Ch 1: Foundations of Environmental Systems and Societies

Environmental managers

Environmental managers

________: believe that we have an ethical duty to protect and nurture the earth.

Biosphere

________: is a fragile skin on planet earth.

Deep ecologists

________: put more value on nature than humanity.

Biocentric

________: thinkers see all life as shaving value for its own sake, not just for humans.

Material

________ and energy undergo transfers and transformations in flowing from one storage to the next.

Transformations

________: when energy or matter flow and changes its state, a change in the chemical nature, a change in state or energy.

Ecocentrics

________: puts ecology and nature as central to humanity (less materialistic)

Cornucopians

________: people who see the world as having infinite resources to benefit humanity.

Independent pressure groups

________: they use awareness campaigns to make a change.

Anthropocentric

________: believes humans must sustainably manage the global system.

Governments

________: make policy decisions which include environmental ounces, such as planning permission for land use, applying legislation to manage emissions controls over factories.

EVS

Environmental value system (________): a worldview that shapes the way an individual or group perceive and evaluate environmental issues.

environmental problems

Technocentric: believes that technological developments can provide solutions to ________.

Transfers

________: when energy or matter flows and changes location but does not change its state.

Biosphere

________= atmosphere + lithosphere + hydrosphere + ecosphere.

Environmental value system (EVS)

a worldview that shapes the way an individual or group perceive and evaluate environmental issues

Influential individuals

often use social media to raise awareness

Independent pressure groups

they use awareness campaigns to make a change

Corporate businesses

multinational corporations (MNC) and transnational corporations supply consumer demand and create environmental impact

Governments

make policy decisions which include environmental ounces, such as planning permission for land use, applying legislation to manage emissions controls over factories

Intergovernmental bodies

these groups hold summits about earth to bring governments, NGOs and corporations to consider environmental and world development issues

Ecocentrics

puts ecology and nature as central to humanity (less materialistic)

Anthropocentric

believes humans must sustainably manage the global system

Technocentric

believes that technological developments can provide solutions to environmental problems

Cornucopians

people who see the world as having infinite resources to benefit humanity

Environmental managers

believe that we have an ethical duty to protect and nurture the earth

Biocentric

thinkers see all life as shaving value for its own sake, not just for humans

Deep ecologists

put more value on nature than humanity

System

set of interrelated parts working together to make a complex whole, can be living or nonliving

Biome

can be seen as an ecosystem

Biosphere

is a fragile skin on planet earth

Transfers

when energy or matter flows and changes location but does not change its state

Transformations

when energy or matter flow and changes its state, a change in the chemical nature, a change in state or energy

Principle of conservation of energy

states that energy in isolated systems can be transformed but not created or destroyed

Second law of thermodynamics

states that energy is transformed through energy transfers

Entropy

a measure of the amount of disorder in a system

Efficiency

the useful energy, the work or output produced by a process divided by the amount of energy consumed being the input to the the process

Equilibrium

the tendency of the system to return to an original state following disturbance. At an equilibrium; a state of balance exists among the components of a system

Steady-state equilibrium:

a characteristic of an open system where there are continents inputs and outputs of energy and matter, the system remains in constant state

Static equilibrium

no change occurs over time. Most non-living systems are in a state of static equilibrium

Stable equilibrium

the system tends to return to the same equilibrium after a disturbance

Unstable equilibrium

the system will return to a new equilibrium after a disturbance

Feedback loop

when information that starts as a reaction in turn may input more information which may start another reaction

Negative feedback loop

stabilises steady state equilibria, occur when the output of a process inhibits or reverses the operation of the same process in such a way to reduce change, counteracts deviation.

Positive feedback loop

will amplify changes and bring the system towards a new tipping point where a new equilibrium is adopted

Albedo

reflecting ability of a surface

Resilience

the ability of a system to return to its initial state after a disturbance

An ecological tipping point

is a reached when an ecosystem experiences a shift to a new state

Lake eutrophication

nutrients added to a lake may not change much until enough nutrients are added to change its state

Extinction of a keystone species

A keystone species within an ecosystem is fundamental to keeping the ecosystem stable and supported

Coral reef death

if ocean acidity rises enough the reef coral dies and cannot regenerate

Sustainability

the use of resources that allows full natural replacement of the resources used and full recovery of the ecosystems affected by their extraction

Sustainable development

development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Ecological overshoot

when a sustainable resource is exploited to its maximum

Natural capital

natural resources that can produce a sustainable natural income of goods or services

Environmental impact assessments (EIA)

is a report prepared before a development project changes the use of lans. It weighs up the advantages and disadvantages of the development

Baseline study

an analysis of a current situation to identify the starting points for a project

Ecological footprint (EF)

the area of land and water required to sustainability provide all resources at the rate which they are being consumed by a given population

Pollution

the introduction/addition of a substance to the environment by human activity. This addition is considered harmful to the environment

Primary pollutants

are active on emission (carbon monoxide) from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels

Secondary pollutants

are formed by primary pollutants undergoing physical or chemical changes

Persistent organic pollutant (POPs)

a toxic environmental contaminant which requires special handling and disposal

Biodegradable pollutants

do not persist in the environment and break down quickly. May be broken down by decomposer organisms or physical processes. Example: Light, heat

Acute pollution

when large amounts of pollutants are released causing a lot of harm

Chronic pollution

long term release of a pollutant but in small amounts

Human activity

promoting alternative technologies through