Chapter 1

Environmentalist’s Paradox

The paradox that human well-being is improving globally (e.g., rising life expectancy, education, GDP), while natural ecosystems and their services are declining. Supported hypotheses: increased food production and possible tech substitution; rejected: human well-being isn’t truly improving.

Three Themes of Environmental Science

• Sustainability – Using resources without depleting them for future generations.

• Sound Science – Using the scientific method to understand the natural world accurately.

• Stewardship – Responsible management of resources and people for the common good.

Sound Science vs. Junk Science

• Sound science follows the scientific method and peer-reviewed evidence.

• Junk science lacks rigor and is biased or misrepresented.
  Evaluate science by: replication, peer review, unbiased sources, clear logic, and consistency with established knowledge.

Observation (Scientific Method Step)

Researchers collecting data on fish size, type, and PCB levels are conducting observations, the first step of the scientific method.

Hypothesis (Scientific Method Step)

The belief that PCB levels are high due to the industrial plant is a hypothesis—an educated guess made from prior knowledge and observations.

Aldo Leopold

Early environmentalist and author of A Sand County Almanac who promoted the idea of a land ethic—valuing nature for its own sake and encouraging stewardship.

Garrett Hardin

Ecologist known for “The Tragedy of the Commons,” which describes how individuals overuse shared resources, leading to environmental degradation.

Wangari Maathai

Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner who founded the Green Belt Movement to plant trees and empower women.

Theodore Roosevelt

U.S. president who championed conservation, created national parks, and helped establish the U.S. Forest Service.

Muhammad Yunus

Economist who pioneered microfinance to alleviate poverty, linking social equity and environmental sustainability.

Rachel Carson and DDT

Rachel Carson was a biologist whose book Silent Spring revealed how DDT harmed bird populations and sparked the modern environmental movement, leading to stronger environmental regulations.