Sustainable Living

Economic growth An increase in the capacity to provide goods and services for people’s final useAn increase in the capacity to provide goods and services for people’s final use economic growth is measured by an increase in GNP.economic growth is measured by an increase in GNP. –GNP: gross national product: $ value of goods and services produced by a country’s businesses within and outside the country –GDP: gross domestic product: $ value of goods and services produced within the country –GWP: gross world product: total $ value of goods and services produced in the world

Environmentally Sustainable Development economic growth has allowed us toeconomic growth has allowed us to –Live longer –be healthier –have more comfort It has not allowed us toIt has not allowed us to –stop environmental problems –Wipe out poverty

What is a resource –anything that we get from the environment to meet our needs and desires –perpetual resource: something that is continually renewed like solar energy –renewable: On a human time scale something that can be renewed fairly rapidly (Within decades)

Fig. 1.11, p. 11 Resources PerpetualNonrenewable Renewable Fresh air Fresh water Fertile soil Plants and animals (biodiversity) Direct solar energy Winds, tides, flowing water Fossil fuels Metallic minerals Non- metallic minerals (iron, copper, aluminum) (clay, sand, phosphates)

Environmental Degradation: occurs when the resource’s natural replacement rate is exceeded. The following are examples of degradation - deforestation –water logging or salinization of soil –deforestation –pollution –reduction in biodiversity –groundwater depletion –Wetlands destruction

non-renewable: resources that exist in fixed quantities in the earth’s crust energy resources like coal, gas, uranium which are burned and lostenergy resources like coal, gas, uranium which are burned and lost metallic mineral resources that can recycledmetallic mineral resources that can recycled Non-metallic mineral resources that are difficult to recycleNon-metallic mineral resources that are difficult to recycle

What is Pollution Any addition to air, water, soil, or food that threatens the health, survival, or activities of humans or other animals. It can be natural or from humansAny addition to air, water, soil, or food that threatens the health, survival, or activities of humans or other animals. It can be natural or from humans Two types of pollutant sources: point source: where pollutants come from a single identifiable source, like a drainpipe or a smokestack.point source: where pollutants come from a single identifiable source, like a drainpipe or a smokestack. Non-point source: pollutants that come from dispersed sources. Examples are runoff from fertilizers and pesticides or oil from cars.Non-point source: pollutants that come from dispersed sources. Examples are runoff from fertilizers and pesticides or oil from cars. Two approaches to dealing with pollution: pollution preventionpollution prevention pollution clean-uppollution clean-up

Air Pollution Global climate change Stratospheric ozone depletion Urban air pollution Acid deposition Outdoor pollutants Indoor pollutants Noise Biodiversity Depletion Habitat destruction Habitat degradation Extinction Water Pollution Sediment Nutrient overload Toxic chemicals Infectious agents Oxygen depletion Pesticides Oil spills Excess heat Waste Production Solid waste Hazardous waste Food Supply Problems Overgrazing Farmland loss and degradation Wetlands loss and degradation Overfishing Coastal pollution Soil erosion Soil salinization Soil waterlogging Water shortages Groundwater depletion Loss of biodiversity Poor nutrition Major Environmental Problems Fig. 1.13, p. 14

United States The Netherlands India Country Per Captia Ecological Footprint (Hectares of land per person) Fig. 1.10a, p. 11

Country Total Ecological Footprint (Hectares) United States The Netherlands India 3 billion hectares 94 million hectares 1 billion hectares Fig. 1.10b, p. 11

Fuel typeUnitCO2 emitted per unit Petrol1 gallon (UK)10.4 kg Petrol1 liter2.3 kg Gasoline1 gallon (USA)8.7 kg Gasoline1 liter2.3 kg Diesel1 gallon (UK)12.2 kg Diesel1 gallon (USA)9.95 kg Diesel1 liter2.7 kg Oil (heating)1 gallon (UK)13.6 kg Oil (heating)1 gallon (USA)11.26 kg Oil (heating)1 liter3 kg

Each of the following activities add 1 kg of CO2 to your personal carbon footprint: Travel by public transportation (train or bus) a distance of 10 to 12 km (6.5 to 7 miles) Drive with your car a distance of 6 km or 3.75 miles (assuming 7.3 litres petrol per 100 km or 39 mpg) Fly with a plane a distance of 2.2 km or miles. Operate your computer for 32 hours (60 Watt consumption assumed) Production of 5 plastic bags Production of 2 plastic bottles Production of 1/3 of an American cheeseburger (yes, the production of each cheeseburger emits 3.1 kg of CO2!)

Renewable Resources Resources that can be renewed within a lifetime. Solar Hydro Geothermal Biomass Wind

Wind Energy Harnessing wind’s energy to turn turbines connected to a generator. Wind Energy

Solar Energy Capturing sun’s energy. Photovoltaic cells. Solar Energy

Biomass Burning living, once living or from living organisms for fuel. Ethanol CarsEthanol Cars

Hydroelectric Power Using current from water to turn turbines that are hooked up to generators. Hoover Dam

Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy is energy generated by heat stored beneath the Earth's surface. Geothermal Energy Iceland Geothermal

Basic History of Humans and the Environment Hunter-Gatherers –Obtain food by collecting plants and hunting wild animals. How did they affect the environment? –Hunted and killed animals –Picked up and spread plants/seeds to new areas. –Prairie fires were started by native American to improve bison hunting.

Basic History of Humans and the Environment Agricultural Revolution –Developed the process of breeding, growing, and harvesting plants for food. How did this affect the environment? –Human population grew quickly –Natural habitats (grasslands, rainforests) replaced by farmland. –New breeds of animals and plants were created.

Slash and Burn Agriculture Burning down trees to clear land to grow crops.

Basic History of Humans and the Environment Industrial Revolution –Shift in the source of energy to fossil fuels How did they affect the environment? –Increased the efficiency of farming –Increased the size of cities –Introduced plastics, pesticides, fertilizers and air pollution.

Earth Earth is a Closed System –Nothing enters or leaves the Earth in large quantities. Problems with closed systems –Resources are limited, but the population continues to increase –Wastes do not go away

Major Environmental Problems Resource depletion –Resources can be renewable (water) or nonrenewable (oil) –The supply of fossil fuels and metals will eventually run out Pollution –Undesired change in air, water, or soil that affects the health of living things.

Major Environmental Problems Loss of Biodiversity –The number and variety of species is decreasing. –Extinction – natural or man-made? The Tasmanian tiger may be the only mammal to become extinct in the past 200 years on the island of Tasmania. During the same period of time, on nearby Australia, as much as 50% of all mammals became extinct.

Environmental Ethics Environmental ethics is the discipline that studies the moral relationship of human beings to, and also the value and moral status of, the environment.

Types of Environmental Ethics Five Distinct Stages: –Anthropocentric –Pragmatic Resource Conservation –Moral and Aesthetic Nature Preservation –Modern Environmentalism –Global Environmental Citizenship

Hetch Hetchy Valley San Francisco in 1903 is experiencing severe water shortages due to a rapidly increasing population. The Tolumne river runs through nearby Hetch Hetchy valley. Proposal: Dam the river, create a reservoir for water supplies and hydroelectric power. Problem: The valley lies within Yosemite National Park; public land.

Built between

Build the Dam vs. Protect the natural ecosystem of the park The nearby people need water. The dam will produce pollution- free renewable electricity. The valley will be even more beautiful. The natural ecosystem will be flooded and destroyed. Beauty will be ruined. Hetch Hetchy is on a national park.

Anthropcentrism “human-centered” –The protection or promotion of human interests or well-being at the expense of all other factors.

Pragmatic Resource Conservation Advocated by President Theodore Roosevelt. –The environment should be used in a planned way to benefit everyone. –Should be used for “the greate4st good for the greatest number, for the longest time.”

Moral and Aesthetic Nature Preservation Advocated by John Muir, first president of the Sierra Club. –Nature deserves to exist for its own sake regardless of degree of usefulness to humans.

Modern Environmentalism Rachel Carson wrote a book, Silent Spring about the effects of pesticides on birds. –Awakened the public to threats of pollution and toxic chemicals to humans as well as other species.

Global Environmentalism Increased travel and communication enables people to know about daily events in places unknown in previous generations. –Issues and problems are explored on a global scale instead of a local one.

Economics and the Environment Supply and Demand – The greater the demand for a limited resource, the higher the price. Cost/Benefit Analysis – Is the cost of doing something worth the price? –Ex. Pollution cleanup Risk Analysis – The probability that something will cause injury or death. –Ex. Nuclear power

Developed and Developing Countries India Market Wegmans

Developing and Developed Countries Developing – Have lower incomes, agriculture-based economies, and rapid population growth. –Ex. India Developed – Higher incomes, industrial economies, slower population growth. –Ex. United States, Japan, Europe

Indicators of Development for the US, Japan, Mexico, and Indonesia MeasurementUSJapanMexicoIndonesia HealthLife expectancy in years Population growth Per year.8%0.2%1.7%1.8% WealthGross national product per person $29,240$32,350$3,840$640 Living SpacePeople per square mile Energy UsePer person per year (millions of Btu) PollutionCarbon dioxide from fossil fuels per person per year (tons) WasteGarbage produced per person per year (kg)

Population and Consumption Developing countries tend to have severe overpopulation. This leads to: –Deforestation –Bare soil –Native animals driven to extinction –Malnutrition, starvation, disease About 80% of the world’s population falls in this category. –Only use 25% of the world’s resources

Overconsumption

Carbon Footprint Total amount of greenhouse gases emitted by an organization or household. Ecological Footprint Measure of human demand on the Earth’s ecosystem. CARBON FOOTPRINT CALCULATOR

Sustainability Human needs are met so that the population can survive indefinitely.

Fig. 1.1, p Billions of people ? ? ? million years Hunting and gathering Black Death–the Plague Time Industrial revolution Agricultural revolution B.C.A.D.