University:
Bradley University
Course:
ENS 110 | Environmental Science
Academic year:

2023
Views:

192

Pages:

26
Author:

Gudrunecg9m

SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT Chapter 1 ENVIRONMENT My definition: What the book says: Everything around us  Includes the natural world as well as things produced by humans.  ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE  The study of the impact of humans on the environment THE GOALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE To understand and solve environmental problems  Accomplished by studying 2 main types of interactions between humans and the environment  How we use natural resources  How our actions alter our environment  ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE IS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE.  Involves many fields of study      Biology: the study of living organisms Earth Science: the study of the Earth’s nonliving systems and the planet as a whole Physics: the study of matter and energy Chemistry: the study of chemicals and their interactions Social Science: the study of human populations ECOLOGY VS. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Ecology  The study of how things interact with each other & their nonliving environment Environmental Science  The study of the impact of humans on the environment EXAMPLES OF HOW FIELDS OF STUDY CONTRIBUTE TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE    A scientist is studying how pollutants travel underground. Geology or Geochemistry A scientist is studying fossils to see how Earth’s climate has changed in the past. Paleontology or climatology A scientist is studying how windmills should be designed to provide the most energy. engineering EXAMPLES OF HOW FIELDS OF STUDY CONTRIBUTE TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE  Choose an article.  Write a short summary (3-5 sentences).   Identify what fields of study are involved in this research/news. Provide evidence from the article to show this involvement. ENVIRONMENT THROUGH TIME  Hunters and Gatherers  Agricultural Revolution  Industrial Revolution Effects on the Characteristics Environment Hunter-Gatherers The Agricultural Revolution The Industrial Revolution CHARACTERISTICS   Obtain food by collecting plants, hunting wild animals, or scavenging their remains Migrated during the year EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT  Altered habitats to meet their needs  Ex: burned prairies to prevent tree growth so they could hunt bison  Overhunting may have led to the disappearance of some species of large mammals CHARACTERISTICS Began to collect seeds & domesticate animals  Allowed populations to grow at an unprecedented rate  Populations concentrated in smaller areas  EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT Habitats were destroyed for farming  Soil loss, floods, water shortages  CHARACTERISTICS     Shift from using animal sources & running water to fossil fuels Increased the efficiency of agriculture, industry & transportation Populations in urban areas grew Allowed food & other goods to be transported EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT    Machinery reduced the amount of land needed for farming Pollution Use of artificial substances, in place of plant & animal products, that caused more problems later (plastics)  Earth can be compared to a giant spaceship  Traveling through space  Living cargo  Limited supplies  Unable to dispose of waste or take on new supplies  Closed system: nothing comes in, nothing goes out WHAT ARE OUR MAIN ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS?  Can be grouped into 3 categories Resource depletion  Pollution  Loss of biodiversity  RESOURCE DEPLETION  Natural resource Any natural material that is used by humans  Renewable  DEF: Can be replaced relatively quickly by natural processes  EX: Fresh water, air, soil, trees, crops, energy from the sun   Nonrenewable DEF:Forms at a much slower rate than the rate that it is consumed  EX: Minerals and fossil fuels  POLLUTION DEF: An undesired change in air, water, or soil that adversely affects the health, survival, or activities of humans or other organisms  Biodegradable  DEF: Pollutants that can be broken down by natural processes  EX: Human sewage, food wastes   Nondegradable DEF: Cannot be broken down by natural processes  EX: Mercury, lead, some plastics  LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY  Biodiversity   DEF: The number & variety of species that live in an area The organisms we share the world with can be considered natural resources.  An extinct species: a nonrenewable resource If current rates of extinction continue, it may cause problems for human populations in the future  All species have potential VALUE: economic, ecological, scientific, aesthetic, and recreational value.  SECTION 1-2 The Environment and Society TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS “THE TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS”  1968, ecologist Garrett Hardin:  The main difficulty in solving environmental problems is the conflict between the short-term interests of individuals and the long-term welfare of society. Someone or some group has to take responsibility for maintaining a resource.  If no one takes that responsibility, the resource can be overused and become depleted.  ECONOMICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT  Economic forces influence how we use resources  Supply and Demand   The greater the demand for a limited supply of something, the more that thing is worth Costs and Benefits Cost of environmental solutions can be high  A cost-benefit analysis balances the cost of the action against the benefits one expects from it   Risk Assessment  Helps us create cost-effective ways to protect our health and the environment DEVELOPED & DEVELOPING COUNTRIES  Developed      Higher average incomes Slower population growth Diverse industrial economies Stronger social support systems Ex: US, Japan, Canada, countries of Western Europe  Developing Lower average incomes  Simple & agriculturalbased economies  Rapid population growth  Ex: Indonesia, Ethiopia    Developed nations use about 75% of the world’s resources, even though they make up only about 20% of the world’s population. One way to express the differences in consumption between nations:  Ecological footprint  Shows the productive area of Earth needed to support one person in a particular country. A KEY GOAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE   The condition in which human needs are met in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely

Conflict Between Short-Term Interests of Individuals and Long-Term Welfare of Society

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