Environ Sci q. 1

Environment

descr. of natural world, incl livin + nonlivin things they interact w/ (humans r prt of envr bc we interact & rely on it)

Environmental Science is…

study of ecology, see how humans affect envir & ways 2 fix problems; interdisciplinary - biology, chem, earth sci, econ, & polit sci

Renewable natural resource

naturally replenished over short period (sun & rain)

Nonrenewable natural resource

long time 2 replenish (fossil fuel & igneous rock)

At what rate should resources be used

sustainable rate 2 replace what’s being used (don’t hunt all fish @ once)

2 events that changed the course of human history and the way we interact with natural resources

Agriculture Revolution: Shift from hunter-gatherer 2 communities, raising livestock, & farming; Industrial Revol: Production of machinery made advances in medicine, agriculture, & tech

What has made it challenging to use resources sustainably?

incr in human population

Ecology footprint

measure of demands made by 1 person or group on global natural resources

Ecological footprint includes

materials & resources consumed; resources needed 2 dispose of made waste (garbage trucks burn fossil fuels (gas) that contrib. 2 greenhouse gas)

Which country has largest ecological footprint & the smallest footprint

Largest: Dubai & US; Smallest: Africa & India

Why is there a discrepancy between countries ecological footprints

Lack of tech, poverty, & culture; (some tribes don’t have cars or electricity)

Tragedy of the Commons

individs use shared resource unregulated 4 personal gain;

Why is Tragedy of Commons called a “tragedy”

Individ’s choices can = depleted area that hurts every1; individ responsibility

In order to sustainably use our natural resources, we need…

individ responsibility, community, cooperation, or gov. regulations

ex. of situations that show Tragedy of Commons

fishing (fishing frenzy lab), overgrazing, deforestation (taking forests which we need 4 oxygen 2 make paper), & pollution (air pollution)