INTRODUCTION Chapter 1 Advance Placement Environmental Science (affectionately called APES) 9/23/2015O'Connell 1

The 3 Fingers of Sustainability [A sustainable society] is one that shapes its economic and social systems so that natural resources and life-support systems are maintained. -Lester Brown (1990) (italics are mine) 9/23/2015O'Connell 2

Outline Invasive species Island Earth Human impact Consumption Sustainability Environmental science Addressing environmental problems Working together 9/23/2015O'Connell 3

INVASIVE SPECIES 9/23/2015O'Connell 4 Zebra mussels

Aral Sea 9/23/2015O'Connell 5 USSR in 1960s diverted the inbound water for farming. Salinity changed from about 10g/L to 100g/L.

9/23/2015O'Connell 6 Water budget: inflow from the rivers, evaporation, precipitation rates, and groundwater inflow.

Caspian Sea 9/23/2015O'Connell 7

Easter Island 9/23/2015O'Connell 8

ISLAND EARTH Resources – Finite – Boundaries – Nonrenewable – Renewable 9/23/2015O'Connell 9

Types of Resources 9/23/2015O'Connell 10 Renewable, but only when managed in a sustainable way

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ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Population growth Increasing resource use Global climate change Loss of biodiversity Pollution Poverty 9/23/2015O'Connell 12

HUMAN IMPACT Most populous countries: 1) China1,361,500,000 2) India1,251,700,000 3) United States 321,530,000 4) Indonesia 256,000,000 5) Brazil 204,000, O'Connell9/23/ billion as of August 16, 2015

Rich Countries Highly developed countries – HDCs or industrial nations 20% of the world’s population High resource use per capita (person) 9/23/2015O'Connell 14

Poor Countries Moderately developed countries (MDCs) Developing nations Less developed countries (LDCs) Third World 80% of the world’s population Rapidly increasing population 9/23/2015O'Connell 15

The contrast between less developed and highly developed countries is great (India vs. Texas) 9/23/2015O'Connell 16

Global Atmospheric Changes Greenhouse effect H 2 O and CO 2 Natural Greatly increased by people Can change climates 9/23/2015O'Connell 17

Loss of Biodiversity How many different types of species in a given area Habitat alteration Loss of: – future crop food choices – medicines Who decides what’s important? 9/23/2015O'Connell 18

Pollution Anything that threatens the health, survival, or activities of humans or other living organisms. 5Rs: refuse (to use); replace (with a less harmful substitute); reduce (use less); reuse; and recycle. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” –Benjamin Franklin 9/23/2015O'Connell 19

Poverty Poverty leads to ecosystem degradation 20 O'Connell9/23/2015

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Poverty 1.2 billion – 2.8 billion people Per capita income of less than $1 a day 9/23/2015O'Connell 22 Leads to... Inadequate health care Unsanitary water Poor nutrition Lower life expectancy

Lights of the World 9/23/2015O'Connell 23

Increasing Human Numbers 400 million 9/23/2015O'Connell 24

CONSUMPTION 1 U.S. child has the environmental impact of 12+ children in less develop countries 1.9 hectares needed per capita 2.3 hectares currently using (average) 9.6 hectares for Americans 9/23/2015O'Connell 25

People Overpopulation When excess number of people causes environmental damage Poor nations 9/23/2015O'Connell 26

Consumption Overpopulation When people consume enormous amounts of natural resources Rich countries Uses ½ the planet’s resources Creates 75% of the waste 9/23/2015O'Connell 27

Ecological footprint 9/23/2015O'Connell 28

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IPAT Model 9/23/2015O'Connell 31 I = P A T Environmental Impact Number of people Affluence per person Environmental effect of technologies

SUSTAINABILITY S tewardship of natural resources leading to their perpetual availability for successive generations Individual, community, regional, national, and global 9/23/2015O'Connell 32

“Live simply so others may simply live” Earth’s resources are not infinite In order to satisfy the basic needs of everyone: – Using only the air, water, plants, and soil that can be replenished – Saving the planet for future generations 9/23/2015O'Connell 33

Sustainability of: Resource harvest -- taken year after year Ecosystem -- keeping a balance Economy -- maintaining a certain standard of living Development -- keep improving as a civilization 9/23/2015O'Connell 34

Sustainability and the Tragedy of the Commons 9/23/2015O'Connell 35 Garrett Hardin

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Interdisciplinary study of the interconnected problems associated with the environment Heavily leans upon ecology 9/23/2015O'Connell 36

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The Process of Science 9/23/2015O'Connell 38 Problem recognition or question Hypothesis development Experimentation Analysis Share knowledge Make predictions Hypothesis supported? YES NO Other scientists New knowledge

ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS Case in Point: Lake Washington 9/23/2015O'Connell 39 Background: Treated sewage dumped in lake from Cyanobacteria grows out of control

Lake Washington: Environmental Problem Scientific assessment: gather info, run experiments, and use reason – Treated sewage was adding unwanted nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen), allowing cyanobacteria to grow – Bacteria feeding on the cyanobacteria used up too much oxygen thus depriving the other organisms 9/23/2015O'Connell 40

Lake Washington: Environmental Problem Risk analysis: potential effects of doing nothing or of intervention – More treatment of sewage or – Discharge into Puget Sound 9/23/2015O'Connell 41

Lake Washington: Environmental Problem Public education and involvement: Explain the problem, present alternatives, probable costs and results – Articles in newspapers 9/23/2015O'Connell 42

Lake Washington: Environmental Problem Political action: Elected officials select a course of action and implement it – Formation of a regional government to deal with the problem 9/23/2015O'Connell 43

Lake Washington: Env. Problem Evaluation: Results of action are monitored – By 1975 the lake was back to normal 9/23/2015O'Connell 44

Lake Washington: Env. Problem 9/23/2015O'Connell 45 Evaluation

WORKING TOGETHER Confrontation over env. problems Scientists don’t always agree Politicians take a “wait and see” approach 9/23/2015O'Connell 46

Direction of Environmental Science? Business as usual » OR Long-lasting, successful solutions to our problems 9/23/2015O'Connell 47

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