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Science and the Environment

Science and the Environment. Chapter 1. Section 1: Understanding Our Environment. Environment Everything around us Includes the natural world as well as things produced by humans. Environmental Science. The study of the impact of humans on the environment.

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Science and the Environment

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  1. Science and the Environment Chapter 1

  2. Section 1: Understanding Our Environment • Environment • Everything around us • Includes the natural world as well as things produced by humans

  3. Environmental Science • The study of the impact of humans on the environment

  4. The Goals of Environmental Science • To understand and solve environmental problems • Accomplished by studying 2 main types of interactions between humans and the environment • How we use natural resources • How our actions alter our environment

  5. Ecology vs. Environmental Science Ecology Environmental Science • The study of how things interact with each other & their nonliving environment • The study of the impact of humans on the environment

  6. Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary science. • Involves many fields of study • Biology: the study of living organisms • Earth Science: the study of the Earth’s nonliving systems and the planet as a whole • Physics: the study of matter and energy • Chemistry: the study of chemicals and their interactions • Social Science: the study of human populations

  7. What Are Our Main Environmental Problems? • Can be grouped into 3 categories • Resource depletion • Pollution • Loss of biodiversity

  8. Resource Depletion • Natural resource • Any natural material that is used by humans • Renewable • Can be replaced relatively quickly by natural processes • Fresh water, air, soil, trees, crops, energy from the sun • Nonrenewable • Forms at a much slower rate than the rate that it is consumed • Minerals and fossil fuels

  9. Pollution • An undesired change in air, water, or soil that adversely affects the health, survival, or activities of humans or other organisms • Biodegradable • Pollutants that can be broken down by natural processes • Human sewage, food wastes • Nondegradable • Cannot be broken down by natural processes • Mercury, lead, some plastics

  10. Loss of Biodiversity • Biodiversity • The number & variety of species that live in an area • The organisms we share the world with can be considered natural resources. • An extinct species: a nonrenewable resource • If current rates of extinction continue, it may cause problems for human populations in the future • All species have potential economic, ecological, scientific, aesthetic, and recreational value

  11. Section 1-2 The Environment and Society

  12. Tragedy of the Commons

  13. “The Tragedy of the Commons” • 1968, ecologist Garrett Hardin: • The main difficulty in solving environmental problems is the conflict between the short-term interests of individuals and the long-term welfare of society. • Someone or some group has to take responsibility for maintaining a resource. • If no one takes that responsibility, the resource can be overused and become depleted.

  14. Economics and the Environment • Economic forces influence how we use resources • Supply and Demand • The greater the demand for a limited supply of something, the more that thing is worth • Costs and Benefits • Cost of environmental solutions can be high • A cost-benefit analysis balances the cost of the action against the benefits one expects from it • Risk Assessment • Helps us create cost-effective ways to protect our health and the environment

  15. Developed & Developing Countries • Developed • Higher average incomes • Slower population growth • Diverse industrial economies • Stronger social support systems • Ex: US, Japan, Canada, countries of Western Europe • Developing • Lower average incomes • Simple & agricultural-based economies • Rapid population growth • Ex: Indonesia, Ethiopia

  16. Developed nations use about 75% of the world’s resources, even though they make up only about 20% of the world’s population. • One way to express the differences in consumption between nations: • Ecological footprint • Shows the productive area of Earth needed to support one person in a particular country.

  17. A key goal ofenvironmental science  • The condition in which human needs are met in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely Sustainability

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