What is Environmental Science?

2. What is Environmental Science? The study of how humans interact with the environment

3. What is the Environment? Environment- from the French word environner to encircle or surround Everything around you both natural and man made….

4. Goals of Environmental Science Understand and solve environmental problems Accomplished by studying interactions between humans and the environment • How we use natural resources • How our actions alter the environment

5. Name the five fields of study that contribute to environmental science

6. Is environmental science the same as environmentalism? No, often separated by individual’s goals • Environmental science is the use of scientific methods to study the processes and systems in the environment in which we live • Environmentalism is working to influence attitudes and polices that affect our environment.

7. Example: Petroleum geologistEnv scientist who study geology to find oil resources. What is this geologist goal? Increase access to benefit their company & self ???? OR Protect the environment where the oil is located ????

8. Are environmental issues a recent phenomena? No Environmental issues have emerged in accordance with human history

9. A Greek Complaint • 400 BC Plato complained that Greece was once blessed with fertile soil and clothed with abundant forest of trees until the trees were cut to build houses and ships rains washed the soil into the sea leaving a skeleton of a body wasted by disease.

10. A Roman Complaint • 38 BC Roman Poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus wrote The smoke, the wealth , the noise of Rome Air pollution was referred to as heavy heaven or infamous air.

11. ANY QUESTIONS?