Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts

1. Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts

3. Learning Objectives • Meaning of “Environmental Geology” • Scientific Method • Environmental Ethics • Environmental Crisis? • Concept of sustainability • Systems • Uniformitarianism • Etc.

4. Some Definitions • Geology: Study of the earth (all aspects) • Environment: various definitions • Surroundings: • Physical • Chemical • Biological • Social & cultural definitions each with implications

5. Some Definitions con’t • Environmental Geology: Applied Geology • Earth materials • Geologic processes • Hydrologic processes • Landscape • Natural hazards • Natural resources & energy • Anthropogenic (man-made or man-influenced) impacts on any of the above • Effects of the above on man, society, the environment

6. The Scientific Method"It has often been said that the greatest discovery in science was the discovery of the scientific method of discovery."-- Dr. James K. Feibleman, author of Scientific Method (1972) Scientific Method vs. Methods • The term “the scientific method” represents the general pattern of the types of mental activity stages (usually aided by physical activities) that occur in the master method, which we use to obtain, refine, extend and apply knowledge in all fields. Over all, it represents the system of science and the complete problem solving process. • The words “scientific methods,” as used today, refer to the creative, non-logical, logical or technical methods or techniques used in the problem solving process such as during the stages of the scientific method.

8. Scientific Methods con’t • Method(s) for understanding how the world works • Identify, understand, solve problems • Thinking/problem solving skills • Objectivity • Traditional http://teacher.nsrl.rochester.edu/phy_labs/AppendixE/AppendixE.html • SM-14http://www.scientificmethod.com/b_index.html

9. Theories • Are hypotheses that withstand the scrutiny of experiments/testing (to establish/confirm e.g., consistency, repeatability, predictability) • A strong scientific statement that the hypothesis behind the theory is likely to be true, but has not been conclusively proven • Absolute proof of scientific theory is often not possible • What kind of “proof” is required (or necessary)?

10. Examples • Gravity • Solar system model (seasons) • Atomic theory • Electricity • Nuclear physics • What is the prevailing theory for the conditions (environment) necessary for life?

13. Deep Sea Vents: Smokers • Restricted to mid-ocean ridges • ~ 2 miles deep • Ambient temperature 2oC • Temperature at vents >750o F (>400oC) • Anomalous concentrations of sulfides Cu, Zn, Fe, Ba, Si, H2S • Chemosynthesis-based life (bacteria & higher forms) • Regulates thermal and chemical balance of oceans and atmosphere

15. Importance • Objectivity, keep an open mind • Appreciation of: • “what we do, or think we know”, AND • “what we don’t, or may not know” • Healthy sense of curiousity/skeptism; don’t be afraid to question the status quo

16. Culture and Environmental Awareness • What is this? What is its significance? • Present conditions and the way we perceive and respond to our physical environment are developed from cultural and social institutions • Political • Economic • Ethical • Religious • Aesthetic • Solution to environmental issues/problems require change in how society works (e.g, similar to industrial revolution)

17. Environmental Ethics • What does this mean? • Environmental “consciousness” • Existence of relationships between the physical environment and civilization • Motivation for concept? e.g., “The Quiet Crisis” • Land Ethic: Responsibility to the total environment as well as society • Meaning / scope? • Limits? • Perspective

18. Environmental Crisis • Meaning? • Increasing demands on diminishing resources • Demands accelerate as the population grows • Increasing production of wastes • Factors • Overpopulation • Urbanization • Industrialization • Low regard for environmental/land ethics • Inadequacy of institutions to cope with environmental stresses

19. Environmental Crisis: Examples • Deforestation • Mining of resources (e.g., metals, coal, petroleum) • Development/damage to groundwater and surface water resources

21. Eight Fundamental Concepts 1. Overpopulation = #1 environmental problem 2. Environmental objective = sustainability 3a The earth is (essentially) a closed system with respect to materials 3b Solutions to environmental problems require understanding of feedback and rates of change in systems 4a. The earth is the only sustainable habitat we have 4b. It’s resources are limited 5. Today’s physical processes are modifying our landscape (and environment), and have operated throughout geologic time; but magnitude and frequency are subject to natural and man-induced changes • Earth processes that are hazardous to people have always existed • An understanding of our environment requires an understanding of the earth sciences (and related disciplines) • The effects of land use tend to be cumulative. Thus, we have an obligation to those who follow us.

22. Fundamental Concepts • Population Growth • Sustainability • Systems • Limitation of Resources • Uniformitarianism • Hazardous Earth Processes • Geology as a Basic Environmental Science • Obligation to the Future

23. Population Growth • Greatest environmental problem • Exponential growth

24. Exponential Growth

25. Growth Rate Calculations • As a percentage (e.g., 2% per year) • E.G. for a population of 100,000 (105) • After yr-1, increase = 0.02 x 105 = 2,000 • Total population now =102,000 • After yr-2, increase = 0.02 x (102,000)= 2,040 • Population now = 104,040 • Doubling Time • Roughly = 70 ÷ growth rate • E.G. for a growth rate of 2% • Doubling time  70 ÷ 2 = 35 years • Standard growth equation: N=Noekt • see pg. 16

26. Fundamental Concepts • Population Growth • Sustainability • Systems • Limitation of Resources • Uniformitarianism • Hazardous Earth Processes • Geology as a Basic Environmental Science • Obligation to the Future

27. Sustainability • Concept of “sustainability” = ? • Sustain environmental resources so they can continue to provide benefits to people and the environment • Ensuring equal opportunity to resources for future generations • Types of development that: • Are economically viable • Do not “harm” the environment • Socially just • Sustainable global economy (of planet & its resources)

28. Fundamental Concepts • Population Growth • Sustainability • Systems • Limitation of Resources • Uniformitarianism • Hazardous Earth Processes • Geology as a Basic Environmental Science • Obligation to the Future

29. Systems • System: Any part of the universe selected for study • Concept of “systems” • Earth as “a system” (w/ component systems): • Atmosphere (air) • Hydrosphere (water) • Lithosphere (rock, soil) • Biosphere (life) • Interactions of these parts = conditions of the environment • Changes in magnitude or frequency of processes in one part causes changes in other parts, e.g., ?

30. Earth “Cycles””

31. Systems: Principle of Environmental Unity • Everything affects everything else, e.g.: • Mountain building affects atmosphere, weather, which affects hydrosphere, which affects biosphere, which affects environment, and eventually the lithosphere (e.g., erosion) • Gaia Hypothesis (later; also see pg. 18)

32. System Factors/Components • Type of system (open, closed, etc.) • Stock (reservoir): quantity of stuff there • Fluxes (e.g., flow rate) • Input • Output

33. Types of Systems • Open: Allows matter and energy in and out (e.g., environment) • Closed: Allows only energy in and out • Isolated: Allows neither matter or energy to enter or leave

34. Input-Output Analysis • Dynamic systems have inputs & outputs • System parameters: • Stock/pool • Rates (fluxes) • Input • Output • Others

35. Main ways stocks can change

36. Residence Time • Measure of time required for the total stock or supply of material to be cycled through a system • Calculation of average residence time (ARD) • Assumming constant size, rates, etc. ARD = (size of stock) ÷ avg. rate of transfer e.g., For a 100-million m3 reservoir with equal input & output rates of 1 m3/sec ARD = 100x106 m3/(1 m3/sec) = 1.0 x 108 sec = 3.2 yrs

37. Significance? • Recognition of earth systems, cycles, processes • Magnitude of cycle times • Rates of natural processes

40. Features of Systems • Most earth systems would appear to be open, and dynamic • BUT, natural cycles more closely represent combinations of “closed” systems, because materials are continuously recycled (water, gases, chemicals, etc.) • Most dynamic systems tend toward steady state (“balanced” dynamics; pseudo equilibrium) • What are some examples of systems in, or that influence, the environment?

41. System Feedback • Negative: System adjusts to changed conditions to reestablish “steady state”, e.g., river • Positive: Changes in a system that cause significant modifications of a system, and result in amplification of the changes

42. Feedback Examples

43. Off-road vehicle erosion = what type of feedback?

44. Slope modification, erosion, stability = what type of feedback?

45. Earth “System” Science • Typically involves complex systems • Systems interact with one another • Interactions generally result in a “balance of nature” (steady state) • Types of “changes” • Disturbances (flood, earthquake) • Threshold (resistance of a river bank) • Complex response (flood erosion) • Examples of complex systems, feedback, etc.?

46. Gaia Hypothesis • Life significantly affects the planetary environment, i.e., has dynamic vs. passive effects (feedback) • Life affects the environment for the betterment of life (regulation processes, e.g., plankton controls of atmospheric O2 and CO2) • Life controls the global environment (e.g., regulation via + and - feedback)

47. Fundamental Concepts • Population Growth • Sustainability • Systems • Limitation of Resources • Uniformitarianism • Hazardous Earth Processes • Geology as a Basic Environmental Science • Obligation to the Future

48. Resource Limitations? • The earth is the only place we can live that is now available/accessible to us • The earth’s resources are limited • Some are renewable others aren’t • Two Views: • Issue of resources is mainly one of our ability to figure out how to optimize our utilization of them • We are in a resource crisis because finite resources cannot sustain an exponential population growth • Logical extrapolations?

49. Fundamental Concepts • Population Growth • Sustainability • Systems • Limitation of Resources • Uniformitarianism • Hazardous Earth Processes • Geology as a Basic Environmental Science • Obligation to the Future

50. Uniformitarianism • “The past is the key to the present” • We can gain understanding of geologic processes, systems, etc. in the past by understanding how they work today • Examples: • Mountain building/topography/landscape • Erosion • Water cycles • Climate • Relationships between life & environment