Notes from chapter one (summer work)
Ecology
how living things interact w /each other and the environment.
Ecosystem
a set of organisms that interact with each other and their environment within a set space.
Environmentalism
political /social movement to protect environment.
Species
a group of organisms that share distinct characteristics.
Environmental science
interdisciplinary study of how humans interact with the environment: natural & social sciences- humanities.
environment
everything around us, living and nonliving
organism
living things
species
a group of organisms that share distinct characteristics
ecosystem
a set of organisms that interact with each other and their environment within a set space
environmentalism
political/social movement to protect environment
scientific principles of sustainability
lessons from nature
dependence on solar energy
warmth, nutrients, water, and wind power
nutrients
chemicals for life processes
Biodiversity
variety in organisms; supports but limits growth, pro-adaptation
chemical/nutrient cycling
finite resources must be continuously reused
natural capital
resources - services that support life - activity
natural resource
materials and energy in nature used by humans (renewable- nonrenewable
Natural/ecosystem services
processes that occur in a healthy ecosystem
degradation
using natural capital too much too fast
social sciences principles of sustainability
include full cost pricing, win-win solutions, and responsibility to the future
full cost pricing
adjust market paces to reflect the environmental cost
win-win solutions
solutions with the best outcome for people and the planet
responsibility to the future
protecting the environment for future generations
resource
obtainable from nature for use
inexhaustible
a continuous supply (ie solar)
renewable
replenished in a cycle that can be disrupted (ie trees)
sustainable yield
rate of use of renewable resources indefinitely
nonrenewable
finite supply for consumption
environmental degradation
human wasting, degrading, and depleting the earth
pollution
contamination (physical or other) that harms health survival
Point sources
1, identifiable source of pollution
nonpoint sources
disposed, difficult to ID and treat
Pollution clean-up
cleaning and diluting existing pollutants
the tragedy of the commons
common resources are degraded a harmfully privatized
affluence
the wealth of more developed nations
eco-footprint
the amount of resources to sustain a lifestyle
per-capita eco-footprint
average the amount of resources to sustain a lifestyle per citizen
Impact
Population * Affluence * Technology
affluence trade-off
More consumption = bigger footprint but more wealth access to education = pollution reduction
poverty
a state of being unable to fulfill basic needs (food, water, healthcare, shelter)
environmentally harmful subsidies
benefit businesses at expense of envie
subsidies shift
taxing pollution waste more and goods/income less
Nature deficit disorder
increased health issues due to nature isolation
planetary management
environmental worldview: humans are separate and greater than nature
stewardship
environmental worldview: responsibility to earth and economic benefit with the environment
environmental wisdom
environmental worldview: we are part of and dependant on Earth’s sustainability
Natural income
earth’s renewable resources uses sustainably for a sustainable society