Module 1.1 Environmental Literacy and Sustainability: Lessons from a Vanished Society

  • Core Message

    • Humans are part of the natural world.
    • Humans depend on a healthy, functioning planet.
    • Humans exert pressure on the planet in various ways, but have the agency to choose to live sustainably.

  • Case Study: Vikings in Greenland

    • Viking settlers arrived in Greenland approximately 1,000 years ago.
    • The peak population of this settlement was around 3,000 individuals.
    • The Viking settlement persisted for 450 years before disappearing.
    • Researchers explored ancient middens (trash piles) to investigate reasons for the decline.

I. Purpose and Scope of Environmental Science

  • Key Concept 1: Environmental science combines understanding from both science and non-science disciplines to explore the natural world and our relationship with it.

Environment

  • Key Term:
    • Environment: The biological and physical surroundings in which any living organism exists.

Environmental Science

  • Key Terms:

    • Environmental Science: An interdisciplinary field of research that incorporates natural and social sciences and humanities to understand the natural world and our relationship with it.
    • Natural Sciences: Disciplines that study the natural world (e.g., biology, chemistry).
    • Social Sciences: Disciplines concerned with societies and relationships among individuals (e.g., economics, sociology).
    • Humanities: Disciplines that explore human culture (e.g., philosophy, history).

  • Interdisciplinary Nature of Environmental Science:

    • Environmental science is notably interdisciplinary.

II. Empirical and Applied Approaches in Environmental Science

  • Key Concept 2:
    • Empirical investigations provide information about the natural world.
    • Applied science focuses on practical solutions derived from scientific knowledge.

Applied vs. Empirical Science

  • Key Terms:
    • Applied Science: Research aimed at solving practical problems.
    • Example: Developing better solar cells.
    • Empirical Science: A scientific method focused on systematic observation and experimentation to understand natural phenomena.
    • Example: Investigating the properties of light.

III. Wicked Problems and Environmental Dilemmas

  • Key Concept 3:
    • Environmental dilemmas are challenging to resolve due to multiple causes and consequences, differing stakeholder preferences, and potential trade-offs involved.

Characteristics of Wicked Problems

  • Trade-offs:
    • Responses to address complex problems often involve imperfect options.
    • No single solution is likely to be the ultimate answer.
    • Each potential solution may introduce new issues.
    • Triple Bottom Line: When evaluating solutions, they should adhere to the following criteria:
    • Environmentally sustainable.
    • Socially equitable.
    • Economically viable.

IV. Understanding Sustainability

  • Key Concept 4:
    • Sustainable living implies existing within an environmental capacity that supports life without degrading it for future generations.

Sustainable Development

  • Key Terms:

    • Sustainable Development: Development that fulfills present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet theirs.
    • The United Nations champions sustainable development.
    • 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2015): Focuses on human and environmental goals.

  • Vikings' Unsustainable Choices:

    • Vikings transitioned from hunting land mammals to hunting sea mammals, which was perilous and led to numerous fatalities.
    • They declined help from neighboring Inuit communities, who continue to reside in Greenland.
    • Ultimately, the Vikings' trade with Europe ceased, leading to isolation and settlement decline.

V. The Anthropocene Epoch

  • Key Concept 5:
    • Human impact may be so profound that humanity might have entered a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene.
    • This era threatens to exceed planetary thresholds that denote safe operating boundaries, increasing risks of unacceptable environmental alterations.

What is the Anthropocene?

  • Key Terms:

    • Anthropocene: Proposed geologic epoch characterized by significant human impacts on the Earth.
    • Anthropogenic: Referring to effects or processes that are derived from human activities.
    • UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Report: Discusses anthropogenic activities affecting overall sustainability.

  • Planetary Boundaries:

    • Identifies limits within which humanity can safely operate.
    • Examines zones of uncertainty and boundaries surpassed by human actions.

VI. Characteristics of a Sustainable Ecosystem

  • Key Concept 6:
    • Natural ecosystems exhibit sustainability through their energy acquisition, matter usage, population control, and biodiversity reliance.

VII. Pursuing Sustainability: Human Actions and Models

  • Key Concept 7:
    • Societies can enhance sustainability by emulating natural ecosystems' operations.

Nature as a Mentor

  • Key Terms:
    • Nonrenewable Resources: Finite resources not replenished quickly (e.g., fossil fuels).
    • Biomimicry: An approach that draws inspiration from nature for design and problem-solving.

VIII. Challenges in Addressing Environmental Issues

  • Key Concept 8:
    • Short-term thinking and social traps are barriers to resolving environmental problems.

Social Traps

  • Key Terms:
    • Social Traps: Decisions yielding short-term benefits that can harm society over time.
    • Example: Tragedy of the commons, pesticide use leading to resistance.
    • Tragedy of the Commons: Users exploit shared resources to maximize personal gain, leading to resource depletion.

IX. Worldviews and Environmental Ethics

  • Key Concept 9:
    • Our worldviews impact how we value nature and shape our environmental ethical choices.

Definitions of Key Terms

  • Worldview: The perspective through which one interprets the world and human existence, affecting environmental ethics.
  • Environmental Ethic: The philosophical framework guiding an individual's interaction with the environment.

Types of Worldviews

  1. Anthropocentric Worldview:
    • A human-centered view that values humans intrinsically while attributing instrumental value to other species.
    • Example: Considering forests solely as timber sources; potentially applicable to Vikings.
  2. Biocentric Worldview:
    • A life-centered view recognizing intrinsic value in all life, regardless of its utility to humans.
    • All organisms have inherent rights to exist independent of human benefit.
  3. Ecocentric Worldview:
    • A system-centered perspective valuing entire ecosystems, including all organisms and abiotic processes.

Personal Reflection on Worldviews

  • Consider how your worldview influences choices regarding the environment, such as transportation choices.

Summary

  • The Viking society's collapse resulted from combined natural events (climate change) and self-induced environmental harm (overgrazing and soil erosion).
  • Evidence indicates while Vikings tried to adapt, they favored short-term usefulness without adjusting in response to worsening conditions.
  • This illustrates that societal collapse isn't inevitable, yet environmental challenges remain complex.
  • Environmental literacy equips individuals to recognize environmental limits and make responsible, sustainable decisions.

Module 1.2 The Process of Science: Fungal Attacker Threatens Bats

  • Core Message:
    • The world faces a variety of environmental challenges, some predictable, others not.
    • Understanding and solving these problems requires systematically collected physical evidence that is logically analyzed.

Case Study: White-Nose Syndrome in Bats

  • Background:
    • In 2007, numerous dead bats were found in New York State.
    • The cause was initially unknown and described as white-nose syndrome due to a distinct white fungus on affected bat muzzles.
    • Approximately six million bats died, impacting seven species, with two on the brink of extinction across 38 states and eight Canadian provinces.

I. Scientific Inquiry

  • Key Concept 1:
    • Scientists explore the natural world through transparent inquiry methods, with their findings subjected to peer evaluation.

Understanding Science

  • Key Terms:
    • Science: A body of knowledge about nature and the process for acquiring that knowledge, which evolves as new discoveries arise.
    • Empirical Evidence: Information gathered through direct observation or measurement.

II. The Scientific Method and White-Nose Syndrome

  • Key Term:

    • Scientific Method: A systematic approach utilized by scientists to empirically test hypotheses and draw conclusions based on collected evidence.

  • Identifying the Cause of WNS:

    • The fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) was identified as responsible for WNS.
    • Observations indicated that bats residing in cold, dark, moist settings—conducive to fungal growth—were primarily affected.

Hypotheses

  • Key Term:
    • Hypothesis: A proposed explanation grounded in prior knowledge based on observations.
    • Two primary hypotheses about WNS were proposed:
    1. The fungus infects bats secondarily and opportunistically, thriving due to prior weakening by other pathogens.
    2. The fungus was a novel introduction to the region, transported by various means.

Testing Hypotheses

  • To test a hypothesis:
    • Design experiments either observational or manipulative.
    • Predictions made must be falsifiable and replicable.

III. Certainty in Scientific Explanations

  • Key Concept 2:
    • Scientific certainty is proportional to accumulating evidence, but does not claim absolute proof due to ongoing inquiry and testing.

Peer Review Importance

  • Key Term:
    • Peer Review: The evaluation of research work by external experts to ensure its quality prior to publication.

Investigating WNS

  • Hypothesis Testing:
    • Opportunistic Hypothesis Results:
    • Investigations revealed no pre-existing infections or organ abnormalities, indicating this was not the cause.
    • Thus, the opportunistic hypothesis was rejected.
    • Novel Pathogen Hypothesis Results:
    • The same fungus was discovered in other regions (Europe and China) where bats remained healthy, supporting its novel introduction through human travel.

IV. Observational vs. Experimental Studies

  • Key Concept 3:
    • Experimental processes involve manipulating conditions while observational studies entail gathering data without deliberate modification of variables.
    • Both yield significant and complementary insights.

Observational Studies

  • Example: Researchers tracked hibernation behaviors using dataloggers.
    • Results showed that infected bats awoke more frequently than healthy ones; increased tissue damage correlated with frequent arousal, which heightened mortality risk.

Experimental Studies

Variable Definitions
  • Key Terms:
    • Independent Variable: The manipulated condition of the experiment.
    • Dependent Variable: The outcome measured, affected by variations in the independent variable.
Group Definitions
  • Key Terms:
    • Test Group: The group exposed to experimental conditions (e.g., bats inoculated with Pd).
    • Control Group: The reference group not manipulated in the same manner (e.g., bats given sham inoculation).

Analyzing Observational and Experimental Results

  • Key Considerations:
    • After collecting data, statistics are employed to evaluate relationships between variables.
    • Statistical significance determines likelihood the difference observed is due to the tested variable.
    • For example, the difference in arousal frequency exhibited in the data (p < 0.001) confirms the effect of WNS on hibernation behavior.

V. Correlation vs. Causation in Environmental Policy

  • Key Concept 4:
    • Correlated events may not imply a direct cause and necessitate scientific analysis to shape policy responses to environmental concerns.

Correlation Definitions

  • Key Terms:
    • Correlation: Occurrence of two variables together without specifying a causal link.
    • Causation: A defined relationship where one variable occurs due to another.

Policy Development for White-Nose Syndrome

  • Policy: A formalized plan targeting specific outcomes.
  • In the context of WNS, policies developed by entities like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service address preventive measures, public education, and species management.

New Research and Treatments for WNS

  • Findings:
    • Some bats show adaptive behaviors that improve survivability against the fungus, such as group arousal during hibernation.
    • Successful treatments under investigation include ultraviolet light exposure and vaccines, with promising results showing survival rates markedly improved compared to controls.

VI. Information Literacy in Environmental Science

  • Key Concept 5:
    • Information literacy is crucial for evaluating the abundance of scientific knowledge and its reliability.

Sources and Reliability

  • Key Terms:
    • Primary Source: An original data or firsthand account source (e.g., scientific journals).
    • Secondary Source: Information derived from primary sources (e.g., news articles).
    • Tertiary Source: Information sourced from secondary sources (e.g., textbooks).

VII. Critical Thinking and Logical Fallacies

  • Key Concept 6:
    • Critical thinking is essential for assessing claims and requires scrutiny of evidence, identification of logical fallacies, and openness to new information.

Critical Thinking Principles

  • Key Terms:
    • Logical Fallacies: Arguments designed to persuade without reasonable evidence.
    • Critical Thinking: A skill set for logical evaluation, evidence assessment, and personal conclusion formation.

Summary of the Science Process

  • Systematically collected and logically analyzed evidence equips scientists to comprehend environmental challenges and formulate solutions.
  • The scientific method applied to White-Nose Syndrome demonstrates the iterative nature of inquiry leading to effective policy frameworks.
  • Continual research is pivotal as adaptations develop in bat populations, and promising treatments are identified for emergent diseases.
  • Information literacy and critical thinking are indispensable in navigating scientific discourse amidst the proliferation of varied sources.