1. Welcome to Environmental Science

2. In every deliberation, we must consider our impact on the next seven generations.
- The Iroqouis Confederacy

3. What is Environmental Science?
The study of how humans interact with their environment
Our environment is everything that surrounds us, both natural and man-made.

4. Environmental Science
Devoted to studying the impacts humans have on the environment
NYC Today and 400 yrs ago

5. Goals of environment science
To understand and solve environmental problems
Ecosystem functions
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
Toxic Chemicals
Climate Change
Resource usage
Newer field of study

6. Environment: the total of our surroundings
All the things around us with which we interact:
Living things
Animals, plants, forests, fungi, etc.
Nonliving things
Continents, oceans, clouds, soil, rocks
Our built environment
Buildings, human-created living centers
Social relationships and institutions

7. “…the earth enables our people to survive, the environment must be respected and maintained. As long as the earth remains healthy, the people remain healthy.”
(Long and Fox, 1996)

8. Global human population growth
More than 7.5 billion humans
Why so many humans?
Agricultural revolution
Stable food supplies
Industrial revolution
Urbanized society powered by fossil fuels
Sanitation and medicines
More food

9. Human population growth makes all environmental problems worse
The growth rate has slowed…but we still add more than 200,000 people to the planet each day
We depend completely on the environment for survival
Life has become more pleasant for us so far (Increased wealth, health, mobility, leisure time)
But…natural systems have been degraded and environmental changes threaten long-term health and survival

10. Brainstorm
With your partner/group, brainstorm at least 5 ways in which destruction to the environment and depletion of resources can affect our overall well being as a population.

11. What is an “environmental problem”?
The perception of what constitutes a problem varies between individuals and societies
Ex.: DDT, a pesticide
In developing countries: welcome because it kills malaria-carrying mosquitoes
In developed countries: not welcome, due to health risks

12. What are the challenges we face?
What are the environmental issues we are facing today?
Come up with at least 10!

13. Problem 1: Tragedy of the Commons
Conflicts arise when people share resources
If no one takes responsibility for the resource it will get overused and become degraded.
Examples?

14. Problem 2: Resource Depletion
Resource depletion: using up resources before they can be replenished
Expanded food production led to increased population and consumption

15. Problem 3: Pollution
Pollution: an undesirable change in the air, water or soil that affects humans or other organisms
Each year, millions of people die from pollution

16. Problem 4: Loss of Biodiversity
Biodiversity: the number and variety of species that live in an area
Why is loss of biodiversity a bad thing?
Higher biodiversity = healthier ecosystem
Organisms can be considered natural resource
Biodiversity loss may be our biggest environmental problem; once a species is extinct, it is gone forever

17. We face challenges in climate
Scientists have firmly concluded that humans are changing the composition of the atmosphere
The Earth’s surface is warming
Melting glaciers
Rising sea levels
Impacted wildlife and crops
Increasingly destructive weather
Since the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have risen by 37%, to the highest level in 650,000 years

18. Sustainable solutions exist
We must develop solutions that protect both our quality of life and the environment
Organic agriculture
Technology
Reduces pollution
Biodiversity
Protect species
Waste disposal
Recycling
Alternative fuels

19. Conclusion
Environmental science helps us understand our relationship with the environment and informs our attempts to solve and prevent problems.
Solving environmental problems can move us towards health, longevity, peace and prosperity
Environmental science can help us find balanced solutions to environmental problems

20. We use models to represent Earth Systems

21. WHAT IS A MODEL?

22. Models Physical – 3d models you can touch
Graphical – used to show things (maps, charts)
Conceptual – verbal or graphical explanation of how a system works or is organized
Mathematical – equations that represent the way a system or process works

23. Physical Model

24. Graphical Model

25. Conceptual Model

27. BOUNDARIES
What are they?

28. INITIAL CONDITIONS
Where do we start?

29. Earth Systems

30. Earth Systems

31. Earth Systems

32. Earth Systems

33. Earth Systems

34. Earth Systems

35. Earth Systems

36. Earth Systems