Environmental science is interdisciplinary. 01_05.JPG Figure 01-05 Title: Environmental science is interdisciplinary. Caption: Environmental science is a highly interdisciplinary pursuit, involving input from many different established fields of study across the natural sciences and social sciences. Notes: Keywords: environmental studies, ecology, biology, chemistry, atmospheric science, oceanography, geology, archaeology, anthropology, sociology, history, political science, economics, ethics, engineering

Environmental Science: Interdisciplinary blending of Natural Sciences yield accurate information Social Sciences study impact of values and behavior

What factors affect one’s perception of “environmental problems”? Environment – sum total of surroundings – including the living and nonliving things with which we interact What factors affect one’s perception of “environmental problems”? 01_00PO.JPG Figure 01-00PO Title: Researcher studying eucalyptus forest, Australia. Caption: Environment – sum total of surroundings including living and nonliving things with which we interact Notes: Keywords: forests, biodiversity

Age Gender Class Race Nationality Employment Educational background Politics

What is an “environmental problem”? The perception of what constitutes a problem varies between individuals and societies Ex.: DDT, a pesticide In developing countries: welcome because it kills malaria-carrying mosquitoes In developed countries: not welcome, due to health risks What is an “environmental problem”?

How is Earth like an island? 01_00CO.JPG Figure 01-00CO Title: How is Earth like an island? Caption: Notes: Keywords: oceans, atmosphere, clouds, sustainability, sustainable development How is Earth like an island? Our Island - Earth

Natural Resources – substances and energy sources needed for survival

Renewability is a continuum: Nonrenewable: finite supply 01_01.JPG Figure 01-01 Title: Natural resources lie along a continuum from perpetually renewable to nonrenewable. Caption: Perpetually renewable resources, such as sunlight and wind energy, will always be there for us. Nonrenewable resources, such as oil and coal, exist in limited amounts that could one day be gone. Resources such as timber, soils, and fresh water can be renewed on intermediate time scales, if we are careful not to deplete them. Notes: Keywords: agriculture, crops, natural gas, minerals Renewability is a continuum: Nonrenewable: finite supply Renewable: Perpetually available OR Renewable over long periods if properly managed

Unprecedented population growth is at the root of most environmental problems World population

populations, population growth, humans 01_02a.jpg Figure 01-02a Title: For almost all of human history, our population was low and relatively stable. Caption: (a) It increased significantly as a result first of the agricultural revolution and then of the industrial revolution. Notes: Keywords: populations, population growth, humans

1. Agricultural revolution 10,000 years ago resulted in Population explosion due to shift from hunter-gatherer to agricultural societies Two causal factors: 1. Agricultural revolution 10,000 years ago resulted in longer lives and more children 2. Industrial Revolution mid 1700’s resulted in move from rural to urban life powered by fossil fuels 01_02b.JPG Figure 01-02b Title: For almost all of human history, our population was low and relatively stable. Caption: (b) Our skyrocketing population has given rise to congested urban areas, such as this city in Java, Indonesia. Notes: Keywords: populations, population growth, humans, urbanization, city, cities

Ecological Footprint -Mathis Wackernagel, William Rees,1996 “Ecological footprint" represents the total area of land and water needed to produce the resources a given person or population uses, together with the total amount of land and water needed to dispose of their waste Expressed in hectares (ha), 1 hectare =2.47 acres 01_04.JPG Figure 01-04 Title: Ecological footprint. Caption: An "ecological footprint" represents the total area of land and water needed to produce the resources a given person or population uses, together with the total amount of land and water needed to dispose of their waste. The footprints of the affluent societies of today's industrialized nations tend to be much larger than the geographic areas these societies take up directly. Adapted from Wackernagel, M., and W. Rees. 1996. Our ecological footprint: Reducing human impact on the Earth. Gabriola Island, British Columbia: New Society Publishers. Notes: Keywords: ecological footprints, renewable resources, nonrenewable, wastes

ecological footprints, renewable resources, nonrenewable, wastes 01_12.JPG Figure 01-12 Title: The citizens of some nations have much larger ecological footprints than the citizens of others. Caption: Shown here are ecological footprints for average citizens of several developed and developing nations, along with the world's average per capita footprint of 2.2 hectares. One hectare (ha) = 2.47 acres. Data are for 2003, from Global Footprint Network, 2006. Notes: Keywords: ecological footprints, renewable resources, nonrenewable, wastes

World Consumption Humans using resources 30% faster than they can be replaced If all nations used resources like North Americans – we’d need 4.5 more Earths!

01_03.JPG Figure 01-03 Title: Thomas Malthus. Caption: The England of Thomas Malthus's era (1766-1834), shown in this engraving (a), favored population growth as society industrialized. Malthus (b) argued that population growth could lead to disaster. Notes: Keywords: populations, population growth, humans The England of Thomas Malthus's era (1766-1834)favored population growth as society industrialized. Malthus argued that if there were no limits on birth, deaths would increase through famine, plague, and war.

In The Population Bomb, “NeoMalthusian” Paul Ehrlich predicted disastrous effects from population growth by the end of the 20th century.

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Garrett Hardin disputed the economic theory that unfettered exercise of individual self-interest will serve public interest Resources open to unregulated exploitation will eventually be depleted Because no single person owns the resource, no one has the incentive to take care of it, everyone takes & takes to depletion Must “abandon the freedom to breed”

Environmental scientists search for workable solutions to environmental problems, generally keeping their research rigorously objective. Investigate Functions of Earth systems How systems influence humans How humans influence systems 01_07.JPG Figure 01-07 Title: Environmental activists. Caption: Environmental scientists play very different roles from environmental activists such as the protestors shown here. Although many environmental scientists search for workable solutions to environmental problems, they generally try hard to keep their research rigorously objective and to remain free from advocacy. Notes: Keywords: environmentalism, policy, policies

Figure 01-11 Title: The scientific method. Caption: 01_11.JPG Figure 01-11 Title: The scientific method. Caption: The scientific method (inner yellow box) followed by individual researchers or research teams exists within the context of the overall process of science at the level of the scientific community (outer green box). This process includes peer review and publication of research, acquisition of funding, and the elaboration of theory through the cumulative work of many researchers. Notes: Keywords: scientific method, observations, questions, hypothesis, predictions, tests, experiments, results, papers, reviews, publications

Manipulative and natural experiments. 01_10.JPG Figure 01-10 Title: Manipulative and natural experiments. Caption: (a) A researcher wishing to test how temperature affects the growth of wheat might run a manipulative experiment in which wheat is grown in two identical greenhouses, one kept at 20°C (68°F) and the other kept at 25°C (77°F). (b) Alternatively, the researcher might run a "natural experiment" in which he or she compares the growth of wheat in two fields at different latitudes, a cool northerly location and a warm southerly one. Because it would be difficult to hold all variables besides temperature constant in the natural experiment, the researcher might want to collect data on a number of northern and southern fields and correlate data on temperature and wheat growth using statistical methods. Notes: Keywords: scientific method, observations, questions, hypothesis, predictions, tests, experiments, results

Sustainability – the challenge to live within the planet’s means so that Earth and its resources can sustain us and other life into the future. Sustainable Development – Use of renewable and nonrenewable resources in a way that satisfies our needs without compromising future available of resources.

EnvironmenEnvironmentalEnvironmentEnv Environmental Problems – HIPPO C Habitat Loss Invasive species Population Pollution Overharvesting Climate Change EnvironmenEnvironmentalEnvironmentEnv

Figure 01-SBS01-02 Title: Easter Island statues. Caption: 01_SBS01-02.JPG Figure 01-SBS01-02 Title: Easter Island statues. Caption: The haunting statues of Easter Island were erected by a sophisticated civilization that collapsed after depleting its resource base and devastating its island environment. Notes: Keywords: renewable resources, nonrenewable, sustainable, sustainability, development, moai

Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA)– launched by UN 2001-2005 01_T01.JPG Table 01-T01 Title: Main findings of the millennium ecosystem assessment. Caption: Notes: Keywords: biodiversity, ecosystems, economics, economic development, environmental policy, policies, ethics

Insurmountable problems…..or opportunities? Education, critical and creative thinking, necessary to take appropriate action.