1. Welcome to AP Environmental Science!!!

2. So why are you here?

3. The population of the planet is growing bigger and bigger, but… the planet’s resources aren’t!

4. Exponential Growth and the Rule of 70.
70 ÷ % growth rate = doubling time in years (approximately)

5. In 2017, the world population has grown by 1.11%.
The current global population is ~7 billion people.
7,523, 940, 542(Aug 2017 est)
In 2017, the world population has grown by 1.11%.
70/1.11 ~ years

6. If the world maintains its current rate of growth, it will double it’s population in 63 years.
That is more growth than has occurred in all of human history combined!!!

7. Human population growth
Human population growth. It took thousands of years for the human population to reach 1 billion (in 1800) but only 130 years to reach 2 billion (1930). It only took 30 years to reach 3 billion (1960), 15 years to reach 4 billion (1975), 12 years to reach 5 billion (1987), and 12 years to reach 6 billion (1999). (Population Reference Bureau) Another 12 years and we have now reached 7 billion (2011). (

8. Unit I - Introduction to Environmental Science

9. Introduction to Environmental Science
Environmental Science is essentially the study of ecosystems interacting with human systems.
It is a broad interdisciplinary science that includes science, math, and social studies.

10. Introduction to Environmental Science
Environmental Science recognizes that there are no ecosystems that are not impacted by humans.
We all share the same resources, use the same available energy, and undergo changes as the environment changes.

11. Introduction to Environmental Science
Exponential human growth is at the center of all environmental concerns.
Earth’s capital
all the combined available resources on the planet.

12. Introduction to Environmental Science
Sustainability is living off resources without depleting the Earth’s capital and jeopardizing future generations.
Sustainable societies seek to manage growth of the economy, population, and resources.
Are there any sustainable societies in the world?

13. The Wealth Gap
GDP – Gross Domestic Product – is the annual market value of all goods and services produced by all firms and organizations, foreign and domestic, operating within a country.
Per capita means divided by population

14. The Wealth Gap
It is the distance between the GDP of developed and developing countries.
There is no single definition however…
Developed nation status is generally based on higher per capita GDPs…
but there are many exceptions!

15. The Wealth Gap Highly Developed Countries Less Developed Countries
Complex industrial bases, low population growth, high per capita incomes
Ex: USA, Japan, France
Less Developed Countries
Low level of industrialization, very high fertility and infant mortality, low per capita income
Ex: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nigeria

16. The Wealth Gap
Per capita, Qatar ($102,100), Liechtenstein ($89,400), and Monaco ($85,500) are the wealthiest nations.
US is $52,800 (9th)
The U.S. ($16.72 trillion), China ($13.39 trillion), and India ($4.99 trillion) lead the world in total GDP.
Burundi, Somalia, Zimbabwe ($600), and DRC ($400) are the poorest countries (per capita).

17. The Wealth Gap Developed countries have ~1.2 billion people.
Is only 21% of the world’s population.
Utilize over 75% of all natural resources.
Generate 75% of the world’s pollution.

18. Earth’s Capital
Earth’s Capital

19. Earth’s Capital Some resources can be recycled
Some metals and minerals
aluminum, iron
Other resources can be reused
A material is considered reusable if it can be put to another use without altering the product.
rubber, plastic grocery bags

20. Ecological Footprint
The average amount of land, water, and ocean required to provide that person with all the resources they consume.

21. Ecological Footprint Developed Countries Developing Countries
Smaller populations.
Use large amounts of resources per person.
Have strict environmental regulations.
Developing Countries
Larger populations.
Use small amounts of resources per person.
Have less environmental regulations.

22. Pollution Overview
Pollution is basically the wasteful use of resources (Earth’s capital).
Unevenly distributed populations and resources increase it.
Pollution is classified into two basic types:
Point Source – comes from a single identifiable sources (factories, power plants, etc.)
Non-Point Source – comes from dispersed sources (storm water runoff, oil from the highway).

23. Pollution Overview
The severity of pollution depends on several factors
concentration, amount, toxicity, ability to degrade, and the speed at which it is added.
Bioaccumulation
process that increases toxicity of a pollutant within one organism
typically the pollutant does not break down in the organism

24. Pollution Overview Biomagnification
process that increases the effects of pollution as it passes through organisms in the food chain.
as biomass increases, so does toxicity.

25. Pollution Overview Prevention is much cheaper than cleanup
However most funding goes to cleanup.
Best Management Practices (BMP) is a set of strategies for industry, business, government, etc. to act smarter and operate more efficiently.

26. Strategies for Pollution Control
Command and Control Solutions
Government agency requires limitations to emissions or pollutants
Environmental Taxes/Tradable Permits
Difficult to assess true costs of environmental pollution
Carrot & Stick Approach

27. History of the Conservation Movement
Land impact increased as societies evolved
hunter-gathering peoples
agricultural societies
eventually industrialized societies.

28. History of the Conservation Movement
17th and 18th centuries
Frontier Attitude
Natural resources are inexhaustible
Widespread environmental destruction
1870’s to 1920’s saw an awakening in environmental awareness.
Henry David Thoreau and George Perkins Marsh became the fathers of environmentalism.
1st wildlife refuge established at Lake Merritt, CA (1870)
Yellowstone National Park established (1872)
Sierra Club was established by John Muir (1892)
President Theodore Roosevelt’s term became known as the “Golden Age of Conservation” (1901 – 1909)

29. History of the Conservation Movement
1870’s to 1920’s ...
1st national wildlife refuge established at Pelican Island, FL (1903)
US Forest Service established (1905)
Audubon Society founded by John Audubon (1905)
National Park Service established (1916)
Migratory Bird Act (1918)

30. History of the Conservation Movement
1930’s – 1950’s saw large public works projects dealing with the environment.
Economic depression and war took precedence.
Soil Conservation Act (1935)
US Fish and Wildlife Service established (1940)
Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac published (1949)
Water Pollution Control Act (1956)

31. History of the Conservation Movement
1960’s saw a “reawakening” of sorts of the environmental movement.
Foam was appearing in New York rivers from detergents being dumped.
Clean Air Act was first established (1963).
DDT was killing birds and at least a half dozen species were near extinction (birds of prey).
Land and Water Conservation Act established (1965).
Lake Erie was closed for the first time due to health concerns.
The Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, OH actually caught fire and burned for 8 days!!! (1969)

33. History of the Conservation Movement
Rachel Carson published Silent Spring in 1962.
Told the story of spring arriving with fewer insects from overuse of pesticides (particularly DDT).
Other creatures relying on insects for food either died of starvation or experienced poisoning due to biomagnification.
Some birds of prey were not able to reproduce because of the effects of DDT on their egg shells.

34. Effect of DDT on birds. A comparison of the number successful bald eagle offspring with the level of DDT residues in their eggs. DDT was banned in Note that the reproductive success improved after DDT levels decreased. (DDE is a derivative of DDT.) (Reprinted with permission from Grier, J. W.)

35. History of the Conservation Movement
1970’s became known as the “Environmental Decade”
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) written 1969.
The EPA was established (1970).
April 22, 1970 was the 1st Earth Day, founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson.
The Endangered Species Act was established (1973)
Energy Policy and Conservation Act established (1975)
The Clean Water Act was first established (1977)

36. Effects of Environmental Legislation
Since 1970
6 air pollutants have dropped by 25%
Since 1990
Wet sulfate levels decreased 20-35%
As of 2006
45% of municipal waste is either recycled or burned for energy
As of 2007
90% of US has healthy drinking water (up from 75% in 1993)

38. Environmental Ethics
Field of ethics that considers the moral basis of environmental responsibility.
Western Worldview
Human superiority and dominance over nature.
Deep Ecology Worldview
All species have an equal worth to humans.
Most people’s ethics fall somewhere in between.