Introducing Environmental Science and Sustainability

1. Chapter 1 Introducing Environmental Science and Sustainability Invasive Species Zebra Mussel: From ship ballast water, first found in Great lakes in 1985 Today, it is found in all the great lakes and its tributaries! Control efforts cost $5 bill / year 139 invasive species in Great Lakes alone 1996 National Invasive Species Act 2001 Invasive Species Management Plan

2. Human Impacts on the Environment • Increasing Human Numbers The most important environmental problem, the one that links all others together, is the many people in this picture What will this picture look like 100 years from now????

3. Human Impacts on the Environment • Most populous countries: • 1) China 1,374,853,000 • 2) India 1,155,011,000 • 3) United States 309,163,000 • 4) Indonesia 258,825,000 • 5) Brazil 195,580,000 Source: US Census Bureau, Global Population Profile: 2002

4. Human Impacts on the Environment

5. Human Impacts on the Environment Leads to . . . • Poverty : • per capita income of less than $1 a day • 1.2 billion worldwide currently live at this level Inadequate health care Unsanitary water Poor nutrition Lower life expectancy

6. Population, Resources, and the Environment • The contrast between less developed and highly developed countries is great:

7. Haves and Have nots • Highly developed countries = 20% of world’s population ( U.S., Canada, Japan, Europe ) • Moderately developed countries = Mexico, Turkey, South Africa, Thailand • Less Developed Countries = Bangladesh, Mali, Ethiopia, Laos • - cheap, unskilled labor is abundant, but capital for investment is scarce • -mostly agricultural economies • - hunger, disease and illiteracy are common

9. Population, Resources, and the Environment Renewable, but only when managed in a sustainable way • Types of resources:

10. Population, Resources, and the Environment Resource Consumption: - the human use of materials and energy - The media and advertising promote consumption as a means to happiness • because of our greater consumption rates, 1 US child has the environmental impact of 12+ children in less developed countries. • Americans consume 10 bill. Tons of materials every year

11. Population, Resources, and the Environment • People Overpopulation: • when excess # of people cause environmental damage. • Consumption Overpopulation: • when people consume enormous amounts of natural resources. • - Highly developed countries represent only 20% of the world’s population, yet they consume more than half of its resources and generate 75% of the world’s pollution and waste

12. Population, Resources, and the Environment • Ecological footprint http://earthday.net/footprint2/flash.html

13. Population, Resources, and the Environment Environmental Impact Affluence per person I = P A T Environmental effect of technologies Number of people • IPAT Model The three factors in the model are always changing in relation to each other. Consumer trends may affect the environmental impact. ( SUV’s)

14. Because of the popularity of SUVs, average fuel economy in the U.S. declined from 22.1 mpg in 1988 to 20.4 mpg in 2001. • In addition to being about 29% less fuel-efficient than cars, they emit between 30-75% more emissions. • Such trends and uncertainties make the IPAT equation of limited usefulness for long-term predictions.

15. Our ultimate goal should be to reduce consumption so that our current practices do not compromise the ability of future generations to use and enjoy the riches of our planet.

16. Environmental Sustainability • Sustainability: • stewardship of natural resources leading to their perpetual availability for successive generations.

17. Environmental Sustainability • Sustainability and the Tragedy of the Commons - 1968 Garrett Hardin Our inability to solve many environmental problems is the result of a struggle between short-term individual welfare and the long-term environmental sustainability and societal welfare.

18. Characters: Once-ler Lorax Truffula trees Barbalots Swami swams Humming fish

19. The title character is a logger who teaches another character, Guardbark, about forestry and the importance of logging. produced by the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association

20. Environmental Science • Interdisciplinary study of the interconnected problems associated with the environment. • Heavily leans upon ecology.

21. Environmental Science • Agriculture Philosophy • Chemistry Earth Science • Physics Computer technology • Economics Engineering • Sociology Politics • Law Biology • *** Decisions based upon all of these areas

22. Environmental Science Hypothesis development Experimentation Analysis NO YES Other scientists New knowledge Share knowledge • The Process of Science Problem recognition or question Make predictions Hypothesis supported?

23. Environmental Science Controls and Variables in Experimental Design Variable: • factors influencing processes being examined. • hypothesis examines ONE variable, holding others constant. • This is the experimental group. • Control group : • examined variable is left unaltered

24. Environmental Science • Hypothesis: Burning will increase frequency of prairie wildflowers. Which is the control group?

25. Environmental Science • How does the view of a theory differ between scientists and the public?

26. Environmental Science • Inductive and Deductive Reasoning • Inductive examines a series of facts for commonalities that can be concluded. • Example: • Fact: an ant has six legs • Fact: a wasp has six legs • Fact: a beetle has six legs • Conclusion: all insects have six legs

27. Environmental Science • Deductive examines for relationships among data moving from generalities to specifics. • Example: • General rule: all insects have six legs • Specific example: a grasshopper is an insect • Therefore: a grasshopper has six legs

28. Addressing Environmental Problems Risk Analysis Public education and involvement Political action Evaluation Gather information, define problem, experiment and collect data Scientific Assessment Risks of one or more remediation options are considered Explain the problem, present alternative actions, reveal costs Affected parties use elected officials to select a course of action Monitor the results of any action that was taken

29. Addressing Environmental Problems • Case in Point: Lake Washington • Scientific assessment • Public education and involvement • Political action

30. Addressing Environmental Problems • Case in Point: Lake Washington Evaluation 1954 – Pollution control commission concluded that sewage effluent was raising phosphorus levels, causing cyanobacteria to grow, eventually leading to oxygen depletion in lake

31. Three Step plan to save the Lake • Comprehensive regional planning by suburbs around the lake to build a “trunk line” around the lake ( additional taxes ) • Complete elimination of sewage discharge into the lake by sending it to the Puget Sound • Research to identify the key nutrients causing the cyanobacteria to grow

32. Addressing Environmental Problems • Case in Point: Lake Washington Evaluation