Chapter 1 (pp.5­22): Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability Environmental Science / Mendenhall
UNIT 1: Introduction to Environmental Science
1 / 4 Chapter 1 (pp.5­22): Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability Home Group: 1: Noah, Peter, Jennifer, Kevin, Michael, Jonathan, Austin 2: Kyle, Aaron, Pat, James, Shannon, Matthew, Max 3: Kona, Jake, Eliana, Nic, Kerry, Andrew, Harrison Expert Groups: 1: Noah,Kyle the navy seal hoooraaa, Kona, Austin 2: Peter, Aaron, Jake 3: Jennifer, Pat, Eliana 4: Kevin, James, Nic 5: Michael, Shannon, Kerry, Max 6:Jonathan, Matthew, Andrew the ice man zecca, Harrison 1.1 What is an environmentally sustainable society? (Questions #1,2, p.21) One that meets the current and future basic resource needs of its people in a just and equitable manner without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their basic needs. They way we have to sustain our environment is to protect our capital and live off the income it provides. This applies to our environment because we must be able to take away enough for us to live on but not too much so that it cannot adapt fast enough or sustain itself. Sustainablity includes using our renewable resources and being careful with our nonrenewable resources. 1) Navy seals are otters. 1.2 How can environmentally sustainable societies grow economically? (Question #3, p.21) Environmentally sustainable societies can grow economically because they have the ability to grow without harming the environment. They can preserve their environment more while reducing their harmful effect on the world. ligus 3) Economic growth is when the economy increases and development is when they are using growth to raise their living standards. Developing countries are still forming their economy while developed countries already have an economy based off of imports and exports. ­economic growth provides people with goods and services ­economic development uses growth to raise living standards ­developed countries are: USA, canada, japan, australia, New Zealand, and most of Europe ­developing countries are: africa, asia, and Latin America ­many developing countries have dysfunctional governments, violence and social chaos ­the UN classifies countries as developed or developing Environmental Science / Mendenhall
UNIT 1: Introduction to Environmental Science
2 / 4 Chapter 1 (pp.5­22): Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 1.3 How are our environmental footprints affecting the earth? (Questions #4,5, p.21) 4. earths main types of resources are solar energy, fresh air, wind, fresh surface water, fertile soil, wild edible plants, petroleum, iron, groundwater and cultivated crops. When we exceed a renewable resources natural rate, the available supply begins to shrink, which is enviromental degradation. An ecological footprint is the amount of biologically productive land and water needed to supply the people in a particular country or area with renewable resources and to absorb and recycle he wasts and pollution produced by resource use. A per capita ecological footprint is the average ecological footprint of an individual in a given country or area. An ecological footprint are the supplies needed for a particular country or area and a per capita ecological footprint are the supplies needed for an individual. 5. Cultural changes that have occured since humans arrived on earth are agrigultural revolution, industrialmedical revoultion and the information­ globalization revolution. They have given us more energy and new technologies with which we alter and control the planet to our basic needs. It also allowed the expnsion of the human population. They each resulted in greater resource use, pollution, and environmental degradation as our ecological footprints expanded and allowed us to dominate the planet. Poverty also increases enviromental degradation especially forests, soil, grasslands, fisheries, and wildlife for short term survival. 1.4 What is pollution and what can we do about it? (Questions #6, p.21) Pollution is any chemical or physical change in the environment that is harmful to humans or other living organisms. The pollutants we produce come from two types of sources. Point sources are single, identifiable sources. Nonpoint sources are dispersed and often difficult to identify. Pollution prevention, or input pollution control, reduces or eliminates the production of pollutants. Pollution cleanup, or output pollution control, involves cleaning up or diluting pollutants after thay have been produced. 1.5 Why do we have environmental problems? (Questions #7,8, p.21) 7. The five basic causes of the environmental problems we have are population growth, wasteful and unsustainable resources, poverty, failure to include in marketing prices the environmental costs of producing and using goods and services, and too little knowledge of how nature works. 8. We can learn to recycle, to help prevent air pollution, and build a freshwater aquarium. Their transformation has made their city more livable and sustainable. Vocab: Poverty: When people are unable to meet their basic needs for food, water, shelter, health and education. Environmental Worldview: A set of assumptions and values reflecting how you think the world works and what you think your role in the world should be. Environmental Ethics: Beliefs about what is right and wrong with how we treat the environment. Environmental Science / Mendenhall
UNIT 1: Introduction to Environmental Science
3 / 4 Chapter 1 (pp.5­22): Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability Planetary Management Worldview: Holds that we are separate from nature, that nature exists mainly to meet our needs and wants. Stewardship Worldview: Holds that we can and should manage the Earth for our benefit, but we have ethical responsibility to be caring and responsible managers. Environmental Wisdom Worldview: Holds that we are part of and totally dependant on nature, and nature exists for all species. 1.6 What are the four scientific principles of sustainability?(Questions #9,10, p.21) 9. The four scientific princliples of environmental sustainability are relianc of solar energy, biodiversity, nutrient cycling, and population control. Reliance of solar energy is effected ny exponential growth because as the ecosystem of the environment grows the sun needs to provide for more plants and animals. Biodiversity is affected by exponential growth because as more species ad genetics are in the ecosystem the more diverse and complex the ecosystem becomes. Nutrient cycling is affected by exponential growth becuase as more plants and animals enter the ecosystem the more recycled chemicals are needed to support life. Population control is affected by exponential growth because as there are more organisms entering the ecysystem which can cause an overpopulation with too many organisms to kill. 10. There are extremeley poor and backwards societies that are not educated enough to understand the importance of the health of the environment. These societies take the environment for granted and ruin lands by poor farming practices. Rich societies on the other hand, have both beneficial and harmful effects on the environment. affluence can allow people to be more aware of their affects on the environment, but affluence also forces industries to waste resources.social capital is the ability for societites to come together to communicate about solving problems together. Summary: The way we humans can live more sustainably is by studying how life has adapted and environmental conditions over billions of years. Vocabulary Reliance on solar energy: supports plants with photosynthesis used by plants to produce food and for use and other animals. Biodiversity: variety of life forms, the genes they contain and how natural services yielded countless ways for life to adapt to changing environmental conditions. population control: competition for limited resources among different life places. nutrient cycling:recycled chemicals that plants and animals need to stay alive and reproduce. Environmental Science / Mendenhall
UNIT 1: Introduction to Environmental Science
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