Introduction to
Environmental
Science
We only have one EARTH.
Should we protect it?
You decide.
What is Environmental Science?
The Environment is everything around us. It includes
all the living and none living things we interact with.
Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary study of
how humans interact with things. It involves
natural sciences
(chemistry, biology, ecology, geology, physics)
social sciences
(geography, economics, political science,
anthropology, and demography)
humanities (philosophy, and ethics).
The goals of Environmental Science are:
– Learn how nature works
– Learn how the environment affects us
– Learn how we affect the environment
– Learn how to deal with environmental problems and live
more sustainably.
NOTE: We should not confuse environmental science with
Environmentalism – a social movement dedicated to
protecting the earth’s life-support systems for us and all
other forms of life. It is practiced more in the political and
Sustainability – is the ability of the earth’s various
natural systems and human cultural systems and
economies to survive and adapt to changing
environmental conditions indefinitely.
It is the central theme of this course.
NATURAL CAPITAL = NATURAL RESOURCES + NATURAL SERVICES
NATURAL CAPITAL
– natural resources and natural services that keep us and other forms of life alive
and support our economies.
NATURAL RESOURCES
– are materials and energy in nature that are essential or useful to humans. 2
classifications RENEWABLE and NONRENEWALBE.
Renewable – air, water, soil, plants, and wind etc.
Nonrenewable – copper, oil, coal, etc.
NATURAL SERVICES
– functions of nature that support life and human economies. (purification of air
and water, which ecosystems provide us with no cost)
NOTE: Natural Capital is supported by SOLAR CAPITAL
There are 4 components of SUSTAINABILITY.
1. NUTRIENT RECYCLING
Cycling of organic matter
2. NATURAL CAPITAL DEGRADATION
Human activities using renewable
resources faster than they can be
replenished
3. SEARCH FOR SCIENTIFIC SOLUTIONS
Reduce degradation of natural capital
4. TRADE-OFFS/COMPROMISES
Reach an understanding about resource
management
Examples of degradation of Natural Capital
• Air Pollution
• Global Warming
• Soil Erosion
• Aquifer Depletion
• Shrinking Forest
• Decreased Wildlife Habitats
• Species Extinction
• Declining Ocean Fisheries
• Water Pollution
Pollution
Anything harmful to the health, survival, or
activities of humans or other organisms is
considered pollution.
Humans produce two types of pollution:
Point Source
Nonpoint Source
POINT SOURCE POLLUTION
Are single, identifiable sources of pollution.
Examples:
smokestack of a coal-burning power or industrial
plant, the exhaust pipe of an automobile, and
the drainpipe of a factory.
Nonpoint Source Pollution
Are dispersed and often difficult to identify.
Examples:
Pesticides blown from the land into the air and
runoff of fertilizers and pesticides from
farmlands, lawns, gardens, and golf courses into
streams and lakes.
Two main types of Pollutants
Biodegradable – harmful materials that can be
broken down by natural processes. Examples are
sewage and newspapers.
Nondegradable – harmful materials that natural
processes cannot breakdown. Examples are
lead, mercury, and arsenic.
Pollutants can have 3 types of unwanted
effects.
• Disrupt or degrade life-support systems
• Damage wildlife, human health, and property
• Create nuisances such as noise and unpleasant
smells, tastes, and sights
5 basic causes of Environmental Problems
• Population Growth
• Unsustainable resource use
• Poverty
• Excluding environmental costs from market
prices
• Trying to manage nature without knowing
enough about it
Solutions
Where we are currently Where we need to be
• Current Emphasis • Sustainability Emphasis
• Pollution cleanup • Pollution Prevention
• Waste Disposal
• Waste Prevention
• Protecting Species
• Protecting Habitat
• Environmental Degradation
• Increasing Resource Use • Environmental Restoration
• Population Growth • Less Resource waste
• Damaging Natural Capital • Population Stabilization
• Protecting Natural Capital
