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Biology 100- Environmental Science

Welcome!. Biology 100- Environmental Science. What we’re doing today. Overview of course Some objectives for the course What is Environmental Science? Major themes of the course Some comments on the course, the text. Some objectives for the course.

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Biology 100- Environmental Science

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Welcome! Biology 100- Environmental Science

  2. What we’re doing today • Overview of course • Some objectives for the course • What is Environmental Science? • Major themes of the course • Some comments on the course, the text

  3. Some objectives for the course • Try to understand the SCIENCE involved in environmental processes- pollution, nutrient cycling, climate change, energy production • Understand the issues related to key environmental problems, and come to your own conclusions about what we should do about those problems. In addition, hopefully you’ll understand the thinking of those who disagree with you about your conclusions.

  4. So- what IS Environmental Science??? • Part Science, part application of science • Example: Alternate energy sources • In the end, the application is a mix of science and values- NOT derived from science. • Science, at its best, tells you what IS, not what OUGHT to be.

  5. REMEMBER: You are entitled to your own OPINIONS But NOT Your own FACTS

  6. Major Themes • Three “Strategic” Themes: • Sustainability • Stewardship • “Sound Science” • Three “Integrative” Themes: Ecosystem Capital Policy/Politics Globalization

  7. Sustainability- a Core Value • It can go on indefinitely Farming Fishing Development World-wide- we’re definitely not there yet! • A situation can be sustainable without being desirable! • Sustainability requires us to reduce our ecological footprint

  8. Stewardship- another core value • someone who manages property or money for someone else. • So- Who’s the owner??? • One could begin with other core values, but they might not lead to a sustainable environmental policy.

  9. “Sound Science” • We want our policy decisions based on “Sound Science”- let’s look at Science and what might distinguish “Sound Science” from “Junk Science” • You do “sound science” all the time- every day (at least I hope you do!)

  10. A look at Sound Science- • Eagles! We made the observation that they were on the decline • Further observations-eggshells are thin, reducing viability of eagle chicks • We develop a theory- it’s the DDT! More tests- • Eagles accumulate DDT • DDT interferes with an enzyme needed for Calcium deposition in eggs.

  11. We conclude that DDT results in weakened shells, resulting in fewer eagles.We ban DDT, the eagle population rebounds (however, not the end of the story)

  12. “Junk Science” • Scientists can be immoral, petty, bigoted, biased, and blind to evidence against their pet theory. • They can sometimes flat-out fabricate results to fit their theory. • More often, they’re selective about what they present- giving a one-sided picture.

  13. So What’s Junk Science? • Science that gives a distorted picture of the truth- OR • Science that doesn’t come to the conclusion that you want it to come to! • Ex- Nuclear Power; • Bjorn Lomberg’s The Skeptical Environmentalist (from 9th ed.)

  14. Integrative themes • Ecosystem Capital • Policy/Politics • Globalization

  15. Ecosystem Capital • Capital- things that produce wealth • Fig. 1-13- a large part of a nations’ wealth is contributed by its ecosystems.

  16. Ecosystem Capital • Capital- things that produce wealth • Fig. 1-12- a large part of a nations’ wealth is contributed by its ecosystems.

  17. Policy/Politics • US is in much better shape environmentally than it was 40 years ago- reduction in acid rain, car emissions, rebounding of threatened species, etc. • These came through Policies that came about through Politics.

  18. Globalization • The world is much more connected through trade, bringing both helpful and harmful results to the environment. • E.g- US appetite for Chinese good brings both wealth and environmental degradation to China.

  19. What’s happened to • Poverty? • Rate of Population growth? • Life expectancy? • Reforestation in the US? In China? • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty • http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0313-forests.html

  20. Things to Know: Chapter 1 • Learn the six themes of this text, and be able to recognize examples of each. • Added term to know- ecological footprint

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