Environmental CP Intro Terms

Environmental Science

study of the interaction of humans with the natural environment.

interdisciplinary

incorporates concepts and ideas from multiple fields of study.

The Law of Unintended Consequences

the actions of people and governments always have unexpected effects.

Unsustainability

a condition that cannot continue at its current rate.

The Tragedy of the Commons

an essay by author Garrett Hardin that describes a major source of environmental conflict.

Commons

areas that are shared and not owned

resource depletion

a resource is consumed faster than it can be replaced

examples of the Tragedy of the Commons

Climate change, air pollution, water pollution, and overfishing of international waters

Goal of the Progressive Era

prevent the resource depletion and the destruction of commons through unsustainable logging and hunting.

National Parks

preserved areas that are relatively unaltered from their original state. No fishing, logging, commercial hunting, or livestock grazing can occur.

National Forests

federally-managed, but do allow commercial logging and recreational hunting and fishing.

National Wildlife Refuges

do not allow commercial activities, but may allow recreational hunting and fishing.

Environmental Ethics

the moral relationship that humans have with the environment.

Anthropocentrism

a human-centered philosophy that protects and promotes of human interests or well-being at the expense of all other factors.

Ecocentrism

a nature-centered philosophy that places intrinsic value on ecosystems regardless of their usefulness to humans.

Inexhaustible resources

Resources that cannot be used up

Renewable resources

Resources that can be replaced, but the process may take a long time.

Nonrenewable resources

Resources that are consumed faster than they replenish, as their formation took millions of years.

Recyclable nonrenewable resources

Resources that also are not replaced at the rate they are used, but can be used more than once.

Invasive species

harming native species

air pollution

introduction of gases that are harmful to living things

carcinogenic

increased risk of cancer

water pollution

contamination of lakes, rivers, etc.

hazardous waste

compounds that are dangerous to the environment and health

Persistent pollutants

resist normal environmental degradation

Biodegradable pollutants

will decompose over time

extinction

where a species disappears from Earth completely.

famine

an extreme scarcity of food

Ecological footprint

measure of total resource use and waste production

Carbon footprint

measures total greenhouse gases emitted by our lifestyle

Safe Drinking Water Act

regulates the testing and contents of municipal tap water.

Clean Water Act

restricts pollution of surface waters

Clean Air Act

restricts pollution of the atmosphere

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

describes rules for handling toxic and hazardous waste

Endangered Species Act

lists species at risk for extinction and plans for their recovery

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

enforces the environment protection laws

Supply and demand

predicts that the cost of a resource (such as oil) will increase when demand is high or supply is low.

cost-benefit analysis

used by governments and companies to determine whether the benefit of doing something justifies its economic cost.