1. Understanding Our Environment

2. Why is Earth so marvellous? Compared to other planets in our solar system, temperatures on earth are mild and relatively constant. Clean air, fresh water, and fertile soil Rich diversity of life

3. What makes up our environment? The many things that make up our environment are split into two groups ◦ The natural world and ◦ The social world

4. Problems and opportunities What are some of the local problems we face? ◦ Fracking ◦ Waste management ◦ Land development ◦ Potash ◦ Aquaculture ◦ Water Potability

5. What global problems do we face? Global population ◦ Predictions are 8-10 billion by 2050 ◦ This is a serious concern to our natural resources and ecological systems Climate change ◦ Increases in greenhouse gases are creating warmer climates ◦ 2 – 6 o by 2100.

6. Global problems con’t Hunger ◦ Food resources are unevenly distributed because there are more resources in countries that have less people ◦ Two – thirds of the soil from farms show signs of degradation Clean water ◦ 1.1 billion people lack clean drinking water ◦ 2.2 billion don’t have adequate sanitation ◦ Polluted water contributes to 15 million deaths a year

7. Global problems con’t Energy Resources ◦ Fossil fuels presently provide 80% of the energy used in industrialized countries ◦ Supplies of these fuels are diminishing, plus there are problem associated with aqcuiring them Air Quality ◦ 3 million people per year die from diseases caused by air pollution

8. Global problems con’t Biodiversity loss ◦ Due to habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, excessive hunting, and introduction of new species. Marine resources ◦ Commercial fisheries around the world are in a steep decline ◦ Canadian researchers estimate that 90% of the large predators (tuna, marlin, swordfish, shark, codfish, etc) have been removed from the ocean

9. The Signs of Hope Increasing awareness is leading to progress in many areas. We can create new ways to protect nature and improve people’s lives

10. Progress made Pollution ◦ Many areas have reduced pollution and curbed wasteful resource use. ◦ Many cities in North America and in Europe are cleaner than they were even ten years previous Population ◦ Population has stabilized in many industrialized countries and even some very poor countries through education ◦ In the past 25 years, the average number of children being born to a woman has decreased from 6 to about 2.

11. Progress made Health ◦ The incidents of life threatening diseases have lessened drastically and life expectancy has doubled. ◦ Since 1990, clean water and clean sanitation has been made available to more than 800 million people. Renewable energy ◦ Progress has been made in wind energy, solar, wave and tidal energy. ◦ Technology has allowed for a reduction in the reliance on fossil fuels.

12. Progress made Conservation of forest and nature reserves ◦ Deforestation has slowed from 8% in the 1980’s to 1% in the 1990’s. ◦ In 2010, 13.5% of the world’s land mass was dedicated as parks and reserves.

13. Activity Environmental Science draws on many kinds of knowledge and skills. A key strategy is to figure out your strengths are in solving environmental problems. Choose one of the issues we talked about yesterday and in groups discuss how each of the following might contribute to understanding or solving the issue. ◦ ArtistPoliticianWriter ◦ NegotiatorChemistMathematician ◦ HunterAnglerTruck driver ◦ CookParentBuilder Planner ◦ EconomistLinguistMusician ◦ Business Man