1 / 23

Chapter 1 The Environmental Dilemmas We Face

Chapter 1 The Environmental Dilemmas We Face. A World In Crisis. How long have humans been on the planet? Humans increasingly impact the environment: how? We can’t ignore environmental problems. Human Population.

slone
Télécharger la présentation

Chapter 1 The Environmental Dilemmas We Face

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Chapter 1 The Environmental Dilemmas We Face

  2. A World In Crisis • How long have humans been on the planet? • Humans increasingly impact the environment: how? • We can’t ignore environmental problems

  3. Human Population • Overpopulation: how many people live on Earth? • About 43% of humans live in extreme poverty • How big will our population get? • How big can our population get? • Consumption & economic growth

  4. Rich & Poor • Highly developed countries: ≈ 20% of world’s population • Poor countries • Moderately developed • Less developed (LDCs)

  5. Characteristics of LDCs • Cheap, unskilled labor • Economy agriculturally based • Hunger, disease, illiteracy common

  6. Rich vs. Poor • Developing countries • Rapid population growth is overwhelming • Natural resource depletion • Developed countries • Slower population growth • Higher rate of consumption

  7. Types of Resources • Nonrenewable • Limited supply • Once they’re gone, they’re gone • Examples? • Renewable • Virtually unlimited • Replenished over relatively short periods • Examples? • Easy to overexploit ---> nonrenewable

  8. Population & Resources • Economic growth tied to exploiting natural resources • Developed countries have utilized many of their resources • Use of natural resources tied to poverty

  9. Population & Consumption • People overpopulation • Environment getting worse • Too many people • Consumption overpopulation • Environment getting worse • Use far more than necessary: why?

  10. Too Much Stuff! • Highly developed countries • 20% world’s population consume: • 86% aluminum • 76% harvested timber • 68% energy • 61% meat eaten • 42% fresh water • Developing countries are starting to consume more: why?

  11. Ecological Footprints • Productive land and ocean needed to supply person with her/his needs • What if we all had the same footprint?

  12. Population, Consumption, & Environmental Impact • I = P x A x T • I: Environmental impact • P: Population • A: Affluence per person • T: Technology used • Interpret results with care! • Ultimate goal: make consumption sustanble

  13. Environmental Sustainability • Sustainability: environment will function indefinitely • Based on: • Effects of our actions on the environment • Earth’s resources are finite • Understanding impact of consumption • Shared responsibility

  14. Does This Sound Sustainable? • Nonrenewable resources being rapidly depleted • Many renewable resources being used in a nonrenewable way

  15. Does This Sound Sustainable? • Environment is being polluted • Human population is increasing

  16. What is Environmental Science? • Interdisciplinary • Broad field • Ecology is a basic tool • Goals • Establish general principles about how the natural world functions • Identifying, understanding, andsolving problems

  17. What is Science? • Not just a body of knowledge • Dynamic process • Requires collection of data • An ongoing enterprise • Requires reevaluation

  18. The Scientific Method • Used to answer questions • Five steps • Ask question • Develop a hypothesis • Experiment • Interpret data ---> conclusion • Share findings • Does not need to be done in order!

  19. The Process of Science • A good hypothesis makes a prediction • Experiment • Variable: factor that influences a process • Control group: variable isn’t altered • Theory • Integrated explanation of numerous hypotheses • Solid ground of science • Accepted as true

  20. Handling Environmental Problems • Five stages: • Scientific assessment • Risk analysis • Public education & involvement • Political action • Evaluation

  21. Handling Environmental Problems

  22. NIMBY & NIMTOO • Not in my backyard • Not in my term of office • What situations cause people to say these? • How practical are these?

  23. Case Study: Tropical Rain Forests vs. Agriculture • Many developing countries clear rain forest for agricultural land • Environmental consequences? • Reduces long-term potential for local people: how? • What are some potential benefits from a standing rain forest?

More Related