1. Environmental Science 101
Chapter 1
Environmental Science and Sustainability

2. This lecture will help you understand:
The meaning of the term environment
The importance of natural resources
That environmental science is interdisciplinary
The scientific method and how science operates
Some pressures facing the global environment
Sustainability and sustainable development

3. Environment: the total of our surroundings
All the things around us with which we interact:
Living things
Animals, plants, forests, fungi, etc.
Non-living things
Continents, oceans, clouds, soil, rocks
Our built environment
Buildings, human-created living centers
Social relationships and institutions
Urbanization, Cars

4. Humans exist within the environment
Humans exist within the environment and are part of nature.
Our survival depends on a healthy, functioning planet.
The fundamental insight of environmental science is that we are part of the natural world.
Our interactions with its other parts matter a great deal.

5. Science
Definition: Human effort to understand how the natural world works by making observations, measurements and experiments.
Success depends on 5 Factors
Curiosity
Skepticism
Reproducibility
Peer Review
Critical Thinking

6. The scientific method A technique for testing ideas
A scientist makes an observation and asks questions of some phenomenon.
The scientist formulates a hypothesis, a statement that attempts to answer the question.
The hypothesis is used to generate predictions: specific statements that can be tested.
The results support or reject the hypothesis.

7. 3 Limitations to Science
Can’t prove or disprove anything 100%
Biased
Natural Systems are very complex

8. Earths Natural Systems
Sustainability
Definition: capacity of the earths natural systems and humans systems to survive, flourish, and adapt.
Earths Natural Systems
-Atmosphere
-Hydrosphere/Cryosphere
-Geosphere/Pedosphere
-Biosphere
-Anthrosphere
2 Reasons to Care
Self-Interest
Ethical Views

9. Natural Capital
Definition: resources and ecological services provided by nature that keep us alive and support human economies
Resources: matter and energy
Life, Land, Air, Water, Soil, Minerals, Fossil Fuels
Ecological Services: natural cycles that allow us to survive
Top-soil, air, water purification, pollination

10. Renewable resources:
Perpetually available: sunlight, wind, wave energy
Renew themselves over short periods of time: timber, water, soil
Non-renewable resources:
Can be depleted (fixed/limited quantity)
Examples: Oil, coal, minerals

11. Environmental Degradation
Definition: Use of a Natural Resource faster than it can be renewed or decreasing the effectiveness of a Natural Service
Tropical Deforestation
Drought
Topsoil Erosion
Water pollution
Air pollution
Extinctions

12. Ecological Footprints
Definition: a rough measure of our environmental impact on earth’s renewable resources and life support system.
More-Developed vs Less-Developed Countries
Per Capita ($)

13. Ecological Footprints II

14. Are We Living Sustainably?

15. What Can Be Done? Three Scientific Principles of Sustainability
- Solar energy
- Chemical cycling
- Biodiversity

16. Solar (?) Energy
Definition: Renewable (nearly limitless) supply of energy
Powers Technological Solutions
Decreases Pollution
Power Plants
Transportation – Cars (Airplanes?)
Wind
Nuclear
Ch. 5/6

17. Chemical Cycling
Definition: Continuous cycling of chemical required for life from the environments Soil (Ch. 4/9) , Water (Ch. 10/11) , and Air (Ch. 12)
Required for Life
Rate of Consumption vs Rate of Regeneration
Figure 1.18, 1.19, 1.20

18. Biodiversity
Definition: Variety of genes, species, and ecosystems are required for the life-sustaining processes of energy flow and chemical cycling
Key Role in Cycling
Examples: Water Purification, Soil Regeneration, Fishing
Currently in the 6th great extinction?

19. 3 Social Science Principles of Sustainability
Economics: Full-Cost Pricing
Price resources/pollution better
*Wealth Equality
Political Science: Win-Win Solutions
Solve environmental issues without economic harms
Benefit the largest number of people
Ethics: Responsibility to Future Generations
That’s you! (and your kids)
Leave the Earth like we found it (or better!)
*We only need 5-10% of the people to care to bring about change

20. What Can We/You Do? Big/Hard Questions! Environmental Century
Can’t predict everything
Reduce Ecological Footprint vs Expand Resources Available ?

21. Environmental Science  Environmentalism
The pursuit of knowledge
Remain objective
Environmentalism
A social movement
Environmental activism

22. Environmental Science How the natural world works and how humans interact with it
Environment   Impacts   Humans

23. Environmental Science and Sustainability (1) Population (2)
Exam 1
Exam 3
Environmental Science and Sustainability (1)
Population (2)
Urbanization (3)
Extinctions (8)
Climate Change (13)
Final Exam
Environment
Exam 4
Exam 2
Water (10)
Food (4)
Mineral Resources (7)
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (5)
Nonrenewable Energy (6)
Exam 5
Land Degradation (9)
Water Pollution (11)
Air Pollution (12)
Waste (14)