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Welcome to Environmental Geography! (Photo by P. Regoniel in Picable). GEOG 101 (Section 01) – Day 1 Getting Oriented How many of you are at VIU for the first time? If so, if you need a hand figuring anything out, just let me know, and I will try to be of whatever help I can. The textbook for this course is available in the bookstore. There may be used copies at the bookstore or at the student union store. It’s Environment: The Science Behind the Stories (Canadian edition) by Jay Withgott, Scott Brennan, and Barbara Murck (Toronto: Pearson Canada, 2009) [see www.myenvironmentplace.ca for student support materials]. It's a good book, with lots of illustrations, case studies, and Canadian content. Please note that we will be skipping Chapters 2-4 and going straight to Chapter 5 for next week. Course Focus This course will provide an introduction to the Earth's biophysical systems from an environmental science/ environmental geography perspective, with a focus on the increasing impacts of human beings on these systems, and methods for analyzing and evaluating human-environment relationships. Topics include carrying capacity, limits to growth, ecological footprints, ecosystems and energy flows, human population growth and dispersion, agriculture and food issues, biodiversity, forest management, water resources and fisheries, climate change and air pollution, energy use, waste management, urban sustainability, environmental ethics and policy, and social change for achieving a more sustainable world. Getting Oriented The course will be a mix of lectures, discussion, videos, and assignments. Keep in mind that this course has a waitlist, so please decide this week if you are going to stay, or if you have a friend who is registered but is not here today, tell them to e-mail me right away. Also: read the course outline carefully.... We will go over some of it today. If you suffer from a disability of any kind, you need to register with Disability Services (in Building 200) and let me know as soon as possible. Getting Oriented The focus of the course is the global ecological crisis from an environmental geography/ environmental science perspective and what we can do to address it, including what is already being done in a number of sectors. If you have specific interests, let me know and I will try to accommodate them if at all possible. What are some key environmental issues facing our planet? What is causing them and how are they impacting on people and other species? I would also like to take advantage of whatever knowledge or previous life experience you have that is relevant. What can you offer? Getting Oriented In addition to the final exam and a mid-term quiz, there will be two major assignments. For these, you get to choose from amongst the four following options: a life-cycle analysis of an everyday product a media analysis of a controversial environmental issue a research project on an environmental problem on campus and the development of a program of action to tackle it and the development of an environmental education unit to present in a local secondary or elementary school. o You may also be asked to answer questions about videos shown, and to participate in a debate on a key environmental topic. Getting Oriented EVALUATION 1. Attendance and Participation in in-class work- 10% 2. Mid-term quiz- 15% (2/9) 3. Life-cycle Analysis or Campus Problem-solving Project25% (3/16 or 3/30 (see outline) 4. Media analysis or Elementary/ High School Educational Outreach Exercise- 25% (4/4) 6. Final Exam- 25% (TBA) ________________________ 100% You can also boost your participation marks by bringing relevant resources to my and the class' attention. Ground Rules No late assignments unless there is some health or family emergency. No plagiarism – all assignments must be original. If you have any questions about what that means, we can talk about it. My preference for referencing style is University of Chicago or APA (The Writing Centre has handouts or see http://libguides.viu.ca/citing) If you're going to miss a class, please let me know. When you do miss, it's your responsibility to keep up with the readings, and see what was covered in lecture by viewing the lecture notes on my web site: http://web.viu.ca/alexander2 under “Courses.” No abuse of laptops in class (i.e. surfing or Facebook). Chapter 1 will help you understand: The meaning of the term environment The importance of natural resources and ecosystems That environmental science and environmental geography are interdisciplinary The scientific method and how science operates Some pressures facing the global environment Sustainability and sustainable development 1-9 Our Island, Earth All the things around us with which we interact: Biotic (living things) Animals, plants, forests, soils, etc. Abiotic (nonliving things) Continents, oceans, clouds, icecaps Our built environment Structures, human-created living centres Social relationships and institutions 1-10 Humans… • • • • are altering the natural systems we need for Resources, health, life-span, wealth, mobility, & leisure Impacts: Natural systems have been degraded Long-term threat to health and survival Environmental science and environmental geography study: How the natural world works How the environment affects humans and vice versa Environmental geography gives special emphasis to how things interrelate in space – for instance, the relationship between pollution and climate change and health impacts on humans or ecosystems, or the spread of exotic species and how they impact on indigenous species. 1-11 Natural resources: vital to human survival FIGURE 1.1 • • Renewable resources: Perpetually available: sunlight, wind, wave energy Renew themselves over short periods: timber, water, soil can be overharvested Nonrenewable resources: finite supply; can be depleted Oil, coal, minerals 1-12 Global human population growth • • More than 6.8 billion humans Why so many humans? - Agricultural revolution - - Stable food supplies Industrial revolution - - - Urbanized society powered by fossil fuels Sanitation and medicines More food FIGURE 1.2 1-13 weighing the issues The Tragedy of the Commons by Garrett Hardin Unregulated exploitation leads to resource depletion • Resource users are tempted to increase use until the resource is gone • • Solution? • • • Private ownership? Voluntary organization to enforce responsible use? Governmental regulations? 1-14 The “ecological footprint” by Mathis Wackernagel & William Rees The environmental impact of an individual or population Amount of biologically productive land + water required to provide raw materials a population consumes and absorb the waste produced Overshoot: humans have surpassed the Earth’s capacity (the date when humans are said to have overshot the Earth's carrying capacity is said to fall earlier each year and now occurs in September). We are using 39% more of the planet’s resources than are available on a sustainable basis from all the land! 1-15 Environmental science … can help us avoid mistakes made in the past. The lesson of Easter Island: people annihilated their culture by destroying their environment. Can we act more wisely to conserve our resources? 1-16 weighing the issues • Environmental science/ geography are interdisciplinary What experts would you need for: The construction of a new hydroelectric dam? The proposed draining of a wetland to build a new subdivision? A proposal to permit bear hunting in a national park The management of a large oil spill offshore from a pristine beach? FIGURE 1.3 1-17 What is an “environmental problem”? The perception of what constitutes a problem varies between individuals and societies e.g. DDT, a pesticide In developing countries: welcome because it kills malaria-carrying mosquitoes In developed countries: not welcome, due to health risks FIGURE 1.4 1-18 Environmental science is not environmentalism Environmental science The pursuit of knowledge about the natural world Scientists try to remain objective (though sources of funding can influence questions studied and conclusions arrived at) Environmentalism A social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world, though some environmental scientists (e.g. David Suzuki, Andrew Weaver) become environmentalists because they feel the 'facts' demand that we take action as a society and as a species. 1-19 The nature of science Science: A systematic process for learning about the world and testing our understanding of it A dynamic process of observation, testing, and discovery The accumulated body of knowledge that results from this process Science is essential for Sorting fact from fiction Developing solutions to the problems we face 1-20 Science: Critically examining evidence Scientists design tests: are ideas supported by evidence? Explanations must: Be testable Resist repeated attempts to disprove it Accepted ideas can be applied in policy and management decisions (e.g. prescribed burning) 1-21 The scientific method A technique for testing ideas with observations Assumptions: The universe works according to unchanging natural laws Events arise from causes, and cause other events We use our senses and reason to understand nature’s laws FIGURE 1.7 1-22 The scientific method A scientist makes an observation and asks questions of some phenomenon The scientist formulates a hypothesis, a statement that attempts to explain the scientific question. The hypothesis is used to generate predictions, which are specific statements that can be directly and unequivocally tested. The test results either support or reject the hypothesis FIGURE 1.7 1-23 There are different ways to test hypotheses Manipulative experiments yield the strongest evidence • Can show causation • Not always possible to use Natural or correlational tests show real-world complexity • Cannot show causation FIGURE 1.8 1-24 The scientific process is part of a larger process The scientific process includes peer review, publication, and debate A consistently supported hypothesis becomes a theory, a welltested and widely accepted explanation With enough data, a paradigm shift – a change in the dominant view – can occur FIGURE 1.9 1-25 Sustainability and the future of our world Human population growth exacerbates all environmental problems The growth rate has slowed, but we still add more than 200,000 people to the planet each day Our consumption of resources has risen even faster than our population growth. Life has become more pleasant for us so far However, rising consumption amplifies the demands we make on our environment. 1-26 Ecological footprints are not all equal The ecological footprints of countries vary greatly Canada uses far more than its equal share of the world’s resources Developing countries have much smaller footprints than developed countries FIGURE 1.10 1-27 We face challenges in agriculture Expanded food production led to increased population and consumption It’s one of humanity’s greatest achievements, but at an enormous environmental cost Nearly half of the planet’s land surface is used for agriculture that depends heavily on Chemical fertilizers Pesticides, and produces Erosion Changed natural systems 1-28 We face challenges in pollution • Waste products and artificial chemicals used in farms, industries, and households Each year, millions of people die from pollution FIGURE 1.11 1-29 We face challenges in climate Scientists have firmly concluded that humans are changing the composition of the atmosphere The Earth’s surface is warming Melting glaciers Rising sea levels Impacted wildlife and crops Increasingly destructive weather Since the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have risen by 37%, to the highest level in 650,000 years 1-30 We face challenges in biodiversity • Human actions have driven many species extinct, and biodiversity is declining dramatically • We are at the onset of a mass extinction event FIGURE 1.12 Biodiversity loss may be our biggest environmental problem; once a species is extinct, it is gone forever 1-31 The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment The most comprehensive scientific assessment of the condition of the world’s ecological systems Major findings: Humans have drastically altered ecosystems These changes have contributed to human wellbeing and economic development, but at a cost Environmental degradation could get much worse Degradation can be reversed, but it requires a lot of work 1-32 Our energy choices will affect our future The lives we live today are due to fossil fuels Machines Chemicals Transportation Products Fossil fuels are a one-time bonanza; supplies will certainly decline We have used up ½ of the world’s oil supplies; how will we handle this imminent fossil fuel shortage? 1-33 Sustainable solutions exist We must develop solutions that protect both our quality of life and the environment Organic agriculture Technology Reduce pollution Conservation Recycling Renewable energy sources FIGURE 1.13 1-34 Are things getting better or worse? Many people think environmental conditions are better Cornucopians: Human ingenuity will solve any problem Some think things are much worse in the world Cassandras: predict doom and disaster How can you decide who is correct? Are the impacts limited to humans, or are other organisms or systems involved? Are the proponents thinking in the long or short term? Are they considering all costs and benefits? 1-35 Sustainability: a goal for the future How can humans live within the planet’s means? Humans cannot exist without functioning natural systems Sustainability Leaves future generations with a rich and full Earth Conserves the Earth’s natural resources Maintains fully functioning ecological systems Sustainable development: the use of resources to satisfy current needs without compromising future availability of resources 1-36 Will we develop in a sustainable way? The triple bottom line: sustainable solutions that meet Environmental goals Economic goals Social goals Requires that humans apply knowledge from the sciences to Limit environmental impacts Maintain functioning ecological systems 1-37 Conclusion Environmental science helps us understand our relationship with the environment and informs our attempts to solve and prevent problems. Identifying a problem is the first step in solving it Solving environmental problems can move us towards health, longevity, peace and prosperity Environmental science and geography can help us find balanced solutions to environmental problems 1-38 QUESTION: Review The term “environment” includes a) b) c) d) A) Animals and plants B) Oceans and rivers C) Soil and atmosphere D) All of the above are included in this term 1-39 QUESTION: Review Which of the following is correct about the term “environmentalism”? a) b) c) d) A) It is very science-oriented B) It is a social movement to protect the environment C) It usually does not include advocacy for the environment D) It involves scientists trying to solve environmental problems 1-40 QUESTION: Review Adding various amounts of fertilizer to plants in a laboratory is a _____ type of experiment. a) b) c) d) A) Correlative B) Natural C) Manipulative D) Rare 1-41 QUESTION: Review What is the a) b) c) d) definition of “sustainable development”? A) Using resources to benefit future generations, even if it means lower availability now B) Letting future generations figure out their own problems C) Using resources to satisfy current needs without compromising future availability D) Letting each country decide what is its best interest 1-42 QUESTION: Weighing the Issues Which do you think is the best way to protect commonly owned resources (i.e., air, water, fisheries)? a) A) Sell the resource to a private entity B) Voluntary organizations to enforce responsible use C) Governmental regulations Do nothing and see what happens 1-43 QUESTION: Weighing the Issues Do you think the rest of the world can have an ecological footprint as large as the footprint of the Canada? A) Yes, because we will find new technologies and resources B) Yes, because the footprint of Canada is not really that large C) Definitely not; the world does not have that many resources D) It does not matter; it’s not that important 1-44 QUESTION: Interpreting Graphs and Data According to this graph, what has happened to the population over the last 500 years? a) It has grown exponentially b) It has grown linearly c) It has decreased d) It has slowed down recently 1-45 QUESTION: Interpreting Graphs and Data What happens if test results reject a hypothesis? a) b) c) d) A) The scientist formulates a new hypothesis B It shows the test failed C) The hypothesis was supported D) The predictions may not have been correct 1-46