Unit 1

Words to know Environment - all external conditions and factors that affect living organisms Ecology - the study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment Environmental Science - interdisciplinary study that examines the role of humans on earth Carrying Capacity - the maximum number of organisms a local, regional, or global environment can support over a specified period

Environmental Sustainability The ability to meet humanity’s current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs Based on the following ideas: 1. We must consider the effects of our actions on the natural environment. 2. Earth has a finite supply of resources that must be allowed to replenish. 3. When consuming products, we must consider ALL of the costs to the environment and society. 4. We must all share in the responsibility for environmental sustainability.

What is a sustainable society? Manages it’s economy and population size without exceeding all or part of the planet’s ability to absorb environmental insults, replenish its resources, and sustain human and other forms of life over a specified period (usually hundreds to thousands of years)

Problems 1. We are using non-renewable resources as if they had an unlimited supply. 2. We are using renewable resources faster than they can be replenished naturally. 3. We are polluting the environment with toxins faster than it can absorb them. 4. Our population continues to grow despite the limited amount of resources.

Solutions? Not that simple  there are many factors to consider We don’t completely understand how the environment works We don’t know what long-term effects our actions will have Ecological, societal, and economic factors Finding a balance is difficult

Example Living sustainably means living off of income and not depleting the capital that sustains the income. Pretend that you inherited 1 million dollars and invested this capital at 10% interest. You can spend $100,000 dollars each year without touching your capital. BUT WHAT IF… you spend $200,000 each year? $110,000? How long will the money last? A. 7 years B. 18 years

Something to think about… If you deplete your capital, you move from a sustainable to an unsustainable life style. During the last 40 years, the U. S. alone has used more resources than the rest of humanity in all previous years.

Human Population Growth There are currently over 7 billion people in the world today A great deal of growth over a relatively short period of time  exponential growth

Human Population Growth So much growth causes a strain on the environment  more people means more resources are used An increase in population also leads to increased poverty levels  over 2.8 billion people live in extreme poverty I = P x A x T I = Environmental impact, P = # of people, A = Affluence per person, T = effect of technologies used to obtain resources

Human Disturbance of Land 73% of the habitable area of the planet has been altered by human activities

Developed Countries Highly industrialized 20% of the world’s population Command about 85 % of the world’s wealth Uses about 88% of Earth’s natural resources Generate about 75% of the Earth’s pollution and wastes (including about 90% of the world’s estimated hazardous waste)

Developing Countries Low to moderate industrialization and per capita GNP Africa, Asia, and Latin America 15% of the wealth and income Use only about 12% of the world’s natural resources 1 million people are added every 4 days!!!

Characteristics of Developed and Developing Countries DevelopedDeveloping Average GNP per person $30,000$3,000 Annual Growth Rate0.1% (slow)1.7% (very rapid) Infant deaths per 1000 live births 964 Population under age 15 19%35% Average life expectancy 78 years63 years Adult literacy97%48% Population with safe water 96%45%

3 types of resources Renewable – resources that are replaced by natural processes and can be used without being exhausted on a human scale; includes solar and wind energy Nonrenewable resources – natural resources that are present in limited supplies and are depleted by use; includes minerals and fossil fuels Potentially renewable resources – resources that can be replace by natural processes as long as they are not used too fast

What happens when a resource is used too fast? Environmental degradation - when the available supply of a renewable resource begins to shrink because a resource’s natural replacement rate is exceeded Tragedy of the commons – “If I don’t use it, someone else will. It might as well be me.” “The little bit I use or pollute isn’t enough to matter.”

Some consequences Fisheries closing because they have been overfished Declining bird populations due to interrupted migration patterns, loss of habitat, forest fragmentation, etc. More endangered species  some reintroduction programs, but not all are successful Introduction of invasive species that cause economic or environmental harm Damage to the atmosphere, particularly the ozone layer Global warming and increasing carbon dioxide levels Destruction of forests, especially tropical rain forests

Environmental World Views Commonly shared perspectives based on a collection of our basic values that help us make sense of the world Western world view = “frontier” world view Deep ecology world view = “earth wisdom” world view

Western World View  Expansionist world view  Human centered/dominance over nature  Utilitarian  Frontier attitude: a desire to conquest and exploit nature as quickly as possible  Unrestricted use of natural resources  Increased economic growth/accumulation of wealth  Unlimited consumption of goods and services to provide material comforts  Concerns for environment are based on human interests  Anthropocentric

Deep Ecology World View Stresses harmony with nature Spiritual respect for life Belief that humans and all other species have an equal worth All forms of life have the right to exist Advocates sharply curbing human population growth Proposes rethinking of how we use technology today Asks individuals and societies to share an inner spirituality connected to the natural world Biocentric

Ecological Footprint The area of the Earth’s productive surface (land and sea) that it takes to produce the goods and services necessary to support a person’s lifestyle What do you think? “There are enough resources to meet the needs of everyone on the planet.” “The U.S. gives more to the world, and therefore can take more from the world.” Other opinion?

Components of an Ecological Footprint Oxygen – trees for absorbing carbon dioxide Food – meat, dairy, fish, fruits and veggies Water – drinking, cooking, washing Fiber – clothes, wood, upholstery Infrastructure – highways, hospitals, water treatment facilities Waste Disposal – garbage dumps, landfills Recreation – football fields, baseball fields, soccer fields, golf courses Energy – fuel for cars, heat for cooking

Further exploration… Read “Hamburger, Fries, and a Cola – What Does it Take to Produce This Favorite American Meal?” What resources are required to make a burger? What are the steps between cow and burger? What are some environmental impacts caused by producing this meal? What ingredients are not mentioned in this article? How many resources do you think are required for these ingredients? Are you surprised by how many resources are used to make a “typical” fast food meal? Do you think these resources are reflected in the cost of the meal? Which steps do you think could be “cut out” in order to reduce the consumption of resources? How difficult would this be?