1. Understanding Our Environment
Chapter 1
Understanding Our Environment

2. Quote “All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today”
What does this quote mean?
What does it have to do with the environment?

3. Ecolog What do you consider to be our major environmental problems?
How can science help solve environmental problems?

4. Terms
Environmental Science – the study of how humans interact with the environment
Environment – refers to everything that surrounds us, including the natural world as well as things produced by humans

5. Environmental Problems
What are some environmental problems that earth faces today?

6. Local Problems
What are some environmental problems that Kasson-Mantorville faces today?

7. Activity
Write a paragraph explaining how we could possibly solve these problems using the strategy of “thinking globally, and acting locally”

8. Terms Natural Resource – any substance that living things can use
Ex. Sunlight, air, water, soil, minerals, plants, animals, forests, and fossil fuels
A resource is depleted when a large part of it is used up

9. Terms Renewable resource – a resource that can be replaced
Ex. Sunlight, Animals, Trees
Nonrenewable resource – a resource that cannot be replaced
Ex. Metals, fossil fuels

10. Case Study Read the Case study on pgs. 6 and 7
Answer the following questions:
Explain how each person and group played a crucial role in the cleanup of Lake Washington
How was the Scientists’ work similar to the work of the Keene High School students you read about on pg. 3?

11. Terms
Extinction – the last individual member of a species has died and the species is gone forever
The rate at which species are becoming extinct is alarming, it has been said that extinction is the single most significant environmental challenge that we face today
Pollution – the introduction of harmful chemicals and waste into the environment
Ex.

12. Terms Coal fired plants in the midwest = acid rain in the east
Cars driven in the US and Europe = high levels of CO2 for all of earth’s atmosphere
Destruction of Rain Forest = loss of CO2
CFC’s = ozone depletion

13. Terms
Biosphere – thin layer of life around the earth

14. Developed Vs. Developing
Developing Countries – Less industrialized, lower average income
Developed Countries – highly industrialized, high incomes
Ex. US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Western Europe

16. Activity
Half of the room is going to role play a typical 17 year old in America
The other half is going to role play a typical 17 year old in Kenya
Each skit needs to be 5 minutes long and display everyday life for that particular role
The situation: Eating Dinner

17. Discussion Questions
How does each lifestyle affect the environment?

18. Terms
Population crisis – rapid growth in a population that stresses the environment
Consumption crisis – using natural resources faster than they can be replenished
Sustainable World – the goal of environmental problem solving
What does this mean to you?

19. Questions
What could the average American do to help preserve rain forests?
Have we Americans been using more than our fair share of nonrenewable resources like petroleum?
Should we work on changing our wasteful lifestyles before criticizing other countries about their environmental problems?
Should we further develop technology to clean up the environment, and provide that technology free to other countries that feel the effects of our pollution?

20. Section Review
Answer the four questions on page 4

21. The Plant
Name some things that you have learned about plants in other classes
Describe everything that you know about this particular plant
How often should I water, and fertilize this plant? How many hours of sunlight should it have?

22. Science
What is Science?

23. Types of Sciences
Applied Science – uses information provided by pure science to solve problems
Ex. Engineering, Medicine
Environmental Science is an applied science
Pure Science – seeks to answer questions about how the natural world works
Ex. Physics, Biology
How does the sun produce light? Or why do insects and birds have different kinds of wings?

24. Ecology
Ecology – the study of how living things interact with each other and their nonliving counterparts
Ecology is one of the most important science disciplines for environmentalists

25. Scientific Method Observation Hypothesizing and Predicting
Ex. The sky is blue, lemons are sour, sulfur smells like rotten eggs, etc
Phenology is an example of observation
Hypothesizing and Predicting
Hypothesis is a testable explanation for an observation

26. Scientific Method Experimenting Organizing and Interpreting Data
Experiment is a way to test a hypothesis
Control group
Dependent Variable
Independent Variable
Organizing and Interpreting Data
Graphs allow scientists to neatly communicate their findings

27. Activity You and your partner are going to be designing an experiment
The Problem: local builders are causing soil erosion which is causing problems in the Zumbro River among others, you need to make an outline providing the best way for the builders to stop their soil erosion.
All steps of the Scientific method must be documented

29. Section Review
Answer the 5 questions on page 19

30. What if:
McNelius steel was found dumping poisonous chemicals which showed up in your drinking water
How would you solve the problem?
What if McNelius said that instead of the expensive cleanup they are going to move to Cannon Falls since they have less strict environmental laws?

31. What if
List one positive and one negative to allowing the plant to operate here
List one positive and one negative to allowing the plant to move

32. The butterfly effect Everything is connected to everything else
How is this concept related to the fact that it is often difficult for people to reach agreements about the environment?

33. Readings
Read pages 22 and 23 and review the table on page 23.

34. Questions Are there any local issues similar to this one?
Are there any national issues similar to this one?

35. Decision Making Gather information Consider Values
Explore Consequences
Make a decision

36. Section Review Answer the three questions on Page 24
Go back to your Ecolog and re-answer questions 1 and 2

37. Review
Answer questions on pages 26 and 27