Environmental Science – Sustainability and Environmental Problems

A comprehensive set of 40 question-and-answer flashcards covering key terms, concepts, principles, and case studies from the lecture on environmental science, sustainability, and related environmental problems.

What is the basic definition of sustainability as discussed in the lecture?

The ability of ecosystems and human cultural systems to survive, flourish, and adapt together to constantly changing environments over long periods of time.

Which three natural factors have sustained life on Earth for billions of years?

Solar energy, biodiversity, and chemical (nutrient) cycling.

define environment, ecosystem adn environmentalism

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What is environmental science?

The interdisciplinary study of how humans interact with the living and non-living parts of their environment.

define and differentiate the 2 types of pollution soource

point source, Nonpoint source

Identify the three primary goals of environmental science.

(1) Learn how life has survived and thrived, (2) understand human-environment interactions, and (3) find ways to deal with environmental problems and live more sustainably.

Name the three scientific principles of sustainability.

Dependence on solar energy, biodiversity, and chemical/nutrient cycling.

Define natural capital.

The natural resources and ecosystem services that keep humans and other species alive and support economies.

Give two examples of ecosystem services listed in the notes.

Air purification, water purification, climate regulation, soil renewal, pest control, pollination, nutrient recycling, etc.

What are the three social-science principles of sustainability mentioned?

Full-cost pricing (economics), win-win solutions (political science), and a responsibility to future generations (ethics).

What are the three key strategies for sustainable resource use?

Reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Distinguish among inexhaustible, renewable, and nonrenewable resources.

Inexhaustible: perpetually available; Renewable: replenished naturally within a sustainable yield; Nonrenewable: fixed supply that renews only through long-term geologic processes.

Which group of countries contains 17% of the world’s population yet uses a disproportionate share of resources?

Industrialized (developed) countries such as the United States, Canada, and nations of Western Europe.

Define ecological footprint.

The amount of biologically productive land and water needed to supply a population with renewable resources and to absorb/recycle the wastes produced.

What does an ecological deficit indicate?

That a population’s ecological footprint exceeds the area’s biological capacity to replenish resources and absorb wastes, meaning people are living unsustainably.

Write the IPAT equation for environmental impact.

I = P × A × T, where I = impact, P = population, A = affluence, and T = technology.

List 5 root causes of environmental problems highlighted in section 1.3.

(1) Population growth, (2) unsustainable resource use/affluence, (3) poverty, (4) excluding environmental costs from market prices, and (5) increasing isolation from nature.

Explain the tragedy of the commons.

The cumulative degradation of shared open-access or common-property resources because individuals believe their small use or pollution will not matter.

Differentiate between point and non-point sources of pollution.

Point sources are single, identifiable origins (e.g., smokestack); non-point sources are dispersed and often difficult to identify (e.g., pesticides running off fields).

Contrast pollution cleanup and pollution prevention.

Cleanup deals with pollutants after they are produced (diluting/removing them), whereas prevention reduces or eliminates pollutant production before it occurs.

List two harmful environmental effects of affluence.

High levels of consumption and waste, and increased air, water, and land pollution/degradation.

Name one beneficial environmental effect of affluence.

Greater education, scientific research, and the resources to develop technological solutions such as cleaner water and renewable energy.

what is an ecological deficit

occurs when the ecological footprint is larger than he biological capacity to replenish resources adn absorbs wastes

Describe two environmental or health impacts of poverty.

Degraded forests/soils/fisheries, malnutrition, limited sanitation, and exposure to polluted air and water.

Why do prices of many goods and services not reflect their environmental costs?

Because these costs are externalized; subsidies and market prices typically ignore environmental degradation and health impacts.

What policy changes are suggested to correct harmful subsidies?

Taxing pollution and waste and shifting subsidies from environmentally harmful to environmentally beneficial activities.

What percentage of the world’s people live in urban areas, increasingly isolated from nature?

More than half.

Define environmental worldview.

A person’s set of assumptions and values about how the world works and what one’s role should be.

List the three broad categories of environmental worldviews.

Human-centered (planetary management or stewardship), life-centered, and Earth-centered.

Who led the preservationist school and what was its goal?

John Muir; to leave wilderness areas on some public lands untouched.

Who promoted the conservationist school and what was its focus?

Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot; to manage public lands wisely and scientifically for resource use by people.

What is an environmentally sustainable society?

One that meets current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs, living off natural income without degrading natural capital.

Define natural income.

The renewable resources such as plants, animals, soils, clean air, and clean water provided by natural capital.

Why is time considered the most scarce resource in moving toward sustainability?

Because although environments can recover, many take hundreds or thousands of years; rapid action is needed before damage becomes irreversible.

How much of a population typically needs to change to start significant societal transformation toward sustainability?

About 5–10% acting together can make a difference.

Give one real-life example of a sustainable eco-city mentioned in the notes.

Tianjin Eco-City in China, developed on non-arable land facing water shortages.

State two ways Tianjin Eco-City embodies the “reduce, reuse, recycle” ethic.

Answers may include: extensive water recycling, renewable energy use, green building standards, public transit emphasis, or waste-to-energy systems.

What are the "three big ideas" emphasized for creating a sustainable future?

Use natural capital wisely, apply full-cost pricing and address ecological footprints, and find win-win solutions that can be scaled to other societies.

Why do the notes claim interdependence rather than independence sustains life?

Because life depends on interconnected systems of energy flow, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity; no species or system survives entirely on its own.

Provide two examples of natural capital degradation illustrated in Fig. 1-5.

Climate change, shrinking forests, degraded wildlife habitats, species extinction, soil erosion, aquifer depletion, water pollution, or declining ocean fisheries.

What is meant by 'full-cost pricing'?

Including environmental and health costs of goods and services in their market prices to encourage sustainable practices.

Give one example of a win-win solution for sustainability.

Examples: renewable energy subsidies that create jobs and cut pollution, sustainable agriculture that increases yields while conserving soils, etc.

How can upcycling help mitigate ecological deficits?

By converting waste materials into products of higher quality or value, reducing resource extraction and pollution.