Unit 1

Sustainability

The ability of Earth’s systems (including human cultural systems & economies) to survive and adapt to changing environmental conditions indefinitely, with equitable access to basic resources for all

Ecology

How living things interact with their environment

Ecosystem

A biological community of organisms that interact with each other and their environment

Ecosystem Services

Processes in nature that support life and human economies which come at no cost to us

Natural capital

Natural resources and ecosystem services that keep humans and other species alive and that support human economies (natural capital = natural resources + natural services)

Overexploitation

Taking too much at a rate that can’t be replenished fast enough or at all

Pollution

Waste product that leads to an undesirable change in the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of air, water, soil, or food

Point source

Single, identifiable sources of pollutant output

Nonpoint sources

Widely dispersed sources of pollutants

Tragedy of the commons

Open-access renewable resources, such as the atmosphere and ocean, are used by everyone. Everyone believes their use is minimal, cumulatively hurts

Ecological footprint

Amount of biologically productive land/water needed to provide a country with indefinite supply of renewable resources (per capita = per person)

Carbon footprint

Amount of carbon dioxide a group puts out (individual, person, company, country)

IPAT

Impact = Population*Affluence*Technology

Science

A human effort to discover how the physical world works

Modeling

An approximate representation or simulation of a system, typically mathematically or computationally-based (simplified version of the world)

Positive Feedback

Amplifying

Negative Feedback

Correcting

Mutual Causal Interaction

X affects Y, and Y affects X

Static model

Describes a static structure of a system

Dynamic model

Model changes over time – not only modeling what’s happening now, but what will happen when you make a change

Time delay

Lack of response during a period between input stimulus and response

Tipping point

Point at which fundamental shift in behavior of the system occurs

Remote sensing

Observing data from a distance (such as a satellite or aircraft)

Ecological footprint

How much biologically productive land/water in a square area needed to provide you with indefinite supply of renewable resources or recycle their wastes

Carbon footprint

Amount of carbon dioxide a group puts out (individual, person, company, country)

IPAT

Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology

Science

A human effort to discover how the physical world works

Modeling

An approximate representation or simulation of a system, typically mathematically or computationally-based (simplified version of the world)

Positive Feedback

Amplifying

Negative Feedback

Correcting

Mutual Causal Interaction

X affects Y, and Y affects X

Static model

Describes a static structure of a system

Dynamic model

Model changes over time – not only modeling what’s happening now, but what will happen when you make a change

Time delay

Lack of response during a period between input stimulus and response

Tipping point

Point at which fundamental shift in behavior of the system occurs

Remote sensing

Observing data from a distance (such as a satellite or aircraft)

Ecological footprint

How much biologically productive land/water in a square area needed to provide you with indefinite supply of renewable resources or recycle their wastes

Chemosynthesis

Convert inorganic compounds into complex organic nutrients without sun’s energy

Detritivores

Consumers that feed on waste or dead matter (going from organic to inorganic matter)

GPP

Total is being absorbed by the planet/ecosystem

NPP

Adjusted for users use of the energy (NPP = GPP - R)

Developed Countries

Developed countries comprise of around 17% of the world’s population

Most impactful environmental problem

Exponential population growth

Low through-put systems

A low-waste, sustainable system that minimizes resource use

High through-put system

A wasteful system that uses large amounts of matter and energy, then introduces large amounts of waste and pollution

Low quality energy

Disorganized and isn’t easily usable for work

Matter and Energy Laws

Say that we can recycle matter (carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, etc) but not energy