Introduction to Environmental Issues

Introduction to Environmental Issues

1. Types of Environmental Issues

   • Population Growth
     • When a population grows, the demand for resources increases. Has your town or city ever experienced a water shortage? If so, you might have noticed that people have been asked to restrict their water use.
   • Resource Use
     • Earth provides many materials people use throughout their lives. Anything that occurs naturally in the environment and is used by people is called a natural resource. Natural resources include trees, water, oil, coal, and other things.
   • Pullution
     • Pollution can be caused by wastes, chemicals, noise, heat, light, and other sources. Pollution can destroy wildlife and cause human health problems. Pollution is usually related to population growth and resource use. As you probably know, the burning of gasoline releases pollutants into the air.

2. A point source is a specific pollution source that can be identified. A pipe gushing polluted water into a river is an example of a point source.

3. A nonpoint source of pollution is not as easy to identify. A nonpoint source is widely spread and cannot be tied to a specific origin. For example, the polluted air that can hang over urban areas comes from vehicles, factories, and other polluters. The pollution cannot be tied to any one car or factory.

4. HOW ARE ENVIRONMENTAL DECISIONS MADE?

   • Decisions can be made at many levels. Your decision to walk to your friend’s house rather than ride in a car is made at a personal level. A town’s decision about how to dispose of its trash is made at a local level. A decision about whether Mexico should allow oil drilling in a wildlife refuge is made on a national level. Decisions about how to protect Earth’s atmosphere are made on a global level.
     • Balancing Different Needs
       • Environmental Science is the study of natural processes in the environment and how humans can affect them. Data provided by environmental scientists are only part of the decision-making process. Environmental decision making requires a balance between the needs of the environment and the needs of people. To help balance the different opinions on an environmental issue, decision makers weigh the costs and benefits of a proposal for change before making a decision.
     • Types of Costs and Benefits
       • Costs and benefits are not measured only in terms of money. For example, suppose a state must decide whether to allow logging in a certain area. Removing trees changes the ecosystem, which is an ecological cost. However, the wood and jobs provided by the logging are economic benefits. It is also important to consider the short-term and the long-term costs and benefits of an environmental decision. A plan’s short-term costs might be outweighed by its long-term benefits.