Environmental Science Unit 1 Test

environment

everything around us living and non-living and how they interact

are humans are apart of the environment?

yes

environmental science

the study of interactions between the natural world and humans

interdisciplinary

involves politics, economics, biology, geology, chemistry, ethics, and more

environmentalism

a movement dedicated to protecting the environment from negative human impacts

how is environmentalism different from environmental science?

environmental science = studies interactions

environmentalism = social movement

how do environmentalism and environmental science overlap?

environmentalism USES environmental science as DATA to push for action and policy change

example of an environmentalist:

Greta Thunberg

system

a set of interconnected parts that create a whole (changes in one part impact another)

examples of systems

water cycle & food web

positive feedback loop

changes in the system has an effect to make the change BIGGER

negative feedback loop

changes in the system has an effect to REDUCE the change (more common because it brings a balance)

what are the four spheres?

geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere

example of all four

tree: living, flows in wind, consumes water, lives in dirt

geosphere

includes rocks, soils, and minerals

crust, mantle, core

atmosphere

oxygen 21%, nitrogen 78%

four ways atomsphere beneficial

• O2 for us to breathe

• CO2 for plants for photosynthesis

• greenhouse gases maintain temp

• provides ozone to protect from sun rays

hydrosphere

all earth’s water

freshwater: 2.5% saltwater: 97.5%

cryosphere

frozen water in atmosphere

biosphere

living organisms and their environment

natural resources

materials provided by nature that humans use and need

examples of natural resources

trees, plants, water, air, sunlight

renewable resources

natural resources that replenish at similar rates to its use (wind, water)

nonrenewable resources

natural resource that replenishes slowly or not at all (coal, oil)

can renewable resources become nonrenewable?

yes, if renewable resources become used carelessly, they become nonrenewable

sustainability

using earth’s resources in a way that can continue at the same rate in the future

tragedy of the commons

shows how overusing shared resources harms EVERYONE

as the human population increases, resources have become…

unsustainable

when did the human population reach 1 billion people

1804

current population

8 billion

which two historical events hace rapidly increased human population?

agricultural revolution and industrial revolution

agricultural revolution

• began 10,000 years ago

• turned hunting and gathering —> farming and domestic livestock

industrial revolution

• took place in 1700’s and 1800’s

• turned farming living —> use of fossil fuels

ways the agricultural revolution and industrial revolution grew human population

• more food available

• more children surviving

• longer lifespans

• improved medicine, sanitation, farming

ecological footprint

MEASURE OF THE IMPACT of an individual, group, or activity on environment

how much larger is the american footprint compared ot the global average?

3.5x larger

5 ways to minimize your ecological footprint

• eat less meat and dairy products

• use reusable items

• limit driving

• limit hot water use

• recycle

what should be considered when developing environmental policies?

• ethics

• impacts on communities

• economic impact

ethics

the study of what is good and bad or right and wrong

anthropocentric

humans and their well-being have the highest value

biocentric

all living things have value

ecocentric

an entire ecosystem, including living and non-living, have value

economics

the study of production, distribution, and consumption of a product

how are economics and the environment related?

natural resources are used to make goods and services

supply and demand

supply: how much product is available

demand: how many people use the product

supply and demand drive economics, but economics doesn’t consider…

negative environmental impacts

what are economic fields adjusting to consider the environment?

ecosystem services ( value not reflected on the price)

environmental policy

to manage and minimize the impact of human activity

what do environmental policies ocnsider?

• protecting environment

• natural resources

• human health

three examples of international organizations

• United Nations

• World Trade Organization

• NGO (non-governmental agencies)

united nations

193 nations discuss and address global changes

world trade organizations

regulate global trade

NGOs (non-governmental agencies)

advocate for policy change

command-and-control

government sets rules and punishes violations

tax breaks

reduce taxes for those who engage in environmentally friendly practices

green taxes

extra taxes on pollution and harmful activities

cap-and-trade

a limit set amount of pollutant a company can emit

local incentives

community-based rewards for adopting sustainable practices

Clean Air Act of 1970

• create dby Nixon on December 31, 1970

• deadly smog disasters led it

• aimed to help public health and reduce air pollution

• new car models, lead out of gas, emission reduction

Clean Water Act

stronger regulations to enforce water standereds