Environmental Themes & Thought-Pieces; Environmental History Overview, & Env . Economics Intro.

1. Environmental Themes & Thought-Pieces; Environmental History Overview, & Env. Economics Intro.

2. Themes • Rapid Population Growth: #s vs. Ind. Ftprnt. • Science & Values: Data & Preferences • People & Nature • HS↔ NS: needs, wants, natural capital, economic capital • Sustainability • Urbanization: the trend continues • PP • Global Solutions …….. Local Actions

3. Sustainability defined . . .

4. RPG • Linear and Exponential Growth • Built-in momentum of the “Flying J” (of an age-structure diagram with a relatively wide-base)

5. Age-Structure Diagrams

7. ? The Significance of Populations / Nations with an age structure diagram that has a relatively wide base? . . . .

9. “Built-in” Momentum . . . . . . . . . ? ?

12. Current Global Human Population Growth Rate = approximately ____ %

13. Rule of 70 & Doubling Time

14. No need to be versed in the mathematical derivation / origin of this rule, simply be comfortable applying it to a given situation / case study: 70 divided by growth rate (g.r.) ex. If given a g.r. of 1.5%, you would simply divide 70 by 1.5 , therefore DT = …

15. ~ 47 years

16. Country A has a population of 10 million in the year 1980 and a growth rate that is 3.5%, which remains constant for the duration of this non-quiz question; determine the pop. of Country A in the year 2020.

17. Resources • Renewables & Nonrenewables: it’s a matter of ?

18. Time (scale)

19. Sustainable Yield • I think that you should be fine on a working defn. of this, but could I ask you if this concept is applicable to nonrenewable resources?

20. Can we talk about a sustainable yield of, for example, copper? (If you just commented to a neighbor, “Oh, I was hoping Mr. Smith would ask us that, ….. great!)

21. Nonrenewable Energy Resources

22. The Big 3(ff ) And The 1 major Nonrenew. Energy Res. that is not a FF (yes, one may make a case for geothermal energy being nonrenew., - though it is typically discussed as an “alternative / renewable” source)

23. “MDCs” and “LDCs” [- as you may know, these abbreviations are somewhat dated, - but still in use -] • “More” and “Less” developed countries in terms of economic development/ output, as opposed to cultural richness, natural capital, etc.

24. Major Outstanding Differences between MDCs and LDCs: ? ? ? • Overall pop., Growth rates, TFR, Sanitation, Safe Water Supplies, Literacy, Life Expect., IMR, Per Capita income, GNP, ……

25. Ecological Footprint Resources Utilized: UAE … 15.00 hectares (39.5 acres) [which is just about what our Pen Hi campus measures] USA … 12.22 ha (30.1ac)

26. Holdren & Ehrlich I = PAT eqtn.

27. Ecological Footprint • The E.F. of the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere ? The country is ________ ?

30. Haiti E.F. = 0.78 ha (1.9 ac) (For comparison: 1 American Football field is ~ 1.3 ac) (For further comparison, again  our campus?)

32. Point & Nonpoint Pollution • Check

33. Dan Barber’s H.I.F.I.L.W.A.F. TED Talk & MaitriVisetak(Chapter 1 intro) - Shrimp, Mangroves, and Pickup Trucks - Commons, aquaculture / shrimp farming Advantages and Disadvantages

34. A Few Fundamental Environmental Economics Items

36. 1. Direct Costs: costs borne by the producer and passed directly on to the user or purchaser • 2. Indirect Costs: are externalities, and are not accounted for in the cost-revenue analysis of producers; not recognized by the producer as a cost or benefit. (perhaps recognized as a “cost” in a discussion, but no $ transacting present)

37. Sudbury, Ontario case study

38. Sudbury: Smelted Nickel briquettes; Direct Costs: $ of constructing the plant, operating mining equipment, energy to run the smelters, …

39. Sudbury: LandscapeIndirect Costs • Costs associated with degradation of downwind / surrounding landscapes / ecosystems ; increased soil erosion, decreased nutrient-holding capacity, leached soil minerals, reduced water-holding capacity

41. How to manage Negative Externalities ?

42. Possible Solutions: • Polluter Pays Principle: external costs are internalized by the producer / manufacturer • Entire Society shares cost(s) associated with negative externalities (general taxes)

43. PigouvianTax or Full-Cost Pricing: internalizingexternal costs

44. One example of an External Cost associated with MaitriVisetak’s shrimp farming business in southern Thailand ?

45. Marginal Costs • Is often used when referencing the cost of dealing with one more unit of a pollutant

46. “Natural Capital” simply resources of the planet air, water, minerals, timber, ….. “coined” by E.F. Schumacher, 1973

47. Natural Capital & Ecosystem Services While many, including Plato, recognized that ecosystems carried out complex services, “for” human-kind & “for” natural systems, George Perkins Marsh (1864) is noted as giving much more “modern” attention to the regulating, provisioning, & supporting roles and functions that natural systems play / carry out -

49. Ecosystem Services • Processes by which life-supporting resources are produced; • May focus on the maintenance / health of: A. Natural Systems B. Human Systems C. Both

50. Ecosystem Services