Chapters 1-2

1. Environmental Science Chapters 1-2 Ms. Hubbuch Howard School of Academics and Technology

2. What is environmental science? It is the study of the impact of humans on the environment.

3. What is the major goal of environmental science? It is to understand and solve environmental problems. How? Scientists study two main types of interactions between humans and the environment: • The use of natural resources. • How human actions alter our environment.

4. Environmental science is an interdisciplinary science. Biology- study of living things Zoology Botany Microbiology Ecology

5. Earth science- the study of the Earth’s nonliving systems and the planet as a whole Geology Paleontology Climatology Hydrology

6. Social Science- the study of human populations Geography Anthropology Sociology

7. Civilization and the Environment Hunter Gatherers • People who obtain food by collecting plants and by hunting wild animals or scavenging their remains • Small groups that migrated from place to place as different types of food became available throughout the year • Often burned land to prevent forests from growing • Often over hunted large mammals leading to extinction

8. Civilization and the Environment Agricultural Revolution • Agriculture is the practice of growing, breeding and caring for plants and animals that are used for food, clothing, housing, transportation and other purposes • It allowed human populations to grow at an unprecedented rate • Humans domesticated plants by choosing the most desirable characteristics • Replacing natural environments with farmland dramatically changed the environment

9. Civilization and the Environment Industrial Revolution • In the Middle 1700’s there was a transition from energy sources such as animal muscle to fossil fuels • Fossil fuels greatly increased the efficiency of agriculture, industry and transportation • Urban areas grew as goods could be transported cheaply across great distances • The quality of life greatly improved as sanitation, nutrition and medical care improved along with technology • The environment has suffered by the introduction of artificial materials

10. Civilization and the Environment The rapid growth of the human population has placed a stress on the environment.

11. Case Study Lake Washington: An Environmental Success Story http://www.nexuslearning.net/books/Holt_Env_Science/1-1.pdf

12. Environmental Problems Environmental problems can typically be grouped into three main categories: • Resource depletion • Pollution • Loss of Biodiversity

13. Environmental Problems- Resource Depletion Natural resource- any natural material used by humans, can be classified as renewable or nonrenewable • Ex. Coal, petroleum, water and air Renewable- resource that can be replaced relatively quickly by a natural process • Ex. Water, soil, trees and crops Nonrenewable- resource that forms at a much slower rate than it is consumed • Ex. Minerals and fossil fuels Depletion- when a large portion of a resource has been used up

14. Environmental Problems- Pollution Pollution- undesired change in air, water or soil that adversely affects the health, survival or activities of humans or other organisms Biodegradable pollutants- can be broken down by natural processes Nondegradable pollutants- cannot be broken down by natural processes, can build up to dangerous levels in the environment Societies often produce waste faster than it can be disposed.

15. Environmental Problems- Loss of Biodiversity Biodiversity- the number and variety of species that live in an area Extinction- a natural process in which a species no longer exists The organisms we share a planet with are resources that we depend on for food, products, enjoyment and services. Any loss of biodiversity is considered to be harmful and should be avoided.

16. The Tragedy of the Commons In a 1968 essay published by ecologist Garret Hardin, the author examined the conflict between short term interests of individuals and the long term welfare of society. Defining a common as an area of land that belonged to a whole village, Hardin argued individuals would use the area to the most benefit for themselves. Each individual would place the maximum number of sheep in the commons. The sheep would destroy the grass and make it unusable for everyone. When owners utilized their own land, they were selective and only allowed a suitable number of sheep. Someone has to take responsibility for maintaining a resource. If no one does, it will likely become overused and depleted.

17. The Environment and Society The key goal of environmental science is to achieve sustainability or a condition in which human needs are met in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely. This is hard because developing countries use resources faster than they can be replaced. To achieve sustainability, societies must work together to educate each other and use resources wisely.