Environmental Science Chapter 1

Environmental Science Chapter 1

1. What is Environmental Science?

   • Environmental Science is the study of the LAND, AIR and WATER surrounding an organism or a community.
   • *It includes the study of the impact of HUMANS on the environment.

2. What is the goal of Environmental Science?

   • To understand/solve environmental problems
     • To acomplish this goal, environmental scientists study two main types of interactions between humans and their environment:
       • How our actions alter the ENVIRONMENT.
       • The use of natural resources like WATER, PLANTS and ANIMALS.

3. Many Fields of Study

   • E.S. is an INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE, which means that it involves many fields of study.
     • *Biology, Earth Science, Social Science, Physics and Chemistry (Bob Eats Salad, Pork and Corn).
     • JUST E.S. = Influence of Humans, Interdisciplinary Science. JUST Ecology = Foundation of E.S., Non-living. BOTH = Interaction of living things, use of natural resources
   • *ECOLOGY is the study of interactions of living organisms with one another and their nonliving environment.

4. *The 3 Periods of Humans History

   • Hunter Gatherers
     • Hunted animal; gathered plants/crops; burned praies; overhunted giant animals.
   • Agricultural Revolution
     • Domesticated plants & animals; slash-burn agriculture; converted wetlands to farmland.
       • *AGRICULTURE: The practice of growing, breeding and caring for plants and animals that are used for food, clothing, housing, transportation and other purposes.
   • Industrial Revolution
     • Shift to fossil fuels (coal, gas, oil, etc); mass production of goods; caused most of today's environmental problems.

5. *Our 3 main environmental problems

   • Resource Depletion
     • Any natural material that is used by a human is called a NATURAL RESOURCE (ex. water, coal, soil, wood, air, etc).
       • A renewable resource can be REPLACED quickly by a natural process (ex. water, Sun energy, air, trees, soil, crops, plantes, paper, wind, etc).
       • A nonrenweable resource forms at a SLOWER rate than is consumed and CANNOT be replaced (ex. iron, aluminum, copper, salt, sand, clay, fossil fuels, gas, etc).
   • Polution
     • An undesired change in air, water and soil that affects ORGANISMS.
       • BIODEGRADABLE POLLUTANTS can be broken down by a natural process (ex. humans, plants, animals, etc).
       • NONDEGRADABLE POLLUTANTS cannot be broken down by a natural process (ex. mercury, plastic, lead, etc).
   • Loss of Biodiversity
     • BIODIVERSITY refers to the number and variety of species that live in a AREA.
       • WHY IS BIODIVERSITY IMPORTANT? Without biodiversity, we can't have food, medicine, shelter, oxygen, clothes, etc.)

6. The Environment and Society

   • *LAW OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND is the greater of the demand of a limited supply, the more is worth. (ex. oil: demand increases = $$$)
   • COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS lists the merits (benefit) & expenses (cost) of an environmental problem.
   • *ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT shows the productive are of Earth needed to support one person in a particular country.
   • SUSTAINABILITY is the condition in which human needs are met in such a way that a human population can survive indefinetely.

7. Developed & Developing Country

   • Developed Countries have a slow population growth, higher average incomes, diverse economies and strong social support-systems (ex. USA, Japan, China, Canada, Germany, etc).
   • Developing Countries have a rapid population growth, lower average incomes and agriculture-based economies (ex, Venezuela, Nigeria, India, Cuba, Jamaica, etc)

8. *"The Tragedy of the Commons"

   • What is the conflict & who is it between?
     • Individual interest vs. long-term welfare of society.
     • Protecting shared resources.