Energy and the Environment Exam 1

environment

the total of our surroundings; all the things around us with which we interact, including living things, non-living things, our built environment, and social relationships and institutions

humans

the species that are a part of nature that depend completely on the environment for survival, but the natural systems/environment are declining (ex: pollution erosion, species extinction)

environmental science

the study of how the natural world works and how the environment affect humans (and vice versa)

natural resources

substances and energy sources needed for survival

aspects of natural resources

• renewable (solar, wind, geothermal)

• nonrenewable (crude oil, natural gas, coal, minerals)

What is the current global population?

9 billion people (China and India each over 1.4 billion, US around 330 million)

What has caused the population growth?

The Agricultural Revolution (stable food supplies) and the Industrial Revolution (economics)

Thomas Malthus (18th century)

He believed that population growth must be controlled, or it will outstrip food production

Neo-Mathusians

Followed Thomas Malthus’ ideas and believed that agricultural advances only postponed a population crisis

Garret Hardin

He believed that resource consumption exerts impacts on society

ecological footprint

the environmental impact of a person or population on the health of the Earth

• we are using 30% more of the planet’s resources than are available on a sustainable basis

the lesson of Easter Island

people annihilated their culture by destroying their environment

the Goal of Environmental Science

to develop solutions to environmental problems, which encompasses:

• natural sciences - information about the natural world

• social sciences - the study of human interactions and behavior

the difference between environmental science and environmentalism

• environmental science - the pursuit of knowledge about the natural world with the scientists remaining objectives

• environmentalism - activism, which is a social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world

science

a systematic process for learning about the world and testing our understanding of it by applying the accumulated body of knowledge that results from a dynamic process of observation, testing, and discovery

scientific knowledge

can be applied to policy decisions, management practices, and technology advances

Science is observational and hypothesis-driven, meaning…

it uses experiments to test hypotheses through the scientific method

hypothesis

an educated guess that you try to prove or disprove

the Scientific Method (testing predictions) terms:

• experiment

• variables (independent and dependent)

• controlled experiment

• data

experiment

an activity that tests the validity of a hypothesis

variables

conditions that can be manipulated and/or measured

• independent variable - a condition that is manipulated

• dependent variable - a variable that is affected by the manipulation of the independent variable

controlled experiment

one in which all variables are controlled

data

information that is generally quantitative (numerical)

experiment example

Can plants grow in the dark? —> yes

theory

a consistently supported hypothesis becomes this, which is a widely accepted explanation of cause-and-effect

paradigm shift

a change in the dominant view of that topic —> can occur with enough data

ethics

the set of moral principles or values held by a person or society that tells us how we ought to behave

relativists

ethics vary with social context

universalists

right and wrong remains the same across cultures and situations

ethical standards

differentiate from right and wrong, where utility produces the most benefits for the most people

environmental ethics

application of ethical standards to relationships between human and non-human entities

the three ethical perspectives:

1. anthropocentrism - human-centered

2. biocentrism - living component-centered (all living things)

3. ecocentrism - ecosystem-centered

the three environmental ethics:

1. Preservation - nature-centered

   • unspoiled nature should be protected for its own inherent value

2. Conservation - resource-centered

   • using natural resources wisely for the greatest good for the most people

3. Land - ecology-centered

   • healthy ecological systems depend on protecting all parts

environmental justice

fair treatment of all people related to the environment, regardless of race, income, or ethnicity

• the poor and minorities are exposed to more pollution, hazards, and environmental degradation

sustainability

living within our planet’s means to support humans now and leave our descendants with a rich, full world

natural capital

the accumulated wealth of Earth: withdrawing natural capital 30% faster than it is being produced

The Earth’s population growth rate has slowed, but…

…we still add over 200,000 people to the planet each day

the U.S. ecological footprint

• much greater than the world’s average

• developing countries have much smaller footprints

sustainable development

using resources to satisfy current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs; involves renewable energy, soil conservation, pollution reduction, habitat and species protection, recycling, and climate change

sustainable solutions

are to meet environmental, economic, and social goals

A Neo-Malthusian would say that predicted massive human starvation has not yet occurred because…

…agriculture has postponed massive starvation

Which of the following is correct about the term “environmentalism”?

it is a social movement to protect the environment

the order of the scientific method

1. observation

2. hypothesis

3. predictions

4. testing

5. results

Which ethic holds that resources should be used wisely?

Conservation ethic

Which is the best way to protect commonly owned resources (air, water, fisheries, etc.)?

enact government regulations

Do you think the rest of the world can have an ecological footprint as large as the footprint of the United States?

Definitely not. The world does not have that many resources.

What happens if test results reject a hypothesis?

The scientist formulates a new hypothesis

Decision of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s)

Made on September 25, 2015, after three years of debate and negotiations, all 193-member nations of the United Nations, including the US, voted unanimously to adopt the goals

Who wrote the 2030 Agenda and 17 Goals?

representatives from all 193-member nations of the UN and hundreds of Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and civil society groups representing various constituencies

How many UN sustainable goals are there?

17

Have these goals been met?

For the most part no, reasons include:

• growing populations

• more demand for resources

• political instability

• war

• famine

• covid 19 pandemic

How much is the world’s population projected to increase between 2022-2050?

from 7.8 billion to 9.8 billion (now over 9 billion)

Where is much of the world population growth occurring?

Developing countries like China and India

Population has grown rapidly because of the expansion of…

…agriculture and industrial production

• developed countries are growing much slower than developing countries

• 97% of growth in developing countries are living in acute poverty

• population dynamics are based on birth rate and death rate

• live birth vs. infant mortality vs. life expectancy

How does the population increase/decrease?

increase: births and immigration

decrease: deaths and emigration

Instead of using raw numbers, what is used to track the birth and death rates?

Crude birth rates and crude death rates (which are based on the total number of births or deaths per 1000 people in a population)

How fast a population grows or declines depends on what?

its age structure

• pre-reproductive age - not mature enough to reproduce

• reproductive age - those capable of reproduction

• post-reproductive age - those too old to reproduce

intrinsic rate of increase (r)

the rate at which a population would grow if it had unlimited resources

carrying capacity (K)

the maximum population of a given species that a particular habitat can sustain indefinitely without degrading the habitat

Populations grow rapidly with ample resources, but…

…as resources are limited, growth rate slows and levels off

How may species increase their carrying capacity?

By developing adaptations or by migrating to other areas

• technological, social, and cultural changes have extended Earth’s carrying capacity for humans

The average number of children that a woman bears has dropped worldwide, meaning…

…the decline is not low enough to stabilize the world’s population in the near future

replacement-level fertility

the number of children a couple must bear to replace themselves

total fertility rate (TFR)

average number of children a woman has during her reproductive years

How much did the population of the U.S. increase from 2020 to 2021?

0.31% —> 2021 population was 336,997,624

In 2020, the total fertility rate in the US was slightly (greater or less than) 1.6

greater than

In the US, the number of children women have is affected by what?

• cost of raising and educating them

• pensions

• infant deaths

• marriage age

In developing countries, the number of children women have is affected by what?

• contraception

• women’s position (careers)

• age

• education

• cost

• religion

What are some factors that affect death rates?

• increased food supplies

• better nutrition

• improvements in medical and public health

• improvements in sanitation and personal hygiene

• safer water supplies to stop the spread of infectious disease

What does the population growth rate include?

• birth rate

• death rate

• immigration - people coming into the population

• emigration - the movement of people out of the population

net migration

the total number of people moving into or out of the population

If a mother lives in an area with a high infant mortality rate…

…they have a lot of children to ensure some will become adults

age structure

percentage of population at each age level

generation time

the time it takes for one generation to pass

Top Population Rates

• China requires 2 children/family cap

• India is predicted to pass China in 2050

• Pakistan is projected to become 3rd with Iran and Ethiopia following

Russia is losing 600,000 people per year after being the largest country (1950) due to…

• pollution

• crime

• corruption

• despair

India’s failed Family Planning Program

• poorly planned

• Bureaucratic inefficiency

• extreme poverty

• lack of administrative financial support

China’s Family Planning Program

• China’s total fertility rate is 1.6 children per women

• moved 300 million out of poverty

• problems: male preference and population age is increasing

environmental impact of population in developed countries

high rates of resource use result in pollution and environmental degradation, and thus environmental impact

US citizens consume _______ as many resources as the average citizen of India, and _______ the average person in the world’s poorest countries

35 times, 100 times

The poorest families in a developing country would need to have __________ to have the same lifetime environmental impact as two typical US children

200 children

Urbanization

• produces slums in the developing world

• produce enormous quantities of wastes that pollute the air, water, and land

44% of the world’s population lives in ____________ that occupy only 5% of the world’s land and they consume 75% of the world’s resources

urban areas

human population growth leads to negative cause and effect environmental issues:

1. poverty —> malnutrition and starvation

2. lack of access to family planning —> unwanted population growth

3. progress in water and food production —> depletion of natural resources

4. decline in death rate —> overpopulation

5. overcrowded and unhygienic living conditions —> higher risk of disasters and pandemics

water, food, energy nexus

increase in the need for water, food, and energy as global population grows

The fundamental problem or the Renewable/Nonrenewable dilemma

the growing human population = pressure on Earth’s natural resources

• Nonrenewable resources - used faster than they can form or be replenished

  • coal, oil, natural gas

• Renewable resources - cannot be used up, can replenish themselves over time

  • wind, solar, water

Ways that population growth can have a direct effect on human health

• ozone depletion

• land degradation

• freshwater decline

• biodiversity loss

• climate change

What three things can have a direct effect on human health?

1. air

2. water

3. overall environmental pollution

air, water, and soil contamination has a direct effect on these human systems:

• nerves

• cardio

• respiratory

• gastro

• skin

water pollution can lead to:

• diarrhea

• vomiting

• typhoid

• diptheria

• hepatitis

• kidney damage

• nerve and skin disorders

air pollution effects human health by effecting:

• eyes

• brain

• lungs

• heart

• stomach

• liver

• bones

• reproduction

the ingestion of ________ effects children especially, but adults as well

metals (lead, arsenic, mercury)

solutions to environmental effects on human health include _______ ___________

effective communication

• this is one reason that the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals were created