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Introduction To Environmental Science

Environmental science is the interdisciplinary study of humanity's relationship with the environment. It aims to explain why environmental sustainability is important by examining how humans are currently overusing non-renewable resources, polluting the environment, and experiencing unsustainable population growth. The challenges include dealing with issues of resource depletion, pollution, loss of biodiversity, and the impacts of a population that grew from 1 billion to over 7 billion in just a few centuries and a lifestyle of high consumption. Environmental science draws on many scientific disciplines to understand these problems and their complex issues to help guide policies and decisions around sustainability.

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Michelle Gutierrez Sibayan
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118 views

Introduction To Environmental Science

Environmental science is the interdisciplinary study of humanity's relationship with the environment. It aims to explain why environmental sustainability is important by examining how humans are currently overusing non-renewable resources, polluting the environment, and experiencing unsustainable population growth. The challenges include dealing with issues of resource depletion, pollution, loss of biodiversity, and the impacts of a population that grew from 1 billion to over 7 billion in just a few centuries and a lifestyle of high consumption. Environmental science draws on many scientific disciplines to understand these problems and their complex issues to help guide policies and decisions around sustainability.

Uploaded by

Michelle Gutierrez Sibayan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to

Environmental
Science
Awareness and Sustainability ?

Dr. Amie D. Marmol


Chapter 1
Our Changing Environment

An example of a building
using green architecture,
integrating wind turbines,
photovoltaic panels and
solar hot water
generation.
Objective 1

Define environmental science and explain why


environmental sustainability is an important concern of
environmental science.
What is SUSTAINABILITY
• Environmental Sustainability – the ability of the
environment to function indefinitely without
going into a decline from the stresses imposed
by human society on natural systems (soil, water,
air) that maintain life.
Humans are currently:
Using non-renewable
resources as renewable,
using renewable
resources faster than
they can be replenished
naturally, polluting the
environment, and
experiencing
uncontrollable
population growth.
Environmental
Science – The
interdisciplinary
study of humanity’s
relationship with
other organisms
and the nonliving
physical
environment.
Drawing a bridge of
Information
Where do we go from here…
Coverage of environmental issues is now daily in the press.
Legislators are now expected to have sophisticated platforms on a
variety of environmental issues.
Virtually every profession has input into environmental policies,
ethics, management.
Americans remain under-equipped to deal with environmental
information because of poor training in science.
Overview of
Environmental
Science
What are the problems?
The Challenge…
• Regardless of your reasons for taking this course, my
challenge to you is to think for yourself. Within this
course, you not only will learn a lot about science,
you will learn about the complex issues facing our
environment. You will explore different points of
view and be exposed to a variety of differing
opinions. Don’t feel that you have to accept any
particular opinion as your own. As your knowledge
and skills in environmental science grow, so will your
ability to draw your own conclusions.

• What do you hope to get out of this class?


Objective 2

Summarize human
population issues, including
population size and level of consumption.
Thousands of years to
reach 1 billion, 130 years
to reach 2 billion, 15
years to reach 4 billion,
12 years to reach 5
billion, and 12 years to
reach 6 billion.
Population Growth
Sciences Involved with
Environmental Science
Environment Through Time…
• Hunter – Gatherers
• Collecting and scavenging
• Agricultural Revolution
• Growing, breeding, caring for plants
• Population grow at high rate
• Industrial Revolution
• Energy shift – animal, water, fossil fuel
• Factories – Less farming
• Quality of life improved
Environmental Problems
• Resource Depletion
• Natural resources
• Renewable to Nonrenewable
• Pollution
• Air, water, soil (Biodegradable/Non-Biodegradeable
• Loss of Biodiversity
• Natural Resource (Food, oxygen, resources)
Resource Depletion
The Tragedy of the Commons –Short
Term vs. Long Term Society Welfare
Economics and the
Environment
• Supply and Demand
• Greater demand limited supply / more worth
• Oil supply decrease, then what?
• Cost and Benefits
• Bias – Who pushes for environmental regulations
• Risk Assessment
Supply and Demand
Indicators of Development
The Ecological Footprint
• A measure of how much a person consumes,
expressed in area of land.
Reference
•
Intro to Environmental Science
• www.twinsburg.k12.oh.us › Downloads

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