Environmental Science Unit 1 Study Guide

Environmental Commons and Tragedies

• Commons Definition: Shared resources accessible to all, such as air, water, and land.
• Examples and Tragedies:
  • International waters (C): Overfishing, pollution, and resource depletion.
  • Drug store parking lot (P): Private property; not a commons issue.
  • Groundwater (C): Over-extraction leading to aquifer depletion and contamination.
  • Large soybean farm (P): Private farming; not a commons issue.
  • Atmosphere (C): Air pollution leading to health risks and climate change.
  • Skyscraper apartments (P): Individual ownership; not a commons issue.

Public Land Designations

• National Park:

  • Allowed: Recreation, conservation, educational activities.
  • Not Allowed: Commercial activities, extraction of resources.

• National Wildlife Refuge:

  • Allowed: Wildlife observation, conservation, limited hunting/fishing.
  • Not Allowed: Resource extraction, development.

• National Forest:

  • Allowed: Timber harvesting, recreation, grazing.
  • Not Allowed: Activities harming environment, unrestricted development.

Hetch Hetchy Debate

• Anthropocentric Arguments for Dam:

  • Provides drinking water to urban populations.
  • Enables agricultural irrigation.
  • Creates recreational opportunities in reservoirs.

• Ecocentric Arguments Against Dam:

  • Protects natural ecosystems and biodiversity.
  • Preserves areas for aesthetic and cultural value.
  • Prevents disruption of local flora and fauna.

Significant Environmental Events

• Leaded Gasoline Ban: Issue of air pollution and neurological damage caused by lead.
• 1930s Drought: Related to famine and agricultural loss, affecting economic stability.
• Nuclear Waste Storage: Concerns about carcinogens and hazardous waste management.
• Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: Incident highlighting water pollution and extinction of marine life.

Resource Classification

• Gasoline from crude oil: Nonrenewable (N).
• Corn-based ethanol: Renewable (R).
• Lead from batteries: Recyclable nonrenewable (RY).
• Coal-fired electricity: Nonrenewable (N).
• Plastic from plant matter: Renewable (R).
• Photovoltaic solar panels: Renewable (R).
• Glass from silica: Recyclable nonrenewable (RY).
• Wind-powered electricity: Renewable (R).
• Charcoal from wood: Nonrenewable (N).

Environmental Laws

• Antiquities Act: Protects historic sites and national monuments.
• Safe Drinking Water Act: Regulates water quality for public health.
• Clean Water Act: Addresses pollutant discharges into water bodies.
• Clean Air Act: Limits air emissions to protect public health and environment.
• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act: Manages hazardous and nonhazardous waste.
• Endangered Species Act: Protects threatened and endangered species.
• Environmental Policy Act: Requires assessment of environmental effects of federal projects.
• CERCLA (Superfund): Deals with cleanup of hazardous waste sites.

Country Comparisons: Mali vs. South Korea

• Mali:

  • GDP per capita: Low.
  • Total Fertility Rate: High.
  • Life Expectancy: Low.
  • Ecological Footprint: High.
  • Classification: Developing.

• South Korea:

  • GDP per capita: High.
  • Total Fertility Rate: Low.
  • Life Expectancy: High.
  • Ecological Footprint: Low.
  • Classification: Developed.

Ecological Footprint

• Measures human demand on Earth's ecosystems, comparing resources consumption to regeneration.

Factors Increasing Ecological Footprint

• Printing hard copies of emails.
• Driving alone to school.
• Eating steak for dinner.
• Using disposable water bottles.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Analysis

• Cost-benefit analysis may prefer Indonesian tuna due to lower production costs and larger scale.
• Hidden costs of cheaper tuna include environmental degradation and poor labor conditions.

Political Views on Resource Management

• Planetary Management: Focus on sustainable resource use with human benefit as priority.
• Stewardship: Emphasizes responsible management of resources for future generations.
• Environmental Wisdom: Advocates for nature's intrinsic value and conservation over exploitation.

Scientific Method Case Study (James Lind and Scurvy)

• Initial Observation: Not all sailors contracted scurvy despite similar conditions.
• Hypothesis: Diet may impact scurvy resistance.
• Experiment: Divided sailors into groups with different diets.
  • Independent Variable: Type of dietary treatment.
  • Dependent Variable: Recovery from scurvy.
  • Controlled Variables: Same living conditions, activities.
• Control Group: Group without special dietary treatment.
• Experiment Type: Not blinded.
• Conclusion: Oranges and lemons effectively cured scurvy. Next step: Further experimentation to confirm findings.

Science vs. Pseudoscience

• Science (S):

  • Study of soil samples and living organisms.
  • Newton's first law of motion.

• Pseudoscience (P):

  • Cereal research funded by General Mills.
  • Psychic predictions based on palm lines.

This study guide covers the foundational concepts of environmental science, including the scientific method, atoms and molecules, and environmental dynamics. Test your understanding of these topics and explore real-world issues related to commons and private property. Prepare for discussions about environmental protection and sustainability.