Environment and Society Note series for Environmental Science by John Wnek.

Environment and Environment and SocietySociety

Note series for Note series for Environmental Science by Environmental Science by

John WnekJohn Wnek

Key Concepts…Key Concepts…

Sustainable SystemsSustainable Systems ResourcesResources Biological DiversityBiological Diversity The Earth CommunityThe Earth Community Common Property ResourcesCommon Property Resources Recycling/ReuseRecycling/Reuse Point and Non-Point Sources of Point and Non-Point Sources of

Pollution Pollution

Resources…Resources… Non-Renewable: Produced over Non-Renewable: Produced over

millions of years and are in fixed millions of years and are in fixed quantities including: Energy quantities including: Energy Resources (fossil fuels); Mineral Resources (fossil fuels); Mineral Resources (gold, aluminum, zinc); Resources (gold, aluminum, zinc); Non-metallic resources (sand, clay Non-metallic resources (sand, clay and waterand water

Renewable: Inexhaustible supply of Renewable: Inexhaustible supply of resources including: energy (wind, resources including: energy (wind, solar, flowing water nrg); Potentially solar, flowing water nrg); Potentially renewable (air, water, soil and renewable (air, water, soil and biodiversity)biodiversity)

Pollution…Pollution…

Point source vs. Non-Point source vs. Non-Point SourcePoint Source

Classification including Classification including Concentration, Concentration, Composition, PersistenceComposition, Persistence

Degradable vs. Non-Degradable vs. Non-DegradableDegradable

““The solution to pollution is The solution to pollution is not dilution”not dilution”

NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Leading Environmental Indicators Factsheets. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/indicators/shellfish.pdf

Root Causes of Environmental ProblemsRoot Causes of Environmental Problems

1.1. Rapid Exponential Growth Population Rapid Exponential Growth Population doubled between 1950 and 1997 (by doubled between 1950 and 1997 (by 2014 should be 7.2 billion people)2014 should be 7.2 billion people)

2.2. A massive degradation of “life A massive degradation of “life support systems”support systems”

3.3. Poverty – lack of choices and lack of Poverty – lack of choices and lack of environmental education (this will be environmental education (this will be discussed more)discussed more)

4.4. Use of “quick fix” methods using Use of “quick fix” methods using non-renewable resourcesnon-renewable resources

Root Causes of Environmental ProblemsRoot Causes of Environmental Problems

5. Lack of solutions with little emphasis 5. Lack of solutions with little emphasis on pollution control and waste on pollution control and waste reductionreduction

6. Failure to encourage Earth-6. Failure to encourage Earth-sustaining forms of economic sustaining forms of economic development (recycle and reuse)development (recycle and reuse)

7. Urge to dominate and manage 7. Urge to dominate and manage Nature for our useNature for our use

““Approximately ¾ of the Earth has Approximately ¾ of the Earth has only 15% of the income and uses only 15% of the income and uses only 12% of the resources”only 12% of the resources”

Fun FactsFun Facts

“ “ In all Lesser Developed Countries In all Lesser Developed Countries (LDC’s), 1,000,000 people are added (LDC’s), 1,000,000 people are added to the population count every four to the population count every four days”days”

““Developed Countries use over 90% of Developed Countries use over 90% of the non-renewable fossil fuel the non-renewable fossil fuel supplies”supplies”

Source: Sustainability Initiative, University of Maryland

Sustainability?Sustainability?

Defined (video)

An opposite point of view

Things you can do: World Change TED talks Alex Steffen

Sustainable Societies…Sustainable Societies…1.1. Reduce Waste of Matter & EnergyReduce Waste of Matter & Energy

2.2. Emphasize Pollution PreventionEmphasize Pollution Prevention

3.3. Improve Recycling Efforts & Reuse Improve Recycling Efforts & Reuse Efforts to 60% in Each CommunityEfforts to 60% in Each Community

4.4. Longer Lived Products Longer Lived Products

5.5. Increase RENEWABLE ENERGY Increase RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCESSOURCES

6.6. Better Protect the Earth’s Habitats Better Protect the Earth’s Habitats and Speciesand Species

Sustainable SocietySustainable Society

7. Establish a RENEWABLE RESOURCE 7. Establish a RENEWABLE RESOURCE

BalanceBalance8. Value the Importance of Natural 8. Value the Importance of Natural ResourcesResources9. “Slow” Population Growth Rates9. “Slow” Population Growth Rates10. Reduce Poverty and Improve 10. Reduce Poverty and Improve Living Conditions in LDC’sLiving Conditions in LDC’s11. Improve Environmental Education 11. Improve Environmental Education PracticesPractices

Population ClockPopulation Clock U.S. U.S. 320,499,950320,499,950 World World 7,176,606,1007,176,606,100

01:05 GMT (EST+5) Sept. 4, 2013 01:05 GMT (EST+5) Sept. 4, 2013 NOTE: The U.S. POP Clock has been NOTE: The U.S. POP Clock has been

recalibrated to be consistent with recalibrated to be consistent with Census 2010 data.Census 2010 data.

U.S. U.S. 305,753,417 305,753,417 Feb. 5, 2009 Feb. 5, 2009World World 6,758,521,649 Feb. 5, 2009

20137.1 billion

Population/Age Pyramids of the Developed and Developing World From the University of Michigan’s Population Growth Over Human History

The United Nation’s Millennium GoalsThe United Nation’s Millennium Goals

eradicating extreme poverty eradicating extreme poverty achieving universal primary education achieving universal primary education promoting gender equality promoting gender equality reducing child mortality reducing child mortality improving maternal health improving maternal health combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other

diseases diseases ensuring environmental sustainability and ensuring environmental sustainability and

developing a global partnership for developing a global partnership for development development