Key Themes in Environmental Sciences Chapter 1 Key Themes in Environmental Sciences Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Environmental Science 5e Learning Objectives People and nature are intimately connected Rapid human population growth is the fundamental environmental issue Human beings affect the environment of the entire planet Urban environments need attention Solutions to environmental problems involve making value judgments based on scientific knowledge. Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Major Themes of Environmental Science Human population growth An urbanizing world Sustainability of our population and all of nature People and nature A global perspective Science and values Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Human Population Growth The human population grew at a rate unprecedented in history in the twentieth century. Population growth is the underlying environmental problem. Famine is one of the things that happen when a human population exceeds its environmental resources. An example is African Famine. Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Human Population Growth John Eli Miller Family (p.3-4) 1 man (and wife presumably) 7 children (5 survived) 63 grandchildren (61 survived) 341 great-grandchildren (338 survived) Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Environmental Science 5e Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Environmental Science 5e Fig 1.3 Population change since 1950 projected to the year 2150 for major areas of the world, medium fertility scenario. The population of Africa will nearly quadruple. The only major area whose population is projected to drop over time is Europe – from 728 million to 595 million, a decline of 18% over 155 years. Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e © 2005 John Wiley and Sons Publishers

Environmental Science 5e An Urban World When the impact of technology is combined with the impact of population, the impact on the environment is multiplied. In an increasingly urban world, we must focus much of our attention on the environments of cities and on the effects of cities on the rest of the environment. Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Environmental Science 5e An Urban World Technology How people modify the modern world to suit their own purposes Survival Comfort Advancement Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Using Common Resources Activity Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Sustainability and Carrying Capacity What is the maximum number of people the Earth can sustain? Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Environmental Science 5e Sustainability Sustainability Management of natural resources and the environment w/ goals of allowing harvest of resources to remain at or above some specified level, and the ecosystem to retain its functions and structure. Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Environmental Science 5e Carrying Capacity The maximum abundance of a population or species that can be maintained by a habitat or ecosystem without degrading the ability of that habitat or ecosystem to maintain that abundance in the future. Maximum # of individuals that can be SUSTAINED Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Environmental Science 5e Sustainability Sustainable resoruce harvest An amount of a resource that can be harvested at regular intervals indefinitely Sustainable ecosystem An ecosystem that is subject to some human use, but at a level that leads to no loss of species or of necessary ecosystem functions Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Environmental Science 5e Tragedy of the Commons Commons Any resource used as if it belongs to all. A resource used simply because people want or need it. Public. Tragedy of the Commons Usually occurs when the use of a commons is not regulated. Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Environmental Science 5e Tragedy of the Commons Aristotle (384BC-322BC) “That which is common to the greatest number, has the least care bestowed upon it” Garret Hardin’s Essay: Tragedy of the Commons (1968) Public land use for grazing cattle Every man for himself Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Environmental Science 5e People and Nature Ways of thinking Humans are separate from nature Simply stop human actions that cause environmental problems Humans are inextricably tied to nature Use science to analyze environmental problems and come up with cooperative, long lasting solutions Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Environmental Science 5e A Global Perspective Local Problems are Global Problems Ranking Environmental Challenges Activity Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Environmental Science 5e Science & Values Environmental Value: Utilitarian Ecological Moral Asthetic Recreational Inspirational Creative Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Environmental Science 5e Science & Values Environmental Science: Provides knowledge and understanding of environmental issues through scientific data Cause and effect Provides possible solutions Values must be considered when implementing solutions Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e

Major Themes of Environmental Science Human population growth An urbanizing world Sustainability of our population and all of nature People and nature A global perspective Science and values Botkin & Keller Environmental Science 5e