History Of The Environment PDF

Presentation Notes History of the Environment Modern Environmental Movement - 1880s-onwards Progressive Era - partially a response to the Industrial Revolution, which included health problems from raw sewage and industrial runoff in waterways, as well as, soot in the air Conservation Groups - protec...

Presentation Notes History of the Environment Modern Environmental Movement - 1880s-onwards Progressive Era - partially a response to the Industrial Revolution, which included health problems from raw sewage and industrial runoff in waterways, as well as, soot in the air Conservation Groups - protect wilderness, and regulate logging, mining, and dams National Audubon Society - saved plume birds from ladies’ hats Boone & Crockett Club - manly sport with rifles Sierra Club - defended Yosemite National Park Save the Redwoods League - bought last old-growth redwoods Teddy Roosevelt - conservation president and sportsman/hunter who wrote about the loss of species/habitats 1905 US Forest Service - created by Teddy and protects 230 million acres of public land Dr. Alice Hamilton - campaigned against lead poisoning by accusing General Motors of willful murder (gasoline) and was appointed by Gov. of Illinois (lead gasoline wasn’t banned until 50 years later) John Muir - Preservation Ethic - environment should be protected for its inherent value Gifford Pinchot - Conservation Ethic - environment is for prudent, efficient, and sustainable use Aldo Leopold - Land Ethic - humans are part of the environment; land is a community Hetch Hetchy Valley - city developed in Yosemite National Park, home to many Indigenous peoples, San Fran placed a dam, clear cut and flooded Hetch Hetchy Dam - conflict between John Muir & Gifford Pinchot Natural Rivals - Muir & Pinchots conflict which was the defining struggle of the conservation movement and resulted in the National Park Service Act Sand County Almanac - book by Aldo Leopold and his Land Ethic Donora Disaster - manufacturing of Zinc and Steel caused thermal inversion that stayed for 5 days; rain (20 died, 5,900 were affected) Thermal Inversion - stable air masses with cooler air near Earth’s surface and warm air on top, occurs in late afternoon, lingers into morning, since warm air rises, air under the inversion cannot escape (traps smoke & pollution) London Killer Fog - pollution & thermal inversion that caused British Parliament to pass the first Clean Air Act (4,000 people died) Clean Air Act - major shift in federal government's role in air pollution where federal and state regulations were put in place to limit air pollution (stationary and mobile sources) Silent Spring - best seller by Rachel Carson that discusses the warms of devastation of pesticides (DDT) on birds, criticized chemical industry (received backlash) Endangered Species Act - provides framework to conserve 7 protect endangered and threatened species and habitats (ex. American Alligator, Timber Wolf, Florida Manatee) CEQ Toxic Substances Report - reviewed risks of toxic chemicals, concluded existing regulations are fragmented and inadequate Toxic Substances Report Need: - Requiring testing of chemicals - Restrict use/distribution - Provide data on chemical substances Ban of DDT - US Dept of Agriculture began restricting DDT in 1950s & 1960s, EPA banned DDT in 1972 Toxic Substances Control Act - grants EPA authority to require: - Reporting, record-keeping, and testing requirements/restrictions for chemicals - Maintain inventory of commercially available chemicals - Companies notify EPA about new chemicals - Testing of chemicals 3 Environ. Disasters: - Santa Barbara Channel Blowout - oil slick - Lake Erie Pollution - massive fish kill - Cuyahoga River Burns - again Blue Dot - went to the moon in 1969, photo of Earth, Earth is small precious and isolated 1970s - Decade of Activism which included Anti-Vietnam war protests, college campuses, teach-ins and demonstrations (set the stage for environ. activism) 1970 First Earth Day - Senator Nelson said students should advocate or environ. National Environ. Policy Act - requires environ. Impact review before development, citizens/groups can file lawsuits against polluters, created Council of Environ. Quality, required environ. impact statements for major federal actions with a significant impact Environ. Protection Agency - created by Pres Nixon and allows research on pollutants, monitoring condition of environ., establishes environ. Baselines, sets and enforces standards for air + water standards (sets standards) Clean Water Act - establishes surface water quality standards, need a permit to pollute (in response to polluted rivers, Silent Spring, Earth Day, and Santa Barbara Oil Spill) Ozone Layer Depletion - confirmed hole in the ozone layer from CFCs in aerosols, refrigerants, etc. (Natural Sun shield has been breached) Montreal Protocol - adopted by 100+ countries bc of the reduction of emissions of ozone-depleting chemicals by 2,000 and complete phase out of CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) Exxon Valdez - spills 10.8 million gallons of crude oil into Prince William Sound (Alaska Coast), and as a result the US passed new regulations on shipping industry Oil Protection Act - increases penalties for oil spills, sets requirements for vessel construction, and USA oil tankers must be double hulled 1988 - hottest year on record Dr. James Hansen - NASA climatologist who said “the greenhouse effect has been detected and is changing our climate now”, and as a result the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was established Kyoto Protocol - agreement countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change (192 countries signed), claimed to be fatally flawed and shortly after USA emphasizes oil exploration, coal, and nuclear Al Gore - gave a powerpoint on the dangers of global warming, inspiring renewed conversation on climate change Deepwater Horizon - oil rig exploded and sank, killing 11 people, which led to new regulations on drilling Aliso Canyon Gas Leak - massive methane leak in LA, worst natural gas leak in US history, headaches, nausea, skin rashes, nosebleeds Paris Agreement - international treaty on climate change, most significant treaty on climate change Inflation Reduction Act - tax incentives and provided funds for clean energy Environ. Legislation (rarely just emerges, typically reason for change): - Clean Air Act - Clean Water Act - Clean Drinking Water Act - Endangered Species Act - Toxic Substances Control Act Reasons for Change: - Fear factor - Emotions - Increased political will - Can see specifically what is wrong Big Report: - New discovery or presentation - Understanding the scale of the problem\ - People have access to info - Fear factor - Increased political will Activism: - Citizens, legislators, organizations - Encourage decision-makers to make positive change (gov and businesses) - Petitions, marches, phone calls, publicity stunts, reports Making change can take years or even decades Recycling Average american throws away 4.5l bs of trash every day Global trash average - 1.6 lbs Waste amounts are increasing ⅓ of food produced for human consumption every year is wasted (1.3 billions = $1 trillion) Why so much food waste? - - Confusing labels (best by) - Oversized servings (too large of portions they can’t be eaten before they go bad) - “Perfect” produce (weird appearance) - Overstocked stores (never run out of food) Landfills - facilities to isolate municipal solid waste from the environment (not hazardous waste) Landfill Layers - waste deposited in layers (3 feet), compacted, severals layers on top of each other Leachate - water percolated through waste Plastic Liner - protects groundwater and surface water Methane - CH4 - organic waste, decomposing Methane Capture - tubes used to produce electricity Landfill Issues: - Doesn’t capture enough methane and CO2 - Can contaminate soil and water (leachate) - Hard to screen for unsafe waste (ends up just accepting it) - Reduces values of surrounding area Incineration - burning waste at high temperatures through a furnace (waste combusts and produces organic materials and ENERGY) Incineration Issues: - Air pollution (SO2, CO2, NO2) - Toxic waste ash Industrial Composting - large-scale processing of organic waste into soil additive (temp, humidity, airflow, microorganisms) Optimal Conditions for decomp - CH4 vs CO2 Industrial Composting Materials: - Food (meat/dairy, pits, bones, + shells) - Paper and Cardboard - Animal Manure - Bioplastic - Yard Waste Recycling - waste product turned into feedstock for another material through mechanical processes 1930s-40s - World War II 1960s - Environmental Movement 1970s - Landfill Shortage 1990s - PA Act 101(Minnesota, CA) Modern Recycling Facility - waste collector collects materials, Materials Recovery Facility sorts materials, Materials Recovery Facility sells materials, manufacturer creates new materials Drop Off Sites - consumer brings waste to centralized site, consumer often sorts Multi Stream recycling - consumer sorts waste by type Dual Stream Recycling - consumer sorts waste into paper + cardboard and jugs, jars, + cans Single Stream Recycling - all recycling in one bin Physical Sorting - “first pass” - break down big items and pick out obvious garbage (jobs that requires humans, is loud, and is physically demanding) Star Screens - separate 2D and 3D items with gravity (goal is paper and cardboard) Magnetic Sorting - magnets (goal is metals) and reverse magnets/Eddy Currents (goal is aluminum) Optical Sorting - laser and air jets (goal is plastics) Baling - squishing and ready to ship Recycling Benefits: - Reduced environmental impact (less energy and water, fewer materials used and wasted) - Reduced costs - Public relations Recycling Disadvantages: - Energy intensive - Waste - False positives Why does recycling exist? - MONEY Single Stream Pros: - Easier for customer - Easier to collect - More materials Single Stream Cons: - Contamination Obstacles: - Collect enough of a certain materials - Do enough clients have this? - Isolatable? - Sort for desired material - Is it different enough from other materials? - Buyer for the material - Turn anything else? - Useful? - Enough? Current Local Issues: - Low price of oil (ethane cracker plant is a local issue) - New materials - Domestic buyers Current International Issues: - Single stream increase contamination by 5% - Too contaminated for domestic buyers  - Sending abroad - China accepted 5-10% contamination (needed raw materials and had access to cheap labor) - Difficulty of importing and exporting shipping containers Green Fence (2013) and National Sword (2017) Impacts: - No contamination allowed (fines/fees passed along) - More materials to landfill - Market has still not recovered What can we do? - Recycle right - Recycle clean and dry Plastics - bottles, jugs, jars, tubs (no wrappers, bags, films, coffee cups/lids) Paper - DRY AND CLEAN office paper, magazines, newspaper (no paper cups, paper plates, napkins) Metal - steel + aluminum food and beverage cans, aerosol cans (loose cans, cookware, aluminum pans/foil, scrap) Cardboard - cardboard, paperboard, flat, pizza boxes Recycling at DUQ - single-ish stream, different bins with signs around campus, ongoing contamination Waste Hierarchy from Most Preferred to Least Preferred: - Source Reduction & Reuse - Recycling/Composting - Energy Recovery - Treatment & Disposal Agriculture Agriculture - art and science of cultivating the soil, growing crops, and raising livestock Where is agriculture? - every state, but most concentrated in California Central Valley and Great Plains Agroecosystems: Farming creates unique ecological conditions (takes up 876.6 million acres and 39% of USA) Early Ecological Succession - crops are early succession species, grow and mature quickly (ex. wheat, corn, soybeans)  Plowing/harvesting stops succession which leads to secondary succession Simplified diversity Monocultures - areas planted with one species (susceptible to disease or change, depletes soil, increased competition) Nice and neat rows (susceptible to pests, soil compaction, competition) Easy for machines Requires plowing (unlike anything in “nature”, erosion and soil damage, release carbon dioxide) Globalization of Agriculture: - What we eat comes from ecological transplants - plants that originate from other places - Increase in global trade - (ex. Pineapple, bananas, guava, tropical fruits, quinoa, coffee, cocoa, out of season produce) 200 species grown as crops vs. 14: - Wheat - Rice - Maize - Potatoes - Sweet Potatoes - Manioc - Sugarcane - Sugar Beet - Common Beans - Soybeans - Barley - Sorghum - Bananas Livestock Farming: - Practice of raising animals for their products (flesh, bone, skin, milk, eggs, honey, fiber) Largest use of land in the USA Rangeland - area for grazing, no plowing or planting Pasture - area for harvesting food for livestock, yes plowing and planting Soil needs to provide nutrients, store water, allow flow of air Crops need 20 chemical elements Macronutrient - required in large amounts (sulfur, phosphorous, potassium, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, hydrogen) Micronutrient - required in small amounts (molybdenum, copper, zinc, manganese, iron) Ideal Soil: - All macro and micronutrients - Good physical structure (air/water can move and retains water) - Combo of soil sizes (loam) Limiting Factor - requirement for growth that is most limited in comparison to the need of an organism (least available, what will run out first?) (ex. Bread is limiting factor in making grilled cheese) Liebig’s Law of the Minimum - growth of plant affected by one limiting factor at a time (one shortage will stop process) (ex. Barrel of water) Traditional Harming of Agriculture and Soil: - Monoculture (use all the same nutrients) - Plowing (loss to erosion - Rows (compaction) Chemical Fertilizers - N-P-K Ratio - Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium Fertilizers - combat decline in soil fertility by adding in excess nutrients (can be organic/animal manure or chemical) Issues with Fertilizers: - Can be washed into waterways - Pollution - Eutrophication - Harms soil microorganisms Eutrophication - increased nutrients in waterways, explosion of growth of microorganism, large amounts of algae in waterways, blocks sunlight (kills aquatic plants), dead plants and algae decompose, uses up oxygen in water (releases CO2), dead zones in water (lack of oxygen and hypoxia) Eutrophication can be at large scales (great lakes, chesapeake bay, gulf of mexico) and small scales Most crops are early succession species What causes eutrophication? - Fertilizer Runoff Which of these is not one of the main 14 crops? - Corn, Sweet Potato, Pineapple, Rice Pests - undesirable competitors, parasites, and predators, modern agriculture is PERFECT for them (monoculture) Herbicides - kill unwanted plants Insecticides - kill unwanted insects Fungicides - kill unwanted fungi Rodenticides - kill unwanted rodents Broad Spectrum Pesticides - kill wide variety of organisms and targets common characteristics Narrow Spectrum Pesticides - kill select group of organisms and targets particular characteristic Integrated Pest Management - understanding of the pests and combination of practices (pesticides, practices like crop rotation and timing, pheromones, predatory insects) Selective Breeding - reproduce organisms with favorable characteristics offspring with those characteristics (breeding for bigger, tastier, brighter color, quicker, more efficient) Genetically Modified Organisms - change DNA, genetic engineering, not slective breeding, passed safety assessments - Withstand pesticides - Produce their own pesticides - Terminator gene - Sterile after first harvest Improved Irrigation - efficient irrigation systems, computer monitoring, proper amount ➔ System prioritizes efficiency, consistency, reliability Great Depression - gov paid farmers to stop producing crops, eliminate surplus of certain crops, increased prices Farm Bill - purchases food, price and revenue supports, subsidized loans, crop insurance Subsidies look diff - gov will pay farmer to fill gap (if market says corn is $20 but only gives $10) Subsidies - not uniform across crops Big Five: - Corn - Soybeans - Wheat - Cotton - Rice Big One: - Corn (versatile, ethanol, animal feed, high fructose corn syrup) (biofuels, exported) Indirect Process - Animal feed to livestock to human food CAFOs - Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations - facility with live animals (1000+ per unit) confined to 45+ days/year CAFO Benefits: - Lower production costs - Lower prices of animal products CAFO Cons: - Animal waste (335 million tons/year) - Waste lagoon (animal sewage, pollutes waterways, air and soils, ammonia, heavy metals, cleaning agents) - Noise pollution (very loud, stressful to humans and critters) - Animal welfare ( exempt from most animal cruelty laws, short lives, highly stressful, loud and cramped) - Individuals harm themselves and each other - Practices like beak trimming, teeth grinding, dehorning, tail docking Antibiotics - make individuals grow bigger and faster, prevent illness, 80% of antibiotics are used in animal agriculture Antibiotic Resistance - antibiotics kill most bacteria, surviving bacteria reproduce, but soon all bacteria will be those who can survive antibiotics Selective breeding for more dangerous bacteria, superbugs (MRSA) Integrated Pest Management - using a combination of practices (and knowledge) to control pests What is corn used for? - animal feed, high fructose syrup, ethanol biofuel), and export the rest Problem with CAFOS? - large amounts of waste, noise pollution, animal welfare issues, antibiotic resistance Regenerative Agriculture USDA Organic - grown/made to federal guidelines (animal raising practices, pest control practices, crop cultivation practices, third party certification 1990 National Organic Food Act - public fear, US Department of Agriculture to establish “organic” label, standards, certification program Secretary Agriculture - marketing tool not about food safety, nutrition, quality Prohibited Substances - synthetic fertilizers, synthetic pesticides (some are allowed) Organic Produce: - Use organic seeds - Manage pests through physical and biological controls (Manual removal, integrated pest management) - If not sufficient, chemicals may be used (naturally occurring, synthetic) Organic Growing Practices - 3 years w/o prohibited substances, manage soil with tillage, crop rotation, and manure Organic Animal Farming - animals can practice natural behavior (grazing, 100% organic feed, no antibiotics or hormones) Organic Processed Food - no artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, majority ingredients are organic (some exceptions are baking soda, enzymes) Organic vs Conventional: Tastier - No More Nutritious - Unclear Improved Soil Health - Yes Reduced risk of human disease - Need more data More Yield - No Best of Both Worlds: - Crop Rotation - Limited use of pesticides - Reduced use of antibiotics National Organic Food Production Act - 1990 Chemical Pesticides are never permitted in organic farming - FALSE Organic Food Purchases are - INCREASING Regenerative Agriculture - philosophy of land management, web of connectivity (not linear) Regenerative Agriculture Goal - nourish Earth and people Regenerative Agriculture Work to: - Restore soil health - Restore biodiversity - Improve water health - Capture carbon - Address inequity Not new concept/since beginning of agriculture (humus farming) Nurture Relationships Between:  - People - Land - Water Bodies - Livestock - Wildlife - Microbial Life Decrease in soil disturbance (tilling) Protect biological structures (insects, bacteria, fungi, other microorganisms) Integrated Pest Management - diversify crops and livestock strategically (reduces needs for pesticides and fertilizers) ➔ Ex. Three Sisters Planting - corn, bean, squash Treat all people with respect, fair wages, share power Environmental Benefits: - Improved soil health, biodiversity, and soil water retention - Reduced erosion and pollution Climate Change - soil can draw down carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases (microbes) Economic Benefits - reduced money on chemical inputs (pesticides, fertilizers, and antibiotics) and diversified revenue streams Crop Rotation - planting different crops on same plot of land ➔ Improves soil health and combats pests Cover Cropping - plant crops on “unused” soil (no cash crop, often cheap, ex. clover) ➔ Reduces erosion, retains water, increases biodiversity No Till Farming - leaves soil intact when planting, no plowing, maintains soil structure Composting - transforming waste into fertilizer (animal waste and yard waste) natural process including bacteria, heat, and water Rotational Grazing - mimics large animals moving across lands which helps to aerate the soil, fertilize the soil, and spread seeds Agroforestry - mimics forest systems by integrating trees/shrubs into agriculture, increase biodiversity and soil retention Prairie Strips - small amounts of prairie strategically placed in fields, which helps to reduce erosion and nutrient runoff Riparian Buffers - vegetated zones near streams that helps with habitats, improving water quality, capturing pollution, and reducing flooding Regenerative Agriculture looks at the linear sequence in the agricultural process - FALSE Cover Crops - planting crops on unused soil to preserve soil health Rotational Grazing - technique that mimics large animals moving across land Kahoot Notes Conservation President - Theodore Roosevelt Crop that receives most government support - Corn Can you recycle starbucks cups at Duquesne - NO Large Scale Example of Eutrophication - Gulf of Mexico Industrial Composting CAN convert organic waste into a soil additive/fertilizer Major Chemical Focused on by Silent Spring - DDT Narrow Spectrum Pesticide - kills a select group of organisms by targeting a particular characteristic The Farm Bill - passed by Congress each year to support farmers and ranchers Soil - needs to provide nutrients, store water, and allow for the flow of air Rachel Carson - author of Silent Spring Hetch Hetchy - John Muir and Gifford Pinchot’s environmental debate Donora - location of major thermal inversion environmental disaster Clean Air Act - marked a major shift in the federal government’s role in pollution 1969 - year we went to the moon National Environmental Policy Act - requires an environmental impact review before development and allows citizen lawsuits against polluters President Nixon - created the Environmental Protection Agency Increased nutrients in water - starts eutrophication process Crops need approximately how many chemical elements - 20 CFCs - primary chemical responsible or the hole in the ozone layer Regenerative Agriculture does NOT look at the linear sequence in the agricultural process Exxon Valdez - major oil spill into Prince William Sound (Alaska Coast), and as a result the US passed new regulations on shipping industry NOT ALL crops are subsidized by USA national gov 1988 - NASA scientists testify to Congress that the greenhouse effect is occurring majorly Pests - undesirable competitors, parasites, and predators (not just insects) Recyclable materials need to be sorted by either the customer or at the MRF Traditional landfills hold solid waste NOT hazardous waste Which is not in the top 3 items of municipal solid waste? Glass, Food, Paper, Plastic Thermal Inversion - stable air masses with cooler air near Earth’s surface and warm air on top, occurs in late afternoon, lingers into morning, since warm air rises, air under the inversion cannot escape (traps smoke & pollution) USA is NOT a firm signer of the Kyoto Protocol, a major climate change treaty Regenerative agriculture DOES involve humans Many things we eat today originated from other locations and are ecological transplants Big reports, big catastrophes, and activism, can lead to policy and societal changes Prairie Strips - the practice of integrating small amounts of prairie strategically in a farm Sales of organic food has been - increasing Regenerative Agriculture - a philosophy of land management that looks at the web of connectivity in farming Organic livestock should NOT have any hormones or antibiotics Loam - the ideal combo of soil particle sizes The modern environmental movement began partly in response to the Industrial Revolution Organic farming NEVER permits farmers to use non-organic seeds Landfill - a facility meant to hold municipal solid waste forever Antibiotic resistant bacteria are associated with CAFOs Corn - primarily used for biofuels and animal feed Most industrial farms DON’T diversify the number of crops they grow Confusing food labels can lead to food waste Most crops are early succession species Leachate - water percolated through waste Waste incineration produces - air pollution The US gov is involved in the agricultural system Rotational Grazing - the practice of moving animals around different grazing areas that mimics large animals moving across lands Corn - receives the most gov support Americans throw away MORE than the global average person Agriculture - the art/science of cultivating soil, crops, and/or livestock Humans - conduct the “first pass” at the MRF Crop Yield - amount of crops grown per acre (increasing) Farmers have been selective breeding for DECADES Integrated Pest Management - using research and a combo of practices (ex. pheromones and predatory insects) Lasers - used to sort plastics at the MRF Cover Cropping - the practice of planting crops on “unused” soil Organic Food - containing no artificial preservatives, colors, flavors Broad Spectrum Pesticides - kills a wide variety of organisms by targeting common characteristics China - no longer accepting contaminated recycling bales from the USA People started caring about the environment a long time ago The amount of waste generated is increasing Organic farming allows farmers to use chemical pesticides in certain cases Landfills produce - methane Herbicides - kill unwanted plants CAFOS - have ethical, environmental, and human health concerns Too much fertilizer - initiates eutrophication Silent Spring - book that led to long term environmental change/actions Insecticides - kill unwanted insects Central Plains - agriculture in USA is most concentrated here Limiting Factor - requirement for crop growth that is most limited in comparison to crop need Fungicides - kills unwanted fungi The Industrial Agriculture system DOES NOT prioritize nutrition and flavor/taste Agroecosystems - the unique ecosystem created by farming Dead Zones - result of eutrophication Synthetic Chemicals - main topic in Silent Spring Agriculture takes place in every US state Rodenticides - kill unwanted rodents Most corn is used for animal feed biofuels (not food for the public) Hetch Hetchy Valley - clear cut and flooding No Till Farming - the practice of leaving the soil intact when planting (no plowing) Landfills ARE NOT able to screen out all unsafe waste Recycling WILL solve most environmental issues/problems Organic agriculture doesn’t perform better than industrial agriculture in every category Traditional magnets DO NOT retrieve all metals in the MRF Composting - the practice of transforming organic waste into a soil additive/fertilizer