Environmental Sustainability PDF

Learning Goals for Environmental Sustainability Define the term environment Characterize the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science Describe several types of natural resources and explain their importance to human life Diagnose and illustrate some of the pressures on the...

Learning Goals for Environmental Sustainability Define the term environment Characterize the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science Describe several types of natural resources and explain their importance to human life Diagnose and illustrate some of the pressures on the global environment Articulate the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development 1-2 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Central Case: Earth from Space:The Power of an Image Prior to 1967, no one had seen a photograph of the whole planet On Novemeber 9, 1967 - a simple photograph from the unmanned Apollo 4, showing “cresent” Earth changed both society and history Earth rise - taken hand-held by Apollo 8 astronaut James Lovell, December 24, 2968 Apollo 17, 1972 - famous Blue Marble image credited with kick-starting the modern environmental movement 1-2 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.  Our Island, Earth 1-3 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. The environment is more than just our surroundings Biotic (living things) Animals, plants, forests, soils, etc. Abiotic (nonliving things) Continents, oceans, clouds, icecaps Our built environment Structures, human-created living centres Social relationships and institutions 1-5 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. “Environment” has legal, social, economic, and scientific aspects Important that we give careful consideration to the meaning of the term environment Humans exist within the environment and are a part of the interactions that characterize it Definition must be sufficiently comprehensive to include its legal, social, economic, and scientific aspects 1-5 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1-5 Environmental science explores interactions between people and the natural world Environmental science is the study of: - How the natural world works - How the environment affects humans - How humans affect the environment - Such knowledge is essential in devising solutions to environmental problems 1-7 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Environmental science explores interactions between people and the natural world (cont’d) Enrichment: - Health, lifespan, wealth, mobility, leisure Impacts: - Natural systems have been degraded - Long-term threat on health and survival 1-8 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.  The Nature of Environmental Science 1-8 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Science is a systematic process for learning about the world - Science is a systematic process for learning about the world and testing our understanding of it - The accumulated body of knowledge that results from this dynamic process of observation, testing, and discovery Science is essential for - Sorting fact from fiction - Developing solutions to the problems we face 1-10 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Science is a systematic process for learning about the world - Scientific Knowledge can be applied in policy and management decisions and in technology. 1-11 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.  Environmental science is an interdisciplinary pursuit Environmental problems is a complex endeavour that requires expertise from many disciplines Environmental science is thus an interdisciplinary field An integrated approach to addressing problems can produce effective and lasting solutions 1-12 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Environmental science is not the same as environmentalism Environmental science The pursuit of knowledge about the natural world Scientists try to remain objective Environmentalism A social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world 1-13 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.  Environmental science can help us avoid mistakes made in the past The Science Behind the Story: The Lesson of Rapa Nui The lesson of Easter Island: people annihilated their culture by destroying their environment. Can we act more wisely to conserve our resources? 1-14 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.  Earth’s Natural Resources 1-14 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Resources range from inexhaustible to nonrenwable Renewable resources: - Perpetually available: sunlight, wind, wave energy - Renew themselves over short periods: timber, water, soil - can be overharvested Resource management: - Balancing the use of a resource with its protection and preservation - The stock is the harvestable portion of the resource 1-15 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1-15  Resources range from inexhaustible to nonrenewable 1-16 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Resources range from inexhaustible to nonrenwable Nonrenewable resources: finite supply; can be depleted - Oil, coal, minerals - Will not be available because they will not be replenished on a humanly accessible time scale 1-17 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. The environment provides goods and services but has intrinsic value Goods - Tangible material things - Extracted from the environment. Services - Functions and processes vital to living organisms 1-18 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Earth’s carrying capacity is limited Carrying capacity - A measure of the ability of a system to support life - The number of individuals of a particular species that can be sustained by the biologicial productivity of a given area of land 1-20 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Earth’s carrying capacity is limited (cont’d) Tragedy of the Commons: - Unregulated exploitation leads to resource depletion - Resource users are tempted to increase use until the resource is gone - Solution? - Private ownership? - Voluntary organization to enforce responsible use? - Governmental regulations? 1-20 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.  Human Activities and the Environment 1-21 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. People differ in their perception of environmental problems - The perception of what constitutes a problem varies between individuals and societies - Age, gender, class, race, nationality, employment and education can affect perception 1-23 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. People differ in their perception of environmental problems (cont’d) e.g. DDT, a pesticide - In developing countries: welcome because it kills malaria-carrying mosquitoes - In developed countries: not welcome, due to health risks 1-24 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Population growth has driven our environmental impacts Surpassed 7 billion people in 2011 Why so many humans? - Old Stone Age - Agricultural Revolution - Industrial Revolution - Medical-Technological Revolution 1-25 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1-25 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Consumption and technology also make an impacts IPAT model - Total impact (I) on the environment as the producct of population (P), affluence (A), and technology (T): -I=PxAxT 1-26 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Ecological footprints help us quantify our impacts Calculating our ecological footprint: - The environmental impact of an individual or population - Amount of biologically productive land + water required to provide raw materials a population consumes and absorb the waste produced 1-28 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Ecological footprints help us quantify our impacts (cont’d) Biocapacity Humans have surpassed the Earth’s capacity Biocapacity creditor vs debtor We are using 39% more of the planet’s resources than are available on a sustainable basis from all the land! 1-29 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1-29 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.  Sustainability and the Future of Our World 1-30 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.  Sustainability meets environmental, social, and economic goals Sustainability - Leaves future generations with a rich and full Earth - Conserves the Earth’s natural resources - Maintains fully functioning ecological systems Sustainable development: the use of resources to satisfy current needs without compromising future availability of resources 1-312 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. 1-32 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Sustainability involves meeting environmental, social, and economic goals (cont’d) The triple bottom line: sustainable solutions that meet - Environmental goals - Economic goals - Social goals Requires that humans apply knowledge from the sciences to - Limit environmental impacts - Maintain functioning ecological systems 1-33 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. We face many environmental challenges Expanded food production led to increased population and consumption It’s one of humanity’s greatest achievements, but at an enormous environmental cost Nearly half of the planet’s land surface is used for agriculture Chemical fertilizers Pesticides Erosion Changed natural systems 1-34 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. We face many environmental challenges (cont’d) Waste products and artificial chemicals used in farms, industries, and households Each year, millions of people die from pollution 1-35 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. We face many environmental challenges (cont’d) Scientists have firmly concluded that humans are changing the composition of the atmosphere The Earth’s surface is warming Melting glaciers Rising sea levels Impacted wildlife and crops Increasingly destructive weather 1-36 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. We face many environmental challenges (cont’d) Human actions have driven many species extinct, and biodiversity is declining dramatically Some say we are already in a mass extinction event comparable to only five others documented in all of Earth’s history Biodiversity loss may be our biggest environmental problem; once a species is extinct, it is gone forever 1-37 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. We face many environmental challenges (cont’d) The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment: The most comprehensive scientific assessment of the condition of the world’s ecological systems Major findings: Humans have drastically altered ecosystems These changes have contributed to human well-being and economic development, but at a cost Environmental degradation could get much worse Degradation can be reversed, but it requires work 1-38 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Solutions to environmental problems must be global and sustainable We can not live without exerting any impact Global interconnectiveness Energy choices Recycling 1-40 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Are things getting better, or worse, and how can we tell? Many people think environmental conditions are better Some think things are much worse in the world How can you decide who is correct? Are the impacts limited to humans, or are other organisms or systems involved? Are the proponents thinking in the long or short term? Are they considering all costs and benefits? 1-41 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. Conclusion Environmental science helps us understand our relationship with the environment and informs our attempts to solve and prevent problems. Identifying a problem is the first step in devising a solution to it Solving environmental problems can move us towards health, longevity, peace and prosperity Environmental science can aid us in our efforts to develop balanced and workable solutions to many environmental problems 1-42 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. QUESTION: Review The term “environment” includes a) Animals and plants b) Oceans and rivers c) Soil and atmosphere d) All of the above are included in this term 1-43 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.  ANSWER The term “environment” includes a) Animals and plants b) Oceans and rivers c) Soil and atmosphere d) All of the above are included in this term 1-43 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. QUESTION: Review Which of the following is correct about the term “environmentalism”? a) It is very science-oriented b) It is a social movement to protect the environment c) It usually does not include advocacy for the environment d) It involves scientists trying to solve environmental problems 1-44 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.  ANSWER Which of the following is correct about the term “environmentalism”? a) It is very science-oriented b) It is a social movement to protect the environment c) It usually does not include advocacy for the environment d) It involves scientists trying to solve environmental problems 1-44 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. QUESTION: Review What is the definition of “sustainable development”? a) Using resources to benefit future generations, even if it means lower availability now b) Letting future generations figure out their own problems c) Using resources to satisfy current needs without compromising future availability d) Letting each country decide what is its best interest 1-45 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc. ANSWER What is the definition of “sustainable development”? a) Using resources to benefit future generations, even if it means lower availability now b) Letting future generations figure out their own problems c) Using resources to satisfy current needs without compromising future availability d) Letting each country decide what is its best interest 1-45 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Canada Inc.