1. Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability Chapter 1

2. Key Concepts Sustainability Principles, Natural capital, Resources Ecological Footprint, Pollution Causes of Environmental Problems: $, Overpopulation A Sustainable Future?

3. W HAT ARE THREE PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY ? Section 1-1

4. Environmental science is a study of connections in nature Environment includes all living and nonliving things with which an organism interacts. Environmental science Interdisciplinary study of how the earth works, our interaction with the earth, and ways to deal with environment problems and live more sustainably. Ecology studies relationships between living organisms, and their interaction with the environment. Environmentalism is a social movement dedicated to protecting life support systems for all species.

5. Nature’s survival strategies follow three principles of sustainability 1.Life depends on solar energy. 2. Biodiversity provides natural services. 3.Chemical/nutrient cycling means that there is little waste in nature. 4. Population control?

6. Three principles of sustainability

7. Sustainability has certain key components Know: Life depends on natural capital (= natural resources + natural services). Accept: Human activities can degrade natural capital. Do: Sustainable solutions exist.

8. Key natural resources and services

9. NATURAL CAPITAL NATURAL RESOURCES Air Water Soil Land Life (biodiversity) Nonrenewable minerals (iron, sand) Renewable energy (sun, wind, water flows) Nonrenewable energy (fossil fuels, nuclear power) NATURAL SERVICES = ecosystem services Air purification Water purification Soil renewal Nutrient recycling Food production Pollination Grassland renewal Forest renewal Waste treatment Climate Control Population control (species interactions) Pest control Stepped Art Natural Capital = = + + ↑Ecosystem Services ↑

10. Nutrient cycling

11. Resources are required to meet our needs 1. Renewable a. Perpetually Renewable - sun, wind, flowing water b. {Potentially} Renewable - fresh air, water, soils, forests, food (“potentially renewable”= can be depleted if used beyond sustainable yield) 2. Nonrenewable - fossil fuels, metals, … economic depletion

12. Renewable Resources (Potentially Renewable) Sustainable yield = highest rate renewable resource can be used indefinitely w/out reducing supply :) Environmental degradation = depletion of renewable resource is faster than renewal :(

13. Nonrenewable Resources- (exist in fixed quantity in earth’s crust) Energy resources- coal, oil, natural gas Metallic mineral resources - iron, copper, aluminum Nonmetallic mineral resources - salt, clay, sand Economic depletion- Exhaustion of about 80% of estimated supply of nonrenewable resource. Sustainable solutions: Reduce, reuse, recycle.

14. Rich and poor countries have different environmental impacts Developed countries (MDC) include the high income ones e.g. United States, Canada,... Developing countries (LDC) include the low income ones e.g. China, India.

15. H OW ARE OUR ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINTS AFFECTING THE EARTH ? Section 1-2

16. We are living unsustainably Environmental, or natural capital degradation is occurring. We have solutions to these problems that can be implemented.

17. Degradation of normally renewable natural resources

18. Pollution Definition: any addition to air, water, soil or food that threatens health, survival or activities of humans or other organisms Point sources- single identifiable sources (smokestack, drainpipe, exhaust pipe) Nonpoint Sources - dispersed and difficult to identify and control (fertilizer / pesticide runoff, wind- blown pesticides, …) Unwanted effects of pollution 1. Disrupt life support systems 2. Damage wildlife, human health and property 3. Create nuisances (noise, smell, taste, sight)

19. Point-source Air Pollution

20. Solutions to Pollution Pollution prevention (input control) Pollution cleanup (output control) Disadvantages of output control- temporary bandage, can transfer to other areas, costly

21. Ecological footprints: our environmental impacts Ecological footprint is the amount of biologically productive land and water needed to supply a person or country with renewable resources and to recycle the waste and pollution produced by such resource use. Per capita ecological footprint is the average ecological footprint of an individual in a given country or area.

22. The tragedy of the commons: overexploiting shared renewable resources In 1968, the biologist Garrett Hardin called the degradation of openly shared resources ( clean air, water, fish, pasture, etc.) the Tragedy of the Commons: “If I don’t use this resource, someone else will.” Reducing degradation. Reduce use by government regulations. Shift to private ownership.

23. Ecological footprints: our environmental impacts Ecological deficit means the ecological footprint is larger than the biological capacity to replenish resources and absorb wastes and pollution. Humanity is living unsustainably. Footprints can also be expressed as number of Earths it would take to support consumption.

24. Total and per capita ecological footprint of selected countries 1.0 hectare = 2.47 acres current global footprint requires 1.3 planets 30% higher than carrying capacity Sustainable???

25. IPAT is another environmental impact model In the early 1970s, scientists Paul Ehrlich and John Holdren developed the IPAT model. I (environmental impact) = P (population size) x A (affluence/person) x T (technology’s beneficial and harmful effects).

26. I = P x A x T

27. W HY DO WE HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS ? Section 1-3

28. Experts have identified four basic causes of environmental problems 1.Population growth. 2.Unsustainable resource use. 3.Poverty. 4.Excluding environmental costs from market prices.

29. The human population is growing exponentially at a rapid rate Human population is increasing at a fixed percentage so that we are experiencing doubling of larger and larger populations. Human population in 2009 was about 6.8 billion. It is over 7 billion now. Based on the current increase rate there will be 9.6 billion people by 2050. We can slow population growth.

30. Exponential growth World’s Population Growth = 1.2% (83 million people added per year = 9,474 / hour) Click for Current Word Population

31. Historical Changes in Human Culture Hunter-gatherers - 200,000 years ago - 12,000 yrs ago Agricultural revolution - began between 10k & 12k years ago Industrial-medical revolution- began 275 years ago Information-globalization revolution- 50 years ago

32. Developed countries Developing countries World total Human Population Growth Population (billions) Year 97% of projected increase expected in developing world

33. Percentage of World's Developed countriesDeveloping countries Population growth Wealth and income Resource use Pollution and waste 19 81 0.1 1.5 85 15 88 12 75 25 Global Outlook (2006 data)

34. Global life expectancy doubled since 1950 Infant mortality cut in half since 1955 Food production ahead of population growth since 1978 Air and water pollution down in most developed countries since 1970 Number of people living in poverty dropped 6% since 1990 Life expectancy 13 years less in developing countries than in developed Countries Infant mortality rate in developing countries over 9 times higher than in developed countries Harmful environmental effects of agriculture may limit future food production Air and water pollution levels in most developing countries too high Half of world's workers trying to live on less than $2 (U.S.) per day Economic Development Trade- Offs Economic Development Good NewsBad News

35. Economics Economic growth = increase in capacity of country to provide goods and services Gross Domestic Product (GDP) = annual market value of goods and services produced in a country Per capita GDP = GDP/Population Economic development = improvement of living standards via economic growth

36. Prices of goods and services due not include harmful environmental and health costs Profit often is first concern. Consumers do not know impacts. Government subsidies may create problems. So… Shift to beneficial government subsidies. Tax pollution and waste heavily while reducing taxes on income and wealth.

37. Affluence has harmful and beneficial environmental effects Wealth results in high levels of consumption and waste of resources :( Average American consumes 30 times as much as the average consumer in India “Shop-until-you-drop” affluent consumers are afflicted with a disorder called “affluenza”. Affluence has provided better education, scientific research, and technological solutions, which result in improvements in environmental quality (e.g., safe drinking water). :)

38. Affluenza Diagnosis “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people they don’t like.” - W. Rogers a.I am willing to work at a job I despise so I can buy lots of stuff b.When I am feeling down, I like to go shopping to make myself feel better. c.I would rather be shopping right now. d.I owe more than $1,000 on my credit cards. e.I usually make only the minimum monthly payments on my credit card bills. f.I am running out of room to store my stuff. If you agree with 2 or more of the statements above, you could be suffering from Affluenza

39. Poverty has harmful environmental and health effects Poverty occurs when the basic needs for adequate food, water, shelter, health, and education are not met. One in every five people live in extreme poverty (<$1.25/day), and more are susceptible.

40. Poverty has harmful environmental and health effects Poverty causes harmful environmental and health effects: Environmental degradation caused by need for short-term survival. Malnutrition. Inadequate sanitation and lack of clean drinking water. Severe respiratory disease. High rates of premature death for children under the age of 5 years.

41. Harmful effects of poverty

42. People have different views (or ethics) about environmental problems and their solutions Planetary management worldview: we are separate from and in charge of nature. Stewardship worldview: manage the earth, but be caring and responsible. Environmental wisdom worldview: that we are part of, and dependent on, nature and that nature exists for all species.

43. W HAT IS AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY ? Section 1-4

44. Environmentally Sustainable Society A society that manages economy & population size without doing irreparable environmental harm. Does not deplete natural capital Individuals matter! Think: Income analogy Remember BIG 3 IDEAS: SUN, BIODIVERSITY, CYCLES

45. Current Emphasis Sustainability Emphasis Pollution cleanup Waste disposal (bury or burn) Protecting species Environmental degradation Increased resource use Population growth Depleting and degrading natural capital) Pollution prevention (cleaner production) Waste prevention & reduction Protecting where species live (habitat protection) Environmental restoration Less wasteful (more efficient) resource use Population stabilization by decreasing birth rates Protecting natural capital and living off the biological interest it provides Sustainability Revolution END