environment

Environmental Environmental ScienceScience

What is Environmental What is Environmental Science?Science?

The study of how humans interact with The study of how humans interact with their environmenttheir environment

Our environment is everything that surrounds us, both natural and man-made.

Environment: the total of Environment: the total of our surroundingsour surroundings

• All the things around us with which All the things around us with which we interact:we interact:• Living thingsLiving things

• Animals, plants, forests, fungi, etc.Animals, plants, forests, fungi, etc.

• Nonliving thingsNonliving things• Continents, oceans, clouds, soil, rocksContinents, oceans, clouds, soil, rocks

• Our built environmentOur built environment• Buildings, human-created living centersBuildings, human-created living centers

• Social relationships and institutionsSocial relationships and institutions

Natural resources: vital to human Natural resources: vital to human survivalsurvival

Renewable resourcesRenewable resources:: Perpetually available: sunlight, wind, wave energyPerpetually available: sunlight, wind, wave energy Renew themselves over short periods: timber, Renew themselves over short periods: timber,

water, soilwater, soil These can be destroyedThese can be destroyed

Nonrenewable Nonrenewable resourcesresources: can be depleted: can be depleted Oil, coal, mineralsOil, coal, minerals

“…“…the earth enables our people to survive, the the earth enables our people to survive, the environment must be respected and maintained. environment must be respected and maintained. As long as the earth remains healthy, the As long as the earth remains healthy, the people remain healthy.” (people remain healthy.” (Long and Fox, 1996)Long and Fox, 1996)

BrainstormBrainstorm

With your partner/group, brainstorm at With your partner/group, brainstorm at least 10 ways in which destruction to the least 10 ways in which destruction to the environment and depletion of resources environment and depletion of resources can affect our overall well being as a can affect our overall well being as a populationpopulation

Environmental science: how Environmental science: how does the natural world work?does the natural world work?

Environment Environment impacts impacts HumansHumans

• It has an applied goal: It has an applied goal: developing solutions to developing solutions to environmental problemsenvironmental problems

An interdisciplinary fieldAn interdisciplinary fieldNatural sciences: Natural sciences: information about the worldinformation about the world

Social sciences: values Social sciences: values and human behavior, and human behavior, politics, economy, etc.politics, economy, etc.

The “ecological footprint”The “ecological footprint” The environmental impact of The environmental impact of

a person or populationa person or population

Amount of biologically Amount of biologically productive land + water productive land + water

for raw materials and to for raw materials and to dispose/recycle wastedispose/recycle waste

OvershootOvershoot: humans have : humans have surpassed the Earth’s surpassed the Earth’s capacity capacity

We are using 30% more of the planet’s resources than are available on a sustainable basis!

We face challenges in We face challenges in agricultureagriculture

• Expanded food production led to Expanded food production led to increased population and increased population and consumptionconsumption

• It’s one of humanity’s greatest It’s one of humanity’s greatest achievements, but at an enormous achievements, but at an enormous environmental costenvironmental cost

• Nearly half of the planet’s land Nearly half of the planet’s land surface is used for agriculturesurface is used for agriculture

• Chemical fertilizers Chemical fertilizers • Pesticides Pesticides • ErosionErosion• Changed natural systemsChanged natural systems

We face challenges in pollutionWe face challenges in pollution

• Waste products and artificial chemicals Waste products and artificial chemicals used in farms, industries, and used in farms, industries, and householdshouseholds

Each year, millions of people die from Each year, millions of people die from pollutionpollution

Are things getting better or Are things getting better or worse?worse?

• Many people think environmental Many people think environmental conditions are betterconditions are better ( (Human ingenuity will Human ingenuity will solve any problem)solve any problem)

• Some think things are much worse in the Some think things are much worse in the world (predict doom and disaster)world (predict doom and disaster)

• How can you decide who is correct?How can you decide who is correct?• Are the impacts limited to humans, or are other Are the impacts limited to humans, or are other

organisms or systems involved?organisms or systems involved?• Are the proponents thinking in the long or short term?Are the proponents thinking in the long or short term?• Are they considering all costs and benefits?Are they considering all costs and benefits?

ConclusionConclusion Environmental science helps us understand our Environmental science helps us understand our

relationship with the environment and informs our relationship with the environment and informs our attempts to solve and prevent problems.attempts to solve and prevent problems.

Solving environmental problems can move us Solving environmental problems can move us towards health, longevity, peace and prosperitytowards health, longevity, peace and prosperity

Environmental science can help us find balanced Environmental science can help us find balanced solutions to environmental problemssolutions to environmental problems

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