Environmental science intro & chapter 1

Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science

Why study Why study Environmental Environmental Science?Science?

Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science

Environmental Science is…Environmental Science is…An interdisciplinary study of how An interdisciplinary study of how

the earth worksthe earth worksHow we interact with the planetHow we interact with the planetHow to deal with environmental How to deal with environmental

problemsproblemsIt affects all aspects of your lifeIt affects all aspects of your life

InterdisciplinaryInterdisciplinary

BiologyBiology EcologyEcology ChemistryChemistry PhysicsPhysics GeologyGeology MeteorologyMeteorology AnthropologyAnthropology EconomicsEconomics Political SciencePolitical Science EthicsEthics

Global Environmental Global Environmental ConcernsConcerns

Population GrowthPopulation GrowthEconomic DevelopmentEconomic Development

Decline of Vital EcosystemsDecline of Vital EcosystemsLoss of BiodiversityLoss of Biodiversity

Global Atmospheric Global Atmospheric ChangesChanges

Population Growth - Population Growth -

Population GrowthPopulation Growth

Human population today is Human population today is approximately 7 billionapproximately 7 billion

Global estimates for the Global estimates for the year 2050 could reach over year 2050 could reach over 9 billion people9 billion people

Population Growth - Population Growth -


Concern over economic growth in Concern over economic growth in developing nations, e.g. China and developing nations, e.g. China and IndiaIndia

Most developing Most developing countries have the countries have the desire for a westernized desire for a westernized middle class life stylemiddle class life style


USA is the largest consumer of USA is the largest consumer of fossil fuels and largest producer fossil fuels and largest producer of carbon emissionsof carbon emissions

With rapid economic growth With rapid economic growth what is the what is the impactimpact on the on the environmentenvironment??

Ecological FootprintEcological Footprint

What is your Ecological Footprint?What is your Ecological Footprint? The The ecological footprintecological footprint is a measure of is a measure of

human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. It human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. It compares human demand with planet Earth's compares human demand with planet Earth's ecological capacity to regenerate.ecological capacity to regenerate.

Ecological Footprints measures Ecological Footprints measures humanities demands on Nature. humanities demands on Nature. Everything we do has consequences…Everything we do has consequences…

www.mywww.myfootprintfootprint.org/.org/

Vocabulary DefinitionsVocabulary Definitions

ResourceResource: is anything obtained : is anything obtained from the environment to meet from the environment to meet our needs and wantsour needs and wants

Renewable ResourcesRenewable Resources: can be : can be replenished fairly rapidlyreplenished fairly rapidly

Nonrenewable ResourcesNonrenewable Resources: : exist in a limited quantityexist in a limited quantity


ConservationConservation: the : the management of natural management of natural resources for future generationsresources for future generations

Environmental DegradationEnvironmental Degradation: : occurs when resource demands occurs when resource demands exceed its replacement rate exceed its replacement rate


EcosystemEcosystem: A group of : A group of plants, animals, and other plants, animals, and other organisms that work/interact organisms that work/interact with each other in a specific with each other in a specific environment.environment.

OrganismOrganism: Any living thing; : Any living thing; plant, animal or microbeplant, animal or microbe


BiodiversityBiodiversity: The variety : The variety of organism found within an of organism found within an ecosystemecosystem

SpeciesSpecies: A single kind of : A single kind of any plant, animal or microbe any plant, animal or microbe that can reproduce and have that can reproduce and have viable offspringviable offspring

Decline of EcosystemsDecline of Ecosystems

What is the importance of What is the importance of healthy ecosystems?healthy ecosystems? Provides support for all life Provides support for all life

on this planeton this planet

Decline of EcosystemsDecline of Ecosystems

How do you feel about habitat How do you feel about habitat loss?loss?

What about animal extinction?What about animal extinction?

Why should we care about the Why should we care about the environment?environment?

Easter IslandEaster Island

Loss of BiodiversityLoss of Biodiversity

Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species

--every day one species goes extinctevery day one species goes extinct

-there are thousands of-there are thousands ofanimals on the animals on the

Endangered Species ListEndangered Species List

-this number increases -this number increases every yearevery year

-few animals ever get de-listed-few animals ever get de-listed

Loss of BiodiversityLoss of Biodiversity

Risks of losing biodiversity?Risks of losing biodiversity?

-animal species once gone can never be -animal species once gone can never be replacedreplaced

-stability within the environment decreases-stability within the environment decreases

Sustainable FutureSustainable Future

SustainabilitySustainabilityA habitat that A habitat that

can continue indefinitely can continue indefinitely

without depleting without depleting

its resources its resources

StewardshipStewardship

What is Stewardship?What is Stewardship?-taking responsibility for our actions -taking responsibility for our actions

and how they effect the planetand how they effect the planet

StewardshipStewardship

Transition Generation…Transition Generation…

Are you a part of the solution?Are you a part of the solution?

Science & Scientific MethodScience & Scientific Method

Science: A way of gaining knowledgeScience: A way of gaining knowledgeScientific Method: Scientific Method:

1. Problem/Observation 1. Problem/Observation

2. Hypothesis 2. Hypothesis

3. Experiment 3. Experiment

4. Theory/Solution4. Theory/Solution Data: Information that is gathered from Data: Information that is gathered from

observations and measurements drawn observations and measurements drawn from experimentsfrom experiments


Theories: An explanation of how Theories: An explanation of how things workthings work

Theory of EvolutionTheory of Evolution Theory of RelativityTheory of Relativity Theory of GravityTheory of Gravity


What is scientific objectivity?What is scientific objectivity?-All information is considered -All information is considered when developing conclusionswhen developing conclusions

What is scientific rationality?What is scientific rationality?-All information is considered -All information is considered and presented is a clear and and presented is a clear and logical fashionlogical fashion

All scientific research is peer All scientific research is peer reviewed reviewed for accuracy, clarity and for accuracy, clarity and rationality. rationality.


Sound ScienceSound Science: (reliable) is peer : (reliable) is peer reviewed research that can be reviewed research that can be duplicatedduplicated

Junk ScienceJunk Science: (unreliable) usually : (unreliable) usually doesn’t have a solid scientific basis of doesn’t have a solid scientific basis of reasoning, challenges other scientific reasoning, challenges other scientific data with the intent of causing confusion data with the intent of causing confusion and damage to further their own and damage to further their own interestsinterests


Cause & EffectCause & Effect A A causecause is something that makes something is something that makes something

else happen. Out of two events, it is the event else happen. Out of two events, it is the event that happens firstthat happens first

An An effecteffect is what happens as a result of the is what happens as a result of the cause. Of two related events, it’s the one that cause. Of two related events, it’s the one that happens second or lasthappens second or last

-pollution and acid rain-pollution and acid rain


CorrelationCorrelation a statistical measure of a a statistical measure of a relationship relationship

between two or more variablesbetween two or more variables, gives an , gives an indication of how one variable may predict indication of how one variable may predict anotheranother

-Body versus Brain -Body versus Brain sizesize


ObservationObservation

InterpretationInterpretation

--When looking at scientific When looking at scientific evidence, you need to see thing evidence, you need to see thing objectively without emotional objectively without emotional interpretation!interpretation!

Environmental science intro & chapter 1

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