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Living in an Exponential Age:
Describe the concept of exponential growth. How has the growth rate of the human population changed since 1963? Assuming static growth and death rates, it is estimated that the population will surpass 9 billion by Why are environmentalists concerned? (consumption/production) The # of people the earth can sustain is yet to be determined. What are some disturbing signs that we are nearing that limit?(2)
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Living in an Exponential Age
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Industrial revolution Black Death—the Plague Agricultural revolution
Hunting and gathering Agricultural revolution Industrial revolution Fig. 1-1, p. 1 Fig. 1-1, p. 5
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Living in an Exponential Age:
Describe the concept of exponential growth. Quantities increase by a fixed percentage over time How has the growth rate of the human population changed since 1963? Slowed Assuming static growth and death rates, it is estimated that the population will surpass 9 billion by Why are environmentalists concerned? (consumption/production) Consumption of food, water, raw materials and energy Production of solid waste and pollution The # of people the earth can sustain is yet to be determined. What are some disturbing signs that we are nearing that limit?(2) Loss of species (1/31/2) Climate change caused by deforestation and burning of fossil fuels Slow start, rapid increase Human population 2007 ~ 6.7 billion people Projections 225,000 people per day Add population of U.S. < 4 years 2050 ~ 9.2 billion people Resource consumption, degradation, depletion Possible results Huge amount of pollution and wastes Disrupt economies Loss of species, farm land, water supplies Climate change Political fallout
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Is there a solution to the impending environmental crisis?
Understand our environment Practice sustainability
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Chapter 1(1.1) Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability
Objectives: Define environmental science as an interdisciplinary science Understand the term sustainability and key components How do you we become environmentally sustainable
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I. Studying Connections in Nature (4)
Environment Everything around us both living and nonliving Environmental science Interdisciplinary study of humanities relationship with the environment
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Philosophy and religion Political science
Ethics Biology Political science Ecology Economics Chemistry Demography Physics Anthropology Geology Geography Fig. 1-2, p. 7
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Continued…. Ecology Biological science studying the relationship between living things and their environment Ecosystems Set of organisms interacting with each other and within a defined area containing nonliving matter and energy Environmentalism A social science dedicated to protecting the earth More political than science
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II. Sustainability Sustainability
Ability of the earth, humans, and economies to survive and adapt to changing environmental conditions indefinitely without depletion of capital
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A. Components of Sustainability (2)
Natural capital The natural resources and natural services provided by nature (figure 1-3) Ex. Air air purification Water water purification Life population Control
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Components cont….. A. Natural Resources
Materials and energy in nature that are essential useful or necessary for humans a. Materials Renewable Nonrenewable b. Energy Solar capital Photosynthesis
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Components cont…. B. Natural Services Functions of nature
Purification of air, water Nutrient cycling critical for “life” chemicals to cycle back and forth between living and nonliving parts of the environment
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Nutrient Cycling
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Organic matter in animals Dead organic matter Organic matter in plants
Decomposition Inorganic matter in soil Fig. 1-4, p. 9
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Components cont…. Consumption rate > renewal rate
Human activities degrading renewable resources faster than the rate at which they are renewed Ex. Deforestation, overfishing Scientific search for solutions Implementation involves economic and political systems Ex. Stop deforestation will have an economic impact and require laws and regulations Conflict!
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Trade-off or compromise to satisfy needs
Ex. Establishing tree farms in areas that have already been cleared
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2. Sustainable Living from Natural Capital
Environmentally sustainable society Meets the resource needs currently without compromising future generations Protect the natural capital while living off the natural income Natural capital and natural income Bad news: signs of natural capital depletion at exponential rates Overusing 62% of the earth’s natural services
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Summary: What Is an Environmentally Sustainable Society?
Our lives and economies depend on energy from the sun (solar capital) and natural resources and natural services (natural capital) provided by the earth. Sustainable living means living off earth’s natural income without depleting or degrading the natural capital that supplies it.
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1-2 How Can Environmentally Sustainable Societies Grow Economically?
Concept 1-2 Societies can become more environmentally sustainable through economic development dedicated to improving the quality of life for everyone without degrading the earth’s life-support systems.
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Economics Economic growth Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
Per capita GDP – PPP Economic development Developed countries Developing countries
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Global Outlook
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Percentage of World's: 18% Population 82% Population growth 0.1% 1.5%
Life expectancy 77 years 66 years Wealth and income 85% 15% Figure 1.5: Global outlook: comparison of developed and developing countries, 2007. Question: Why do you think less developed, less wealthy countries have higher population growth rates? (Data from the United Nations and the World Bank) Resource use 88% 12% Pollution and waste 75% 25% Fig. 1-5, p. 10
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1-3 How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting the Earth?
Concept 1-3 As our ecological footprints grow, we are depleting and degrading more of the earth’s natural capital.
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Natural Resources (1) Perpetual – renewed continuously
Solar energy Renewable – hours to decades Water, air Forest, grasslands
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Natural Resources (2) Sustainable yield Environmental degradation
Highest use while maintaining supply Environmental degradation Exceed natural replacement rate
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Natural Resources (3) Nonrenewable – fixed quantities Recycling Reuse
Energy (fossil fuels) Metallic minerals Nonmetallic minerals Recycling Reuse
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Natural Capital Degradation
Fig. 1-6, p. 12
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Reuse and Recycling Fig. 1-7, p. 12
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Measuring Environmental Impact
Ecological footprint Biological capacity to replenish resources and adsorb waste and pollution Per capita ecological footprint Renewable resource use per individual
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Ecological Footprint Fig. 1-8, p. 13
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(Data from Worldwide Fund for Nature, Global Footprint Network)
Total Ecological Footprint (million hectares) and share of Global Ecological Capacity (%) Per Capita Ecological Footprint (hectares per person) Projected footprint Ecological footprint Earth’s ecological capacity Figure 1.8: Natural capital use and degradation: total and per capita ecological footprints of selected countries (top). In 2003, humanity’s total or global ecological footprint was about 25% higher than the earth’s ecological capacity (bottom) and is projected to be twice the planet’s ecological capacity by 2050. Question: If we are living beyond the earth’s ecological capacity, why do you think the human population and per capita resource consumption are still growing exponentially? (Data from Worldwide Fund for Nature, Global Footprint Network) Stepped Art Fig. 1-8, p. 13
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Case Study: China Rapidly developing country
Middle-class affluent lifestyles World’s leading consumer in: Wheat, rice, meat, coal, fertilizers, steel, cement Televisions, cell phones, refrigerators Future consumption 2/3 world grain harvest Twice world’s current paper production Exceed current global oil production
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1-4 What Is Pollution and What Can We Do about It?
Concept 1-4 Preventing pollution is more effective and less costly than cleaning up pollution.
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Pollution What is pollution? Point sources Nonpoint sources
Unwanted effects of pollution
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Point Source Air Pollution
Fig. 1-9, p. 15
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Solutions to Pollution
Pollution prevention (input control) Front-of-the-pipe Pollution cleanup (output control) End-of-the-pipe
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Disadvantages of Output Control
Temporary Growth in consumption may offset technology Moves pollutant from one place to another Burial Incineration Dispersed pollutants costly to clean up
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1-5 Why Do We Have Environmental Problems?
Concept 1-5A Major causes of environmental problems are population growth, wasteful and unsustainable resource use, poverty, excluding the environmental costs of resource use from the market prices of goods and services, and trying to manage nature with insufficient knowledge. Concept 1-5B People with different environmental worldviews often disagree about the seriousness of environmental problems and what we should do about them.
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Causes of Environmental Problems
Population growth Wasteful and unsustainable resource use Poverty Failure to include environmental costs of goods and services in market prices Too little knowledge of how nature works
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Five Basic Causes of Environmental Problems
Fig. 1-10, p. 16
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environmental costs from market prices
Population growth Unsustainable resource use Poverty Excluding environmental costs from market prices Trying to manage nature without knowing enough about it Figure 1.10: Environmental and social scientists have identified five basic causes of the environmental problems we face. Question: What are three ways in which your lifestyle contributes to these causes? Fig. 1-10, p. 16
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Causes of Environmental Problems
Population growth Unsustainable resource use Poverty Excluding environmental costs from market prices Trying to manage nature without knowing enough about it Figure 1.10: Environmental and social scientists have identified five basic causes of the environmental problems we face. Question: What are three ways in which your lifestyle contributes to these causes? Stepped Art Fig. 1-10, p. 16
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Some Harmful Results of Poverty
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Lack of access to Number of people (% of world's population) Adequate
sanitation facilities 2.6 billion (39%) Enough fuel for heating and cooking 2 billion (30%) Electricity 2 billion (30%) Clean drinking water 1.1 billion (16%) Adequate health care Figure 1.11: Some harmful results of poverty. Question: Which two of these effects do you think are the most harmful? Why? (Data from United Nations, World Bank, and World Health Organization) 1.1 billion (16%) Adequate housing 1 billion (15%) Enough food for good health 0.84 billion (13%) Fig. 1-11, p. 16
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Global Connections Fig. 1-12, p. 16
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Environmental Effects of Affluence
Harmful effects High consumption and waste of resources Advertising – more makes you happy Beneficial effects Concern for environmental quality Provide money for environmental causes Reduced population growth
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Evaluating Full Cost of Resources Use
Examples Clear-cutting + habitat loss Commercial fishing + depletion of fish stocks Tax breaks Subsidies
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Environmental Viewpoints
Environmental worldview Environmental ethics Planetary management worldview Stewardship worldview Environmental wisdom worldview Social capital
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Case Study: Chattanooga, Tennessee (1)
Dirtiest air in the United States Toxic waste in Tennessee River High unemployment, crime 1984 Vision 2000 – grassroots consensus
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Case Study: Chattanooga, Tennessee (2)
1995 Zero emission industries, buses Low-income renovations, downtown renewal Individuals matter!
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1-6 What Are Four Scientific Principles of Sustainability?
Concept 1-6 Nature has sustained itself for billions of years by using solar energy, biodiversity, population regulation, and nutrient cycling – lessons from nature that we can apply to our lifestyles and economies.
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Four Scientific Principles of Sustainability
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Reliance on Solar Energy
Biodiversity Figure 1.13: Four scientific principles of sustainability: these four interconnected principles of sustainability are derived from learning how nature has sustained a variety of life on the earth for about 3.7 billion years. The top left oval shows sunlight stimulating the production of vegetation in the Arctic tundra during its brief summer (solar energy) and the top right oval shows some of the diversity of species found there during the summer (biodiversity). The bottom right oval shows Arctic gray wolves stalking a caribou during the long cold winter (population control). The bottom left oval shows Arctic gray wolves feeding on their kill. This, plus huge numbers of tiny decomposers that convert dead matter to soil nutrients, recycle all materials needed to support the plant growth shown in the top left and right ovals (nutrient cycling). Nutrient Cycling Population Control Fig. 1-13, p. 20
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Learning to Live More Sustainably
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Sustainability Emphasis
Current Emphasis Sustainability Emphasis Pollution cleanup Pollution prevention Waste disposal (bury or burn) Waste prevention Protecting species Protecting habitat Environmental restoration Environmental degradation Increasing resource use Less resource waste Figure 1.14: Solutions: some shifts involved in bringing about the environmental or sustainability revolution. Question: Which three of these shifts do you think are most important? Why? Population growth Population stabilization Depleting and degrading natural capital Protecting natural capital Fig. 1-14, p. 20
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Animation: Levels of organization
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Animation: Two views of economics
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Animation: Resources depletion and degradation interaction
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Animation: Exponential growth
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Animation: Capture-recapture method
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Animation: Life history patterns
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