Ap Environmental Science

Environment

Includes all the living and nonliving things that we interact with.

Environmental science

Study of how the natural world works, how our environment affects us, and how we affect our environment.

Paul and Anne Ehrlich

Neo-Malthusians who wrote "The Population Bomb."

Garrett Hardin

Disputed the economic theory of individual self-interest serving the public interest; wrote "Tragedy Of The Commons."

Mathis Wackernagel and William Rees

Created the concept of ecological footprint.

Overshoot

Excess use of resources; humans are currently using 30% more than sustainable levels.

Jared Diamond

Scientist and author of "Collapse," emphasizing the interaction between societies and the environment.

Interdisciplinary field

A field that borrows techniques from numerous disciplines.

Carl Sagan

Late astronomer and author that wrote The Demon Haunted World, he thinks that science is essential if we hope to sort fact from fiction

Environmentalism

A social movement dedicated to protecting the world.

Scientific Method Step one

Make observations

Scientific Method Step two

Ask questions

Scientific Method Step three

Develop a hypothesis

Scientific Method Step four

Make predictions

Scientific Method Step five

Test/experiment with the predictions

Predictions

Specific statements that can be directly and unequivocally tested.

Experiment

An activity designed to test the validity of a prediction or hypothesis.

Variables

Conditions that can change in an experiment.

Independent variable

A variable that the scientist manipulates.

Dependent variable

A variable that depends on the independent variable.

Controlled experiment

An experiment where all variables except one are controlled.

Control

An unmanipulated point of comparison for the manipulated treatment.

Correlation

Statistical relationships among variables.

Quantitative data

Data that is precise and measurable.

Manipulative experiment

An experiment where the researcher actively manipulates the independent variable, provides causal relationships (strongest)

Natural experiment

An experiment using conditions provided by nature, provides correlational relationships

Science of ecology

The study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and their interactions.

Scientific Process

The scientific method embedded in a larger process.

Peer review

A process where several others judge and provide criticism of scientific work.

Grants/Funding

Financial support awarded to scientists for research.

Repeatability

The necessity for a scientist to repeat their hypothesis until evident.

Theories

Widely accepted explanations validated by research.

Thomas Kuhn

Author of "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions," discussing periodic revolutions in science.

Biodiversity

The cumulative number and diversity of living things.

Edward O

Biologist warning that loss of biodiversity threatens the environment.

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

1. Over the past 50 years, humans caused substantially irreversible loss in the diversity of life on Earth

2. Changes to ecosystems benefit humans and the economy, but degrades shit

3. Degradation could grow significantly worse during the first half of this century

4. We can reverse the degradation of ecosystems while meeting demands, but it will require massive change

Bjorn Lomborg

Danish statistician who believes the environment is improving.

Cornucopian

Belief that the environment is infinite, likened to a "horn of plenty."

Cassandras

Individuals who believe that dire predictions about the environment are true.

Sustainability

The guiding principle of modern environmental science.

Sustainable development

Development that ”meets the needs of the present without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their own”

Triple bottom line

Solutions that meet environmental, economic, and social goals simultaneously.

Aboriginal people/Aborigines

Native people of Australia’s Northern Territory before British colonization.

Kakadu National Park

Australia’s largest national park and a World Heritage Site.

Uranium

Naturally occurring radioactive metal valued for nuclear applications.

Ranger’s Mine

The first uranium mine near the Mirrar Clan’s land.

Yvonne Margarula and Jacqui Katona

Mirrar leaders awarded the Goldman Prize for environmental activism.

Culture

The ensemble of knowledge, beliefs, values, and learned ways of life shared by a group.

Worldview

Reflects a person or group’s beliefs about the world.

Vested interest

An individual with a strong interest in the outcome of a decision for personal gain.

Ethics

A set of moral principles or philosophy studying good and bad.

Relativists

People who believe that ethics do and should vary with social context

Universalists

People who believe in objective notions of right and wrong across cultures.

Ethical standards

Criteria that help differentiate right from wrong, virtue being an example

Environmental ethics

Application of ethical standards to relationships between humans and nonhuman entities.

Roderick Nash

Author of "The Rights of Nature," advocating for ethical representation of all living things.

John Ruskin

Called cities laboratories for the distillation of smoke and venom, stating that nature is above material benefits

Transcendentalism

Movement viewing nature as a manifestation of the divine

John Muir

Advocate for preservation ethics, protecting the natural environment.

Gifford Pinchot

First trained American forester, creator of conservation ethics, motivated by an anthropocentric view.

Aldo Leopold

Author of "The Land Ethic," arguing for community between humans and land.

Deep ecology

“Self realization” and biocentric equality, this philosophy believes that humans are inseparable from nature

Hypothesis

A statement that attempts to explain a phenomenon or answer a scientific question

Paradigm Shift

A fundamental change in the basic concepts, theories, or practices within a scientific discipline

Nonrenewable resources

• Crude oil

• Natural gas

• Coal

• Copper

• Aluminum

Intrinsic Value

Value of an organism, species, ecosystem, or the earth’s biodiversity based on its existence

Utilitarian value

Value of an organism, species, ecosystem, or the earth’s biodiversity based on its usefulness/benefit to humans

Environmental Justice

Fair and equitable treatment of all people with respect to environmental policy regardless of race, wealth, etc

Economics

Study of how people decide to use scarce resources to provide goods and services in the face of demand

Economy

Social system that converts resources into goods and services

Subsistence Economy

Oldest type of economy, meets most or all of the daily needs directly from nature instead of buying/trading

Capitalist Economy

Interactions among buyers and sellers determine which goods and services are produced

Centrally Planned (Socialist)

Government determines how to allocate resources

Classical Economics

Articulated by Adam Smith, people are free to pursue their own economic self interest which will benefit society

Neoclassical Economics

Consumer preferences drive production of good

Cost-benefit Analysis

Measure of success in the market for monetary success

Neoclassical Assumptions

1. Resources are infinite/substitutable

2. Costs and benefits are internal

3. Long-term effects should be discounted

4. Growth is good, especially in money

External costs

Negative externality that harms groups or society as a whole, even though they are not involved in the transactions

Ecological economists

These people argue that a couple centuries is not a very long time and that history suggests that civilizations don’t overcome environmental limitations 

Robert Wilson

Rio Tinto’s CEO that cited economic factors as well as ethical factors as reasons for abandoning Jabiluka’s development

Radiation Exposure Compensation Act 1990

A federal law that compensated Navajo miners who suffered health effects from unprotected work

Ecosystem services

The direct and indirect benefits that ecosystems provide humans, while also making economic activity possible

Affluenza

A social condition that arises from the desire to be more wealthy or successful

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Total monetary value of goods and services per year, but doesn’t account for non-market values

Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI)

Differentiates between good and bad economic activities, economic activity + positive contributions - negative impacts

Net Economic Welfare (NEW)

Adjusted GDP, adds the value of leisure time and personal transactions while deducting costs of environmental degradation

The Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW)

Based on income, wealth distribution, natural resource depletion, benefits associated with volunteerism, and environmental degradation

Nonmarket values

Values not usually included in the price of a good or service because the market doesn’t assign value to ecosystem services

Contingent valuation

Uses surveys to determine how much people are willing to pay to protect or restore a resource

Market failure

When costs exceed the market price, when they don’t reflect environment to economy

Socially responsible investing

Entails investing only in companies that have met certain criteria for environmental or social sustainability

Public Policy

Policy made by governments that consists of laws, regulations, orders, incentives, and practices intended to advance societal welfare

Environmental policy

Policy that pertains to human interactions with the environment, aiming to regulate resource use or reduce pollution to promote human welfare

Legislative branch

Statutory laws/legislations are made by Congress, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives

Executive branch

President can either pass or stop law

Judicial Branch

Supreme court interprets law

Regulatory taking

When the government deprives a property owner of some or all economic uses of his or her property

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

Signed by President Nixon, it created an agency called the Council of Environmental Quality and required EIS

First Wave (1780s - 1800s)

Time with resources readily available, encouraged Westward expansion

Reasons to enact Environmental policies/laws

1. Prevents market failure

2. Protect environment and natural resources

3. Equity in resource use, prevents free-riders