Introduction-to-Environmental-Science

Introduction to Environmental Science

• Integration of various fields to address environmental issues.

Environment

• Definition: Everything around us, including living (plants, animals) and non-living (air, water) components.

• Interaction in a complex web of relationships.

Environmental Science

• A multidisciplinary study encompassing:

  • Natural Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Geology

  • Social Sciences: Geography, Economics, Political Science

  • Humanities: Philosophy, Ethics

Goals of Environmental Science

1. Understand how nature functions.

2. Explore human interaction with the environment.

3. Develop sustainable solutions to environmental problems.

Components of Sustainability

• Natural Capital: Resources and services essential for survival and economies.

  • Risk of degradation through unsustainable practices (e.g., overharvesting).

Natural Resources

• Classification:

  • Renewable: Air, water, soil, plants, wind.

  • Nonrenewable: Copper, oil, coal.

Natural Services

• Essential processes for life, such as air and water purification.

• Biodiversity provides these services at no cost.

  • Example: Nutrient cycling.

Nutrient Cycling

• The process where nutrients circulate through the environment, supporting plant and animal life.

  • Key elements: Topsoil, Organic matter, and Decomposers.

Key Natural Resources

• Air, Water, Minerals, Soil, Land, Energy (Renewable and Nonrenewable).

Solutions to Environmental Problems

• Involve scientific research and political action.

• Example: Stopping tree depletion through laws and regulations.

Sustainable Society Goals

• Meeting current and future resource needs fairly without compromising future generations.

Ecological Footprint

• Impact of human activities on the Earth’s ecosystems.

Resource Types

• Perpetual: Solar energy, abundantly renewed.

• Renewable: Replenished naturally (e.g., forests, fish).

Sustainable Yield

• The maximum rate renewable resources can be used without causing depletion.

Environmental Degradation

• Occurs when renewable resource use exceeds natural replacement rates.

Examples of Degradation

• Air pollution, climate change, soil erosion, species extinction.

Tragedy of the Commons (Garrett Hardin, 1968)

• Overuse of shared resources leads to environmental degradation.

Strategies to Address Resource Degradation

1. Limit resource use below sustainable yields.

2. Convert to private ownership to encourage protection.