G. Tyler Miller’s Living in the Environment 13 th Edition Chapter 1 Environmental Issues, Their Causes, and Sustainability

Key Concepts What are the Major Environmental ProblemsWhat are the Major Environmental Problems What are Their CausesWhat are Their Causes How Important or Serious are TheyHow Important or Serious are They Ways to Live More SustainablyWays to Live More Sustainably

 Environment Everything that affects a living organism during its lifetime  Ecology Biological science that studies relationship between living organisms and their interaction with the environment

 Environmental Science Interdisciplinary science that uses concepts and information from natural sciences and social sciences to help us understand 1)How the earth works 2)How we are affecting the environment 3)How we deal with environmental problems

Sustainability, is the ability of earth’s various systems to survive and adapt to changing environmental conditions indefinitely. Sustainability Is the Central Theme of This Book  Key idea: Protect your capital and live off of the income it provides

Living More Sustainably  Environmentally Sustainable Society - satisfies the basic needs of its people into the indefinite future Food Food Clean Water Clean Water Clean Air Clean Air Shelter Shelter

Population Growth How fast are we growing?  Exponential Growth Fig. 1-2 p. 4

World Population J curve

Population Growth  Exponential Growth  Doubling Time and the “Rule of 70”  Doubling Time and the “Rule of 70” Fig. 1-2 p. 4

“Rule of 70” 70 Percent growth rate (%) Doubling Time (in years) =

Let’s See If the Rule of 70 Works! 10% fixed growth rate….what is doubling time? 70/10 = 7 year doubling time 100 people to start (.10)(100) =+10 10% growth 110 total # of people at end of year 1 (.10)(110) = end of year 2 (.10)(121) = end of year 3 (.10)(133) = end of year 4 (.10)(146) = end of year 5 (.10)(160) = end of year 6 (.10)(176) = end of year 7—almost doubled!

The Power of Doubling (Lab)

Economic Growth Refers to an increase in the capacity to provide people with goods and services. Economic growth is measured by a county’s Gross National Product (GNP or GNI) Market value ($) of all goods and services produced within and outside a country during a year plus net income earned abroad by a countries citizensMarket value ($) of all goods and services produced within and outside a country during a year plus net income earned abroad by a countries citizens

Other Economic Indicators  Gross Domestic Product (GDP) market value ($) of all goods and services produced within a country during a year market value ($) of all goods and services produced within a country during a year  Gross World Product (GWP) market value ($) of all goods and services produced in the world during a year market value ($) of all goods and services produced in the world during a year

Economic Growth Per Capita GNP  Per Capita GNP GNP divided by total population at mid-year “your piece of the economic pie”

Economic Development The improvement of living standards by economic growth. Measured by –(1) degree of industrialization –(2) per capita GNI Developed Countries –US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, all of Europe Developing Counties –Most of Africa, Asia, and Latin America

<$2700 $2700-$10,750 >$10,750 per capita GNI

Economic Development Positive AspectsPositive Aspects –Global life expectancy has doubled from 33 to 67 years –Infant mortality has dropped –Food production has outpaced population growth –Access to safe drinking water has increased.

Economic Development Negative AspectsNegative Aspects –Average life expectancy in developing countries is 11 years less than in developed countries –Infant mortality is 8x higher –Harmful environmental effects of industrialized food production may limit future food production –Air and water pollution are high in most developing countries –Natural resources are being used unsustainably

Globalization – increasingly integrated world Globalization – we are living in an increasingly integrated world Economic indicators Global economy grew International trade grew Corporation operating in multiple countries grew Economic indicators Global economy grew International trade grew Corporation operating in multiple countries grew Information and Communication 1 in every 11 people in the world have Internet access Information and Communication 1 in every 11 people in the world have Internet access Environmental Effects Number of diseases transmitted across international borders has increased Pollution transported globally Environmental Effects Number of diseases transmitted across international borders has increased Pollution transported globally

Natural Capital = Natural Resources + Natural Services  Natural resources – materials or energy in nature that are useful (sometimes essential) to humans.  Natural services – functions of, or processes in nature which support life and human economies  Solar capital – energy from the sun

Resources Resource – anything obtained from the environment that fulfills a need or want Directly available for use (sun, air, water, wind) Not directly available for use (iron, coal, crops) –Perpetual – on a human time scale are continuous solar energy –Renewable – can be replenished rapidly (e.g. hours to several decades) forests, grasslands, fresh air, fertile soil –Nonrenewable – in a fixed supply or not replenished on a human time scale fossil fuels, iron, copper, salt

Recycling and reusing extends supply of nonrenewable resources. –Recycling processes waste material into new material. –Reuse is using a resource over again in the same form. Some Sources Are Renewable…Some Resources Are Not Renewable  Sustainable yield – the highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used without reducing its available supply  Environmental degradation – when resource supply shrinks as a result of overuse

Overexploiting Shared Renewable Resources: Tragedy of the Commons Three types of property or resource rights: –Private property – owned by a person –Common property – owned by a group –Open access renewable resources – own by no one, available to all, no charge Tragedy of the Commons – common property/ open access resources will be exploited –Solutions – laws or policy reducing resource access or use OR convert the resource to private ownership

Imagine a field of grass shared by 6 farmers, each with one cow…

A few facts: Each cow currently produces 20 liters of milk per day The carrying capacity of the commons is 8 cows. For each cow above 8, the milk production declines by 2 liters (due to overgrazing, there is less grass for each cow: less grass, less milk!). 20 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 120 liters

Do the farmers sit back and stay at 6 cows? Not if they are individual profit maximizers (here simplified as milk production maximizers) 20 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 120 liters (6 cows)

Do the farmers sit back and stay at 6 cows? Not if they are individual profit maximizers (here simplified as milk production maximizers) 20 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 140 liters (7 cows) 40 liters “I’ll get another cow”

We are now at the carrying capacity -- do they stop? No. 20 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 160 liters (8 cows) 40 liters “Then I’ll get another cow too”

They are now at the maximum total milk production. But do they stop? No… 18 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 162 liters (9 cows) 36 liters “I’ll get another cow” 36 liters

32 liters 16 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 160 liters (10 cows) 32 liters “My cow is now less productive, but 2 will improve my situation”

28 liters 14 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 154 liters (11 cows) 28 liters “I’ll get another cow” 28 liters

24 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 144 liters (12 cows) 24 liters “Well, everyone else is getting one, so me too!” 24 liters

20 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 130 liters (10 cows) 30 liters 20 liters “Well, I can still increase milk production if I get a third cow” 20 liters

Ecological Footprints - the amount of land needed to produce the resources needed by an average person in a countrythe amount of land needed to produce the resources needed by an average person in a country

Ecological Footprints

Number of Earths Humanity's Ecological Footprint Earth ’ s Ecological Capacity Year

What’s YOUR ecological footprint?

Pollution Any addition to air, water, soil, or food that threatens the health, survival, or activities of humans or other living organisms

Pollution Where do pollutants come from? Point Sources – single identifiable sources –Smokestack –Drainpipe –Exhaust pipe Nonpoint sources – dispersed sources –Runoff from fields –Pesticides sprayed in the air

Pollution What are the effects of pollutants? a)Disruption of life-support systems for humans and other species. b)Damage to wildlife, human health, and property. c)Nuisances such as noise, and unpleasant smells, tastes, and sights.

Dealing With Pollution  Prevention (Input Control)  Refuse  Replace  Reduce  Reuse  Recycle  Cleanup (Output Control)  Temporary  Shifts problem somewhere else  Costly  Cleanup (Output Control)  Temporary  Shifts problem somewhere else  Costly

Environmental and Resource Problems Major Problems ( See Fig. 1-9 p. 12 ) Air Pollution Water Pollution Biodiversity Depletion Food Supply Waste Production

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

Experts Have Identified Five Basic Causes of Environmental Problems Population growth Wasteful and unsustainable resource use Poverty Failure to include the harmful environmental costs of goods and services in their market prices Insufficient knowledge of how nature works

Resource Consumption and Environmental Problems BOTH poverty and wealth can lead to environmental degradation: Underconsumption –People who live in poverty are concerned with survival, not the environmental implications of their actions. Overconsumption –Affluenza: unsustainable addiction to overconsumption and materialism.

Environmental Impact Fig p. 13

Connections between Environmental Problems and Their Causes  I = PAT  I = P x A x T I = Environmental Impact I = Environmental Impact P = Population P = Population A = Affluence (per capita consumption) A = Affluence (per capita consumption) T = Technology T = Technology

Environmental Interactions Fig p. 14

Environmental Worldviews Planetary Management We are in charge of nature. There is always more. All economic growth is good. Our success depends on how well we can understand, control, and manage the earth’s life support systems.

Environmental Worldviews Environmental Wisdom Nature does not exist just for us and we only think we are in charge. There is not always more. Some forms of technology are environmentally beneficial, some are harmful. Our success depends on learning how the earth sustains itself and integrating these lessons into how we think and act. Environmental Wisdom Nature does not exist just for us and we only think we are in charge. There is not always more. Some forms of technology are environmentally beneficial, some are harmful. Our success depends on learning how the earth sustains itself and integrating these lessons into how we think and act.

SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL WORLDVIEWS Technological optimists: –suggest that human ingenuity will keep the environment sustainable. Environmental pessimists: –overstate the problems where our environmental situation seems hopeless.

How Would You Vote? To conduct an instant in-class survey using a classroom response system, access “ JoinIn Clicker Content ” from the PowerLecture main menu for Living in the Environment. Is the society you live in on an unsustainable path? –a. Yes: Without readily available green products and services, converting to a sustainable society is unrealistic. –b. Not entirely: I'm doing what I can to improve sustainability, including recycling and using less energy.

Four Scientific Principles of Sustainability: Copy Nature Reliance on Solar Energy Biodiversity Population Control Nutrient Recycling Figure 1- 16

Fig. 1-16, p. 24 Reliance on Solar Energy Population Control Nutrient Recycling Biodiversity

Environmentally-Sustainable Economic Development Fig p. 17 Decision making in a sustainable society Decision making in a sustainable society SocialEconomic Environmental Sustainable Solutions Traditional decision making Traditional decision making Environmental SocialEconomic

Current Emphasis Pollution cleanup Waste disposal (bury or burn) Protecting species Environmental degradation Increased resource use Population growth Depleting and degrading natural capital Sustainability Emphasis Pollution prevention (cleaner production) Waste prevention and reduction Protecting where species live (habitat protection) Environmental restoration Less wasteful (more efficient) resource use Population stabilization by decreasing birth rates Protecting natural capital and living off the biological interest it provides