Question!

• What are the key themes of environmental science according to chapter 01 in Botkin & Keller?

Major Themes of Environmental Science

1. ________________________

2. ________________________

3. ________________________

4. ________________________

5. ________________________

6. ________________________

Part 1

Key Themes in Environmental Sciences Botkin & Keller Chapter 1, Cartoon Guide chapter 1

Human Population Growth• The human population grew at a rate

unprecedented in history in the twentieth century.

• Population growth is the underlying environmental problem.

• Famine is one of the things that happen when a population exceeds its environmental resources. An example is African Famine.

• Another example is disease. – Can you think of the example in the book?

http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html

Human Population GrowthGlobal

© 2008 John Wiley and Sons Publishers

Human Population Growthby Region

An Urban World

• When the impact of technology is combined with the impact of population, the impact on the environment is multiplied.

• In an increasingly urban world, we must focus much of our attention on the environments of cities and on the effects of cities on the rest of the environment.

Sustainability and Carrying Capacity

• What is the maximum number of people the Earth can sustain?

• What does it mean to be sustainable?

SustainabilityTwo ways to define

1. Sustainable _________ harvest– An amount of a resource that can be harvested at

regular intervals indefinitely

2. Sustainable _________ An ecosystem that is subject to some human use, but at a level that leads to no loss of species or of necessary ecosystem functions

What could they have done on Easter Island to make their way of life sustainable?

A Global Perspective1. If there is enough food produced

globally why do people still starve?

2. How do the actions of people some regions of the world influence people all over the world?

Science and Values

• To make decisions about an environmental problem we:– Know what is possible based on science– Choose the best option based on our values

Placing a Value on the Environment

1. Utilitarian Justification

2. Ecological Justification

3. Aesthetic Justification

4. Moral Justification

5. Cultural Justification

Which did you select on your bellwork?

Precautionary Principle

• Precautionary Principle states that we should not wait for scientific proof before taking action to prevent environmental damage.

• Ex. San Francisco