more than 2 more than 2 million million inhabitantsinhabitants

Increased from 2 Increased from 2 in 1950 (NYC and in 1950 (NYC and London), to 22 in London), to 22 in 20052005

By 2015 most By 2015 most megacities will megacities will be in Asiabe in Asia

Megacities by 2015Megacities by 2015

People and NaturePeople and Nature We depend on nature We depend on nature

directly fordirectly for Wood, water, airWood, water, air

And indirectly for And indirectly for “public services “public services functions”, including:functions”, including: soil to farm landsoil to farm land AtmosphereAtmosphere ozone layer to protect ozone layer to protect

us from radiationus from radiation trees to create oxygentrees to create oxygen wetlands to filter wetlands to filter

waterwater

People and NaturePeople and Nature

New unity: Humanity and the New unity: Humanity and the Environment must persist togetherEnvironment must persist together

Success for one involves success for the Success for one involves success for the otherother

Science and ValuesScience and Values

We must choose what we want the We must choose what we want the environment to beenvironment to be

Value judgment regarding the Value judgment regarding the world’s human population problemworld’s human population problem Choice between desire to have large Choice between desire to have large

family and the need to limit the human family and the need to limit the human populationpopulation

The more high tech and powerful our The more high tech and powerful our civilization, the more knowledge and civilization, the more knowledge and critical thinking is requiredcritical thinking is required

Science and ValuesScience and Values Selected Intellectual Standards:Selected Intellectual Standards:

ClarityClarity AccuracyAccuracy PrecisionPrecision Relevance Relevance DepthDepth BreadthBreadth LogicLogic SignificanceSignificance FairnessFairness

Precautionary PrinciplePrecautionary Principle

1992 - Rio Earth Summit on Sustainable 1992 - Rio Earth Summit on Sustainable DevelopmentDevelopment

Definition:Definition: When there is a great threat of serious When there is a great threat of serious

environmental damage, we should not wait environmental damage, we should not wait for scientific proof before taking for scientific proof before taking precautionary steps to prevent potential precautionary steps to prevent potential harmharm

PROACTIVE Tool for environmental PROACTIVE Tool for environmental managementmanagement San Francisco uses itSan Francisco uses it

Placing a Value on the Placing a Value on the EnvironmentEnvironment The value of the environment The value of the environment

based on 8 justificationsbased on 8 justifications

InspirationalInspirational CreativeCreative MoralMoral CulturalCultural

UtilitarianUtilitarian EcologicalEcological AestheticAesthetic RecreationalRecreational

Placing a Value on the Placing a Value on the EnvironmentEnvironment

Utilitarian (Materialistic) Utilitarian (Materialistic) The environment has value because it The environment has value because it

benefits individuals economically or is benefits individuals economically or is necessary for human survivalnecessary for human survival

EcologicalEcological Ecosystem is necessary for survival of Ecosystem is necessary for survival of

some species of interest or that the some species of interest or that the system itself provides benefit.system itself provides benefit.

Placing a Value on the Placing a Value on the EnvironmentEnvironment AestheticAesthetic

Based on our appreciation of the beauty Based on our appreciation of the beauty of natureof nature

RecreationalRecreational Viewing organisms in a natural settingViewing organisms in a natural setting

InspirationalInspirational Benefit to the inner selfBenefit to the inner self

CreativeCreative Aid to human creativityAid to human creativity

Placing a Value on the Placing a Value on the EnvironmentEnvironment

MoralMoral Belief that various aspects of the Belief that various aspects of the

environment have the right to exist and environment have the right to exist and it is our obligation to allow them to it is our obligation to allow them to continuecontinue

CulturalCultural Different cultures have different values Different cultures have different values

when it comes to the environmentwhen it comes to the environment

How is the environment How is the environment valuable to each of youvaluable to each of you?? Think of at least 1 example for each Think of at least 1 example for each

category: category:

InspirationalInspirational CreativeCreative MoralMoral CulturalCultural

UtilitarianUtilitarian EcologicalEcological AestheticAesthetic RecreationalRecreational