1. APES Intro: A Global Perspective
Understanding Our Environment
Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems
Making Environmental Decisions

2. Understanding Our Environment
Environmental Problems
Resource Depletion
Pollution
Extinction
Understanding Our Environment

3. Nonrenewable Resources – resources that cannot be replaced; oil, natural gas, uranium, gold, etc.
Renewable Resources – resources that can be replaced…but not necessarily in our lifetime; sunlight, wind, wood, food, etc.
Sustainability – using renewable resources at a rate that is slow enough to allow them to renew themselves
Resource Depletion

4. Pollution – the introduction of harmful levels of chemicals or waste material into the environment.
Primary – the pollution itself; SO2, NOx
Secondary – a second type of pollution that is a byproduct of primary pollution; acid rain, which forms when SO2 or NOx react with H2O
Pollution

5. Extinction Extinction – the last of a species has died
The rate of extinction is faster today than ever in recorded history!!!
The #1 cause of organism extinction is Loss of Habitat!!!...usually because of US!!
Extinction

6. Homework Read Section 1.1 (pages 2 – 12) in your intro packet.
Answer the four Section Review questions on page 12.
Bonus Points – Thinking Critically questions on page 7.
Homework

7. Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems

8. Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems
Pure Science – answers questions about HOW the natural world works; biology, physics, etc.
Applied Science – uses the knowledge gained from pure science to solve real world problems; environmental science, engineering, medicine, etc.
The most important pure science in Environmental Science is Ecology!
Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems

9. Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems
Proofs and Theories?!?
Nothing in science is EVER proven!!!
It is either “supported by data” or “not supported by data”.
If there is an infinite amount of supportive data for a given hypothesis, then it becomes a theory; theory of gravity, cell theory, theory of evolution, etc.
In science, a theory is as good as proof!
Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems

10. Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems
Organizing Data, i.e., GRAPHING!!!
Types of Graphs
What tool are
you going to use for graphing this year?
Using Science to Solve Environmental Problems

11. Homework Read Section 1.2 (pages 13 – 19) in your intro packet.
Answer the five Section Review questions on page 19.
Homework

12. Making Environmental Decisions

13. Homework Read Section 1.3 (pages 20 – 24) in your intro packet.
Answer the two Section Review questions on page 24.
Do NOT do the “Thinking Critically” question this time. We will work on that in class tomorrow.
Homework