Ch. 1 Notes-Science and the Environment
Name__________________________________________
Section 1: Understanding our Environment
What is Environmental Science?
 Environmental Science is the study of the __________, __________, and __________ surrounding an
organism/community
 Interdisciplinary: (what are the 5 major fields studied in environmental science?)
o ____________________________________________________________________________
Hunter Gatherers
 __________ __________ set fires to burn prairies and trees for hunting bison.
 _______________ may have led to the disappearance of:
 giant sloths
 mastodons
 saber-toothed cats
The _______________ revolution
 Habitats were destroyed and replaced with farmland.
o causes _______________, _______________, and water _______________.
 human populations began to grow in smaller areas placing increased pressure on local environments
 Poor farming methods led to _______________ land
The Industrial revolution
 Large scale _______________ replaces small business
 machinery replaces animal labor and increases use of fossil fuels (and pollution)
 _______________ products such as plastics, pesticides, and fertilizers replaced natural ones.
Spaceship Earth
 Earth is a closed system to _______________.
 Earth is an open system to _______________.
 Some resources are limited and as the population grows resources are used more rapidly.
 We produce wastes more quickly than we can dispose of them.
Population Growth
 The _______________ Revolution, modern _______________, and _______________ allowed the
human population to grow faster than ever before
 Producing enough food for large populations causes habitat destruction and pesticide pollution.
Resource depletion
 Natural Resources are natural materials that are used by humans
 Renewable resources can be replaced relatively quickly (EX: ______________________________)
 Nonrenewable resources form slower than they are consumed. (EX: __________________________)
Pollution
 Pollution is an undesirable change in the environment caused by harmful substances
(_______________,_______________,_______________,_______________)
 Biodegradable pollutants can be broken down by natural processes (_______________)
 Non degradable pollutants cannot be broken down by natural processes (_______________)
Loss of Biodiversity
 Biodiversity is the _______________ of _______________ or genes.
 Organisms are natural resources, we need them for food, oxygen, etc.
 All species have _______________, so it's important to preserve them.
Section 2: The Environment and Society
“The Tragedy of the Commons”
 In his essay, ecologist Garrett Hardin argued that the main difficulty in solving environmental problems
is the conflict between the _______________ interests of the individual and the _______________
welfare of society.
 The example he used was the _______________, or the areas of land that belonged to the whole
village.
 It was in the best interest of the _______________ to put as many animals in the commons as
possible.
 However, if too many animals grazed on the commons, they _______________ the grass.

Once the grass was destroyed, everyone suffered because no one could raise animals on the
commons.
 The commons were eventually replaced by _______________ fields owned by individuals.
 Owners were now _______________ not to put too many animals on their land, because
_______________ wouldn’t allow them to raise as many animals next year.
 Hardin’s "Tragedy of the Commons" can be applied to our natural _______________.
 Hardin’s point is that someone or some group must take responsibility for maintaining a resource or it
will become _______________.
 The solution is to override the short-term interests of the individual and improve the environment for
everyone long term.
Supply and Demand
 The Law of Supply and Demand states that as the _______________ for a good increases, the
_______________ of the good also increases.
Costs and Benefits
The cost of environmental solutions can be high.
A cost-benefit analysis _____________ the cost of the action against the benefits one expects from it.
 Ex: _______________
Developed and Developing Countries
The unequal distribution of wealth and resources around the world influence the environmental
problems in a society
_______________ countries have higher incomes, slower population growth, industrial economies,
and stronger social support.
_______________ countries have lower average incomes, agriculture-based communities, and rapid
population growth.
Consumption Trends
Developed nations use ______% of the world’s resources, but only make up ______% of the world’s
population.
Also create more _______________ and _______________ per person than in developing countries.
Higher quality of life=more consumption/waste
Ecological Footprints
_______________ footprints show the area of Earth needed to support one person.
Land for _______________, _______________, _______________ products, and _______________.
forests needed to absorb air pollution
A sustainable world
_______________ - human needs are met so that a population can survive indefinitely.
Our current world is not sustainable because developed countries are using resources faster than they
can be replaced.