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G. Tyler Miller ’ s Living in the Environment 13 th Edition. Chapter 1 Environmental Issues, Their Causes, and Sustainability. Key Concepts. What are the Major Environmental Problems What are Their Causes How Important or Serious are They Ways to Live More Sustainably. Environment
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G. Tyler Miller’sLiving in the Environment13th Edition Chapter 1 Environmental Issues, Their Causes, and Sustainability
Key Concepts • What are the Major Environmental Problems • What are Their Causes • How Important or Serious are They • Ways to Live More Sustainably
Environment Everything that affects a living organism during its lifetime • Ecology Biological science that studies relationship between living organisms and their interaction with the environment
Environmental Science Interdisciplinary science that uses concepts and information from natural sciences and social sciences to help us understand • How the earth works • How we are affecting the environment • How we deal with environmental problems
Sustainability, is the ability of earth’s various systems to survive and adapt to changing environmental conditions indefinitely. Sustainability Is the Central Theme of This Book • Key idea: Protect your capital and live off of the income it provides
Living More Sustainably Environmentally Sustainable Society - satisfies the basic needs of its people into the indefinite future Food Clean Water Clean Air Shelter
Population GrowthHow fast are we growing? Fig. 1-2 p. 4 • ExponentialGrowth
World Population J curve
Population Growth Fig. 1-2 p. 4 • ExponentialGrowth • Doubling Timeand the “Rule of 70”
“Rule of 70” 70 Doubling Time (in years) = Percent growth rate (%)
Let’s See If the Rule of 70 Works! 10% fixed growth rate….what is doubling time? 70/10 = 7 year doubling time 100 people to start (.10)(100) =+10 10% growth 110 total # of people at end of year 1 (.10)(110) =+11 121 end of year 2 (.10)(121) =+12 133 end of year 3 (.10)(133) =+13 146 end of year 4 (.10)(146) = +14 160 end of year 5 (.10)(160) = +16 176 end of year 6 (.10)(176) = +17 193 end of year 7—almost doubled!
The Power of Doubling (Lab)
Economic Growth Refers to an increase in the capacity to provide people with goods and services. Economic growth is measured by a county’s Gross National Product (GNP or GNI) Market value ($) of all goods and services produced within and outside a country during a year plus net income earned abroad by a countries citizens
Other Economic Indicators Gross Domestic Product (GDP) market value ($) of all goods and services producedwithin a country during a year Gross World Product (GWP) market value ($) of all goods and services produced in the world during a year
Economic Growth Per Capita GNP GNP divided by total population at mid-year “your piece of the economic pie”
Economic Development The improvement of living standards by economic growth. Measured by (1) degree of industrialization (2) per capita GNI Developed Countries US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, all of Europe Developing Counties Most of Africa, Asia, and Latin America
<$2700 $2700-$10,750 >$10,750 per capita GNI
Economic Development Positive Aspects Global life expectancy has doubled from 33 to 67 years Infant mortality has dropped Food production has outpaced population growth Access to safe drinking water has increased.
Economic Development Negative Aspects Average life expectancy in developing countries is 11 years less than in developed countries Infant mortality is 8x higher Harmful environmental effects of industrialized food production may limit future food production Air and water pollution are high in most developing countries Natural resources are being used unsustainably
Globalization –we are living in an increasingly integrated world • Economic indicators • Global economy grew • International trade grew • Corporation operating in multiple countries grew • Information and Communication • 1 in every 11 people in the world have Internet access • Environmental Effects • Number of diseases transmitted across international • borders has increased • Pollution transported globally
Natural Capital = Natural Resources + Natural Services • Natural resources – materials or energy in nature that are useful (sometimes essential) to humans. • Natural services – functions of, or processes in nature which support life and human economies • Solar capital – energy from the sun
Resources Resource– anything obtained from the environment that fulfills a need or want Directly available for use (sun, air, water, wind) Not directly available for use (iron, coal, crops) Perpetual– on a human time scale are continuous solar energy Renewable – can be replenished rapidly (e.g. hours to several decades) forests, grasslands, fresh air, fertile soil Nonrenewable – in a fixed supply or not replenished on a human time scale fossil fuels, iron, copper, salt
Recycling and reusing extends supply of nonrenewable resources. Recycling processes waste material into new material. Reuse is using a resource over again in the same form. Some Sources Are Renewable…Some Resources Are Not Renewable • Sustainable yield – the highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used without reducing its available supply • Environmental degradation –when resource supply shrinks as a result of overuse
Overexploiting Shared Renewable Resources: Tragedy of the Commons Three types of property or resource rights: Private property – owned by a person Common property – owned by a group Open access renewable resources – own by no one, available to all, no charge Tragedy of the Commons – common property/ open access resources will be exploited Solutions – laws or policy reducing resource access or use OR convert the resource to private ownership
Imagine a field of grass shared by 6 farmers, each with one cow…
A few facts: Each cow currently produces 20 liters of milk per day The carrying capacity of the commons is 8 cows. For each cow above 8, the milk production declines by 2 liters (due to overgrazing, there is less grass for each cow: less grass, less milk!). 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 120 liters
Do the farmers sit back and stay at 6 cows? Not if they are individual profit maximizers (here simplified as milk production maximizers) 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 120 liters (6 cows)
Do the farmers sit back and stay at 6 cows? Not if they are individual profit maximizers (here simplified as milk production maximizers) “I’ll get another cow” 40 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 140 liters (7 cows)
We are now at the carrying capacity -- do they stop? No. “Then I’ll get another cow too” 40 liters 40 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 160 liters (8 cows)
They are now at the maximum total milk production. But do they stop? No… 36 liters 36 liters “I’ll get another cow” 18 liters 36 liters 18 liters 18 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 162 liters (9 cows)
32 liters 32 liters 16 liters 32 liters 16 liters “My cow is now less productive, but 2 will improve my situation” 32 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 160 liters (10 cows)
28 liters 28 liters 14 liters 28 liters “I’ll get another cow” 28 liters 28 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 154 liters (11 cows)
“Well, everyone else is getting one, so me too!” 24 liters 24 liters 24 liters 24 liters 24 liters 24 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 144 liters (12 cows)
“Well, I can still increase milk production if I get a third cow” 30 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters 20 liters Total daily milk production for the commons: 130 liters (10 cows)
Ecological Footprints - • the amount of land needed to produce the resources needed by an average person in a country
Earth’s Ecological Capacity Number of Earths Humanity's Ecological Footprint Year
Pollution Any addition to air, water, soil, or food that threatens the health, survival, or activities of humans or other living organisms
Pollution • Where do pollutants come from? • Point Sources – single identifiable sources • Smokestack • Drainpipe • Exhaust pipe • Nonpoint sources – dispersed sources • Runoff from fields • Pesticides sprayed in the air
Pollution What are the effects of pollutants? Disruption of life-support systems for humans and other species. Damage to wildlife, human health, and property. Nuisances such as noise, and unpleasant smells, tastes, and sights.
Dealing With Pollution • Prevention (Input Control) • Refuse • Replace • Reduce • Reuse • Recycle • Cleanup (Output Control) • Temporary • Shifts problem somewhere else • Costly
Environmental and Resource Problems Major Problems(See Fig. 1-9 p. 12) Air Pollution Water Pollution Biodiversity Depletion Food Supply Waste Production
Biodiversity Depletion • Habitat destruction • Habitat degradation • Extinction • Air Pollution • Global climate change • Stratospheric ozone depletion • Urban air pollution • Acid deposition • Outdoor pollutants • Indoor pollutants • Noise • Food Supply Problems • Overgrazing • Farmland loss • and degradation • Wetlands loss • and degradation • Overfishing • Coastal pollution • Soil erosion • Soil salinization • Soil waterlogging • Water shortages • Groundwater depletion • Loss of biodiversity • Poor nutrition Major Environmental Problems • Water Pollution • Sediment • Nutrient overload • Toxic chemicals • Infectious agents • Oxygen depletion • Pesticides • Oil spills • Excess heat • Waste Production • Solid waste • Hazardous waste
Experts Have Identified Five Basic Causes of Environmental Problems Population growth Wasteful and unsustainable resource use Poverty Failure to include the harmful environmental costs of goods and services in their market prices Insufficient knowledge of how nature works
Resource Consumption and Environmental Problems BOTH poverty and wealth can lead to environmental degradation: Underconsumption People who live in poverty are concerned with survival, not the environmental implications of their actions. Overconsumption Affluenza: unsustainable addiction to overconsumption and materialism.
Environmental Impact Fig. 1-11 p. 13
Connections between Environmental Problems and Their Causes • I = PAT • I = P x A x T • I = Environmental Impact • P = Population • A = Affluence (per capita consumption) • T = Technology