Chapter 1: Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

Environmental degradation

When renewable resources are used past their replacement rate the available supply begins to shrink.

Cleanups

________ often result in removal of pollutants in one environment and an increase in another.

Sustainable yield

The highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used indefinitely without reducing its availability.

Nutrient cycling

A significant function in nature that involves the recycling of chemicals from the environment- most notably from soil and water- through organisms and back into the environment.

Natural Resources

These are materials and energy in nature that are essential or useful to humans.

Biodiversity

The variety of different organisms, the genes they contain, the ecosystems in which they exist, and the natural services they provide allow us to adapt to the environment when it changes.

Species

A group of organisms with distinctive traits and, for sexually reproducing organisms, can mate and produce fertile offspring.

Nondegradable pollutants

Materials that natural processes can not break down.

Culture

The whole of a society’s knowledge, beliefs, technology, and practices, and changes in this can greatly effect the earth.

Garrett Hardin

Biologist that called degradation the tragedy of the commons.

Ecology

Study of how organisms interact with one another and with their nonliving environment.

Humanities

Study of the aspects of the human condition not covered by the physical and social sciences (history, ethics, and philosophy)

Natural Services

Functions of nature, such as purification of air and water.

Conservation

The control of natural resources so as to prevent resource waste and maintain supply for both present and future generations.

Social capital

Involves getting people with different views and values to talk and listen to one another and to work together to help solve environmental problems.

Chemistry

Study of chemicals and their interactions (biochemistry)

Ecosystem

Set of organisms interacting with one another and with their environment of nonliving matter and energy within a defined area or volume.

Biological capacity

The ability of an ecosystem to get rid of human waste and replenish renewable resources.

Environmentalism

Social movement dedicated to protecting the earths life support systems for us and all other forms of life.

Population Control

competition for limited resources among different species places a limit on how much their population can grow.

wildlife

They can destroy ________, human health, and property.

Agricultural revolution

Started 10, 000- 12, 000 years ago and this was when humans started growing their own food and eating animals for food, clothing, etc.

Sustainability

The ability of the earth to survive and adapt to changing environmental conditions indefinitely.

Planetart management worldview

Nature exists primarily to satisfy human needs and growing wants, we are separate from nature, and we can govern the earth's life- support systems indefinitely.

Reliance on Solar Energy

The sun warms the planet and support photosynthesis used by plants to provide food for themselves and for us and most other animals.

Biodegradable pollutants

Materials that can be broken down by natural processes.

Environmental scientists

________ say that in order to bring a new environment, revolution, or sustainability we need to decrease our ecological footprint.

Renewable

Air, water, soil, plants, and water.

Non renewable

Copper, oil, coal, etc.

Industrial medical revolution

It started about 275 years ago and it was when we started inventing machines for goods and we learned how to receive energy from fossil fuels.

Stewardship worldview

Although we may and should manage the earth for our own advantage, we also have a moral obligation to treat it with care and responsibility.

Natural income

Renewable resources such as plants, animals, and soil that are provided by natural capital.

Economic Development

The goal of using economic growth to improve living standards.

Environmental ethics

Our belief about how the environment is to be treated and if what we are currently doing is right or wrong.

Environmental wisdom worldview

Believes that nature exists for all species, not just for us, and that we are completely dependent on it.

Earth Science

Study of the planets as a whole and their nonliving things (climatology, geology, hydrology, and paleontology)

Species

A group of organisms with distinctive traits and, for sexually reproducing organisms, can mate and produce fertile offspring

Ecosystem

Set of organisms interacting with one another and with their environment of nonliving matter and energy within a defined area or volume

Social Sciences

Studies of human society (anthropology, demography, geography, economics, and political science,)

Natural Capital

The natural resources and natural services that keep us and other forms of life alive and support our economics

Natural Resources

These are materials and energy in nature that are essential or useful to humans

Renewable

Air, water, soil, plants, and water

Non-renewable

Copper, oil, coal, etc

Natural Services

Functions of nature, such as purification of air and water

Nutrient cycling (cycle)

A significant function in nature that involves the recycling of chemicals from the environment-most notably from soil and water-through organisms and back into the environment

Ex

Scientific remedies may include stopping the logging of mature, ecologically varied forests and harvesting fish at a rate that does not exceed how quickly they can reproduce

Trade-offs or compromises

Although people can find scientific solutions for problems there is a legal aspect that needs to consider

Environmentally sustainable society

A society that meets the current and future basic resource needs of people while making sure they do not prevent other generations from meeting their needs

Natural income

Renewable resources such as plants, animals, and soil that are provided by natural capital

Economic Development

The goal of using economic growth to improve living standards

Developed countries

United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and most countries of Europe

Environmentally sustainable economic development

Involves using political and economic systems to discourage environmentally harmful and unsustainable forms of economic growth that degrade natural capital

Conservation

The control of natural resources so as to prevent resource waste and maintain supply for both present and future generations

Perpetual resource

This is also known as solar energy because it is renewed continuously and is expected to last for about 6 billion years

Renewable resource

These can be replenished fairly quickly through natural process as long as it is not used up faster than it is renewed

Sustainable yield

The highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used indefinitely without reducing its availability

Environmental degradation

When renewable resources are used past their replacement rate the available supply begins to shrink

We Can Overexploit Commonly Shared Renewable Resources

The Tragedy of the Commons

Private property

An individuals right to land, minerals, or other resources

Common property

When big groups of people own the rights to certain resources

Garrett Hardin (1915-2003)

Biologist that called degradation the tragedy of the commons

Nonrenewable resource

Exist in a fixed quantity, or stock, in the earths crust

Ecological footprint

The amount of biologically productive land and water needed to supply the people in a particular country or area with resources and to absorb and recycle the waste and pollution produced by such resource use

Biological capacity

The ability of an ecosystem to get rid of human waste and replenish renewable resources

Ecological deficit

When the ecological footprint is greater than the biological capacity

Culture

The whole of a societys knowledge, beliefs, technology, and practices, and changes in this can greatly effect the earth

Agricultural revolution

Started 10,000-12,000 years ago and this was when humans started growing their own food and eating animals for food, clothing, etc

Pollution

Anything in the environment that can be harmful to the health or survival of organisms

Point Sources

Single identifiable sources

Nonpoint Sources

Dispersed and often difficult to identify

Biodegradable pollutants

Materials that can be broken down by natural processes

Examples

Human sewage or newspapers

Nondegradable pollutants

Materials that natural processes cannot break down

Examples

Lead, mercury, and arsenic

Environmental worldview

Set of assumptions or values reflecting how you think the world works and what you think your role in the world is

Environmental ethics

Our belief about how the environment is to be treated and if what we are currently doing is right or wrong

Ethical question example

Why should we care about the environment

Planetart management worldview

Nature exists primarily to satisfy human needs and growing wants, we are separate from nature, and we can govern the earth's life-support systems indefinitely

Stewardship worldview

Although we may and should manage the earth for our own advantage, we also have a moral obligation to treat it with care and responsibility

Environmental wisdom worldview

Believes that nature exists for all species, not just for us, and that we are completely dependent on it

Social capital

Involves getting people with different views and values to talk and listen to one another and to work together to help solve environmental problems

Reliance on Solar Energy

The sun warms the planet and support photosynthesis used by plants to provide food for themselves and for us and most other animals

Biodiversity (biological diversity)

The variety of different organisms, the genes they contain, the ecosystems in which they exist, and the natural services they provide allow us to adapt to the environment when it changes

Population Control

competition for limited resources among different species places a limit on how much their population can grow

Nutrient Cycling

Natural process recycle chemicals that plants and animals need to stay alive and reproduce