G. Tyler Miller’sLiving in the Environment13th Edition

G. Tyler Miller’sLiving in the Environment13th Edition

Chapter 1

Environmental Issues,

Their Causes, and Sustainability

Key ConceptsKey Concepts

• What are the Major Environmental What are the Major Environmental ProblemsProblems

• What are Their CausesWhat are Their Causes

• How Important or Serious are TheyHow Important or Serious are They

• Ways to Live More SustainablyWays to Live More Sustainably

EnvironmentEnvironmentEverything that affects a living organism during Everything that affects a living organism during its lifetimeits lifetime

EcologyEcologyBiological science that studies relationship Biological science that studies relationship between between living organismsliving organisms and their and their interaction interaction with the environmentwith the environment

Environmental ScienceEnvironmental ScienceInterdisciplinary science that uses concepts and Interdisciplinary science that uses concepts and information from natural sciences and social information from natural sciences and social sciences to help us understandsciences to help us understand1)1) How the earth worksHow the earth works2)2) How we are affecting the environmentHow we are affecting the environment3)3) How we deal with environmental problemsHow we deal with environmental problems

Living More SustainablyLiving More Sustainably

Environmentally Sustainable SocietyEnvironmentally Sustainable Society

- satisfies the - satisfies the basic needsbasic needs of its of its people into the indefinite futurepeople into the indefinite futureFoodFoodClean WaterClean WaterClean AirClean AirShelterShelter

Population GrowthHow fast are we growing?Population GrowthHow fast are we growing?

ExponentialExponentialGrowthGrowth

ExponentialExponentialGrowthGrowth

Fig. 1-2 p. 4Fig. 1-2 p. 4

World PopulationWorld Population

Jcurve

Population GrowthPopulation Growth

ExponentialGrowth

ExponentialGrowth

Doubling Timeand the “Rule of 70”

Doubling Timeand the “Rule of 70”

Fig. 1-2 p. 4Fig. 1-2 p. 4

“Rule of 70”“Rule of 70”

70

Percent growth rate

(%)

Doubling Time

(in years)=

Let’s See If the Rule of 70 Works!Let’s See If the Rule of 70 Works!Let’s See If the Rule of 70 Works!Let’s See If the Rule of 70 Works!• 10% fixed growth rate….what is doubling time?10% fixed growth rate….what is doubling time?• 70/10 = 7 year doubling time70/10 = 7 year doubling time

100 people to start100 people to start

(.10)(100) =(.10)(100) =+10+10 10% growth 10% growth 110 total # of people at end of year 1110 total # of people at end of year 1(.10)(110) =(.10)(110) =+11+11 121 end of year 2121 end of year 2(.10)(121) =(.10)(121) =+12+12 133 end of year 3133 end of year 3(.10)(133) =(.10)(133) =+13+13 146 end of year 4146 end of year 4(.10)(146) = (.10)(146) = +14+14 160 end of year 5160 end of year 5(.10)(160) = (.10)(160) = +16+16 176 end of year 6176 end of year 6(.10)(176) = (.10)(176) = +17+17 193 end of year 7—almost doubled!193 end of year 7—almost doubled!

The Power of DoublingThe Power of Doubling(lab)(lab)

Economic GrowthEconomic Growth

refers to an increase in the capacity to refers to an increase in the capacity to provide people with goods and services.provide people with goods and services.

Economic growth is measured by a county’s Economic growth is measured by a county’s Gross National Product (GNP or GNI)Gross National Product (GNP or GNI)

• Market valueMarket value ($) of all goods and services ($) of all goods and services produced produced within and outsidewithin and outside a country a country during during a yeara year plus net income earned abroad by a plus net income earned abroad by a countries citizenscountries citizens

Other Economic IndicatorsOther Economic Indicators

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)Gross Domestic Product (GDP) market value ($) of all goods and services market value ($) of all goods and services

producedproduced within a countrywithin a country during a year during a year

Gross World Product (GWP)Gross World Product (GWP) market value ($) of all goods and services market value ($) of all goods and services

produced produced in the worldin the world during a year during a year

Economic GrowthEconomic Growth

Per Capita GNPPer Capita GNP• GNP divided by total population at

mid-year

“your piece of the economic pie”

Economic DevelopmentEconomic Development

The improvement of living standards by economic growth.

• Measured by (1) degree of industrialization and (2) per capita GNI

– Developed Countries• US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, all of Europe

– Developing Counties• Most of Africa, Asia, and Latin America

<$2700

$2700-$10,750

>$10,750

per capita GNI

Economic DevelopmentEconomic Development

• Positive AspectsPositive Aspects– Global life expectancy has doubled Global life expectancy has doubled

from 33 to 67 yearsfrom 33 to 67 years– Infant mortality has droppedInfant mortality has dropped– Food production has outpaced Food production has outpaced

population growthpopulation growth– Access to safe drinking water has Access to safe drinking water has

increased.increased.

Economic DevelopmentEconomic Development

• Negative AspectsNegative Aspects– Average life expectancy in developing Average life expectancy in developing

countries is 11 years less than in countries is 11 years less than in developed countriesdeveloped countries

– Infant mortality is 8x higherInfant mortality is 8x higher– Harmful environmental effects of Harmful environmental effects of

industrialized food production may limit industrialized food production may limit future food productionfuture food production

– Air and water pollution are high in most Air and water pollution are high in most developing countriesdeveloping countries

– Natural resources are being used Natural resources are being used unsustainablyunsustainably

Globalization Globalization –– we are living in an increasingly integrated worldincreasingly integrated worldGlobalization Globalization –– we are living in an increasingly integrated worldincreasingly integrated world

Economic indicatorsGlobal economy grewInternational trade grewCorporation operating in multiple countries grew

Economic indicatorsGlobal economy grewInternational trade grewCorporation operating in multiple countries grew

Information and CommunicationInformation and Communication1 in every 11 people in the world have Internet 1 in every 11 people in the world have Internet accessaccess

Information and CommunicationInformation and Communication1 in every 11 people in the world have Internet 1 in every 11 people in the world have Internet accessaccess

Environmental EffectsEnvironmental EffectsNumber of diseases transmitted across international Number of diseases transmitted across international

borders has increasedborders has increasedPollution transported globallyPollution transported globally

Environmental EffectsEnvironmental EffectsNumber of diseases transmitted across international Number of diseases transmitted across international

borders has increasedborders has increasedPollution transported globallyPollution transported globally

ResourcesResourcesResourcesResources

PerpetualPerpetualRenewed continuouslyRenewed continuously

RenewableRenewable Replenished rapidlyReplenished rapidly

Non-renewableNon-renewableExist in a fixed quantityExist in a fixed quantity

Renewable ResourcesRenewable Resources

Sustainable YieldSustainable Yield – the highest rate at – the highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used which a renewable resource can be used indefinitelyindefinitely

Environmental DegradationEnvironmental Degradation – process of – process of exceeding a resources exceeding a resources natural natural replacement ratereplacement rate

Renewable ResourcesRenewable Resources

Tragedy of the CommonsTragedy of the Commons• Garrett HardinGarrett Hardin

• degradation of renewable resourcesdegradation of renewable resources

Non-Renewable ResourcesNon-Renewable Resources

•Energy ResourcesEnergy Resources

•Metallic ResourcesMetallic Resources

•Non-MetallicNon-MetallicResourcesResources

•ReuseReuse

•RecycleRecycle Economic DepletionEconomic Depletion

Ecological Footprints -Ecological Footprints -Ecological Footprints -Ecological Footprints -

•the the amount of landamount of land needed to needed to produce the resources produce the resources needed by an average person needed by an average person in a countryin a country

Ecological FootprintsEcological Footprints Ecological FootprintsEcological Footprints

What’s What’s YOURYOUR ecological footprint?ecological footprint?

PollutionPollution

What is Pollution?• Any addition to

air, water, soil, or food that threatens the health, survival, or activities of humans or other living organisms

Where do pollutants come from?

• Point Sources – single identifiable sources– Smokestack– Drainpipe– Exhaust pipe

• Nonpoint sources – dispersed sources– Runoff from fields– Pesticides sprayed in

the air

PollutionPollution

What are the effects of pollutants?a) Disruption of life-support systems

for humans and other species.b) Damage to wildlife, human health,

and property.c) Nuisances such as noise, and

unpleasant smells, tastes, and sights.

Dealing With PollutionDealing With Pollution

Prevention (Input Control)

RefuseReplaceReduceReuseRecycle

Cleanup (Output Control)TemporaryShifts problem somewhere else

Costly

Environmental and Resource ProblemsEnvironmental and Resource Problems

Major Problems (See Fig. 1-9 p. 12)

• Air Pollution• Water Pollution• Biodiversity Depletion• Food Supply• Waste Production

Air Pollution

• Global climate change• Stratospheric ozone

depletion• Urban air pollution• Acid deposition• Outdoor pollutants• Indoor pollutants• Noise

Biodiversity Depletion

• Habitat destruction• Habitat degradation• Extinction

Water Pollution

• Sediment• Nutrient overload• Toxic chemicals• Infectious agents• Oxygen depletion• Pesticides• Oil spills• Excess heat

Waste Production

• Solid waste• Hazardous waste

Food Supply Problems

• Overgrazing• Farmland loss

and degradation• Wetlands loss

and degradation• Overfishing• Coastal pollution• Soil erosion• Soil salinization• Soil waterlogging• Water shortages• Groundwater depletion• Loss of biodiversity• Poor nutrition

MajorEnvironmental

Problems

Environmental and Resource Problems

Environmental and Resource Problems

Root CausesRoot Causes

Environmental ImpactEnvironmental Impact

Fig. 1-11 p. 13

Environmental Impact (I)Environmental Impact (I)

P x A x T = IP x A x T = I P = PopulationP = Population

A = AffluenceA = Affluence

T = TechnologyT = Technology

I = Impact (Environmental)I = Impact (Environmental)

Environmental InteractionsEnvironmental Interactions

Fig. 1-12 p. 14

Environmental WorldviewsEnvironmental Worldviews

Planetary Management• We are in charge of nature.

• There is always more.• All economic growth is

good.

• Our success depends on how well we can understand, control, and manage the earth’s life support systems.

Environmental Wisdom• Nature does not exist just

for us and we only think we are in charge.

• There is not always more.• Some forms of technology

are environmentally beneficial, some are harmful.

• Our success depends on learning how the earth sustains itself and integrating these lessons into how we think and act.

Environmentally-Sustainable Economic DevelopmentEnvironmentally-Sustainable Economic Development

Fig. 1-13 p. 17Fig. 1-13 p. 17Decision making in asustainable society

Decision making in asustainable society

Social Economic

Environmental

SustainableSolutions

Traditionaldecision making

Traditionaldecision making

Environmental

Social Economic