Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and SustainabilityEnvironmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

G. Tyler Miller’sLiving in the Environment

14th Edition

Chapter 1Sections 1 and 2

G. Tyler Miller’sLiving in the Environment

14th Edition

Chapter 1Sections 1 and 2

Key Concepts Sections 1 and 2Key Concepts Sections 1 and 2

1) What keeps us alive? What is an environmentally sustainable society?

2) How fast is human population growing? What are economic growth, economic development and globalization?

Living More Sustainably Key TermsLiving More Sustainably Key Terms

Environment: is everything that affects living organisms.

Ecology: biological science that studies the relationships between living organisms and their environment.

Environment: is everything that affects living organisms.

Ecology: biological science that studies the relationships between living organisms and their environment.

Environmental Science: an interdisciplinary study that uses information from physical sciences and social sciences to learn how the earth works, how we interacts with the earth and how to deal with environmental problems.

Environmental Science: an interdisciplinary study that uses information from physical sciences and social sciences to learn how the earth works, how we interacts with the earth and how to deal with environmental problems.

What is environmentalism?What is environmentalism?

A social movement dedicated to protecting the earth’s environment.

Can include:• Ecologists• Biologists• Geologists• Environmentalists

What Keeps Us Alive? CapitalWhat Keeps Us Alive? CapitalSolar Capital: without the sun there would

be no life. (What is the difference between direct and indirect solar energy?

Natural

Resources:Air, water, soil

ect.

Solar Capital: without the sun there would be no life. (What is the difference between direct and indirect solar energy?

Natural

Resources:Air, water, soil

ect.

Fig. 1-2, p. 7

What is an environmentally sustainable society?What is an environmentally sustainable society?

Meets the basic needs of its people indefinitely without compromising future generations ability to meet those same needs?

Population GrowthPopulation Growth Exponential

Growth: a quantity increases at a constant rate per unit of time

Between 1950 and 2004 the world population increased exponentially from 2.5 B to 6.4 B.

ExponentialGrowth: a quantity increases at a constant rate per unit of time

Between 1950 and 2004 the world population increased exponentially from 2.5 B to 6.4 B.

Fig. 1-4, p. 8

Each year your college raises tuition 6%, does that mean every year the tuition goes up the same amount?

World Population GrowthWorld Population Growth

1950: 2.5 billion

2004: 6.4 billion

2100: 8-12 billion

Current avg. growth rate 1.25%/year = 219,000 people per day or 80 million per year. (6.4 billion X 0.0125)

Despite a 22 fold increase in worldwide economic growth, almost one of every two survive on less than $3/day.

Fig. 1-1 p. 5

World PopulationWorld Population

Compare hunter/gathering, agriculture, and industrial revolution time period.

Where is most population growth occurring?Where is most population growth occurring?

Economic GrowthEconomic Growth

Gross Domestic Product (GDP): annual market value of all goods and services produced within the country.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP): annual market value of all goods and services produced within the country.

Per Capita (GNP): GDP divided among the population of the country.

Per Capita (GNP): GDP divided among the population of the country.

An increase in the capacity of a country to provide its people with goods and services.

Economic Development: improving living standards by economic growth

Worldwide Per Capita GDPWorldwide Per Capita GDP

Economic DevelopmentEconomic Development

Developed Countries: US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and most of Europe. High Per Capita GDP. (1.2 billion people)

Developed Countries: US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and most of Europe. High Per Capita GDP. (1.2 billion people)

Developing Countries: 5.2 billion people living with very little. 97% of population growth. Example: Mexico Daily Minimum Wage is about $4-6 dollars a day.

Developing Countries: 5.2 billion people living with very little. 97% of population growth. Example: Mexico Daily Minimum Wage is about $4-6 dollars a day.

Percent of World’s

Developingcountries

Developedcountries

Population

Populationgrowth

Wealth andincome

Resourceuse

Pollutionand waste

19

81

0.1

1.6

85

15

88

12

75

25

Economic Development

Trade-Offs

Good News Bad News

Global life expectancy doubled since 1950

Life expectancy 11 years less in developing countries than in developed countries

Food production ahead of population growth since 1978

Harmful environmental effects of agriculture may limit future food production

Infant mortality cut in half since 1955

Air and water pollution down in most developed countries since 1970

Number of people living in poverty dropped 6% since 1990

Infant mortality rate in developing countries over 8 times higher than in developed countries

Air and water pollution levels in most developing countries too high

Half of world’s people trying to live on less than $3 (U.S.) per day

GlobalizationGlobalization

We live in a world that is increasingly interconnected through economic, cultural and environmental interdependence.

What does that mean for our environment?

Globalization: A Few Pros/ConsGlobalization: A Few Pros/Cons

Pros• Sharing ideas and

technology around the world.

• Access to materials once unthinkable

(example: fresh fruits and vegetables year

round)

Cons• Wealth not shared

equally.• Pollution now worst

in poor countries.• Loss of local

identities.

Sections 1 and 2 ReviewSections 1 and 2 Review

• List 3 pros and cons related to economic development.

• List several differences between developed and developing countries?

• Describe exponential growth as it related to population.

• How may globalization impact the worlds environment?

• What does environmentally sustainable society mean?

• List 3 types of solar capital and natural capital.

• What is the current worldwide population? How is that expected to change?

Chapter 1 Sections 3,4 and 5 Main IdeasChapter 1 Sections 3,4 and 5 Main Ideas

• What are earth’s main types of resources? How can they be depleted or degraded?

• What are the principle types of pollution? What can we do about pollution?

• What are the basic causes of today’s environmental problems? How are the causes connected?

ResourcesResources Perpetual: renewed

continuously on a human scale.

Perpetual: renewed continuously on a human scale.

Renewable: can be replenished fairly quickly.

Renewable: can be replenished fairly quickly.

Non-renewable: exist only in fixed quantities. (once they are gone they are gone.)

Non-renewable: exist only in fixed quantities. (once they are gone they are gone.)

Fig. 1-6 p. 9Fig. 1-6 p. 9

Renewable ResourcesCan be depleted or degraded.Renewable ResourcesCan be depleted or degraded.

Sustainable Yield: the highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used without reducing its supply.

Example: over-farming the land leading to soil erosion, clear-cutting forests.

Environmental Degradation: when we exceed the natural replacement rate of the resource.

Example: groundwater depletion,

water pollution.

Tragedy of the Commons1968 Garrett HardinTragedy of the Commons1968 Garrett Hardin

Degradation of renewable free-access resources.

“If I do not use this resource, someone else will. The little bit I use or pollute is not enough to matter, and such resources are renewable anyway.”

Solutions????

Ecological FootprintEcological Footprint

Fig. 1-7 p. 10Fig. 1-7 p. 10

Measure of the biologically productive land and water needed to support each person.

1 hectare = 100 acres or 10,000 square meters (about 100 football fields)

Non-Renewable ResourcesExist only in fixed quantities on earth. Non-Renewable ResourcesExist only in fixed quantities on earth.

Energy Resources: such as coal, oil and natural gas. Energy Resources: such as coal, oil and natural gas.

Metallic Resources:such as iron, copper, aluminum

Metallic Resources:such as iron, copper, aluminum

Non-MetallicResources:

Such as salt, clay, sand

Non-MetallicResources:

Such as salt, clay, sand

Economic DepletionFig. 1-8 p. 11

When 80% is gone it may be too costly to get the last 20%.

Reduce, Reuse and RecycleSaving Nonrenewable resources

Reduce, Reuse and RecycleSaving Nonrenewable resources

Reduce: Use less resource

Reuse: To use the resource more than once to conserve.

Recycle: collecting resource, processing it into new products.

Pollution: What is it?Pollution: What is it?

Pollution is the presence of substances at high enough levels in air, water, soil or food to threaten humans or other living organisms.

Most pollution are unintended by products of useful activities. Example: driving cars gives of pollutant.

Effects of PollutionEffects of Pollution

1) Disrupt or degrade life-supporting systems for humans or other species.

2) Can damage wildlife, human health or property.

3) Can by a nuisance such as noise, smell, sights.

Sources of PollutionSources of PollutionPoint Source:

pollutants that come from one single, identifiable source such as a pipe.

Nonpoint Source: pollutants that are dispersed and often difficult to identify such as farm or street runoff.

Dealing With PollutionDealing With Pollution

Prevention (Input Control): Reduced or eliminates pollutants from productionEXAMPLE: driving more fuel efficient automobile

Prevention (Input Control): Reduced or eliminates pollutants from productionEXAMPLE: driving more fuel efficient automobile

Dealing with PollutionDealing with Pollution

Pollution Cleanup (output control): Cleaning up or diluting pollution once in the environment.

What are the problems with pollution cleanup?

Environmental and Resource Problems: 5 Root CausesEnvironmental and Resource Problems: 5 Root Causes

Environmental ImpactEnvironmental Impact

Fig. 1-13 p. 15

Environmental InteractionsEnvironmental Interactions

Fig. 1-14 p. 15

Goal for environmental science is to learn about these complex interactions.

SolutionsSolutions

Fig. 1-16, p. 18

What is Our Greatest Environmental Problem????What is Our Greatest Environmental Problem????

Disease Overpopulation Water Shortages Climate Changes Biodiversity Loss Poverty Malnutrition

Disease Overpopulation Water Shortages Climate Changes Biodiversity Loss Poverty Malnutrition

Sections 3,4,5 Review QuestionsSections 3,4,5 Review Questions• List and describe several “root causes of

environmental problems.”• Describe the differences between point and non-point

source pollution.• What is an “ecological footprint?”• Identify several perpetual, renewable and

nonrenewable resources.• Analyze the differences between pollution

preventions and pollution cleanup.• Describe the “Tragedy of the Commons.”• Describe “reduce,” “reuse” and “recycle.”

Environmental WorldviewsEnvironmental Worldviews

Planetary ManagementPlanetary Management

Environmental WisdomEnvironmental Wisdom

Stewardship

Look up these worldviews for tomorrow and write which one you fit into and why.Hint: page 16