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Welcome to Environmental Geography!
(Photo by P. Regoniel in
Picable).
GEOG 101 (Section 02) – Day 1
Getting Oriented
 My name is Don Alexander. I’ve been involved with
environmental issues for about thirty years, both
academically and as an activist. My main areas of
focus have been solid and nuclear waste, protection
of major green features in and around metropolitan
areas, environmental philosophies and approaches,
and sustainable cities. I’ve been teaching this course
at VIU for the last 11 years.
 My office is across the street at Building 359, Room
215. My local is 2261, and my office hour is 8 to 9
a.m. on Wednesday, and by appointment. I am also
available at the start and end of class. My phone
number is (250) 753-3245, ex. 2261.
 The best way to reach me is by e-mail (don.alexander
@viu.ca). Course info will be on my web site at
http://web.viu.ca/alexander2 under Courses. No D2L.
Getting Oriented
 The textbook for this course is available in the bookstore.
There may be used copies of the previous edition at the
bookstore or at the student union store, but I prefer if you
have the current edition. It’s Environment: The Science
Behind the Stories (2nd Canadian edition) by Withgott,
Brennan, and Murck (Toronto: Pearson Canada, 2013) [see
www.pearsoned.ca/highered/ myenvironmentplace/index.html for
student support materials].
 It's a good book, with lots of illustrations, case studies, and
Canadian examples. There are also e-copies available (see
the bookstore for the price). The Bookstore also maintains
a website where you can compare the prices for
textbooks, including theirs (see
www.viubookstore.ca/buy_text.asp).
 A Student Free Store will happen Thursday, September
10th from 9:00 to 2 at the Welcome Centre.
COURSE CONTENTS AND EXPECTATIONS
 A Student Free Store will happen this Thursday,
(September 10th) from 9:00 to 2 at the
Welcome Centre.
 I’m interested to know what you think this course
is about? Talk to your immediate neighbour about
this.
 Also: what do you think are fair expectations that a
teacher should have of his or her students? One
example that a colleague of mine enforces
rigorously is to not have cell phones go off during
class. If they do, that person has to bring Timbits
for the whole class!
 What expectations do you have of me?
Course Focus
 This course is an introduction to the Earth’s
systems at a variety of scales from the ecosystem
to the biosphere, and will examine the ecological
impact of the human population and its land use
and water-related activities.
 Topics include population, agriculture,
biodiversity, forestry, ocean and freshwater
systems, climate change and air pollution, energy,
resource consumption and waste, environmental
ethics/ policy, and sustainable land use practices.
Successful examples of social change towards a
more sustainable society will also be highlighted.
Course Focus
 I won’t lie to you – the situation is pretty dire,
especially in relation to climate change and
loss of biodiversity.
 However, there is still lots of good news and I
will strive to balance the challenging
information in each of the sectors we look
with a review of some of the positive
initiatives that are making a real difference.
 In particular, I recommend a new book I put on
the recommended reading list by a Vancouver
author: The Optimistic Environmentalist:
Progressing Towards A Greener Future by David
Boyd (Toronto: ECW Press, 2015).
Getting Oriented
 The course will be a mix of lectures, discussion,

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
occasional guest speakers, videos, assignments, and
possible in-class debates.
We will go over some of the course outline today.
Phones and laptops are not to be abused.
If you have a disability of any kind, you need to register
with Disability Services (in Building 200) and let me
know as soon as possible
Regarding extreme weather and campus closures,
what’s on the VIU home page is the final authority, so
use that as your guide.
Keep in mind the Writing Centre (4th floor Library) as a
useful resource if your writing could use some work.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, you will be able to
 describe and analyze ecological systems at a variety of
scales, how humans impact on them, and have
knowledge of emerging concepts and practices for
transforming the way we live and do business (as
measured by the assignments, the alternative to the mid-term
quiz, and the final exam);
 analyze the role played by economic, social, and political
institutions in relation to the decline of natural systems
(as measured by the assignments, the mid-term assignment,
and the final exam);
 describe and then assess the ecological and social
impacts of specific products and activities (as measured
by the life-cycle analysis);
 dissect, analyze and establish an independent viewpoint
on environmental controversies (as measured by the media
analysis and the final exam);
Course Objectives
 transform analysis of environmental concepts into
action (as measured by the environmental education or action
project);
 identify what is happening in different sectors, such as
forestry and agriculture (as measured by the final
exam and media analysis);
 identify how sustainable management concepts and
strategies are being applied to address the pressing
environmental issues of our age, and how you can
play a crucial role in building a more sustainable world
(as measured by the action project and final exam);
 demonstrate an improvement in your research,
writing, speaking, and analytical skills, as well as your
ability to present material in a graphically appealing
format (all assignments).
Getting Oriented
 In addition to the final exam and a mid-term assignment, there will be two major assignments. For these,
you will choose from the four following options
(outlines due October 9th):
 a life-cycle analysis of an everyday product,
 a media analysis of a controversial environmental issue,
 getting involved in and writing up your experiences in
an action project (or planning one), and
 the development of an environmental education unit
to present in a local elementary or high school.
 You may also be asked to answer questions about
videos shown, and to participate in a debate on a key
environmental topic. [more instructions soon!]
Getting Oriented
 EVALUATION
 1. Attendance and Participation in in-class work- 10%
 2. Mid-term assignment- 15%
 3. Life-cycle Analysis or Action Project- 25% (see outline
for proposal and final due dates)
 4. Media analysis or Elementary/ High School
Educational Outreach Exercise (ditto)- 25%
 6. Final Exam- 25% (TBA)
________________________
100%

[more on the assignments soon]
You can also boost your participation marks by
bringing relevant resources to my and your
classmates' 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.
CRITICAL THINKING IS ENCOURAGED!
For referencing use the parenthetical forms of APA (the
Writing Centre has handouts or see the Library’s on-line
resource: http://libguides.viu.ca/citing).
If at all possible, print double-sided or on scrap paper.
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 D2L!
Introduction to 101
 “The world’s most famous climate scientist just outlined
an alarming scenario for our planet’s future” (see
www.washingtonpost.com/news/energyenvironment/wp/2015/07/20/theworlds-most-famous-climate-scientist-just-outlined-an-alarming-scenario-for-
our-planets-future/)
 The focus of the course is the global ecological crisis [see
http://energyskeptic.com/2011/9-planetery-boundaries/] 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. I would also like to take
advantage of whatever knowledge or previous life
experience you have that is relevant. What can you offer?
 What are some key environmental issues facing our planet?
What is causing them and how are they impacting on
people and other species?
Chapter 1 focuses on:






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
Pressures facing the global
environment
Sustainability and sustainable
development
1-14
Our Island, Earth – Overview
Environment: All the things around us with which we interact

Biotic (living things)
•

Abiotic (non-living things)
•

Continents, oceans, clouds, icecaps, freshwater,
rocks, nutrients
Our built environment
•

Animals, plants, forests, the organisms in soils,
etc.
Structures, human-created living centres
Social relationships and institutions, including
economics and politics
1-15
Humans…
•
•
are altering the natural systems we need for
- resources, profits, health, life-span, wealth, mobility, &
leisure
Impacts:
- natural systems have been degraded
- this poses a long-term threat to health and survival of
ourselves, other species and ecosystems as a whole
•
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, climate change, physical change, and
agriculture in different parts of the world. Or how the spread
of exotic species or diseases impact on indigenous ones.
1-16
Natural resources: vital to human survival
FIGURE 1.1
•
•
Renewable resources:
- Perpetually available: sunlight, wind, wave energy
- Those that renew themselves over longer periods: timber, water, soil
- can be overharvested
Nonrenewable resources: finite supply; can be depleted
- Oil, coal, minerals
1-17
Global human population growth
•
More than 7 billion humans
(in 1800, only 1 billion, only
3% of whom lived in cities;
today that number is over
50%)
•
Why so many humans?
-
Agricultural revolution
-
-
Stable food supplies
Industrial revolution
-
Urbanized society
powered by fossil fuels
-
Sanitation and medicines
(decline in death rate)
FIGURE 1.2
1-19
weighing
the issues
The “Tragedy of the Commons”
by Garrett Hardin
With so many people and so many corporations, we run
into what some people call the ‘tragedy of the commons.’
•
•Unregulated
exploitation of open access resources leads
to resource depletion — some examples?
Resource users are tempted to increase use until the
resource is gone; why is this?
•
•
Solution?
•
Private ownership of all resources?
•
Voluntary organization to enforce responsible use?
•
Governmental regulations?
1-20
The “ecological footprint”
concept
developed by Mathis Wackernagel
& William Rees of UBC
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 wastes it produces

Overshoot: humans have surpassed the Earth’s carrying capacity.
As the Global Footprint Network says, “August 19 is Earth
Overshoot Day, marking the date when humanity has exhausted
nature’s budget for the year. For the rest of the year, we will
maintain our ecological deficit by drawing down local resource
stocks and accumulating carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. “ (see

www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/video_overshoot_explained/)
We are using more than 50% more of the planet’s resources
than are available on a sustainable basis from all the land
and water! Some say more…
1-21
Housekeeping Items (Day 2)
 I will continue with the slides from Chapter 1
(which are now up on the web site corrected:
http://web.viu.ca/alexander2).
 Does anyone need a course outline?
 I will pass around some items of possible
interest in every class session. Often they are
events relevant to this course, which I
encourage you to go to. If you submit a pagelength reflections piece on the event, I will
give you a bit of extra credit.
Environmental science
Good planets are
hard to find!
… can help us avoid mistakes made in the past.
The lesson of Easter Island: people’s culture collapsed because they
destroyed their environment. Can we act more wisely to conserve
our planet, or will we drive a bitumen-filled SUV into a cement
wall? (see other examples in “Collapse” by Jared Diamond, where
he also discusses examples of ecological balance)
1-23
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: to
some degree welcome
because it kills malariacarrying mosquitoes
In developed countries: not
welcome, due to health risks
FIGURE 1.4
1-24
weighing
the issues
•
Environmental science/ geography
are interdisciplinary
What experts would you need for:
The construction of a new
hydroelectric dam
 Environmental review for the
Northern Gateway pipeline
 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 coastal
ecosystem

FIGURE 1.3
1-25
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 and do influence questions studied and
conclusions arrived at, or whether they’re even able
to talk about them)
Environmentalism

A social movement dedicated to protecting the
natural world, though some environmental scientists
(e.g. David Suzuki, Andrew Weaver, James Hansen of
NASA) become environmentalists because they feel
the 'facts' about the environment demand that we
take action as a society and as a species.
1-26
“Follow the money…”

Approximately 97% of all climate scientists
support the idea that climate change is
caused primarily by human-emitted
greenhouse gases. One of the few exceptions
is Wei-Hock (Willie) Soon, a scientist at the
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
who claims that variations in the sun’s
energy can largely explain recent global
warming.

According to the N.Y. Times, Soon received
$1.2 million from Shell Oil, Exxon Mobil, and
the American Petroleum Institute, and also
received at least $230,000 from the Charles
G. Koch Charitable Foundation (of the
infamous Koch brothers). None of this was
disclosed in this publications.
1-27
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 out fact from fiction
 Developing solutions to the problems we face
Current controversy over federal government cancelling evidencebased science projects/ centres and muzzling scientists. This has led
to recent protests (“Death of Evidence” in Ottawa) and to editorials in
the prestigious science journal, Nature
[http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v487/n7407/full/487271b.html]
1-28
Science: Critically examining evidence


Scientists design tests: are ideas supported by
evidence?
Explanations must:

Be testable

Resist repeated attempts to disprove them


Eventually ‘consensus’ results, as with the notion of
human-induced climate change.
Accepted ideas can be applied in policy and
management decisions (e.g. prescribed burning
in the case of forestry)
1-29
The scientific method


A technique for testing
ideas with observations
Assumptions:
•
•
•
The universe works
according to unchanging
natural laws (except
maybe in parallel
universes)
Events arise from causes
and cause other events
We use our senses and
reason to understand
nature’s laws
FIGURE 1.7
1-30
The scientific method
A scientist makes an
observation and asks questions
of some phenomenon

o
o
o
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
1-31
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
1-32
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 well-tested and
widely accepted
explanation

With enough data, a
paradigm shift – a change
in the dominant view –
can occur (any examples?)

FIGURE 1.9
1-33
Sustainability and the future of our world

Human population growth
exacerbates all environmental
problems (when I was born, the
population was just 2.7 billion)
o

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.
o
o
Life has become more pleasant for us
(for some of us much more than
others) so far
However, rising consumption
amplifies the demands we make on
our environment.
1-34
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
1-35
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, water degradation, and
decreased biodiversity
1-36
We also face challenges in pollution
•
Waste products and artificial chemicals used in farms, industries, and
households
Each year, millions of people die from air and water pollution…
1-37
We face challenges in climate
Scientists have firmly concluded that humans are
changing the composition of the atmosphere
 The Earth’s surface is warming and we are seeing a
o
catastrophic decline in Arctic sea ice
o
melting glaciers
o
rising sea levels
o
impacted wildlife and crops
o
increasingly destructive weather

Since the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric carbon
dioxide concentrations have risen by 38%, to the
highest level in 650,000 years – 400 parts per million.
1-38
“UN climate report offers a strong
warning…” – Nanaimo Daily News, August
30th, 2014
Headlines of
environmental
mayhem –
drought,
flooding, and
extreme
weather etc. –
becoming More
and more
frequent
We face challenges in biodiversity
•
Human actions have driven many species extinct, and biodiversity
is declining dramatically
•
We are on the verge 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
1-40
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005)


The most comprehensive scientific assessment of
the condition of the world’s ecological systems,
carried out by the UN
Major findings:
o
o
o
o
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 (and leadership, which is in short supply)
1-41
Our energy choices will affect our future

The lives we live today are due to fossil fuels
o
o
o
o


machines
chemicals
transportation
products (e.g. plastics)
Fossil fuels are a one-time bonanza; supplies will
certainly decline. The party will then be over.
We have used up ½ of the world’s oil supplies;
how will we handle the imminent shortage of fossil
fuels?
1-42
Sustainable solutions exist

We must develop solutions that protect both our quality
of life and the environment. Components include:

organic agriculture

new technology

pollution reduction

conservation of
resources and species


recycling
renewable energy
sources
FIGURE 1.13
1-43
Are things getting better or worse?



Many people think environmental conditions are better
o
Cornucopians: Human ingenuity will solve any problem
Some think things are much worse in the world
o
Cassandras: they predict doom and disaster, or so it is
said
How can we decide who is correct?
o
Are the impacts limited to humans, or are other organisms
or systems involved, and with what impact on us?
o
Are the proponents thinking in the long or short term?
o
Are they considering all costs and benefits?
o
Are they thinking in terms of a ‘triple bottom line’?
1-44
Sustainability: a goal for the future



How can humans live within the planet’s means?
o
Humans cannot exist without functioning natural
systems, as was shown by Biosphere 2
Sustainability
o
Leaves future generations with a rich and full Earth
o
Conserves the Earth’s natural resources [leaves
‘natural capital’ intact]
o
Maintains fully functioning ecological systems
Sustainable development: “development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs”(ambivalent
meaning??)
1-45
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 (e.g.
scientific understanding of climate change)
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.
1-46
Question for Small Groups
 What do you think are some viable solutions
for the world’s environmental woes?
QUESTION: Review
The term “environment” includes
a)
b)
c)
d)
Animals and plants
Oceans and rivers
Soil and atmosphere
All of the above are included in this term
1-48
Will we develop in a sustainable way?


The triple bottom line: sustainable
solutions that meet
o
environmental goals
o
economic goals
o
social goals
Requires that humans apply knowledge
from the sciences to
o
limit environmental impacts
o
maintain functioning ecological systems
1-49
QUESTION: Review
Which of the following is correct about the term
“environmentalism”?
a)
b)
c)
d)
It is very science-oriented
It is a social movement to protect the environment
It usually does not include advocacy for the
environment
It involves scientists trying to solve environmental
problems
1-50
QUESTION: Review
Adding various amounts of fertilizer to
plants in a laboratory is a _____ type of
experiment
a)
b)
c)
d)
Correlative
Natural
Manipulative
Rare
1-51
QUESTION: Review
What is the
a)
b)
c)
d)
definition of “sustainable development”?
Using resources to benefit future generations,
even if it means lower availability now
Letting future generations figure out their own
problems
Using resources to satisfy current needs
without compromising future availability
Letting each country decide what is its best
interest
1-52
QUESTION: Weighing the Issues

Which do you think is the best way to protect
commonly owned resources (i.e., air, water,
fisheries)?
a)
b)
c)
d)
Sell the resource to a private entity
Voluntary organizations to enforce responsible
use
Governmental regulations
Do nothing and see what happens
1-53
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)
b)
c)
d)
Yes, because we will find new technologies
and resources
Yes, because the footprint of Canada is not
really that large
Definitely not; the world does not have that
many resources
It does not matter; it’s not that important
1-54
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
1-55
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
1-56