Environmental Problems, Their Causes and Sustainability

Before 1960’s barely anything about ecology or environment Lack of science Thought the worst from economic and social development Now, one of the top priorities and opportunities and resources to do something

Spend 5 minutes With a neighbor or group of 2-3, rank what you think are the 3 greatest environmental crisis facing your generation?

Nature has sustained itself for billions of years by relying on solar energy, biodiversity, and nutrient cycling (3 principles of sustainability).

The sun powers Earths’ biological systems Drives winds, ocean currents, weather and climate patterns Powers plant growth via photosynthesis

Diversity of life Important indicator of environmental health and quality High genetic diversity better able to respond to environmental change

Circulation of chemicals from environment Must cycle Topsoil, crucial component

Our lives and economies depend on energy from the sun and on natural resources (natural capital) provided by the earth. Natural capital – natural resources and services that support life Sun supports while humans degrade Need to find solutions which involves making trade offs What’s an example of a solutions and trade off?

Economic growth requires an increase in output of goods and services Measured by % change in GDP Per capita – factors in population of a country How do we compare? More developed countries US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, most of Europe Less developed countries Most in Africa, Asia, and Latin America

As our ecological footprints grow, we are depleting and degrading more of the earth’s natural capital

Environmental degradation (natural capital degradation)