1. Unit 1 An Introduction to Environmental Science and Sustainability

2. Our Environment (Earth)
Life has existed on earth for 3.8 billion years
Earth well suited for life
Water covers ¾ of planet
Habitable temperature, moderate sunlight
Atmosphere provides oxygen and carbon dioxide
Soil provides essential minerals for plants
But humans are altering the planet; not always in positive ways

3. Human Impact on the Environment
Satellite view of North America at night

4. Human Impacts on Environment— Population
Earth’s Human Population is over 6 billion
Growing exponentially
Expected to add several billion more people in 21st century

5. Population 1 in 4 people live in extreme poverty
Cannot meet basic need for food, clothing, shelter, health
Difficult to meet population needs without exploiting earth’s resources

6. Gap Between Rich and Poor
Highly Developed Countries (HDC)
Complex industrialized bases, low population growth, high per capita incomes
Ex: US, Canada, Japan
Less Developed Countries (LDC)
Low level of industrialization, very high fertility rate, high infant mortality rate, low per capita income
Ex: Bangladesh, Mali, Ethiopia

7. Types of Natural Resources

8. Ecological Footprint
The average amount of land, water and ocean required to provide that person with all the resources they consume
Earth’s Productive Land and Water
11.4 billion hectares
Amount Each Person is Allotted (divide Productive Land and Water by Human Population)
1.8 hectares
Current Global Ecological Footprint of each person
2.7 hectares

9. Ecological Footprint Comparison

10. Environmental effect of technologies
IPAT Model
Measures 3 factors that affect environmental impact (I)
I = P A T
Environmental Impact
Number of people
Affluence per person
Environmental effect of technologies

11. Environmental Sustainability
The ability to meet current human need for natural resources without compromising the needs of future generations
Requires understanding:
The effects of our actions on the earth
That earth’s resources are not infinite
STOP HERE!

12. Tragedy of the Commons Garrett Hardin (1915-2003)
Solving Environmental Problems is result of struggle between:
Short term welfare
Long term environmental stability and societal welfare
Common pool resources
Garrett used Common Pastureland in medieval Europe to illustrate the struggle

13. Environmental Science
An interdisciplinary study of human relationship with other organisms and the earth
Biology
Ecology
Geography
Chemistry
Geology
Physics
Economics
Sociology
Demography
Politics

14. Feedback

15. Five Stages to Addressing An Environmental Problem
Five steps are idealistic
Case Study: Lake Washington