Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts

So what’s this class about?

Learning Objectives Scientific Method Environmental Ethics Environmental Crisis? Concept of sustainability Systems Uniformitarianism Some others Introduction to Environmental Geology What Environmental Geology means/involves Fundamental concepts (8) Key Principles/Issues

Eight Fundamental Concepts 1. Overpopulation = #1 environmental problem 2. Environmental objective = sustainability 3a The earth is (essentially) a closed system with respect to materials 3b Solutions to environmental problems include understanding of feedback and rates of change in systems 4a. The earth is the only sustainable habitat we have 4b. It’s resources are limited 5. Today’s physical processes are modifying our landscape (and environment), and have operated throughout geologic time; but magnitude and frequency are subject to natural and man-induced changes 6.Earth processes that are hazardous to people have always existed 7.An understanding of our environment requires an understanding of the earth sciences (and related disciplines) 8.The effects of land use tend to be cumulative. Thus, we have an obligation to those who follow us.

Some Definitions Geology: Study of the earth (all aspects) Environment: various definitions Surroundings: Physical Chemical Biological Social & cultural definitions, each with implications

Some Definitions con’t Environmental Geology: Applied Geology Earth materials Geologic processes Hydrologic processes Landscape Natural hazards Natural resources & energy Anthropogenic (man-made or man-influenced) impacts on any of the above Effects of the above on man, society, the environment

The Scientific Method "It has often been said that the greatest discovery in science was the discovery of the scientific method of discovery." -- Dr. James K. Feibleman, author of Scientific Method (1972) Scientific Method vs. Methods Method(s) for understanding how the world works Identify, understand, solve problems Thinking/problem solving skills Objectivity Traditional SM-14

Theories Are hypotheses that withstand the scrutiny of experiments/testing (to establish/confirm e.g., consistency, repeatability, predictability) A strong scientific statement that the hypothesis behind the theory is likely to be true, but has not been conclusively proven Absolute proof of scientific theory is often not possible What kind of “proof” is required (or necessary)?

Examples Gravity Solar system model (seasons) Atomic theory Electricity Nuclear physics What is the prevailing theory for the conditions (environment) necessary for life?

Deep Sea Vents: Smokers Restricted to mid-ocean ridges ~ 2 miles deep Ambient temperature 2 o C Temperature at vents >750 o F (>400 o C) Anomalous concentrations of sulfides Cu, Zn, Fe, Ba, Si, H 2 S Chemosynthesis-based life (bacteria & higher forms) Regulates thermal and chemical balance of oceans and atmosphere

What is Important Objectivity, keep an open mind Appreciation of: “what we do, or think we know”, AND “what we don’t, or may not know” Healthy sense of curiousity/skeptism; don’t be afraid to question the status quo

Culture and Environmental Awareness What is this? What is its significance? Present conditions and the way we perceive and respond to our physical environment are developed from cultural and social institutions Political Economic Ethical Religious Aesthetic Solution to environmental issues/problems require change in how society works (e.g, similar to industrial revolution)

Environmental Ethics What does this mean? Environmental “consciousness” Existence of relationships between the physical environment and civilization Motivation for concept? e.g., “The Quiet Crisis” Land Ethic: Responsibility to the total environment as well as society Meaning / scope? Limits? Perspective

Environmental Crisis Meaning? Increasing demands on diminishing resources Demands accelerate as the population grows Increasing production of wastes Factors Overpopulation Urbanization Industrialization Low regard for environmental/land ethics Inadequacy of institutions to cope with environmental stresses

Environmental Crisis: Examples Deforestation Mining of resources (e.g., metals, coal, petroleum) Development/damage to groundwater and surface water resources

Eight Fundamental Concepts 1. Overpopulation = #1 environmental problem 2. Environmental objective = sustainability 3a The earth is (essentially) a closed system with respect to materials 3b Solutions to environmental problems require understanding of feedback and rates of change in systems 4a. The earth is the only sustainable habitat we have 4b. It’s resources are limited 5. Today’s physical processes are modifying our landscape (and environment), and have operated throughout geologic time; but magnitude and frequency are subject to natural and man-induced changes 6. Earth processes that are hazardous to people have always existed 7. An understanding of our environment requires an understanding of the earth sciences (and related disciplines) 8. The effects of land use tend to be cumulative. Thus, we have an obligation to those who follow us.

Fundamental Concepts 1. Population Growth 2. Sustainability 3. Systems 4. Limitation of Resources 5. Uniformitarianism 6. Hazardous Earth Processes 7. Geology as a Basic Environmental Science 8. Obligation to the Future

Population Growth Greatest environmental problem Exponential growth

Exponential Growth

Growth Rate Calculations As a percentage (e.g., 2% per year) E.G. for a population of 100,000 (10 5 ) After yr-1, increase = 0.02 x 10 5 = 2,000 Total population now =102,000 After yr-2, increase = 0.02 x (102,000)= 2,040 Population now = 104,040 Doubling Time Roughly = 70 ÷ growth rate E.G. for a growth rate of 2% Doubling time  70 ÷ 2 = 35 years Standard growth equation: N=N o e kt see pg. 16

Fundamental Concepts 1. Population Growth 2. Sustainability 3. Systems 4. Limitation of Resources 5. Uniformitarianism 6. Hazardous Earth Processes 7. Geology as a Basic Environmental Science 8. Obligation to the Future

Sustainability Concept of “sustainability” = ? Sustain environmental resources so they can continue to provide benefits to people and the environment Ensuring equal opportunity to resources for future generations Types of development that: Are economically viable Do not “harm” the environment Socially just Sustainable global economy (of planet & its resources)

Fundamental Concepts 1. Population Growth 2. Sustainability 3. Systems 4. Limitation of Resources 5. Uniformitarianism 6. Hazardous Earth Processes 7. Geology as a Basic Environmental Science 8. Obligation to the Future

Systems System: Any part of the universe selected for study Concept of “systems” Earth as “a system” (w/ component systems): Atmosphere (air) Hydrosphere (water) Lithosphere (rock, soil) Biosphere (life) Interactions of these parts = conditions of the environment Changes in magnitude or frequency of processes in one part causes changes in other parts, e.g., ?

Earth “Cycles””

Systems: Principle of Environmental Unity Everything affects everything else, e.g.: Mountain building affects atmosphere, weather, which affects hydrosphere, which affects biosphere, which affects environment, and eventually the lithosphere (e.g., erosion) Gaia Hypothesis (later; also see pg. 18)

System Factors/Components Type of system (open, closed, etc.) Stock (reservoir): quantity of stuff there Fluxes (e.g., flow rate) Input Output

Types of Systems Open: Allows matter and energy in and out (e.g., environment) Closed: Allows only energy in and out Isolated: Allows neither matter or energy to enter or leave

Input-Output Analysis Dynamic systems have inputs & outputs System parameters: Stock/pool Rates (fluxes) Input Output Others

Main ways stocks can change

Residence Time Measure of time required for the total stock or supply of material to be cycled through a system Calculation of average residence time (ARD) Assumming constant size, rates, etc. ARD = (size of stock) ÷ avg. rate of transfer e.g., For a 100-million m 3 reservoir with equal input & output rates of 1 m 3 /sec ARD = 100x10 6 m 3 /(1 m 3 /sec) = 1.0 x 10 8 sec = 3.2 yrs

Significance? Recognition of earth systems, cycles, processes Magnitude of cycle times Rates of natural processes

Features of Systems Most earth systems would appear to be open, and dynamic BUT, natural cycles more closely represent combinations of “closed” systems, because materials are continuously recycled (water, gases, chemicals, etc.) Most dynamic systems tend toward steady state (“balanced” dynamics; pseudo equilibrium) What are some examples of systems in, or that influence, the environment?

System Feedback Negative: System adjusts to changed conditions to reestablish “steady state”, e.g., river Positive: Changes in a system that cause significant modifications of a system, and result in amplification of the changes

Feedback Examples

Off-road vehicle erosion = what type of feedback?

Slope modification, erosion, stability = what type of feedback?

Earth “System” Science Typically involves complex systems Systems interact with one another Interactions generally result in a “balance of nature” (steady state) Types of “changes” Disturbances (flood, earthquake) Threshold (resistance of a river bank) Complex response (flood erosion) Examples of complex systems, feedback, etc.?

Gaia Hypothesis Life significantly affects the planetary environment, i.e., has dynamic vs. passive effects (feedback) Life affects the environment for the betterment of life (regulation processes, e.g., plankton controls of atmospheric O 2 and CO 2 ) Life controls the global environment (e.g., regulation via + and - feedback)

Fundamental Concepts 1. Population Growth 2. Sustainability 3. Systems 4. Limitation of Resources 5. Uniformitarianism 6. Hazardous Earth Processes 7. Geology as a Basic Environmental Science 8. Obligation to the Future

Resource Limitations? The earth is the only place we can live that is now available/accessible to us The earth’s resources are limited Some are renewable others aren’t Two Views: 1. Issue of resources is mainly one of our ability to figure out how to optimize our utilization of them 2. We are in a resource crisis because finite resources cannot sustain an exponential population growth Logical extrapolations?

Fundamental Concepts 1. Population Growth 2. Sustainability 3. Systems 4. Limitation of Resources 5. Uniformitarianism 6. Hazardous Earth Processes 7. Geology as a Basic Environmental Science 8. Obligation to the Future

Uniformitarianism “The past is the key to the present” We can gain understanding of geologic processes, systems, etc. in the past by understanding how they work today Examples: Mountain building/topography/landscape Erosion Water cycles Climate Relationships between life & environment

Uniformitarianism con’t Key concept in interpreting geologic observations, e.g., Glacial processes Marine fossils on mountain tops Volcanism elsewhere in the solar system Ore, petroleum deposits Key for using geologic knowledge to understand natural earth processes in historical and predictive modes

Fundamental Concepts 1. Population Growth 2. Sustainability 3. Systems 4. Limitation of Resources 5. Uniformitarianism 6. Hazardous Earth Processes 7. Geology as a Basic Environmental Science 8. Obligation to the Future

Hazardous Earth Processes Examples: Flooding Earthquakes Volcanism Landslides / mudslides Dealing with natural hazards requires an understanding of the processes, factors, and their relationships to other earth systems

Fundamental Concepts 1. Population Growth 2. Sustainability 3. Systems 4. Limitation of Resources 5. Uniformitarianism 6. Hazardous Earth Processes 7. Geology as a Basic Environmental Science 8. Obligation to the Future

Geology as a Basic Environmental Science All geology can be considered environmental The environment and our understanding of it, is rooted in geology (together with biology,etc.) Understanding our environment requires a broad-based comprehension and appreciation of the earth sciences Main factors in interdisciplinary environmental science: Physical Biological (Chemical) Human use and interest

Fundamental Concepts 1. Population Growth 2. Sustainability 3. Systems 4. Limitation of Resources 5. Uniformitarianism 6. Hazardous Earth Processes 7. Geology as a Basic Environmental Science 8. Obligation to the Future

Obligation to the Future Effects of land use tend to be cumulative This use, and what mankind continues do, have important implications for those who follow us Example: Ducktown, Tenn.

Ducktown, TN

Chapter Summary Environmental Geology = ? Consideration of time in geologic sciences Cultural basis for environmental degradation (explain) Ethical Economic Political Religious Environmental problems not confined to any one political or social system Land ethic = ? Immediate cause of environmental crisis: Overpopulation Urbanization Industrialization (what do these mean; what’s the relationship?)

Chapter Summary con’t Environmental “Problems” mean what? Solutions to environmental problems require what? Scientific understanding (of what?) Fostering social, economic, and ethical behavior to allow implementation (Explain)

Eight Fundamental Concepts 1. Overpopulation = #1 environmental problem 2. Environmental objective = sustainability 3a The earth is (essentially) a closed system with respect to materials 3b Solutions to environmental problems include understanding of feedback and rates of change in systems 4a. The earth is the only sustainable habitat we have 4b. It’s resources are limited 5. Today’s physical processes are modifying our landscape (and environment), and have operated throughout geologic time; but magnitude and frequency are subject to natural and man-induced changes 6.Earth processes that are hazardous to people have always existed 7.An understanding of our environment requires an understanding of the earth sciences (and related disciplines) 8.The effects of land use tend to be cumulative. Thus, we have an obligation to those who follow us.

Learning Objectives Meaning of “Environmental Geology” Scientific Method Cultural/Environmental Awareness Environmental Ethics Environmental Crisis? Sustainability Systems; Environmental Unity Uniformitarianism