1. Environmental Issues, Their Causes, and Sustainability
G. Tyler Miller’s
Living in the Environment
MATES
Chapter 1
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2. Key Concepts Growth and Sustainability Resources and Resource Use
Pollution
Causes of Environmental Problems
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3. Living More Sustainably
Ecology
(Biologists)
Environmental Science
(Natural and social scientists study the earth, our interactions with it, and how to deal with problems.
Sustainable Society
Living off interest vs. capital
Carrying capacity
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4. Population Growth Exponential Growth Doubling Time/ Rule of 70
Fig. 1-2 p. 4
Exponential Growth
Doubling Time/ Rule of 70
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5. World Population
Fig. 1-1 p. 2
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6. Economic Growth Gross National Product (GNP)
(Our Total)
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
(Our Inside Part) value of all goods and services
Gross World Product (GWP)
(World Total)
Per Capita GNP
(Average)
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7. Economic Development Developed Countries Developing Countries
(US, Canada, Japan, Australia, NZ, Europe)
Developing Countries
Positive Aspects
(Life expectancy doubled, food production outpaces population growth, more goods/less materials, pollution decline in developed countries)
Negative Aspects
(Life expectancy and pollution control lag in developing countries, unsustainable natural resource use, population competing with wildlife habitats, self-inflict climate changes)
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8. Globalization “An interconnected world”
Economic
(Trade)
Information and Communication
(Internet)
Environmental Effects
(Transport of species/disease)
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9. Resources Perpetual Renewable Non-renewable Fig. 1-6 p. 9
renewed continuously “SUN”
6 billion years more
Renewable
Replenished somewhat rapidly
Non-renewable
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Fig. 1-6 p. 9

10. Renewable Resources Sustainable Yield Environmental Degradation
The highest rate at which a resource can be used without reducing its available
supply
Environmental Degradation
(exceeding sustainable yield) Ground water, Overgrazing,
Deforestation
Tragedy of the Commons
Biologist Garret Hardin 1968; If I don’t use this resource someone else will
“What difference do I make?”
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11. Free Access Resources Regulate Access To a Resource Example;
FISHERIES, GRAZING LANDS, FORESTRY
Or Convert to private ownership???
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12. Non-Renewable Resources Exist in a fixed quantity Million or so years to replenish
Energy Resources
Metallic Resources
Economic Depletion
Fig. 1-7 p. 10
Non-Metallic Resources
Reuse
Recycle
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13. Ecological Footprint
Humanities footprint is 15% higher than earths bio capacity
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14. Pollution What is pollution? Effects of Pollution Sources Point
(Anthropogenic vs. natural)
Humans burning Coal vs. Volcanic Eruption
Effects of Pollution
Sources
Point
Nonpoint
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15. Dealing With Pollution
Prevention (Input Control)
Eliminates the production of pollutants
Cleanup (Output Control)
As it says or dilute. The solution to pollution is dilution???
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16. Environmental and Resource Problems
Fig p. 12
Major Problems (See Fig. 1-9 p. 12)
Five Root Causes
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17. Environmental Impact
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Fig p. 13

18. Environmental Interactions WE need to understand these interaction.
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Fig p. 14

19. Environmental Worldviews CLASH!!!!
Planetary Management
We’re in charge,
There’s always more,
All economic growth is good,
Success depends on understanding, controlling, and managing the earth for our benefit.
Environmental Wisdom
Nature’s in charge,
Some things are limited,
Technology and economic growth can be bad,
Success depends on learning how the earth adapts and integrating how nature acts in to how we act.
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20. Environmentally-Sustainable Economic Development IDEAL
Environmentally-Sustainable Economic Development IDEAL!!! IF anything to do it for our future
Decision making in a
sustainable society
Social
Economic
Environmental
Sustainable
Solutions
Traditional
decision making
Environmental
Social
Economic
Fig p. 17
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