Name___________________________________________________Date__________Period___Item#___
Chapter 1: Living in an Exponential Age Notes
What does “environment” mean?
Construct a list of the things in your environment:
Which features from the list are most important?
Are there some things that everyone agrees on? Why or why not?
Discuss different perspectives and different value systems used to decide what is important:
Create a list of environmental problems that we face today?
What difficulties do we face as we try to change or correct those problems?
1

Once there were two kings who enjoyed playing chess, with the winner claiming a
prize from the loser. After one match, the winning king asked the loser to pay him by
placing one grain of wheat on the first square of the chessboard, two on the second,
four on the third, and so on. The number of grains was to _________________ each time
until all 64 squares were filled. The losing king, thinking he was getting off easy, agreed
with delight. It was the biggest mistake he ever made. He bankrupted his kingdom
and still could not produce the ______ grains of wheat he had promised. In fact, it’s
probably more than all the wheat that has ever been harvested.

This is an example of ____________________________ ______________.

Exponential growth is _______________________.

It _______________ ________ _______________ but after only a few doublings it _________
______ _____________________________ ________________ because each doubling is
more than the total of all earlier growth.

Here is another example. Fold a piece of paper in half to double its thickness. If you
could manage to do this ______ times, the stack would reach from _______ ___________,
____ ______ _____________, _________________ ___________ away. If you could double it
_____ times, the folded paper would almost reach _______ ________, __________________
__________ away!

The environmental ____________________ we face – ____________________ _____________,
_____________________ use of _______________________, ________________________________
and ___________________________________ of wildlife __________________, _______________
of plants and animals, _____________________, and _______________________ – are
__________________________________ and are __________________ _____________________.
2

Examples: world _____________________ and global ____________________ ____________ –
much of it is _________________________________ ___________________.

Each year more _________________, ____________________, and ____________________
_________________________, and some __________________ _____________ _____________.

Vital ________________ is _________________ or ____________ away from ________________,
_________________ _______________, and ___________________ sites ____________________,
_________________, ___________, and _____________________ with ______________________.

Many ____________________ have been ____________________ and _____________________
____________________________________.

__________________, ________________, and the ___________________________ are used as
trash cans for a variety of _________________ – many of them _____________.

We drive an estimated ______ to _____ wildlife species to extinction every ____________,
mostly because of loss of their ________________.

The earth’s _________________ may become _____________ enough to disrupt
_______________________ productivity, alter _______________ _________________________,
drive countless species to ______________________, and cause ________________________
_____________ – because of the release of _____________ - _______________ ____________
into the lower atmosphere from burning fossil fuels and ________________ _____________
_____________________.

__________________________ and ___________________ fossil fuels (________, _____________,
and ________________ __________) also ________________ the _______ and ______________
and ___________________ the ________________.
3

Other chemicals we add to the air drift into the ______________ _______________________
and _________________ a gas (_____________), which filters out much of the ___________
________________ __________________________ _______________________.

________________ wastes from _______________________ and ____________ poison the
___________, __________________, and ____________.

Agricultural ________________________ contaminate some of our ______________ ________
and ______________.

There is also _______________ ____________, mostly because of __________ _________ and
the exponential growth of __________ ______________________________.

Mainly because of _______________________ ____________________ and ________________,
________________________ average human ____________ _____________________ has
______________________ and global _______________ __________________ has
_________________.
4
Name___________Teacher Copy__________________________Date__________Period___Item#___
Chapter 1: Living in an Exponential Age
What does “environment” mean?
Construct a list of the things in your environment:
Which features from the list are most important?
Are there some things that everyone agrees on? Why or why not?
Discuss different perspectives and different value systems used to decide what is important:
Create a list of environmental problems that we face today?
What difficulties do we face as we try to change or correct those problems?
5

Once there were two kings who enjoyed playing chess, with the winner claiming a
prize from the loser. After one match, the winning king asked the loser to pay him by
placing one grain of wheat on the first square of the chessboard, two on the second,
four on the third, and so on. The number of grains was to double each time
until all 64 squares were filled. The losing king, thinking he was getting off easy, agreed
with delight. It was the biggest mistake he ever made. He bankrupted his kingdom
and still could not produce the 263 grains of wheat he had promised. In fact, it’s
probably more than all the wheat that has ever been harvested.

This is an example of exponential growth.

Exponential growth is deceptive.

It starts off slowly but after only a few doublings it rises
to enormous numbers because each doubling is
more than the total of all earlier growth.

Here is another example. Fold a piece of paper in half to double its thickness. If you
could manage to do this 42 times, the stack would reach from the earth
to the moon, 240,000 miles away. If you could double it
50 times, the folded paper would almost reach the sun, 93,000,000
miles away!

The environmental problems we face – population growth,
wasteful use of resources, destruction
and degradation of wildlife habitats, extinction
of plants and animals, poverty, and pollution – are
interconnected and are growing exponentially.
6

Examples: world population and global economic output –
much of it environmentally damaging.

Each year more forests, grasslands, and wetlands
disappear, and some deserts grow larger.

Vital topsoil is washed or blown away from farmland,
cleared forests, and construction sites – clogging
streams, lakes, and reservoirs with sediment.

Many grasslands have been overgrazed and fisheries
overharvested.

Oceans, streams, and the atmosphere are used as
trash cans for a variety of wastes – many of them toxic.

We drive an estimated two to eight wildlife species to extinction every hour,
mostly because of loss of their habitats.

The earth’s climate may become warm enough to disrupt
agricultural productivity, alter water distribution,
drive countless species to extinction, and cause economic
chaos – because of the release of heat-trapping gases
into the lower atmosphere from burning fossil fuels and cutting down
forests.

Extracting and burning fossil fuels (oil, coal,
and natural gas) also pollutes the air and water
and disrupts the land.
7

Other chemicals we add to the air drift into the upper atmosphere
and deplete a gas (ozone), which filters out much of the sun’s
harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Toxic wastes from factories and mines poison the
air, water, and soil.

Agricultural pesticides contaminate some of our drinking water
and food.

There is also good news, mostly because of new laws and
the exponential growth of new technologies.

Mainly because of improved sanitation and medical
advances, average human life expectancy has
doubled and global infant mortality has
dropped.
8