1. AP Environmental Science
Chapter 1
Environmental Problems, Causes, and Sustainability

2. Exponential vs. Linear
Exponential growth is currently occurring with our population
doubles quickly, “sneaky”
6.2 billion
another billion in years (from 2000)
Linear growth is obvious
straight line

3. Types of growth
J-curve, exponential growth
Linear growth

5. Solar and Earth Capital
Solar - energy 99%
Earth - resources, support systems
climate control
air and water purification
recycling matter (iron, sulfur, nitrogen, etc.)
renewable energy
renewable matter resources
Pest and disease control
and more.

6. Sustainability Are we living sustainably?
A sustainable society manages its economy and population size without exceeding all or part of the planet’s ability to absorb environmental insults, replenish its resources, and sustain human and other forms of life over a specific period (usually a human lifetime of 100 years)

7. Carrying Capacity
The maximum size of a population an area can support and maintain over a period of time
Carrying capacity of the Earth for people is around 12 billion. What may affect that number?

8. Billions of people Time16 15 ? 14 13 12 11 ? 10 9
Billions of people 8 ? 7 6 5 4 3 2
Black Death–the Plague 1
2-5 million
years
8000
6000
4000
2000
2000
2100
Time
B.C.
A.D.
Fig. 1.1, p. 2
Hunting and
gathering
Agricultural revolution
Industrial
revolution

9. World Population reached
1 billion in 1804
2 billion in 1927 (123 years later)
3 billion in 1960 (33 years later)
4 billion in 1974 (14 years later)
5 billion in 1987 (13 years later)
6 billion in 1999 (12 years later)
World Population May Reach
7 billion in 2013 (14 years later)
8 billion in 2028 (15 years later)
9 billion in 2054 (26 years later)
Fig. 1.3, p. 5

10. Doubling Time
Rule of 70
divide 70 by the percent growth rate and you will find how long it takes the population to double.
70/1.43(current growth rate approx.) = 49 years (we started counting in 2000)

11. Populations and Economy
Developed - highly industrialized
20% population, 85% wealth, 88% resources, 75% pollution and waste, high GNP per capita
Developing - low to moderate industrialization
80% population, 15% wealth, 12% resources, 15% pollution and waste, low GNP per capita

12. Resources Renewable - can be replenished in a lifetime (wind)
Potentially renewable - can be renewable if we change our current habits (soil)
Nonrenewable - only a fixed amount on Earth (minerals)

13. Resources Perpetual Nonrenewable Winds, tides, flowing water Fossil
fuels
Metallic
minerals
Non-
metallic
minerals
Direct
solar
energy
(iron,
copper,
aluminum)
(clay,
sand,
phosphates)
Renewable
Fresh
air
Fresh
water
Fertile
soil
Plants and
animals
(biodiversity)
Fig. 1.11, p. 11

14. Per Captia Ecological Footprint (Hectares of land per person)
Country
10.9
United States
5.9
The Netherlands
1.0
India
Fig. 1.10a, p. 11

15. Total Ecological Footprint
(Hectares)
Country
3 billion
hectares
United States
94 million hectares
The Netherlands
1 billion
hectares
India
Fig. 1.10b, p. 11

16. Major Environmental Degradation to Potentially Renewable Resources
Urbanization
Salinization of soil
Wetland destruction
Groundwater depletion
Livestock overgrazing
Poor soil management
Deforestation
Pollution
Reduction of biodiversity

17. Production rate of resource
Area under curve
equals the total
amount of the
resource.
Economic depletion
(80% used up)
Production rate of resource
Time
Fig. 1.12, p. 13

18. Pollutants Point source vs. nonpoint source
concentration - ppm, ppb, ppt
persistence - degradable, slowly degradable (DDT) or nondegradable
Always less expensive to prevent, instead of trying to clean up.

19. Causes of Environmental Problems
Rapid population growth
wasteful use of resources
degradation of earth’s life support systems
poverty
failure to encourage environmentally and economically sustainable growth
lack of full cost pricing
human urge to “conquer” mother nature

20. Biodiversity Depletion
Habitat destruction
Habitat degradation
Extinction
Air Pollution
Global climate change
Stratospheric ozone depletion
Urban air pollution
Acid deposition
Outdoor pollutants
Indoor pollutants
Noise
Food Supply Problems
Overgrazing
Farmland loss
and degradation
Wetlands loss
Overfishing
Coastal pollution
Soil erosion
Soil salinization
Soil waterlogging
Water shortages
Groundwater depletion
Loss of biodiversity
Poor nutrition
Major
Environmental
Problems
Water Pollution
Sediment
Nutrient overload
Toxic chemicals
Infectious agents
Oxygen depletion
Pesticides
Oil spills
Excess heat
Waste Production
Solid waste
Hazardous waste
Fig. 1.13, p. 14

21. Major Environmental Problems
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
Biodiversity Depletion
Food Supply Problems
Waste Production

22. Rapid population growth Unsustainable resource use Poverty
Not including the environmental costs of economic goods and services in their market prices
Trying to manage and simplify nature with too little knowledge about how it works
Fig. 1.14, p. 15

23. X X = X X = X X = Developing Countries Developed Countries Consumption
per person
(affluence, A)
Technological impact per
unit of consumption (T)
Environmental
impact of population (I)
Population (P) X X = X X =
Developed Countries
Fig. 1.15, p. 15

24. What needs to happen to be sustainable
Switch to pollution prevention, not cleanup
switch to waste prevention and recycling
protecting habitats instead of species
environmental restoration of degraded areas
lower resource use (less wasteful)
ZPG - stabilized population