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WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY ? Dr. Wade Worthen Biology Department

WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY ? Dr. Wade Worthen Biology Department Furman University. sustainability: "a characteristic of a process or state that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely" - Wikipedia 2007.

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WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY ? Dr. Wade Worthen Biology Department

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  1. WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY? Dr. Wade Worthen Biology Department Furman University

  2. sustainability: "a characteristic of a process or state that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely" - Wikipedia 2007

  3. sustainability: "a characteristic of a process or state that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely" - Wikipedia 2007 Bein’ able to keep doin’ what you been doin’

  4. sustainability: "a characteristic of a process or state that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely" - Wikipedia 2007 -In an expanding system, there are always more resources – sustainability is easy

  5. - But in finite, bounded systems, resources will decline and limit the rate of the process UNLESS:

  6. - But in finite, bounded systems, resources will decline and limit the rate of the process UNLESS: - they regenerate fast enough to meet demand

  7. - But in finite, bounded systems, resources will decline and limit the rate of the process UNLESS: • they regenerate fast enough to meet demand • efficiency increases so less is needed

  8. - But in finite, bounded systems, resources will decline and limit the rate of the process UNLESS: • they regenerate fast enough to meet demand • efficiency increases so less is needed • another resource is substituted

  9. sustainability: "a characteristic of a process or state that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely" • Wikipedia 2007 • Human sustainability: "Meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs." • Brundtland Commission - 1987

  10. WHAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE IN A FINITE, BOUNDED SYSTEM?

  11. WHAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE IN A FINITE, BOUNDED SYSTEM? Continuous Growth…

  12. WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE NOW?

  13. WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE NOW? • (NOWbeing the last 150 years!!!! • J. Muir • T. Roosevelt • Leopold • R. Carson • J. Cousteau)

  14. our population has been growing by using up resources and then substituting others...

  15. - 1 billion: ...to about 1850

  16. - 1 billion: ...to about 1850 - 2 billion: 1928 (about 78 yrs) Five Points - Atlanta

  17. - 1 billion: ...to about 1850 - 2 billion: 1928 (about 78 yrs) - 3 billion: 1960 (about 32 yrs)

  18. - 1 billion: ...to about 1850 - 2 billion: 1928 (about 78 yrs) - 3 billion: 1960 (about 32 yrs) - 5 billion: 1987 (about 15 yrs/billion) Ozone Hole - 2004

  19. - 1 billion: ...to about 1850 - 2 billion: 1928 (about 78 yrs) - 3 billion: 1960 (about 32 yrs) - 5 billion: 1987 (about 13 yrs) - currently 6.78 billion - adding about 220,000 people a day….today….

  20. - 1 billion: ...to about 1850 - 2 billion: 1928 (about 78 yrs) - 3 billion: 1960 (about 32 yrs) - 5 billion: 1987 (about 13 yrs) - currently 6.78 billion - adding about 220,000 people a day now ... and 1/2 are living on less than $2/day... so there is already evidence that we are not "sustaining" our population...

  21. "Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell." - Edward Abbey

  22. "Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell." - Edward Abbey

  23. "Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell." - Edward Abbey

  24. "Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell." - Edward Abbey

  25. "Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell." - Edward Abbey

  26. We are realizing that humans have become a planetary force as a consequence of: I = P x A x T population IMPACT ? affluence technology

  27. We are realizing that humans have become a planetary force as a consequence of: I = P x A x T (depends on the technological goal!!) http://www.ejsd.org/public/journal_article/11

  28. Because of our large population and powerful technologies, we are changing the characteristics of the planet – theonly planet – we depend upon for physical and psychological sustenance and inspiration Human domination of the Earth's ecosystems (Vitousek et al. 1997).

  29. And we realize that … Walt Kelly – 1970, for the first Earth Day poster

  30. There is nowhere else to go.

  31. There is nowhere else to go. Really.

  32. There is nowhere else to go. We are stressing our life-support systems.

  33. There is nowhere else to go. We are stressing our life-support systems. Really.

  34. There is nowhere else to go. We are stressing our life-support systems. We are all in this together.

  35. There is nowhere else to go. We are stressing our life-support systems. We are all in this together. Really.

  36. There is nowhere else to go. We are stressing our life-support systems. We are all in this together. Sustainability... "The term, in its current usage, refers to the potential longevity of vital human ecological life-support systems, such as agriculture, industry, forestry, fisheries, urban, and human communities in general." ECONOMY SOCIETY ENVIRONMENT

  37. There is nowhere else to go. We are stressing our life-support systems. We are all in this together. ECONOMY SOCIETY "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir, My First Summer in the Sierra, 1911 ENVIRONMENT

  38. TODAY: - our effects on the natural environment - why that is important - why biodiversity is important to sustainability - what we can do to maintain biodiversity - why we should appreciate biodiversity

  39. Human Impacts on the Environment: Human domination of the Earth's ecosystems (Vitousek et al. 1997).

  40. Land transformation: Forested Land – U. S.

  41. Land transformation:

  42. Mountaintop removal in West Virginia Humans are a geological force…

  43. National Forest | National Park

  44. Human are affecting 83% of the land surface area of the planet… converting forest to field and field to development

  45. 50% of the freshwater:

  46. 50% of the freshwater: The Colorado, like the Nile, Yellow, and Rio Grande, doesn’t reach the ocean for months each year. All the water is diverted.

  47. 50% of the freshwater: The Aral Sea, Kazakhstan Water diverted for agriculture in 1960; by 2007, Sea had shrunk by 90%

  48. 50% of the freshwater: The Aral Sea, Kazakhstan - Salinization increased, killing the productive fisheries industry - Agricultural lands – salt increased 6X by 1994 the productivity had dropped by 20-50%.

  49. Marine Fisheries: - Global fish catch is declining by 500,000 metric tons/yr from peak in 1987 (Science, 2003). - Predatory fish (tuna, salmon) and bottom fish (flounder, sole) have decreased by 90%. - Farmed fish are fed fish, so that doesn’t relieve the pressure

  50. We are affecting the climate of the planet: 2009: 387 - Highest in last 160,000 years…. (Entire history of Homo sapiens)

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