Day One Agenda: 1. Welcome! Course introduction and syllabus 2. Survey Questions p21 3. Introduction to Environmental Science (Ch 1) 4. Carbon Footprint 5. Things to do: 1. Bring Liter bottles for Ecocolumn 2. Materials sign up sheet 3. HW: footprint calculations p27

Introduction to Environmental Science

What is Environmental Science?  Environmental Science is the study of how human activities impact both the living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) environment.

Characteristics of Environmental Science  it aims to learn how life on earth has survived and thrived  it aims to understand how we interact with the environment  it aims to find ways to deal with environmental problems and live more sustainably

What are the goals of Environmental Science  The goals of environmental science are to learn: how nature works. how nature works. how the environment effects us. how the environment effects us. how we effect the environment. how we effect the environment. how we can live more sustainably without degrading our life-support system. how we can live more sustainably without degrading our life-support system.

The problem… Natural resources has its limits, and our population growth is not helping Renewable-these are virtually unlimited because they are replenished…however, we are using them too quickly and degrading it. examples: wind,others? Nonrenewable-take forever to replenish, so if we use it, we lose it. examples: mineral ores, others?

Fig. 1-10, p. 17 Depletion of nonrenewable resources SOLAR CAPITAL Human Capital Human Economic and Cultural Systems Pollution and waste Degradation of renewable resources Heat Goods and services Natural Capital EARTH

Natural capital degradation  The exponential increasing flow of material resources through the world’s economic systems depletes, degrades and pollutes the environment.  our-impact-on-the-planet our-impact-on-the-planet Figure 1-11

Industrial Revolution Mid 1700s ? Agricultural revolution 10,000 years ago Hunting and Gathering Billions of people Time Black Death—the Plague

Population growth  Thomas Malthus: number of people would outgrow the availability of food supply until starvation, war, or disease arose and reduced the population (Essay on Principle of Population, 1798) Thomas Malthus: number of people would outgrow the availability of food supply until starvation, war, or disease arose and reduced the population (Essay on Principle of Population, 1798) Thomas Malthus: number of people would outgrow the availability of food supply until starvation, war, or disease arose and reduced the population (Essay on Principle of Population, 1798)  Garrett Hardin: resources that are open to unregulated exploitation will eventually become depleted  “Tragedy of the Commons” Garrett Hardin: resources that are open to unregulated exploitation will eventually become depleted  “Tragedy of the Commons” Garrett Hardin: resources that are open to unregulated exploitation will eventually become depleted  “Tragedy of the Commons”  Is there a check and who/what checks? Is there a check and who/what checks? Is there a check and who/what checks?  world population world population world population

Ecological Footprint the impact of an individual or a population measured as the area of land required to produce the goods consumed and to assimilate the wastes generated. More simply, it is the amount of the environment necessary to produce the goods and services necessary to support a particular lifestyle. calculate your carbon footprint

Fig. 1-14, p. 20 Developing Countries Population (P) Consumption per person (affluence, A) Technological impact per unit of consumption (T) Environmental impact of population (I) Developed Countries

Fig. 1-6, p. 11

Fig. 1-5, p. 11 Percentage of World's Population Developing countries Developed countries Pollution and waste Resource use Wealth and Income Population Growth

PlacePer capita ecological footprint (hectares per person) Per capita biological capacity (hectares per person) Ecological credit (+) or debit (-) (hectares per person) World US China Russia Brazil India Germany Japan Mexico Canada One global hectare represen ts the average productivity of all biologically productive areas (measured in hectares) on earth in a given year.hectares One global hectare=10,000m 2

Our Ecological Footprint  Humanity’s ecological footprint has exceeded earths ecological capacity. Figure 1-7

Day 2 Agenda -Sustainability and Earth as our Island -Easter Island -Video -Tragedy of the Commons activity -Start EcoColumns groups-planning

Garrett Hardin – Economist Authored essay in 1968 titled “The Tragedy of the Commons”. Focuses on: 1. environmental degradation 2. population growth 3. limited natural resources 4. privatization of land

What does commons mean? “Held in common” means the resource is owned by:  No one…or  Owned by a group =all who have access to the resource.

What are common resources? 1. Air! No one owns the air-avail to all 2. Water in oceans & rivers is avail to all. 3. Fish of the sea avail to all. Note: First codified by Romans in 535 AD.

Common Resources

Imagine…  Hardin’s parable involves a pasture "open to all."  He asks us to imagine the grazing of animals on a common ground.  Individuals are motivated to add to their flocks to increase personal wealth.  What would happen to the COMMONs?

Tragedy of the Commons  As selfish stewards, each owner adds another to their flock and the pasture.  If all owners follow this pattern the commons will ultimately be destroyed.

Earth is Our Island  What is an island?  Learning from past mistakes

What is the “tragedy”?  “We can avoid tragedy only by altering our values.” Hardin, 1968 This means we can change the way we live (sustainably) by preserving our natural resources—even in the private sector.

Core Case Study: Environmental Lesson from Easter Island  Thriving society 15,000 people by ,000 people by  Used resources faster than could be renewed By 1600 only a few trees remained. By 1600 only a few trees remained.  Civilization collapsed By 1722 only several hundred people left. By 1722 only several hundred people left. Figure 2-1

Video: Easter Island Video: Easter Island  From ABC News, Environmental Science in the Headlines, 2005 DVD. PLAY VIDEO

 Sustainability, is the ability of earth’s various systems to survive and adapt to environmental conditions indefinitely.  The steps to sustainability must be supported by sound science. Figure 1-3 Sustainability: The Integrative Theme

Four Scientific Principles of Sustainability: Copy Nature  Reliance on Solar Energy  Biodiversity  Population Control  Nutrient Recycling Figure 1-16

Sustainable Low-Throughput Economies: Learning from Nature  Matter-Recycling-and-Reuse Economies: Working in Circles Mimics nature by recycling and reusing, thus reducing pollutants and waste. Mimics nature by recycling and reusing, thus reducing pollutants and waste. It is not sustainable for growing populations. It is not sustainable for growing populations.

1. Why should we care about the environment? 2. How do we promote sustainability? 3. Do we have an obligation to pass on to future generations the extraordinary natural world in a condition that is at least as good as what we inherited? ENDing questions

Fig. 2-16, p. 47 Recycle and reuse Low-quality Energy (heat) Waste and pollution Pollution control Sustainable low-waste economy Waste and pollution Matter Feedback Energy Feedback Inputs (from environment) Energy conservation Matter Energy System Throughputs Outputs (into environment)

Fig. 3-11, p. 58 Zone of intolerance Optimum range Zone of physiological stress Zone of physiological stress Zone of intolerance TemperatureLowHigh No organisms Few organisms Upper limit of tolerance Population size Abundance of organisms Few organisms No organisms Lower limit of tolerance

Core Case Study: Have You Thanked the Insects Today?  Many plant species depend on insects for pollination.  Insect can control other pest insects by eating them Figure 3-1

Fig. 1-2, p. 7 Air (atmosphere) ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Human CulturesphereEarth's Life-Support System Politics Population Size Worldviews and ethics Economics Life (biosphere) Soil and rocks (lithosphere) Water (hydrosphere)

 Which single advantage and disadvantage are the most important? Figure 1-15