1. Introduction to Environmental Science

2. What is the environment?
Includes all the living and nonliving things in an area
Living things – biotic factors
Ex: plants, birds, squirrels, humans, mushrooms, bacteria
Nonliving things – abiotic factors
Ex: oceans, sun, rocks, soil, clouds, air

3. What do humans rely on the environment for?
Water, Food, Air to breath, Shelter (wood & other building materials)
These things are called resources.
We also rely on the environment for certain services.
Water and Air purification
Soil creation and replenishment
Forest Regrowth
Unfortunately, as we use these resources and services, we affect our environment usually negatively.

4. How do we negatively affect our environment?
Create Waste & Pollution
Use up resources and services faster that they can be made or replenished
We call this depletion.
So, studying the environment remind us that we are part of this world and how we interact with it matters!

5. What is environmental science?
the study of how the environment works, how the environment affects us, and how we affect our environment.

6. Environmental Science vs. Environmentalism
Environmental Science is based in the scientific method. The ideas have been tested and evidence has been gained through experimentation.
Environmentalism is…
A social and/or political movement
People dedicated to protecting the environment
Want to pass or change laws or make people aware of environmental issues

7. Tragedy of the Commons

8. Let’s talk about a major environmental problem!
Overpopulation
Why is this a problem?
too many people, using too many resources, too quickly
not enough resources for everyone, create a lot of waste
Why is overpopulation a difficult problem to solve?
You can’t just tell people to stop having kids or how many kids they are allowed to have!
Moral/Ethical and Religious Issues
So what can we do? How can we fix this problem?

9. The answer lies in the different types of resources!
Concept Map

10. The answer to our original question about overpopulation rests in a term called…
Sustainability
using resources at the same rate that they can be replaced or replenished
Which resources would be more sustainable to use?