Environmental Science and Ethics: Key Concepts for BIOL 120 Exam

Environmental Science

Interdisciplinary field that draws on biology, chemistry, economics, ethics, policy, geology, and sociology.

Applied Environmental Science

Field that addresses real-world issues such as pollution, resource use, and conservation.

Scientific Statement

A testable statement based on data.

Value Statement

A statement based on ethics or opinion, not testable.

Anthropocentric

Nature's value is based on its usefulness to humans.

Biocentric

All living things have inherent worth, not just humans.

Ecocentric

Value extends to whole ecosystems, including nonliving parts.

Instrumental Value

Value based on what something can be used for.

Intrinsic Value

Worth in itself, independent of usefulness to humans.

Universalism

Belief that ethical principles are fixed and apply everywhere.

Relativism

Belief that what's 'right' depends on culture and context.

Holism

A system is more than the sum of its parts; it functions when everything works together.

Environmental Justice (EJ)

The idea that all people deserve equal protection from environmental hazards.

Disproportionate Exposure

Lower-income communities are more likely to live near pollution sources.

Sustainability

Described using three pillars: Economy, Ecology/Environment, and Equity.

Sustainable Development

Development that meets present needs without compromising future generations.

Ecological Footprint

Measure of how much land and resources it takes to support consumption and absorb waste.

Nonrenewable Resources

Exist in finite supply and are used faster than they form.

Renewable Resources

Naturally replenish on human timescales.

Resource Scarcity

If a nonrenewable resource becomes scarce, the price will rise.

Historical Resource Depletion

Decline of ancient civilizations due to overuse or depletion of natural resources.

Pollution

Contamination of the environment by harmful substances.

Conservation

Preservation and careful management of natural resources.

Resource Use

The consumption of natural resources for human needs.

Environmental Hazards

Potentially harmful environmental conditions affecting health.

Equity

Fairness across social groups and generations.

Ecological Systems

Complex networks of living organisms and their physical environment.

Urban Air Quality

A specific environmental problem that requires interdisciplinary understanding.

Classical economics

Associated with Adam Smith, emphasizes free markets, supply and demand, and the idea that self-interested economic activity, guided by market forces, tends to produce efficient outcomes (the 'invisible hand').

Supply-demand graph

Quantity demanded is highest when price is low; as price increases, quantity demanded typically falls while quantity supplied rises.

Neoclassical economics

Generally views the environment as one input among many in economic production, with natural resources valued mainly through market prices.

Ecological economics

Argues the economy is a subsystem of the environment rather than separate from it, advocating for economies that don't grow indefinitely.

Environmental economics

A middle-ground field that incorporates environmental costs and benefits into standard economic analysis while largely working within a market framework.

Externality

A cost or benefit of an economic activity that falls on a third party not involved in the transaction.

Negative externality

Imposes a cost on others, such as a factory's pollution harming nearby residents' health.

Cap and trade

A market-based system that sets a limit on total emissions of a pollutant, issues permits up to that cap, and allows companies to trade permits.

Taxes vs. subsidies

Taxes discourage harmful activities by making them more costly; subsidies encourage desirable activities by making them cheaper.

Commodities market/exchange

A marketplace where buyers and sellers trade standardized goods such as agricultural products, metals, or energy.

GDP vs. Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI)

GDP measures total economic output but doesn't account for environmental degradation, unpaid labor, or inequality; GPI adjusts for these factors.

Ecosystem services

Benefits humans get from natural ecosystems, generally grouped into provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural categories.

Provisioning services

Includes food, water, timber, and raw materials.

Regulating services

Includes climate regulation, water purification, flood control, and pollination.

Supporting services

Includes nutrient cycling, soil formation, and primary production.

Cultural services

Includes recreation, spiritual, and aesthetic value.

Environmental health

Assessment and control of biological, chemical, and physical factors in the environment that can affect human health and wellbeing.

Persistent, bioaccumulative toxins

Chemicals that don't break down easily in the environment and build up in the tissue of organisms over time.

Epidemiological investigation

The process of identifying a common source of illness by interviewing affected people, comparing exposures, and testing suspected sources.

Herd immunity

Population-level disease protection once enough individuals are immune.

Ozone depletion

A thinner ozone layer allows more UV radiation to reach the Earth's surface, linked to increased skin cancer risk.

Environmental policy

Aims to protect human health and the environment, manage natural resources sustainably, and balance economic activity with environmental protection.

Policy tools

Include regulation, market-based approaches, and voluntary or informational approaches.

Grazing limits on public lands

A policy tool used to prevent overgrazing and long-term degradation of shared resources.

Tragedy of the commons

The idea that unregulated use of a shared resource tends to lead to overuse.

Environmental justice

Equal protection from hazards plus equal access to benefits, regardless of race/income.

Interdisciplinary (environmental science)

Draws on multiple fields (biology, economics, ethics, policy, etc.) at once.