The Environment & Society Chapter 1, Section 2 Environmental Science Miss Napolitano & Mrs. Rodriguez

Supply & Demand Law of Supply & Demand: as the demand for a good or service increases, the value also increases Ex: oil production

Costs & Benefits Environmental solutions are often costly Cost-benefit analysis: balances cost of action against benefits expected Ex: pollution control Costly to industry, worth paying the price to a nearby community

Developed & Developing Countries Differences in societies caused by unequal distribution of wealth & resources

Developed vs. Developing Countries Developed Countries Developing Countries Higher incomes Lower incomes Slower population growth Rapid population growth Diverse industrial economies Agriculture-based communities Strong social support

Population & Consumption Almost all environmental problems can be traced back to two main causes: The human population in some areas is growing too quickly for the local environment to support. People are using up, wasting, or polluting many natural resources faster than they can be renewed, replaced, or cleaned up.

“The Tragedy of the Commons” Garrett Hardin: conflict between short-term interests of individuals & long-term welfare of society Commons = areas of land that belonged to the whole village Individual: put as many animals in the commons as possible Too many animals = destroyed grass Destroyed grass = no more animals, everyone suffers

“The Tragedy of the Commons” Hardin: someone or some group must take responsibility for maintaining a resource or it will become depleted Hardin’s point can be applied to our modern commons, natural resources Humans can solve environmental problems by planning, organizing, considering the scientific evidence, & proposing a solution Solution: override short-term interests of individual & improve the environment for everyone in the end

“The Tragedy of the Commons”

Local Population Pressures Rapid population growth – not enough resources for everyone to live a healthy, productive life Severe overpopulation = stripped forests, exhausted topsoil, & extinct animals Causes malnutrition, starvation, & disease Happens in developing countries – food production, education, & job creation cannot keep up with population growth Each person gets fewer resources

Consumption Trends Developed countries are using much more of Earth’s resources Using 75% of resources, make up only 20% of population Creates more waste & pollution per person

Ecological Footprints Ecological footprints: calculations that show the productive area of Earth needed to support one person in a particular country Eliminates land used for crops, grazing, forests, products, & housing Includes ocean area (seafood) & forest area (absorbs air pollution from fossil fuels) Expresses the differences in consumption between nations

Critical Thinking & the Environment People on either side of an environmental issue can distort information to mislead people about the issue Scientific research is often misinterpreted or oversimplified When considering an environmental issue stance: Be prepared to listen to many viewpoints Investigate the source of information you encounter Gather all the information you can before drawing conclusions

A Sustainable World Sustainability: condition in which human needs are met in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely Key goal of environmental science! Not unchanging – technological advances Current world is not sustainable since developed countries are using resources faster than they can be replaced Sustainable world requires participation from all