Monday, September 15th, 2014

WARM UP: Brainstorm - What does Earth need in order to sustain a large diversity of organisms (life)?

What does life need?Clean Air (with oxygen a plus)Clean Water (both fresh and salt)Sunlight for photosynthesis and water cycleOrganic moleculesAmbient temperatures (not too hot or cold)Cycling of nutrients

Plan for today:Learning GoalsActivitiesExplain the important connection that humans have with the planetDistinguish between renewable and nonrenewable resourcesPowerPoint lectureGroup workVideoReadingEnvironmental ScienceThe study of how humans interact with the environmentGoal:Understand and solve environmental problemsEnvironmental Science Through TimeHunter-GatherersAgricultural RevolutionIndustrial RevolutionImproving Quality of Life

The Story of Homo sapiens

Hunter - GathererAgriculture100,000 Y.A. - PRESENT10,000 YA - PRESENTIn your groups:QUESTIONS: How did both lifestyles (hunter gathers/agriculture) interact with their environments?What benefits could agriculture bring that hunting/gathering couldnt?

Question #1:Hunter GatherersKilled wild game lead to extinctionsForaged for wild plantsMade shelters from natural materialsAgricultural Revolution-Cut down forests to create farm fieldsStore extraDomesticated livestock

Question #2Farming can produce more food than that population neededDidnt have to scramble for food on a daily basisConvenience!

The Story of Homo sapiens

Agriculture10,000 YA - PRESENT~250 YA

Industrial250 YA - PRESENTQuestion #3What benefits could industry bring that agriculture couldnt? Question #3Wealth $$$More stuff- technology, goods, servicesLonger lifespanBetter transportationMORE CONVENIENCE!!!

Homehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU&feature=mv_sr15:40-26:00

But I love my modern life!Modern day, industrialized living uses a tremendous amount of NATURAL RESOURCESAgricultural societies use lessHunter-gatherers tread even more lightly

What is a natural resource?With your group:Create a list of natural resources Americans need to survive in the 21st centuryPut a (*) next to any resources that can be regenerated naturally (renewable)Put a (^) next to any resources that can only be used once and do not regenerate naturally (nonrenewable)

So what is the goal?SustainabilityUsing resources in such a way that human populations can survive indefinitely.Now, our modern society is NOT sustainableEnvironmental Science advocates for WISE USE of resourcesLearning about how Earth operates will prove how reckless we are being as a species

Case study: Easter Island

Exit QuestionThe fundamental environmental issue isAir PollutionWater PollutionLoss of habitatNon-renewable resourcesHuman population growthThe Answer isE. Human population growth

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