Introducing Environmental Science and Sustainability 2 Introducing Environmental Science and Sustainability

Environmental History of the US 17th and 18th Centuries- Frontier Attitude Natural Resources seemed inexhaustible Widespread Environmental Destruction Establishment of Jamestown, VA Dominated by Frontier Attitude 1600 1700 1800 1900

Environmental History of US 19th century- US naturalists voiced concerns about natural resources Audubon: Thoreau: Marsh: John James Audobon (1785-1851) Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) George Perkins Marsh (1801-1882) 1750 1800 1850 1900

Environmental History of US General Revision Act 1891 Gave President authority to establish forest reserves Presidents Harrison, Cleveland, Roosevelt President Roosevelt 1875 American Forestry Assoc. Formed 1890 Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks Established 1891 General Revision Act 1875 1900 1850

Environmental History of US Utilitarian Conservationist Biocentric Preservationist

Environmental History of US Antiquities Act (NYT Article) Allows president to set aside sites of scientific or historical importance (monuments) American Dust Bowl (1930s droughts) Basis for Soil Conservation Service Created by Franklin Roosevelt 1916 National Park Service Created 1935 Creation of Soil Conservation Service 1906 Antiquities Act 1900 1925 1950

Ken Burns National Parks Documentary Watch select pieces http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/ http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/history/ep2/3/#tr

US Environmental Legislation Environmental Protection Agency Est. 1970 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Cornerstone of Environmental Law Requires Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for any proposed federal action Ex: highway or dam construction Requires public comment period

Environmental Impact Statement

US Environmental Legislation Numerous laws passed since 1970 They address: Clean water Clean air Energy conservation Hazardous waste Pesticides Federal regulation of pollution

Effects of Environmental Legislation Since 1970 Six air pollutants have dropped by 25% (not CO2) Since 1990 wet sulfate levels decreased by 33% (acid rain) As of 2016 91% of US had healthy drinking water (up from 75% in 1993) Peaked in 2014 48% of municipal waste is combusted for energy composted, or recovered for recycling (26% recycle, 13% combustion) As of 2014 Human exposure to contaminates under control at 92% of hazardous waste sites. Up from 37% in 2000.

Economics and the Environment Economics- study of how people use limited resources to satisfy unlimited wants Economics is utilitarian Goods and services have value that can be converted to currency Rational Actor Model Assumes all individuals spend limited resources to maximize individual utilities Ideal economy Resources are allocated efficiently

Optimum Amount of Pollution Must identify: Marginal Cost of Pollution – Marginal Cost of Abatement -

Economic Optimality and Pollution

Inefficiencies Arising from Different Marginal Costs

Strategies for Pollution Control Command and Control Solutions Government agency requires limitations to emissions or pollutants Discourages development of low-cost alternatives Incentive based Regulations Environmental Taxes (green taxes) Identify and replicate societal cost of pollution If taxes are set at correct level private marginal cost of pollution = social cost of pollution Tradable Permits Rely on identifying optimal level of pollution

The Corrective Effect of Green Taxes

Critiques of Environmental Economics Difficult to assess true costs of environmental pollution and abatement Utilitarian economics may not be appropriate Dynamic changes and time are not considered

National Income Accounts Estimates of National Economic Performance (used in setting policy and politics) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Net Domestic Product (NDP) Environment may be overexploited to yield a higher GDP in developing countries EPI (Environmental Performance Index) Assesses a country’s commitment to environmental and resource management

U.S. Ranking in EPI In 2010: 61 out of 163 Currently: 26 out of 180 Score: 84.82 3.84% change in 10 years. Finland, Iceland, Sweden are top 3 http://epi.yale.edu/country-rankings https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_gilding_the_earth_is_full#t-304518

Environmental Justice The right of every citizen regardless of age, race and gender, social class or other factor, to adequate protection from environmental hazards Generally, members of low income and minority communities: Face more environmental threats and have fewer environmental amenities Have less voice in planning

Environmental Justice Challenge of environmental justice To find equitable solutions that respect all groups of people National level 1994- Clinton required all federal agencies to ensure their policies do not discriminate against poor or minority communities (reinvestment by Obama DOL) International level 1989- Basal Convention (ban on exporting waste)

Environmental Ethics Field of ethics that considers the moral basis of environmental responsibility Western Worldview Deep Ecology Worldview

Case Study- Spotted Owl For HW, read online article and be prepared to discuss in class Article: “The spotted owl’s new nemesis” http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/The-Spotted-Owls- New-Nemesis.html

Spotted Owl Timeline: In small groups, use the easel paper to make a timeline of what has happened to the NSO in the 1980’s/1990’s, 2009 and 2011. And also answer and discuss the questions on the following slide.

Spotted Owl Controversy What are the new impacts to the NSO populations? Are these new impacts a result of human actions? Is this decline just “a part of natural selection”? Argue why or why not? What were the first impacts to NSO populations? How did environmentalist use the law? What were the economic consequences of the “solution”?