Environment as a Science Man’s Interaction with Nature

2 Interdisciplinary involves many different fields of expertise economists, biologists, philosophy, law Concerns Anthropogenic (Mans) Impacts on Nature How Nature and Humans Operate and Interact

3 Environmental Science is a science because it uses: Inductive Reasoning From specific to general –Use observations and facts to generalize –Test Hypothesis’ through sampling of populations –Makes predictions of whole populations with a level of certainty –95% of the time true, 5% false Deductive Reasoning From general to specific –Logically arrive at conclusions based on generalizations or a premise –No room for uncertainty –Premise must be 100% true for conclusion to be 100% true

4 Scientific Methods Hypothesis: –an educated guess that is testable Theory: –predictions made using the theory as a guide are consistently accurate and precise Probability of ERROR ACCURACY A measure of how close to reality an estimate is PRECISION A measure of how consistent a finding or estimate is REPLICATION: Repeating or testing the experiment again

5 How Do We Interact With Nature? Production of Goods & Services Resource use & exploitation Landscapes Aesthetics Food Shelter Clothing Leisure Pollution

6 Changes in Anthropogenic Impacts Hunter Gatherers Subsistence Farming Agricultural Communities Industrial Revolution Information Revolution Nomadic Organic Methods “Tragedy of the Commons” (Hardin) Where there’s smoke, there’s work Self determination & Individualism

7 Limiting Factors in using Nature Carrying Capacity The maximum amount that can be assimilated by the environment without causing dysfunction in resource processes Assimilative Capacity The amount the environment can tolerate without harm Threshold Level The point at which the environment stops functioning as a resource The point at which dilution is no longer the solution

8 Exponential Growth Population Growth 1930 = 2 billion 1960 = 3 billion 1977 = 4 billion 1989 = 5 billion 1999 = 6 billion 2012 = 7 billion Doubling Time* 30 years 17 years 12 years 10 years 13 years *Officially doubling time is the time it takes any population to double in size (i.e. twice as large )

9 Sustainability Sustainable Society –manages its economy and population size without exceeding the environments ability to absorb pollutants, replenish resources, and sustain human and ecological life forms. Sustainable Development –meeting present needs without preventing future generations from meeting their potential needs

10 Sustainable Society’s? Aboriginal Australians American Indians Aztecs Egypt Roman Empire China Dynasty’s America/China 5% / 25%

11 Theories on Sustainability Neo-Malthusian Population will exceed Earth’s carrying capacity –Food production is a linear curve –Population is an exponential curve –When the lines cross, something has to give…a crash occurs

12 Theories on Sustainability Hardin’s “Tragedy of the Commons” No economic disincentive to not use up resources –Overuse and pollution of resources leads to environmental collapse –User’s are free riders