EnviSci PDF - Introduction to Environmental Science

02/09/2024 1 AN INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 1st Semester 2024-2025 Pangasinan State University – Lingayen Campus Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin...

02/09/2024 1 AN INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 1st Semester 2024-2025 Pangasinan State University – Lingayen Campus Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 1 This lecture will help you understand: The nature of environmental science The scientific method and the scientific process Natural resources and their importance Culture and worldviews Environmental ethics Sustainability Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 2 1  02/09/2024 The “environment” Consists of both: Biotic factors (living things) & Abiotic factors (nonliving things) that surround us and with which we interact. “Even Obi-wan Kenobi knew that much...” Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 3 Humans and the environment We humans exist within the environment and are a part of the natural world. Like all other species, we depend for our survival on a properly functioning planet. Thus, our interactions with our environment matter a great deal. Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 4 2  02/09/2024 Natural resources Renewable resources like sunlight cannot be depleted. Nonrenewable resources like oil CAN be depleted. Resources like timber and clean water are renewable only if we do not overuse them. Figure 1.1 Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 5 Global human population growth Our population has skyrocketed to over 6 billion. The agricultural and industrial revolutions drove population growth. Figure 1.2 Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 6 3  02/09/2024 Thomas Malthus (1766-1834) Population growth will lead to starvation, war, disease. Death rates check population unless birth rates are lowered. In our day, Paul Ehrlich (The Population Bomb, 1968) is called “neo-Malthusian.” Figure 1.3 Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 7 “The tragedy of the commons!” Garrett Hardin, 1968: In a “commons” open to all, unregulated use will deplete limited resources. Figure 1.4 Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 8 4  02/09/2024 Environmental science How does the natural world work? How does our environment affect us? How do we affect our environment? Applied goal: Developing solutions to environmental problems. Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 9 What is an “environmental problem?” Definitions differ. The pesticide DDT: was thought safe in 1945 is known to be toxic today but is used widely in Africa to combat malaria Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 1.5 10 5  02/09/2024 Environmental science … can help us avoid mistakes made by past civilizations. On Easter Island, people annihilated their culture by destroying their environment. From The Science behind the Stories Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 11 Environmental science … is an interdisciplinary field, drawing on many diverse disciplines. Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 1.6 12 6  02/09/2024 Environmental science … is NOT the same as environmentalism. It is science, NOT advocacy. Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 1.7 13 Science A systematic process for learning about the world and testing our understanding of it A dynamic process of observation, testing, and discovery And the accumulated body of knowledge that results from this process Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 14 7  02/09/2024 Applications of science Policy decisions and management practices are applications of science. Prescribed burning, used to restore forest ecosystems altered by human suppression of fire. Figure 1.8a Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 15 Applications of science Technology is another application of science. Energy-efficient methanol-powered fuel cell car from DaimlerChrysler Figure 1.8b Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 16 8  02/09/2024 Scientific method: Assumptions Fixed natural laws govern how the universe works All events arise from causes, and cause other events We can use our senses and reason to detect and describe nature’s laws Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 17 Scientific method A step-by-step method for testing ideas with observations. Figure 1.9 Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 18 9  02/09/2024 Scientific method Scientists use educated guesses called hypotheses to generate predictions that are then tested experimentally. Results may reject or fail to reject a hypothesis. Results never confirm a hypothesis, but only lend support to it by failing to reject it. Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 19 Hypothesis, theory, and paradigm Hypothesis = an educated guess, to be tested Theory = a well-tested and widely accepted explanation, validated by much previous research Paradigm = a dominant view. May shift if new results show old results or assumptions to be wrong Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 20 10  02/09/2024 Ethics Ethics is a discipline that deals with how we value and perceive our environment. Ethics influence our decisions and actions. Figure 2.1 Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 21 Worldview Worldview = a person’s or group’s beliefs about the meaning, purpose, operation, and essence of the world. Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 22 11  02/09/2024 Some questions in environmental ethics Should the present generation conserve resources for future Are humans justified generations? in driving other species to extinction? Is is OK to destroy a forest to create jobs Is it OK for some for people? communities to be exposed to more pollution than others? Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 23 Three ethical worldviews Figure 2.4 Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 24 12  02/09/2024 Early environmental philosophers The industrial revolution inspired reaction. Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 25 The preservation ethic John Muir (right, with President Roosevelt at Yosemite) advocated preserving unspoiled nature, for its own sake and for human fulfillment. Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 2.5 26 13  02/09/2024 The conservation ethic Gifford Pinchot advocated using natural resources, but exploiting them wisely, for the greatest good for the greatest number for the longest time. Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 2.6 27 The land ethic Aldo Leopold urged people to view themselves as part of nature, and to strive to maintain “the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community.” Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 2.7 28 14  02/09/2024 Environmental justice (EJ) Poor people and minorities suffer more than their share of environmental problems, EJ advocates say. The EJ movement began with a protest against a toxic waste dump in an African-American community in North Carolina. Figure 2.8 Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 29 Sustainability The key concept for our future: Limiting human impact on the natural world so that our civilization can continue to exist Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 30 15  02/09/2024 Sustainable development UN: Development that “meets the needs of the present without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet theirs”. Figure 1.17 Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 31 Conclusions: Challenges We live on a planetary island with limited resources. Population and consumption are growing. Many feel that we have not yet developed the ethical basis for sustainability. Environmental justice remains a challenge. Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 32 16  02/09/2024 Conclusions: Solutions We are developing ideas and technologies to lessen our impacts. We can reduce population and consumption. Sustainability is catching on. Science helps us understand our world and develop solutions. Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 33 Conclusions: Solutions Environmental science is vibrant and growing. Ethics evolve, and we may yet develop an ethical basis for sustainability. Advances in technology and efficiency can mitigate our environmental impacts. Advances have been made toward environmental justice. Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings 34 17