School 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