APES Intro: A Global Perspective Understanding Our Environment Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems Making Environmental Decisions

Understanding Our Environment Environmental Problems Resource Depletion Pollution Extinction Understanding Our Environment

Nonrenewable Resources – resources that cannot be replaced; oil, natural gas, uranium, gold, etc. Renewable Resources – resources that can be replaced…but not necessarily in our lifetime; sunlight, wind, wood, food, etc. Sustainability – using renewable resources at a rate that is slow enough to allow them to renew themselves Resource Depletion

Pollution – the introduction of harmful levels of chemicals or waste material into the environment. Primary – the pollution itself; SO2, NOx Secondary – a second type of pollution that is a byproduct of primary pollution; acid rain, which forms when SO2 or NOx react with H2O Pollution

Extinction Extinction – the last of a species has died The rate of extinction is faster today than ever in recorded history!!! The #1 cause of organism extinction is Loss of Habitat!!!...usually because of US!! Extinction

Homework Read Section 1.1 (pages 2 – 12) in your intro packet. Answer the four Section Review questions on page 12. Bonus Points – Thinking Critically questions on page 7. Homework

Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems

Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems Pure Science – answers questions about HOW the natural world works; biology, physics, etc. Applied Science – uses the knowledge gained from pure science to solve real world problems; environmental science, engineering, medicine, etc. The most important pure science in Environmental Science is Ecology! Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems

Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems Proofs and Theories?!? Nothing in science is EVER proven!!! It is either “supported by data” or “not supported by data”. If there is an infinite amount of supportive data for a given hypothesis, then it becomes a theory; theory of gravity, cell theory, theory of evolution, etc. In science, a theory is as good as proof! Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems

Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems Organizing Data, i.e., GRAPHING!!! Types of Graphs What tool are you going to use for graphing this year? Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems

Homework Read Section 1.2 (pages 13 – 19) in your intro packet. Answer the five Section Review questions on page 19. Homework

Making Environmental Decisions

Homework Read Section 1.3 (pages 20 – 24) in your intro packet. Answer the two Section Review questions on page 24. Do NOT do the “Thinking Critically” question this time. We will work on that in class tomorrow. Homework