Download ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE
Chapter 1 Science and the
Environment
1.2 The Environment and Society
1.2 The Environment and Society
Objectives
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Describe The Tragedy of the Commons.
Explain the law of supply and demand.
List three differences between developed and
developing countries.
Explain what sustainability is, and describe
why it is a goal of environmental science.
Introduction
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When addressing environmental problems, it is
important to consider human societies, how they act,
and what they do.
Society uses many common resources.
The 1968 essay, The Tragedy of the Commons, by
ecologist Garrett Hardin addressed our approach to
common resources and had a significant impact on
the environmental movement.
The Tragedy of the Commons
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The conflict between the short-term interests of
individuals and the long-term welfare of society is the
main difficulty in solving environmental problems.
The “commons” of the essay was an area of land that
belonged to the whole village.
The short-term interest of the individual was to put as
many animals on the area for grazing as possible – if I
don’t use the free resource, then someone else will was
the guiding philosophy.
However, overgrazing destroyed the grass and no one
could use the commons.
The Tragedy of the Commons
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The commons were replaced by closed fields owned by
individuals.
The new landowners were careful not to overgraze
because it would jeopardize their future productivity.
The point is, someone or some group has to take
responsibility for maintaining a resource in order to avoid
overuse.
Hardin suggested that the continued depletion of
resources could lead to the eventual collapse of society.
Economics and the Environment
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The law of supply and demand states that the greater
the demand for a limited supply of something, the
more that “something” is worth.
If the supply of oil decreases, there are three options.
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Pay the higher price
Use less oil
Find new sources of energy
A cost-benefit analysis balances the costs of
something against the expected benefits.
Supply and Demand
Economics and the Environment
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A risk-assessment is a tool that helps us create
cost-effective ways to protect our health and
the environment.
The public must perceive a risk accurately in
order to come up with an effective solution.
Developed and Developing
Countries
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Wealth and resources are not distributed evenly
among nations.
Developed countries tend to have higher per capita
income, slower (or negative) population growth,
diverse industrial economies, and stronger social
support systems.
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Examples; United States, Australia, Canada, Japan
Developing countries have lower per capita
income, simple and agriculture-based economies,
and rapid population growth.
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Examples; Bangladesh, Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan
Population and Consumption
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Almost all environmental problems can be traced
back to two root causes; population and consumption.
Severely overpopulated regions cannot provide
enough natural resources to the people who live there.
Forests are often destroyed, erosion common, and
species driven to extinction.
Malnutrition, starvation, and disease become major
obstacles faced by those in these regions.
Population and Consumption
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The most rapid human population growth is most
rapid in developing countries.
Of the 4.5 billion people in developing countries,
fewer than half have access to enough food, drinking
water, and proper sanitation.
Population growth has stopped or slowed greatly in
developed nations.
Developed nations use about 75% of the world’s
resources, though they make up only about 20% of
the population.
Population and Consumption
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An ecological footprint shows the productive
area of Earth needed to support one person in a
particular country.
Individuals living in developed nations have a
much larger ecological footprint than those in
developing nations due to demand for
resources, position on ecological pyramid, and
consumption of fossil fuels.
Environmental Science in Context
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Environmental problems are often complex and there are no
simple answers.
Political, economic, and social issues are woven into the fabric
of most environmental problems.
With people arguing passionately on both sides of
environmental issues, it is important to consider the source of
information on issues and realize hidden agendas that may be
present.
Listening to many viewpoints and applying critical thinking
skills helps an individual make a well-informed, educated
decision on environmental issues.
A Sustainable World
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Achieving sustainability is a key goal of
environmental science.
Sustainability is the condition in which human needs
are met in such a way that a human population can
survive indefinitely.
In a sustainable world, things do change.
Achieving a sustainable world is obtainable as long as
everyone from the average person to chiefs of state
promotes environmental awareness and
environmentally friendly practices.
References
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Broken Stalactites http://buzzybee.150m.com/content/newfile24.htm
Cathedral Caverns Stalagmites http://philhord.com/gallery/slideshow.php?set_albumName=cat
hedral_caverns
Supply and Demand Curve http://stocksorbonds.blogspot.com/2005_11_06_stocksor
bonds_archive.html
Supply and Demand of Oil http://downwardslant.blogspot.com/2005/08/84.html
References
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Selected Ecological Footprints http://www.sustainablemeasures.com/Training/
Indicators/EcoFootp.html