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8/9/2019 Environmental Sci Intro
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EnvironmentalEnvironmentalProblems, Their Causes,Problems, Their Causes,
and Sustainabilityand Sustainability
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Lecture Overview QuestionsLecture Overview Questions
What keeps us alive?What keeps us alive?What is an environmentally sustainableWhat is an environmentally sustainable
society?society?
How fast is the human population growing?How fast is the human population growing?
What is the difference between economicWhat is the difference between economic
growth, economic development, andgrowth, economic development, andenvironmentally sustainable economicenvironmentally sustainable economicdevelopment?development?
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Lecture Overview Questions (contd)Lecture Overview Questions (contd)
What are the harmful environmental effectsWhat are the harmful environmental effectsof poverty and affluence?of poverty and affluence?What three major human cultural changesWhat three major human cultural changeshave taken place since humans arrived?have taken place since humans arrived?What are the four scientific principles of What are the four scientific principles of sustainability and how can we use them andsustainability and how can we use them and
shared visions to build more environmentallyshared visions to build more environmentallysustainable and just societies during thissustainable and just societies during thiscentury?century?
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Living in an Exponential AgeLiving in an Exponential AgeHuman population growth:Human population growth:
J J -shaped curve-shaped curve
Figure 1Figure 1
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Fig. 1
IndustrialRevolution
?
Agricultural revolutionHunting andGathering
B i l l i o n s o
f
p e o p l e
Time
Black Deaththe Plague
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LIVING MORE SUSTAINABLYLIVING MORE SUSTAINABLY
the study of how the earth works, how wethe study of how the earth works, how weinteract with the earth and how to deal withinteract with the earth and how to deal with
environmental problems.environmental problems.
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Air (atmosphere)
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Human CulturesphereEarth's Life-Support System
Politics
PopulationSize
Worldviewsand ethics
EconomicsLife
(biosphere)
Soil androcks
(lithosphere)
Water (hydrosphere)
Fig. 2
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What is Environmental Science?What is Environmental Science?
The goals of environmental science are toThe goals of environmental science are tolearn:learn:
1. how nature works.1. how nature works.
2. how the environment effects us.2. how the environment effects us.3. how we effect the environment.3. how we effect the environment.4. how we can live more sustainably without4. how we can live more sustainably without
degrading our life-support system.degrading our life-support system.
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SustainabilitySustainability , is the ability of earths various, is the ability of earths varioussystems to survive and adapt tosystems to survive and adapt toenvironmental conditions indefinitely.environmental conditions indefinitely.The steps to sustainability must beThe steps to sustainability must besupported by sound science.supported by sound science. Figure 3Figure 3
Sustainability: The Integrative ThemeSustainability: The Integrative Theme
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Sound Science
A Path to SustainabilityIndividuals
Matter Trade-OffsSolutionsNatural Capital
DegradationNatural Capital
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Environmentally Sustainable SocietiesEnvironmentally Sustainable Societies
meets basic needs of its people in a justmeets basic needs of its people in a justand equitable manner without degrading theand equitable manner without degrading the
natural capital that supplies these resources.natural capital that supplies these resources. Figure 4Figure 4
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NATURAL RESOURCE SERVICES
Fig. 1-4, p. 9
+=NATURAL RESOURCES NATURAL SERVICES
NATURAL CAPITAL NATURAL RESOURCES NATURAL SERVICES
Air Air purification
Water purification
Water storage
Soil renewal
Nutrient recycling
Food productionConservation of biodiversity
Wildlife habitatGrassland andforest renewal
Waste treatment
Climate controlPopulation control(species interactions
Pest Control
NATURAL CAPITAL = +
Water
Soil
Land
Nonrenewableminerals(iron, sand)
Life (Biodiversity)
Renewable energysun, wind, water flows
Nonrenewableenergy (fossil fuels,nuclear power)
NATURAL RESOURCES NATURAL SERVICES
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NATURAL CAPITAL
NATURAL CAPITAL
NATURAL RESOURCES
NATURAL RESOURCES
Air Water
Soil
Land
Life (biodiversity)
Nonrenewable minerals(iron, sand)
Renewable energy(sun, wind, water flows)
Nonrenewable energy(fossil fuels, nuclear power)
NATURAL SERVICES
NATURAL CAPITAL
Air purification
Water purification
Soil renewal
Nutrient recycling
Food production
Pollination
Grassland renewal
Forest renewal
Waste treatment
Climate Control
Population control(species interactions)Pest control
Stepped Art
=
=
+
+
Fig. 4
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POPULATION GROWTH,POPULATION GROWTH,ECONOMIC GROWTH, ANDECONOMIC GROWTH, AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTEconomic growthEconomic growth provides people with moreprovides people with moregoods and services.goods and services.
Measured inMeasured in gross domestic product (GDP)gross domestic product (GDP) andandpurchasing power parity (PPP).purchasing power parity (PPP).
Economic development uses economicEconomic development uses economic
growth togrowth to improve living standards.improve living standards.The worlds countries economic statusThe worlds countries economic status(developed vs. developing)(developed vs. developing) are basedare based on their on their degree of industrialization and GDP-PPP.degree of industrialization and GDP-PPP.
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Global OutlookGlobal Outlook
Comparison of Comparison of developed anddeveloped anddeveloping countries.developing countries.
Figures 5 and 6Figures 5 and 6
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Percentage of World's
Population
Developing countriesDeveloped countries
Pollutionand waste
Resourceuse
Wealth andIncome
PopulationGrowth
18
82
0.1
1.5
85
15
12
75
25
88
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RESOURCESRESOURCES
Perpetual Perpetual :: On a human time scale areOn a human time scale arecontinuous.continuous.RenewableRenewable :: On a human time scale can beOn a human time scale can be
replenished rapidly (e.g. hours to severalreplenished rapidly (e.g. hours to severaldecades).decades).NonrenewableNonrenewable :: On a human time scale areOn a human time scale are
in fixed supply.in fixed supply.
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Nonrenewable ResourcesNonrenewable Resources
Exist as fixed quantityExist as fixed quantityBecomes economicallyBecomes economicallydepleted.depleted.
Recycling and reusingRecycling and reusingextends supplyextends supply
Recycling processes wasteRecycling processes waste
material into new material.material into new material.Reuse is using a resourceReuse is using a resourceover again in the same form.over again in the same form.
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Our Ecological FootprintOur Ecological Footprint
Humanitys ecologicalHumanitys ecologicalfootprint has exceededfootprint has exceededearths ecologicalearths ecologicalcapacity.capacity. Figure 7Figure 7
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Total Footprint (million hectares) andShare of Global Ecological Capacity (%)
United States2,810 (25%)
European Union2,160 (19%)
China2,050 (18%)
India 780 (7%)
Japan 540 (5%)
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Footprint Per Person(hectares per person)
United States 9.7
4.7European Union
1.6China
India
Japan
0.8
4.8
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NumberofEarths
H u m a n i t
y ' s E c o l o g
i c a l F o
o t p r i n t
EarthsEcologicalCapacity
Year
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POLLUTIONPOLLUTION
Found at high enoughFound at high enoughlevels in thelevels in the
environment to causeenvironment to causeharm to organisms.harm to organisms.
Point sourcePoint source
Nonpoint sourceNonpoint source
Figure 8Figure 8
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PollutionPollution
Pollutants can have three types of unwantedPollutants can have three types of unwantedeffects:effects:Can disrupt / degrade life-support systems.Can disrupt / degrade life-support systems.Can damage health and property.Can damage health and property.Can create nuisances such as noise andCan create nuisances such as noise andunpleasant smells, tastes, and sights.unpleasant smells, tastes, and sights.
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS:ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS:CAUSES AND CONNECTIONSCAUSES AND CONNECTIONSThe major causes of environmentalThe major causes of environmentalproblems are:problems are:
1. Population growth1. Population growth2. Wasteful resource use2. Wasteful resource use3. Poverty3. Poverty4. Poor environmental accounting4. Poor environmental accounting
5. Ecological ignorance5. Ecological ignorance
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Fig. 10
Depletion of nonrenewable resources
SOLARCAPITAL
Human Capital Human
EconomicandCulturalSystems
Pollution and waste
Degradation of renewable resources
Heat
Goods and services
Natural Capital
EARTH
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Natural capital degradationNatural capital degradation
The exponential increasing flowThe exponential increasing flow of materialof materialresources through the worlds economicresources through the worlds economicsystemssystems depletes, degrades and pollutesdepletes, degrades and pollutes thethe
environment.environment. Figure 11Figure 11
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Fig. 11
Causes of Environmental Problems
Trying to manageand simplify nature
with too littleknowledge about
how it works
Not including theenvironmental costsof economic goodsand services in their market prices
PovertyUnsustainableresource use
Populationgrowth
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Solutions: Prevention vs. CleanupSolutions: Prevention vs. Cleanup
Problems with relying on cleanup:Problems with relying on cleanup:Temporary bandage without improvements inTemporary bandage without improvements incontrol technology.control technology.Often removes a pollutant from one part of theOften removes a pollutant from one part of theenvironment to cause problems in another.environment to cause problems in another.Pollutants at harmful levels can cost too much toPollutants at harmful levels can cost too much toreduce them to acceptable levels.reduce them to acceptable levels.
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Poverty and Environmental ProblemsPoverty and Environmental Problems
1 of 3 children1 of 3 childrenunder 5, suffer under 5, suffer from severefrom severe
malnutrition.malnutrition.
Figure 12 and 13Figure 12 and 13
Number of peopleL k f
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Fig. 12
1.1 billion (17%)
1.1 billion (17%)
1.1 billion (17%)
Enough food
for good health
Adequatehealth care
Clean drinkingWater
Enough fuel for heating and
cooking
Electricity
AdequateSanitation
Number of people(% of world's population)
Lack of access to
1.6 billion (25%)
2 billion (31%)
2.4 billion (37%)
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Resource Consumption andResource Consumption andEnvironmental ProblemsEnvironmental Problems
UnderconsumptionUnderconsumptionOverconsumptionOverconsumption
AffluenzaAffluenza : unsustainable addiction to: unsustainable addiction tooverconsumption and materialism.overconsumption and materialism.
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Connections between EnvironmentalConnections between EnvironmentalProblems and Their CausesProblems and Their Causes
Figure 14Figure 14
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Fig. 14
Developing Countries
Population (P)Consumption
per person(affluence, A)
Technological impactper unit of
consumption (T)
Environmentalimpact of
population (I)
Developed Countries
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CULTURAL CHANGES AND THECULTURAL CHANGES AND THEENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT
Agricultural revolutionAgricultural revolutionAllowed people to stay in one place.Allowed people to stay in one place.
Industrial-medical revolutionIndustrial-medical revolution
Led shift from rural villages to urban society.Led shift from rural villages to urban society.Science improved sanitation and disease control.Science improved sanitation and disease control.
Information-globalization revolutionInformation-globalization revolutionRapid access to information.Rapid access to information.
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Which singleWhich singleadvantage andadvantage anddisadvantage aredisadvantage arethe most important?the most important?
Figure 15Figure 15
Trade-Offs
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Fig. 15,
Industrial-Medical Revolution
Advantages DIsadvantages
Mass production of useful
and affordable products
Higher standard of livingfor many
Greatly increasedagricultural production
Lower infant mortality
Longer life expectancy
Increased urbanization
Lower rate of
population growth
Increased air pollution
Increased waste pollution
Soil depletion anddegradation
Groundwater depletion
Habitat destruction anddegradation
Biodiversity depletion
Increased water pollution
SUSTAINABILITY ANDSUSTAINABILITY AND
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SUSTAINABILITY ANDSUSTAINABILITY ANDENVIRONMENTAL WORLDVIEWSENVIRONMENTAL WORLDVIEWS
Technological optimists:Technological optimists:suggest that human ingenuity will keep thesuggest that human ingenuity will keep theenvironment sustainable.environment sustainable.
Environmental pessimists:Environmental pessimists:overstate the problems where our environmentaloverstate the problems where our environmentalsituation seems hopeless.situation seems hopeless.
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Four Scientific Principles of Four Scientific Principles of Sustainability: Copy NatureSustainability: Copy Nature
Reliance on Solar Reliance on Solar
EnergyEnergyBiodiversityBiodiversityPopulation ControlPopulation Control
Nutrient RecyclingNutrient Recycling
Figure 16Figure 16
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Fig. 16
Reliance onSolar Energy
Population ControlNutrient Recycling
Biodiversity
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Aldo Leopolds Environmental EthicsAldo Leopolds Environmental Ethics
Individuals matter.Individuals matter. land is to be lovedland is to be lovedand respected is anand respected is anextension of ethics.extension of ethics.We abuse landWe abuse landbecause we regard itbecause we regard itas a commodityas a commodity
Figure 1-AFigure 1-A
l f h f
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Implications of the Four ScientificImplications of the Four ScientificPrinciples of SustainabilityPrinciples of Sustainability
Figures 17 and 18Figures 17 and 18
Solutions
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Fig. 17
Reduce human birthsand wasteful resourceuse to preventenvironmental overloadand depletion anddegradation of resources.
Controls a speciespopulation size andresource use byinteractions with itsenvironment andother species.
Runs on renewable
solar energy.
Rely mostly on renewable
solar energy.
Recycles nutrientsand wastes. Thereis little waste innature.
Uses biodiversity tomaintain itself andadapt to new environ-mental conditions.
Prevent and reducepollution and recycleand reuse resources.
Preserve biodiversityby protecting ecosystemservices and habitatsand preventingpremature extinction of species.
Principles of Sustainability
How Nature Works Lessons for Us
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Fig. 18
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