Environmental Systems and Societies Unit 1

Environmental Value System

A world view that shapes the way people perceive and evaluate environmental issues

What are environmental value systems influence by?

Cultural, economic, and socio-political factors

Intrinsic value

Something that has value in and of itself. You cannot sell it in return for anything else

System

A set of inter-related parts working together to make a complex whole

Ecocentric

Puts ecology and nature as central to humanity. Emphasizes a less materialistic approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of societies

Technocentric

Believes that technological developments can provide solutions to environmental problems, even when humans are pushing natural systems beyond their natural boundaries

Anthropocentric

Believes humans must sustainable manage the global systems through the use of taxes, regulations, and legislation

Deep ecologists

- Nature is seen as intrinsically important for humanity
- Ecological laws dictate morality
- Biorights give rights to endangered species or unique landscapes for preservation

Self-reliant soft ecologists

- Community focused
- Small scale local and individual action such as recycling, seen as making a difference
- Focus is on personal and communal improvement

Environmental managers

- View of Earth as a garden that needs tending (environmental stewardship)
- Legislation is needed to manage and protect the environment
- Belief that if humans take care of Earth, Earth will take care of them

Cornucopians

- Earth has infinite resources to benefit humans
- Belief that growth should be driven by free market economy
- View that growth can provide wealth for all

Input

Energy or matter entering a system

Output

The result produced at the end of a system

Storage

Areas where energy or matter is accumulated inside a system

Flow

Movement of energy or matter within a system

Boundaries

Outside/edge of a system

Transfers

Processes involving a change in location within their system

Transfomations

Lead to the formation of new products or involve a change in state

Open system

Able to exchange matter and energy with their environment
Ex. ecosystems

Closed system

Able to exchange energy but not matter
Ex. sealed terrariums

Isolated system

Unable to exchange energy and matter
Ex. the universe

Model

A simplified version of a system. Shows the flows and storages as well as the structure and workings

Strengths of models

- Easier to work with than complex reality
- Can be used to predict the effect of a change of output
- Can be applied to other similar situations
- Help us see patterns
- Can be used to visualize really small things and really large things

Limitations of models

- Accuracy is lost because the model is simplified
- If our assumptions are wrong, the model will be wrong
- Predictions may be inaccurate
- Different people can interpret models in different ways
- May be used politically when that was not the original intent by the creator

1st Law of Thermodynamics

"The Principle of Conservation of Energy." Energy is neither created nor destroyed

2nd Law of Thermodynamics

All hell will eventually break loose. The entropy of an isolated system not in equilibrium will tend to increase over time

Entropy

Measure of the disorder of a system and it refers to the spreading out or dispersal of energy

Formula for energy loss

(Initial input - energy taken in)/initial input * 100 = percentage

Steady State Equilibrium

In an open system, even though inputs and outputs of energy and matter are continuous, the system as a whole remains more or less constant

Stable equilibrium

Returns to the same equilibrium after a disturbance

Unstable equilibrium

Goes to a new equilibrium after a disturbance

Negative feedback loop

- Helps organism/system return to its original state
- Stabilize as they reduce change
Ex. body temperature regulation, predator-prey relationships

Positive feedback loop

- Changes a system to a new state
- Destabilizes as they increase change

Tipping point

A critical threshold when even a small change can have dramatic effects and cause a disproportionately large response in the overall system

Resilience

The tendency of a system to avoid tipping points and maintain stability through steady-state equilibrium
Ex. Lake eutrophication, extinction of a keystone species, coral reef death

Tragedy of the commons

situation in which people acting individually and in their own interest use up commonly available but limited resources, creating disaster for the entire community

Matter

solids, liquids, gases

Energy

light, sound, heat

Living organisms

Invasive species/biological agents

Primary pollutants

Pollutants that are active as soon as they are emitted
Ex. carbon monoxide

Secondary pollutants

Pollutants that are formed after a primary pollutant has been physically or chemically changed
Ex. sulphuric acid formed when sulphur trioxide mixes with water (acid rain)

Point source pollutants

- Released from a single, identifiable source
- Easy to determine where pollution is coming from
- Easier to manage since you know what is causing the pollution

Non-point source pollutants

- Pollutants are coming from multiple sources
- Pollutants may be transported over distances (runoff from fields, blown by wind
- Difficult to determine where pollutants are coming from, making management challenging

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

- Toxic chemicals that affect human health and the environment
- Transported by wind and water
- Do not break down easily
- Bioaccumulate (buildup) as passed through the food chain
- Many POPs were made as pesticides (DDT)

Biodegradable pollutants

Break down quickly in the environment by decomposers, light, and heat
Ex. sewage, compost, starches, soap

Acute pollutants

- Large amounts of pollutant released at one time
- Results in a lot of harm to humans and the environment
- Ex. Bhopal disaster, chernobyl

Chronic pollutants

- Long-term release of small amounts of pollutants
- Often goes undetected
- Difficult to clean up
- Spreads widely
- Ex. Air pollution

Direct measurements

Can be made using different tools
Ex. acidity of rainwater (pH probe)
Amount of gases in atmosphere (CO2 probe)
Particulates emitted by engines (light or turbidity sensor)
Soil nitrate and phosphate levels

Indirect measurements

Involve measuring changes in the abiotic or biotic factors as a result of exposure to a pollutant
Ex. Abiotic- measuring the amount of dissolved oxygen in a water source
Biotic- measuring population of indicator species (organisms that are only found if conditions are polluted, sludge worm, or unpolluted, lichens)

Level 1 of monitoring pollution

- Educate
- Preventing population before it happens
- Change human activity that creates pollution
- Give alternatives (electric cars, solar power, mass transit)

Level 2 of monitoring pollution

- Legislate
- Control release of pollutant
- Legislation and regulation (emissions standards for cars)
- Develop technology for extracting pollutants (filters)

Level 3 of monitoring pollution

- Remediate
- Clean-up and restoration
- Last resort, there is already an impact
- Extracting and removing pollutant from ecosystem
- Replanting/restocking lost or depleted populations

Sustainability

The avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance