CHAPTER 3: LIVING RESOURCES Environmental Issues Section 1: Environmental Issues

What does this picture mean to you in regards to the environment?

Types of Environmental Issues Environmental issues fall into three general categories: resource use, population growth, and pollution. I. Resource Use: A. Natural resource- anything in the environment that is used by people B. Renewable resource- are either always available or are naturally replaced in a relatively short time. Ex: sunlight, wind, fresh water, and trees

C. Nonrenewable resources- natural resources that are not replaced in a useful time frame. Ex: Coal, or oil (petroleum based products) II. Population Growth: A. As a population grows, the demand for resources also grows. 1. some towns have experienced a water shortage.

A. Pollution : the contamination of Earth’s land, water, or air. 1. caused by a variety of factors: chemicals, wastes, noise, heat, and light 2. is related to resource use Ex: more cars = more gasoline use = more pollutants released into the air 3. is related to population growth Ex: growth = more people to feed = more fertilizers used to produce the food

Making Environmental Decisions: I. Made at different levels a. Personal = walk instead of ride in a car b. Local = town’s decision to dispose of trash c. National = U.S. allowing oil drilling in a wildlife refuge d. Global levels = How to protect the Earth’s atmosphere II.Personal decisions of millions combined has a profound effect on the environment. III.Balancing Different Needs: A. Environmental Science- the study of natural processes in the environment and how humans can affect them.

To help balance the different opinions on an environmental issue, decision makers weigh the costs and benefits of a proposal. IV. Types of Costs and Benefits: A. Costs and benefits are often economic. Ex: Will a proposal provide jobs? Ex: Will it cost too much money? B. Important to consider the short-term and long-term costs and benefits of an environmental decision Ex: a plan’s short-term costs are outweighed by the long-term benefits

V.Weighing Costs and Benefits: A. Once the potential costs and benefits of a decision have been identified, you must analyze them. Ex: Drilling for oil might produce and oil spill = hurts the environment. Ex: benefit = oil drilling would provide a new supply of oil for heat, electricity, and transportation.