Our Island, Earth Chapter 1 Section 1.1

What is Environmental Science? Defined as the study of how humans interact with the environment Our environment is a complex web of relationships that connects us with the world. We (as well as other living things) rely on the Earth for everything we need for survival (food, water, shelter) and cannot survive in an unhealthy environment.

Goals of Environmental Science Major goal= to understand and solve environmental problems Two (2) Main types of interactions studied by scientists: a. how humans use natural resources like water and plants b. how human actions alter (change) the environment Involves many fields of science study

Fields of Study Called an “interdisciplinary” science--- this means it involves many different fields of study Ecology- study of how living things interact with one another and the nonliving environment Many sciences contribute to environmental science: *Biology *Earth Science *Physics *Chemistry *Social science

What’s the Difference? Environmental Science Environmentalism Pursuit of knowledge about the workings of the environment and our interactions with it Scientists maintain an objective approach and avoid bias (personal preference) whenever possible Social movement Based upon bias and preference Includes organizations like PETA and Greenpeace

Population Up, Resources Down As the human population increases, so does the consumption (usage) of natural resources Human Population Growth- human population has grown exponentially placing a lot of pressure on the Earth; it’s the cause of many of the other environmental problems a. Almost 7 billion people on the planet b. Over 200,000 humans are added per day Resource Depletion- a resource is any natural material used by an organism

What’s the Difference? Renewable Resource Nonrenewable Resource A resource that forms at a much slower rate than the rate at which it is consumed Examples include coal, oil, and gas A resource that can be replaced over short periods of time Examples include water, soil, trees, solar energy

“The Tragedy of the Commons” An essay written by an ecologist named Garrett Hardin He argued that the main difficulty in solving environmental problems is the conflict between the short-term interests of individuals and the long-term welfare of society Used the example of the commons- areas of shared land that belonged to a whole village Point of essay= someone or some group has to take responsibility for maintaining a resource

If no one takes responsibility, the resource can be overused and become depleted Earth’s natural resources are today’s “modern commons” The needs of the many out weigh the needs of a few.

Developed & Developing Countries The unequal distribution of wealth and resources influences the environmental problems faced by a society. Developed Nation: a nation that has higher average incomes, slower population growth, diverse industrial economies and stronger social support systems. Developing Nation: a nation that has lower average incomes, simple & agricultural-based economies, and rapid population growth

Developed Countries include USA, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, Scotland, Germany, Japan Developing Countries include USSR, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Peru, Chile, Argentina Least Developing Countries include the Sudan, the Congo, Niger and many other parts of Africa

Sustainability It is the main goal of environmental science. Defined as the condition in which human needs are met in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely Currently, developed nations are using resources faster than they can be replaced If all parts of society (individuals, industry, and government) cooperate, sustainability is achievable.

Ecological Footprint A way to express the differences in consumption between nations Shows the productive area of Earth needed to support one person in a particular country Estimates the land used for crops, grazing, forest products, and housing Estimates water consumption and the ocean area needed to harvest seafood Also estimates the forest area needed to absorb pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels

Our Environment Through Time Hunter –Gatherers: a) obtained food by collecting plants and by hunting wild animals or scavenging their remains b) People moved from place to place (migrated) c) set fires to burn prairies & prevented the growth of trees. d) helped spread plants to areas where they did not originally grow

Agricultural Revolution: a) collected the seeds of plants and grew them b) domesticated animals c) human population boom d) forest habitats were destroyed to create farmland

Industrial Revolution: a) involved a shift in energy sources from animal muscle to running water, coal, and oil b) large scale production of food; quality of life improved c) urban cities grew and people relocated to them d) large amounts of pollution as a result e) habitat destruction continued