chapter 1 environmental science

environment

consists of all the living and nonliving things around us

Environmental science

the study of how the natural world works, how the environment affects us, and how we affect it

Natural resources

the substances and energy sources that we take from the environment and rely upon to survive

Renewable natural resources

are replenished over short periods

• inexhaustible

inexhaustible

Sunlight, wind, and wave energy are perpetually renewed

exhaustible

Timber, water, animal populations, and fertile soil take months to years to replenish

Nonrenewable natural resources

are formed much more slowly than we use them and are no longer available once depleted

ecosystem services

such as air and water purification, cycling of nutrients, climate regulation, pollination, and waste recycling

Agricultural revolution

grow crops and domesticate animals

Industrial revolution (mid-1700s)

shifted life toward an urban society powered by

Ecological footprint

the cumulative area of land and water needed to provide resources and waste disposal for a typical person

overshoot

surpassing Earth’s capacity to sustainably support our population

• Humans are using renewable resources 68% faster than they are being replenished

natural capital

its store of resources and ecosystem services, is like a bank account

• Currently, we are drawing down Earth’s natural capital, a practice that is unsustainable

interdisciplinary

multiple disciplines together

natural studies

focus on how the natural world works

social sciences

address human interactions and institutions

ES is…

interdisciplinary

Environmental studies

emphasize the social sciences

Environmentalism

a social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world from undesirable changes brought on by human actions

ES vs Environmentalism

• Environmental science involves the scientific study of the environment and our interactions with it

• Environmentalism is a social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world from undesirable changes brought on by human actions

Science

a systematic process for learning about the world and testing our understanding about it

Descriptive science

involves researching organisms, materials, and systems that are new or not well-known.

Hypothesis-driven science

uses experiments to test hypotheses as part of the scientific method

scientific method

a formalized technique for testing ideas

hypothesis

A question arises from the observation, which the scientist then attempts to explain

scientific method

predictions

can be directly and unequivocally tested by an

independent variable

the condition that changes and is to be tested

dependent variable

the resulting condition that depends on the independent variable

controlled experiment

only the independent variable is changed

• The treatment part of the experiment receives the change.

• The control does not receive the change and serves as a point of comparison.

Quantitative data

expressed in numbers

manipulative experiments

The researcher actively chooses and manipulates the independent variable.

– These are not always possible, such as in the case of global climate change

Natural experiments

compare how different variables are expressed in naturally occurring, but different, contexts.

– The independent variable varies naturally, and scientists search for correlation, or statistical association, between variables.

Line graphs

show trends in a variable over time.

Bar graphs

compare single measurements between groups, such as average algae surface coverage

Scatter plots

reveal any correlations between two variables

pie charts

show percentage breakdowns of a measurement, such as algae species

theory

a widely accepted, well-tested explanation of one or more cause-and-effect relationships that have been extensively validated by a great amount of testing

paradigm

or dominant view, is replaced by another

Ethics

a branch of philosophy that studies how people decide what is good and bad, right and wrong

Ethical standards

criteria that help make this distinction.

– Categorical imperative advises us to treat others as we would prefer to be treated ourselves.

– Principal of utility holds that something is right when it produces the greatest practical benefit for the most people.

Relativists

believe that ethics vary with social context

environmental ethics

The application of ethical standards to the relationships between humans and nonhuman entities

Anthropocentrism

a human-centered view that evaluates costs and benefits of actions solely on their impact on people

Biocentrism

ascribes inherent value to both human and nonhuman life

Ecocentrism

judges actions based on their effects on ecological systems, which contain both living and nonliving elements and relationships between them

John Muir

promoted a preservation ethic, believing that the environment should be protected in a pristine, unaltered state. (Sierra Club)

– He worked with Teddy Roosevelt to increase protected areas, such as in the Sierra Nevada mountains

Gifford Pinchot

promoted the conservation ethic, that people should put natural resources to use, but have a responsibility to use them wisely

Environmental justice

nvolves the fair and equitable treatment of all people with respect to environmental policy and practice, regardless of their income, race, or ethnicity

Fossil fuels have allowed us to:

• power the machinery of the industrial revolution

• increase crop yields

• run vehicles and transportation networks

• and distribute consumer goods.

solutions to environmental problems that have arisen because of our consumption

– Renewable energy sources are replacing fossil fuels.

– Soil conservation, high-efficiency irrigation, and organic agriculture are making food production more sustainable.

– Our technology is becoming more energy efficient.

– Laws and technologies have reduced air and water pollution.

– Identifying endangered habitats and species (protection).

– Better waste management to conserve resources.