1. Science and the Environment

2. The Environment  What do you think of when your hear the word “environment”?

3. What is Environmental Science?  The study of how humans interact with the environment.  This includes the fields of: Biology- the study of life Chemistry- the study of chemicals and their interactions Physics-the study of matter and energy Earth Science-the study of the non-living parts of Earth Social Sciences-the study of humans

4. The Role of Science in Citizenship  Science (especially environmental science) plays a role in our everyday lives  We notice changes in our environment and must work together to solve the negative ones.  Water pollution can limit our ability to use water  Air pollution can cause health problems such as asthma  Toxins in the environment can be absorbed or eaten by animals

5. Our Environment Through Time  We can divide human interaction into several time periods:  Hunter-Gatherers  The Agricultural Revolution  The Industrial Revolution  The 20 th Century

6. Population Growth and the Environment  Due to technological, medical, and cultural changes during the agricultural and industrial revolutions life spans have become longer and the population has dramatically increased!  This has placed additional stress on the environment as until the 20 th Century, few people were concerned with human effects on the environment.

7. Environmental Problems  We can divide our most pressing environmental problems into three categories:  Resource Depletion  Pollution  Loss of Biodiversity

8. Resource Depletion  A natural resource is a natural material used by humans.  Natural resources can be renewable or nonrenewable.  Some examples of renewable resources are:  Some examples of nonrenewable resources are:  A resource said to be depleted when a large fraction of the resource has been used up.

9. Pollution  Pollution is an undesired change in air, water, or soil conditions that adversely affects the health, survival, or activities of humans or other organisms.  Much of earth’s pollution has come from humans. This began in earnest during the Industrial Revolution.  There are biodegradable pollutants and nondegradable pollutants.

10. Loss of Biodiversity  Biodiversity means the number and variety of species in an area of earth.  Extinction is when a species ceases to exist. This can be a natural process or caused by humans.  Organisms are interconnected in our environment. If one ceases to exist it can threaten a number of other species who interact with it directly or indirectly.

11. Short-Term and Long-Term Interests  When looking at environmental problems we must balance short-term and long-term interests.  Short-term interests fulfill an immediate need (i.e.: I need water, a new phone, trees for firewood or a house)  Long-term interests fulfill a need in the future (i.e: I will still need clean water in 50 years, planning for retirement, needing a forest in the future.

12. Economics and the Environment  Economics can also influence how we interact with the environment:  Supply and Demand  Costs and Benefits  Risk Assessment

13. Supply and Demand and  In the field of economics if there is more demand for something, it is worth more. Also, if there is less of something available, it is worth more.  When oil is in shorter supply, gasoline prices go up. The ways for it to come down and less demand (fewer people driving) or more supply (new wells are drilled).  Think of it like tickets to the Superbowl. They are so expensive because there is much demand, but a limited supply.

14. Costs and Benefits  In every situation where we have to make a decision on our lives, there are costs and benefits. This also applies to how we interact with the environment.  Cost is what must be sacrificed to receive a result.  A Benefit is how much that result helps us.  A cost-benefit analysis is when the costs and benefits are weighed against each other to see if a decision is in our best interest.  Think of “green” cleaning products. They cost more, but don’t hurt the environment.  Think of store-brand foods. They are cheaper but may not taste as good.

15. Risk Assessment  Risk Assessment is when we actually weight the costs and benefits of a decision.  1.Let’s look at the risk assessment of building a dam.  2.Let’s look at the risk assessment of limiting how many tuna fish can be caught by a boat.

16. Human Population and the Environment  How our population in different areas affects the environment can be seen in three ways:  Local Population Pressures  Consumption Trends  Ecological Footprints

17. Local Population Pressures  When populations grow, they require more resources. If they grow rapidly, this can mean that there may not be enough resources.  This can lead to deforestation, animal habitat destruction, species extinction, lack of water or other environmental problems.  This can adversely affect human or other populations.

18. Consumption Trends  More developed countries tend to use more resources than less developed countries.  Developed countries use 75% of the world’s resources while only comprising 20% of the world’s population. This means that more developed countries create more waste and pollution.

19. Ecological Footprints  An ecological footprint represents the productive area of earth needed to support one person in a particular country or place.  What does productive area mean?  Let’s calculate an ecological footprint!  http://footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calcula tors/ http://footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calcula tors/

20. Sustainability  Sustainability is the condition in which human needs are met in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely.  This does not mean that human progress stops. As we develop new technologies, we find ways to work better within our environment.  Currently at the rate we are using Earth’s resources, we do not have sustainability.  To do so we will have to make some hard choices about how we live.