1. Environmental Sustainability Studies 111 INTRODUCTION TO THE ENVIRONMENT Lecture 7 – The Earth’s Component: Anthroposhere & Resource Usage

2. ‘ The anthroposphere (sometimes also referred as technosphere) is that part of the environment that is made or modified by humans for use in human activities and human habitats’. Source: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropospherewww.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthroposphere

3. A resource is anything that has utilitarian value (for humans). “ The earth has enough resources for its people’s needs; but not enough for their greed” (Mahatma Ghandi)

4. Resource classifications Human-kind’s almost insatiable need for more and more resources How this need shaped and constantly change elements of the anthroposhere Complex interrelatedness of resource use issues...not that easy to categorize. There are much more to consider than just the traditional renewable vs. non- renewable classification.

5. RESOURCES MATTER ENERGY RENEWABLE sun, wind, running water NON-RENEWABLE Fossil Fuels ABIOTIC BIOTIC NON-RENEWABLE POTENTIALLY RENEWABLE MINERALSWATER SOIL AIR ECOSYSTEMS LAND/SOIL BASEDWATER BASED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS LIVE STOCK MARINE PRODUCTS Categorization of natural resources – based on their (bio)physical characteristics

6. Resource Type QuantityQualityTimeSpaceAction Stock/ Exhaustible e.g. Minerals Measurable Usage constraints RestrictedExtraction Flow & solar e.g. Radiation Measurable “No” constraints “No” restriction Interception & storage Fund e.g. electrical energy Measurable Usage constraints Relatively restricted Deposit, Withdrawal, transmission Biological e.g. Crops Measurable “No” constraints Relatively restricted Harvesting Atmospheric e.g. Oxygen Measurable ConstraintsRelativelyEconomically Non- Consumptive Hydrological water Measurable ConstraintsRestrictedWithdrawal People e.g. skills Measurable ConstraintsRestricted*Applications

10. Worldwide distribution of solar radiation into belts indicating feasibility of solar applications. Source: www.almashriq.hiof.no/.../unesco/figure2.jpg

11. Scientific principles for sustainability Tyler Miller & Spoolman (p23)... Reliance on solar energy Nutrient cycling Biodiversity Population control

12. World Air Traffic...a dynamic trigger in our ever changing anthroposhere