ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CHAPTER 1: Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

Core Case Study: It’s All About Sustainability (1) “The ability of the earth’s various natural systems and human cultural systems and economies to survive and adapt to changing environmental conditions indefinitely." United Nations Millennium Ecosystem Assessment: Human actions of put long-term sustainability in doubt Life on earth for 3.5 billion years Survived many catastrophes Humans have caused major changes in the last 500 years Humans are smart, but are they wise?

Core Case Study: It’s All About Sustainability (2) Sustainability depends on three key principles 1. Solar energy Warms earth Provides energy for plants to make food for other organisms Powers winds Powers the hydrologic cycle – which includes flowing water Provides energy: wind and moving water can be turned into electricity

Core Case Study: It’s All About Sustainability (3) 2. Biodiversity (biological diversity) Large variety of species Many ecosystems Deserts Forests Oceans Grasslands Species and systems renew soil and purify air and water.

Core Case Study: It’s All About Sustainability (4) 3. Chemical Cycling Natural processes recycle nutrients Recycling is necessary because there is a fixed supply of these nutrients on earth Nutrients cycle from living organisms to the nonliving environment and back Chemical cycles are necessary to sustain life

Fig. 1-1, p. 5

2009. Used under license from Shutterstock.com. Solar Energy Figure 1-1: Three principles of sustainability: These three interconnected principles of sustainability are derived from learning how nature has sustained a huge variety of life on the earth for at least 3.5 billion years despite drastic changes in environmental conditions. Globe photo used by permission. Image copyright Ragnarock, 2009. Used under license from Shutterstock.com. Chemical Cycling Biodiversity Fig. 1-1, p. 5

Solutions Understand our environment Practice sustainability

1-1 What Is an Environmentally Sustainable Society? Concept 1-1A Our lives and economies depend on energy from the sun and natural resources and natural services (natural capital) provided by the earth. Concept 1-1B Living sustainably means living off earth’s natural income without depleting or degrading the natural capital that supplies it.

Studying Connections in Nature Environment Environmental Science Ecology Organisms Species Ecosystem Environmentalism

Living More Sustainably Sustainability – central theme Natural capital Natural resources Natural services Photosynthesis Powered by solar energy Human activities degrade natural capital

Natural Resources Materials Renewable Nonrenewable Air, water, soil, plants Nonrenewable Minerals, oil, coal

Natural Services Functions of nature Purification of air, water Nutrient cycling From the environment to organisms and back to the environment

Fig. 1-2, p. 7

Figure 1-2: Key natural resources (blue) and natural services (orange) that support and sustain the earth’s life and economies Fig. 1-2, p. 7

Fig. 1-3, p. 8

organisms and back to the environment. Organic matter in animals Dead organic matter Organic matter in plants Figure 1-3: Nutrient cycling: an important natural service that recycles chemicals needed by organisms from the environment (mostly from soil and water) through organisms and back to the environment. Decomposition Inorganic matter in soil Fig. 1-3, p. 8

Environmental Sustainability Trade-offs (compromises) Sound science Individuals matter Ideas Technology Political pressure Economic pressure

Sustainable Living from Natural Capital Environmentally sustainable society Financial capital and financial income Natural capital and natural income Living sustainably: living on natural income only

1-2 How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting the Earth? Concept 1-2 As our ecological footprints grow, we deplete and degrade more of the earth’s natural capital.

Natural Resources (1) Perpetual – renewed continuously Solar energy Renewable – days to centuries Water Air Grasslands Forest Soils Fish populations

Natural Resources (2) Sustainable yield Environmental degradation Highest use while maintaining supply Environmental degradation Use exceeds natural replacement rate

Fig. 1-4, p. 10

mostly as a result of rising population and resource use per person. Shrinking forests Climate change Decreased wildlife habitats Air pollution Species extinction Soil erosion Water pollution Declining ocean fisheries Aquifer depletion Figure 1-4: Degradation of normally renewable natural resources and services in parts of the world, mostly as a result of rising population and resource use per person. Fig. 1-4, p. 10

Tragedy of the Commons Environmental degradation of openly shared renewable resources Users focus on their own selfish, short-term gain Works when only a small number of users Big part of why humans now live unsustainably

Ecological Footprint (1) The amount of biologically productive land and water needed to indefinitely supply the people in a given area with renewable resources Also includes the land and water necessary to absorb and recycle wastes and pollution Per capita ecological footprint Average ecological footprint of an individual in a given area

Ecological Footprint (2) Ecological deficit Total ecological footprint greater than biological capacity for resource renewal and absorption of wastes and pollution 2008 study: at least 30% global excess 88% for high-income countries Humans currently need 1.3 earths

Fig. 1-5, p. 11

(Data from Worldwide Fund for Nature, Global Footprint Network) Figure 1.8: Natural capital use and degradation: total and per capita ecological footprints of selected countries (top). In 2003, humanity’s total or global ecological footprint was about 25% higher than the earth’s ecological capacity (bottom) and is projected to be twice the planet’s ecological capacity by 2050. Question: If we are living beyond the earth’s ecological capacity, why do you think the human population and per capita resource consumption are still growing exponentially? (Data from Worldwide Fund for Nature, Global Footprint Network) Stepped Art Fig. 1-5, p. 11

Nonrenewable Resources Nonrenewable – fixed quantities Energy (fossil fuels) Metallic minerals Nonmetallic minerals Recycling Reuse

Fig. 1-5, p. 11

Developed Countries Have Higher Impacts United States, Japan, New Zealand, most of Europe, some others 19% world population Use 88% of world’s resources Create 75% of world’s pollution

Supplement 3, Fig. 5, p. S9

IPAT Environmental Impact Model Determines impact of a country or regions I = P x A x T I = environmental impact P = population size A = affluence of population T = technology influence

Fig. 1-7, p. 13

suffer from not having enough resources. Developing Countries Consumption per person (affluence, A) Technological impact per unit of consumption (T) Environmental impact of population (I) Population (P) Figure 1-7: Connections: simple model of how three factors—number of people, affluence (resource use per person), and technology—affect the environmental impact of populations in developing countries (top) and developed countries (bottom). While many people in affluent countries over-consume, many poor people in developing countries suffer from not having enough resources. Developed Countries Fig. 1-7, p. 13

Developing Countries 81% world population Middle income: Brazil, China, India Least developed: Haiti, Nigeria, Nicaragua Use far fewer resources per capita than developed countries Smaller per capita ecological footprint

1-3 What Is Pollution and What Can We Do about It? Concept 1-3 Preventing pollution is more effective and less costly than cleaning up pollution.

Pollution What is pollution? Point sources Nonpoint sources Unwanted effects of pollution

Fig. 1-8, p. 14

Solutions to Pollution Pollution prevention Prevent pollutants from entering the environment Pollution cleanup After pollutants released into environment Temporary fix only Often results in different pollution: burning garbage Dispersed pollutants usually too costly to clean up effectively

1-4 Why Do We Have Environmental Problems? Major causes of environmental problems are population growth, wasteful and unsustainable resource use, and exclusion of harmful environmental costs from the market prices of goods and services.

Causes of Environmental Problems Exponential population growth Wasteful and unsustainable resource use Poverty Failure to include environmental costs of goods and services in market prices

Fig. 1-9, p. 15

Causes of Environmental Problems Population growth Unsustainable resource use Poverty Excluding environmental costs from market prices Figure 1-9 Environmental and social scientists have identified four basic causes of the environmental problems we face (Concept 1-4). Question: What are two environmental problems that result from each of these causes? Fig. 1-9, p. 15

Causes of Environmental Problems Population growth Unsustainable resource use Poverty Excluding environmental costs from market prices Figure 1.10: Environmental and social scientists have identified five basic causes of the environmental problems we face. Question: What are three ways in which your lifestyle contributes to these causes? Stepped Art Fig. 1-9, p. 15

Fig. 1-10, p. 16

Industrial revolution Black Death—the Plague Agricultural revolution 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ? Industrial revolution Figure 1-10: Exponential growth: the J-shaped curve of past exponential world population growth, with projections to 2100 showing possible population stabilization with the J-shaped curve of growth changing to an S-shaped curve. (This figure is not to scale.) (Data from the World Bank and United Nations, 2008; photo L. Yong/UNEP/Peter Arnold, Inc) Black Death—the Plague 2-5 million years 8000 6000 4000 2000 2000 2100 B.C. A.D. Hunting and gathering Agricultural revolution Industrial revolution Fig. 1-1, p. 1 Fig. 1-10, p. 16

Fig. 1-11, p. 16

Fig. 1-12, p. 17

Lack of access to Number of people (% of world's population) Adequate sanitation facilities 2.5 billion (37%) Enough fuel for heating and cooking 2 billion (29%) Electricity 2 billion (29%) Clean drinking water 1.1 billion (16%) Adequate health care Figure 1-12: Some harmful results of poverty. Questions: Which two of these effects do you think are the most harmful? Why? (Data from United Nations, World Bank, and World Health Organization) 1 billion (15%) Adequate housing 1 billion (15%) Enough food for good health 0.93 billion (14%) Fig. 1-12, p. 17

Fig. 1-13, p. 17

Environmental Effects of Affluence Harmful effects High per-capita consumption and waste of resources – large ecological footprints Advertising – more makes you happy Affluenza Beneficial effects Concern for environmental quality Provide money for environmental causes Reduced population growth

Evaluating Full Cost of Resources Use Prices do not include the value of natural capital and harmful environmental costs Examples Clear-cutting + habitat loss Commercial fishing + depletion of fish stocks Tax breaks Subsidies

Different Environmental Views Environmental worldview Environmental ethics Planetary management worldview Stewardship worldview Environmental wisdom worldview

1-5 How Can we Live More Sustainably? Three Big Ideas We can live more sustainably by relying more on solar energy, preserving biodiversity, and not disrupting the earth’s natural chemical recycling processes.

Three Big Ideas for Sustainability Rely more on renewable energy from the sun Protect biodiversity Do not disrupt earth’s natural chemical cycles

Animation: Levels of organization

Animation: Two views of economics

Animation: Resources depletion and degradation interaction

Animation: Exponential growth

Animation: Capture-recapture method

Animation: Life history patterns

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