Introduction to Environmental Systems

1. Introduction to Environmental Systems IB Syllabus: 3.1.1, 3.2.2, 3.8.1, 4.2.1, 6.1.2 Chapters – 1,2,3

2. Syllabus Statements • 3.1.1 – Describe the nature and explain the implications of exponential growth in human populations • 3.2.2 – Define the terms renewable, replenishable, and non-renewable natural capital • 3.8.1 – Explain the concept of an ecological footprint as a model for assessing the demands that human populations make on their environment. • 4.2.1 – Identify factors that lead to loss of diversity • 6.1.2 – Describe how human activities add to greenhouse gases

3. Vocab • Gaia • Society • Sustainability • MEDC • LEDC • Biosphere

4. Interconnectedness • Study of the Environment and the human interaction with it. • Interdisciplinary Investigations • Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Meteorology, Mathematics, Economics, Politics, History, Ethics, etc. • (1) How does the earth work? • (2) How are we effecting the earth? • (3) How do we deal with current environmental problems?

5. Gaia Hypothesis • Developed by James Lovelock • Named after the Greek Goddess of Earth • States that the Earth is a living organism in which feedback mechanisms maintain equilibrium • The interconnected living earth is the Biosphere

6. The two sides • Earth provides 1. solar capital – energy 2. natural capital – all other resources 3. energy Resources • Humans need 1. basic common needs 2. Food, Water, Air, Shelter

7. The Goal: Sustainability • An environmentally sustainable society will satisfy the basic needs of its members into the future without: 1. Depleting or degrading natural resources 2. Preventing current or future generations of all species from meeting their basic needs

9. Facts on the Condition of the Environment

10. Current Facts: #1 World Population is Increasing Modern humans around for past 200,000 – 400,000 years

11. Human Impacts on the Environment • Increasing Human Numbers

12. Human Impacts on the Environment • Most populous countries: • 1) China 1,374,853,000 • 2) India 1,155,011,000 • 3) United States 309,163,000 • 4) Indonesia 258,825,000 • 5) Brazil 195,580,000 Source: US Census Bureau, Global Population Profile: 2002

13. Current Facts: #2 Unequal Global Distribution of $$$ • Historically: HAVES vs. HAVE-NOTS • Developed countries (MEDCs) • US, Australia, European nations, Japan • 1.4 billion people (19% world population) • 85% wealth, 88% resource use, 75% pollution • Developing countries (LEDCs) • African, Asian & Latin American nations • 5.5 billion people (81% of world population) • 15% wealth, 12% resource use, 25% pollution

14. Population, Resources, and the Environment • The contrast between less developed and highly developed countries is great:

15. World Population Distribution

17. Current Facts: #3 We are Polluting our Planet • Pollution = any addition to water air or soil that threatens the health, activities or survival of any organism 1. enter environment naturally - volcanoes 2. anthropogenic (human) sources - automobiles 3. Point (one location) vs. Nonpoint (spread out) sources • How can we minimize pollution effects?

18. Endocrine disrupters • Chemical pollutants – Endocrine disrupters interfere with hormone production & function within the body. • Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate growth, reproduction, & other functions.

20. Atmospheric effects • Ozone Depletion – CFCs (man made compounds) deplete stratospheric ozone • Ozone naturally blocks UV radiation • Since 1987, 167+ nations have banned use of CFCs and other ODCs • Global Warming – Human activities like combustion of fossil fuels and agriculture put out greenhouse gasses like CO2, CH4, and NO2 • Kyoto protocol (1997) was proposed legislation to have worldwide decrease of emissions • Hasn’t happened yet…

23. Current Facts: #4 We are effecting species • Declining Bird populations for the past 2 decades • Tropical Migrants like songbirds most effected • Forest fragmentation – division of unbroken areas into smaller chunks • Edges are closer which increases vulnerability, chance of invasive species, and habitat degradation • Increases in nest parasitism occuring

26. Topical Rainforests

27. Tropical Forest Destruction

28. Tropical Rainforest Destruction • 1990’s Brazil lost 2 million hectares (5 million acres) per year • This effects the neotropical songbird migrants • Slash and burn agriculture = used to temporarily increase soil fertility – but increases sedimentation of local watersheds • Burning increases global warming as well • Capitalize on resources once if burnt or harvested unsustainably • Better options – bioprospecting & ecotourism

29. Species brought by human activity – ballast water, agricultural shipments, pet trade escapees Zebra Mussel – native to Caspian Sea $5 billion annually in damage in US Worldwide 10-30% of species in an area are introduced Introducing Invasive Species

31. Reintroducing Wolves into Yellowstone • Originally ranged from Mexico to Greenland • In the 1930’s government sponsored program to assist ranchers in removing “threatening wolves” • By 1960 only remaining wolves in lower 48 states in Minnesota • In 1995 & 1996 two populations captured in Canada & released now up to 300 individuals • Elk had overgrazed the habitat in the absence of predators and population booms caused thousands to starve in lean years • Wolves are a “keystone species” and trophic cascade has effected 100’s of species restoring balance to the ecosystem

33. Current Facts: #5 Increases in Globalization • Process of Global social, economic and environmental change that increases integration of the world • 1950-2002  Global trade 516%, • Technological connection – 1/11 people in world on the internet • Environment – organisms transported around globe, pollutants in environment

34. FTAA = Free Trade Area of the Americas

35. Current Facts: #6 Resource depletion • Renewable vs. Replenishable vs. nonrenewable resources • Renewable  Alive and grows back - trees • Replenishable  Not alive but regenerates - fresh water • Nonrenewable  Once it’s used it’s gone - metals • Environmental degradation compounds problems even further

36. Georges Bank Fishery • Closed in 1994 • Fish stocks declining for decades • Too many boats, too much technology, not enough fish • Now populations at half of sustainable levels • Overfishing is a problem worldwide – 80% of world fish stocks are over exploited already • Tragedy of the Commons

39. In the last 30 years we have consumed 1/3 of all the resources on the planet 1/3!!!

40. What is our ecological footprint? • Amount of land needed to provide resources needed for a person or country • If everyone on earth consumed like americans we’d need many times the earth’s area for support • Incidentally how many earths do we have?

41. Ecological footprint

42. The growth of the Environmental Movement • Remember that all of this is a choice • The Green movement is upon us • The current administration believes in and is trying to fight against climate change • …

43. Is our Society Sustainable? • No readily accepted view -- Humans are smart enough to deal with what ever problems the degradation of earth may throw at us • We are in serious trouble and on our current course the environment will be destroyed beyond repair in the near future • A clash of worldviews – how we see the world, and ethics – the right and wrong environmental behavior

44. Planetary Management We’re in charge of nature Resources are unlimited All growth is good Our success depends on our control Environmental Management Nature doesn’t just exist for us Resources are limited Growth may be bad Success depends on acting with env. wisdom The Worldviews

45. Potential changes for the Future • Pollution prevention not Clean up • Waste reduction not Disposal • Protecting habitats not Species • Environmental restoration not Degradation • More efficient resource use not increased use • Population stabilization not Growth

46. Your Challenge This course will not tell you how to think about the environment. Rather it will provide you with the background information necessary to make your own decision about how you will impact the environment in the future.