esc 301.02 i introduction short

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ESC 301

INTRODUCTION

Ferhan een


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What is the Environment?

The environment encompasses the whole of life on

earth and the complex interactions that link the living

world with the physical world

In a general sense, this covers everything contained

within the air, land and water Time also is a key factor as historic issues have an

influence on the status of the environment - locally and

globally, both now and in the future.


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Environmental Change Sudden and dramatic natural changes to the environment

have occurred in the distant past, but only relatively recentlyhas one species had the potential to upset the whole balanceof the Earth's ecosystem

The global population has risen

dramatically during the last century The rise of industry and its rapid

expansion has been a majorsource of pollution. This has

caused changes in the balanceof our environment


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What is Environmental Science?

The goals of environmental science are to learn:

how nature works.

how the environment affects us.

how we affect the environment.

how we can live more sustainably without degrading our life-

support system.


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LIVING MORE SUSTAINABLY

the study of how the earth works, how we

interact with the earth and how to deal withenvironmental problems.


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WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?

Is the current growth rate sustainable in the future?

This idea assumes that we have the right to use the

earths resources and earth capital to meet our needs butthat we have the obligation to pass on the earths

resources and services to future generations in as good or

better shape than these conditions were passed on to us.


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Six important environmental issues

Population growth

Increasing resource use

Global climate change

Premature extinction of plants and animals Pollution

Poverty


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GROWTHAND

THE WEALTH GAP


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ECOLOGICAL VS. ECONOMIC RESOURCES

Ecological resource - is anything required by anorganism for normal maintenance, growth, and

production.

Economic resource - is anything obtained from the

environment to meet human needs and wants.


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Nonrenewable resourcesExist as fixed quantity

Recycling and reusing extends supply

Recycling processes waste material intonew material.

Reuse is using a resource over again in

the same form.

Renewable resources - solar.

Potentially renewable resources - can be

replenished fairly rapidly through natural

processes.

Renewable resources


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Ecological Footprint

The amount of productive land and water a

given population requires to produce all theresources they consume and take in all the

waste they make using prevailing technology.


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Slide 8

United States

The Netherlands

India

CountryPer Capita Ecological Footprint

(Hectares of land per person)

10.9

5.9

1.0

Figure 1-8 (1)Page 10

Slide 9

CountryTotal Ecological Footprint

(Hectares)

United States

The Netherlands

India

3 billionhectares

94 million hectares

1 billion

hectares

Figure 1-8 (2)

Page 10


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Environmental Pollution Pollution is the harmfulalteration of ourenvironment by our own

actions. Pollutants either

unwanted by-products orour activities or theobnoxious residues ofthings we have made,used, and thrown away.

Air Pollution Water Pollution

Land Pollution

Global Warming Noise Pollution

Aesthetic Damage

Norman R. Rowan/Stock Boston


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Types of Pollution Air pollution

Most air pollution is caused by the burning of fossil

fuels. Water pollution

Organic sewage

Eutrophication Infectious agents

Organic chemicals

Inorganic and miscellaneous chemicals Sediments from land corrosion

Radioactive substances

Waste heat from power plants and industry


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Types of PollutionContinued

Land pollution Pesticides chemicals used to kill insects defined as

pests. Herbicides chemicals used to kill plant life,

particularly weeds.

Chemical wastes

Radioactive fallout

Acid rain

Garbage

Global warming Since the late 1800s the average global surface

temperature has increased about 0.75 degrees C.

Most warming has occurred since 1950.


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Pollutants can have three types of

unwanted effects:

Can disrupt / degrade life-support

systems.

Can damage health and property.

Can create nuisances such as noise and

unpleasant smells, tastes, and sights.


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Three factors determine how severe the harmful effects

of a pollutant are:

1. The concentration level: ppm, ppt etc.

2. Chemical nature: how active and harmful it is in

nature?

3. Half-life or the persistence of the pollutant.

(DDT is an example of a persistent pollutant).


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SOLUTIONS TO POLLUTION

POLLUTION CONTROL

POLLUTION PREVENTION


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Major environmental and resource

problems


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Global Environmental IssuesFrom http://www.pref.kyoto.jp/intro/21cent/kankyo/contents_e/globe_prob/index.html

Global Warming Ozone Layer Depletion

Acid Rain

Deforestation Loss of Biodiversity

Water Pollution

Desertification Waste disposal


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In the early 1970s, Paul Ehrlich and John Holdrendeveloped a model summarized as:

Impact = Population * Affluence * Technology

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF A POPULATION


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Natural Resources No nation is self-sufficient in the modern world.

Population growth accelerates the consumption of earths

natural resources.

For example, over the course of human history, nearly half

of the earths forests have been depleted, most of which

has occurred since 1970.

Energy Production and Consumption

Consumption is growing more rapidly than production.

Energy use per capita is increasing in most of thedeveloping nations.


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Ecological Balance

The lust for more affluence and unrestrained

population growth are ravaging the environment

Paul Ehrlich.

A number of species of animals and plants have

disappeared.

People depend on biological diversity for the quality

of their lives. Urbanization the increasing concentration of

people living in cities.


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Other Problems

The Economic Costs

Damage to livestock, trees, and crops

Death of wildlife

Expense of pollution-control measures

Cost of medical care for those whose health is affected

Lost work time due to ill health

Expense of maintaining and refurbishing buildings and

other structures that deteriorated because of pollution

Cost of restoring the quality of the air and of waterways.

Threat to World Peace


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Social Psychological Factors

Attitudes and the Environment

Many people see the earth as a resource to be mined rather

than as a trust to be cared for.

Values and the Environment

esc 301.02 i introduction short

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