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Unit 1 Intro To Environmental Science

This document provides an overview of environmental science. It defines environmental science as the study of how humans impact the environment through our use of natural resources and the effects of our actions. Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field that draws from biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, and social sciences. It discusses how environmental scientists share their research with the public and how citizens can also contribute data. The document then covers major environmental issues like pollution, resource depletion, loss of biodiversity, and extinction of species. It analyzes how human activities like the agricultural and industrial revolutions have impacted the environment over time and stresses that current consumption patterns are unsustainable.

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522 views17 pages

Unit 1 Intro To Environmental Science

This document provides an overview of environmental science. It defines environmental science as the study of how humans impact the environment through our use of natural resources and the effects of our actions. Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field that draws from biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, and social sciences. It discusses how environmental scientists share their research with the public and how citizens can also contribute data. The document then covers major environmental issues like pollution, resource depletion, loss of biodiversity, and extinction of species. It analyzes how human activities like the agricultural and industrial revolutions have impacted the environment over time and stresses that current consumption patterns are unsustainable.

Uploaded by

ncl12142
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 1 Science and the Environment

UNIT 1 INTRO TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE?

Environment everything around us, including natural and man-made


Complex

web of relationships connecting us with the rest of the world

Environmental science study of the impact of humans on the environment --- 2 focuses
How

we use natural resources How our actions impact the environment

MANY FIELDS OF STUDY WITHIN ES


Interdisciplinary science Biology Chemistry Earth science Physics Social Sciences

What is the difference between ES and Ecology?

SCIENTISTS AS CITIZENS, CITIZENS AS SCIENTISTS


Governments, cities and business understand that studying the environment is vital to maintaining a healthy and productive society Environmental scientists share their research with the world Non-scientists often collect data and make initial observations and then report to scientists i.e. students and deformed frogs in Minn. lakes

ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS

CASE STUDY
Lake Washington: An Environmental Success Story Pg 12-13

Critical thinking #1 and 2

OUR ENVIRONMENT THROUGH TIME

Fill in the table with describing how humans have used the environment or impacted the environment over time
Hunter-Gatherer

Agricultural

revolution Industrial revolution

HUNTER-GATHERERS

CHARACTERISTICS People who get food by collecting plants, hunting wild animals or scavenging their remains Small migrant groups who went where the food was

IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT fires in prairies to keep trees from growing, maintaining grassland area for hunting, over hunting = extinction of species

AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION

CHARACTERISTICS Agriculture growing, breeding and caring for plants, and animals that are used for food, clothing, housing, transportation, etc. H-Gs started collecting seeds of plants and domesticating animals Dramatic change on humans and environment Human population increased greatly and concentrated in small areas Todays plants that are eaten are descendents of wild plants artificial selection

IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT Habitat destruction Soil loss, floods, water shortages Poor techniques led to infertile soil Collapse of civilizations when soil became infertile

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

CHARACTERISTICS Shift of energy resources from humans and animals to fossil fuels Increase efficiency of agriculture, industry, and transportation Large scale production of goods in factories More people in urban areas Better quality of life Better sanitation, medicine, nutrition, convieniences

IMPACTS Less land needed for farming Increased use of fossil fuels Artificial substances used in place of natural, i.e. plastics Trash, pollution

SPACESHIP EARTH

Nickname for earth Closed system the only thing that comes in is energy from the sun and the only thing that leaves is heat Cannot dispose of waste and cannot bring new material in Some supplies are limited Environmental problems occur on local, regional, and global levels

Problem: Pressure on environment with population growth


Ag and Indust. Revolution led to population boom Vast amounts of resources are being used to feed the world Result = habitat destruction and pesticide pollution

MAIN ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

Resource depletion

Renewable replace fairly quickly by nature Non-renewable forms at a much slower rate than is consumed

Pollution

Undesired change in air, water, or soil that adversely affects health, survival, or activities of living organisms Wastes are produced faster than they can be disposed of Biodegradable and nonbiodegradable waste
Extinction of species

Loss of Biodiversity

1.2 THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY

Read page 16 The Tragedy of the Commons


Natural resources = commons Short term individual interests sacrificed sometimes for common long term interests

Economics
Supply and Demand the greater the demand for a limited supply of something, the more something is worthi.e supply of oil Costs and Benefits are the benefits worth the costs Risk Assessments risk for undesirable outcomes

DEVELOPING

DEVELOPED

Lower than average incomes Simple, agricultural based economies Rapid population growth

Higher average incomes Slower population growth Diverse industrial economies Stronger social support systems US, Canada, Japan, Western Europe

DEVELOPED VS DEVELOPING

POPULATION AND CONSUMPTION

Rapid population growth local environment often cannot supply resources to support population which leads to habitat destruction, soil exhaustion, and extinction

More of a problem in developing countries

Consumption
Developed countries use 75% of the worlds resources while only making up 20% of the worlds population Creates more waste and pollution per person than in developing countries

ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINTS
Method of expressing differences in consumption Shows the productive area of earth (amount of land and resources) needed to support one person in a particular country Developed countries = 4xs that of developing

A SUSTAINABLE WORLD
Sustainability condition in which human needs are met in such a way that the human population can survive indefinitely Consumption patterns put us far from living as a sustainable world

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