Environmental Overview Environmental Issues and Their Causes Sources: Powerpoint: Adapted from “Dr. Sisson’s Website,” Wake County Public Schools at webpages/VSisson/ap_environmental_sci.cfm?subpage= Text and picture sources: G. Tyler Miller’s Living in the Environment, 13th ed. Botkin and Keller, Environmental Science

Objectives Identify the major environmental problems and their causesIdentify the major environmental problems and their causes Describe how economic growth impacts the environment and resourceDescribe how economic growth impacts the environment and resourceconsumption Distinguish between renewable andDistinguish between renewable and non-renewable resources

Terms Environment: Living and non-living factors affecting organisms Ecology: Relationship between living organisms and environment

Major Themes in Environmental Science Regulation vs. Growth Science vs. Values Resource consumption (sustainability) People and Natures

Living More Sustainably  Environmentally Sustainable Society - satisfies the basic needs of its people into the indefinite future Food Food Clean Water Clean Water Clean Air Clean Air Shelter Shelter

Rapid Human Population Growth J curve

Human Population Growth Higher growth in developing than developed countries Large human population increases resource consumption with direct or indirect environmental effects

Impact of Economic Growth an increase in the capacity to provide people with goods and services. Economic growth: an increase in the capacity to provide people with goods and services. Economic growth is measured by a country’s Gross National Product (GNP) Value of the products and services produced by a country in a yearValue of the products and services produced by a country in a year

Impact of Economic Growth Per Capita GNP  Per Capita GNP GNP divided by total population at mid-year Represents “your piece of the economic pie”

Economic Development The improvement of living standards by economic growth. –Developed Countries Examples: US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, all of Europe –Developing Counties Examples: Most of Africa, Asia, and Latin America

Economic Development Positive AspectsPositive Aspects – Longer life spans – Lower infant mortality – Improved food production – Access to safe drinking water – Better medical care

Economic Development Negative AspectsNegative Aspects –Disparities between developed and developing countries –Pollution increases –Short term food production practices may have harmful long term environmental effects –Larger consumption of non-renewable natural resources

ResourcesResources  Perpetual Renewed continuously  Renewable Replenished rapidly Replenished rapidly  Non-renewable Exist in a fixed quantity  Perpetual Renewed continuously  Renewable Replenished rapidly Replenished rapidly  Non-renewable Exist in a fixed quantity

Resource Consumption Higher consumption of non-renewable resources, less sustainable growth “Tragedy of the Commons”

Pollution What is Pollution? Any addition to air, water, soil, or food that threatens the health, survival, or activities of humans or other living organisms Sources: –Point: single source –Non-point: many, diffuse sources

Effects of Pollution a)Disruption of life-support systems for humans and other species. b)Damage to wildlife, human health, and property. c)Nuisances such as noise, and unpleasant smells, tastes, and sights.

Air Pollution Global climate change Stratospheric ozone depletion Urban air pollution Acid deposition Outdoor pollutants Indoor pollutants Noise Biodiversity Depletion Habitat destruction Habitat degradation Extinction Water Pollution Sediment Nutrient overload Toxic chemicals Infectious agents Oxygen depletion Pesticides Oil spills Excess heat Waste Production Solid waste Hazardous waste Food Supply Problems Overgrazing Farmland loss and degradation Wetlands loss and degradation Overfishing Coastal pollution Soil erosion Soil salinization Soil waterlogging Water shortages Groundwater depletion Loss of biodiversity Poor nutrition Major Environmental Problems