Download Chapter 1

G. Tyler Miller’s
Living in the Environment
16th Edition
Chapter 1
Angela Wranic
Environmental Science 1
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TAKE NOTES—The Powerpoint notes are not
comprehensive by themselves. You must write
what I say also. If you need a recorder that is fine.
Study,study,study…flash cards, reading your book,
write out concepts. Each week and when an exam
comes along.
Focus on the Powerpoint notes. You text covers a
lot of material this helps you narrow down
material.
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Sustainability, is the ability of earth’s various
systems to survive and adapt to environmental
conditions indefinitely.
The steps to sustainability must be supported by
sound science.
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Natural capital: supported by solar capital
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Natural resources
Natural services
 E.g., nutrient cycling
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Degradation of natural capital through human
activities
Scientific solutions
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Societies can become more environmentally
sustainable through economic development
dedicated to improving the quality of life for
everyone without degrading the earth's life support
systems.
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Fig. 1-18, p. 25
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Nonrenewable resources-consumption
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Energy resources
mineral resources
Examples?
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Reuse
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Recycle
Linear Growth
Exponential
Growth
Doubling Time
Rule of 70
70/Percentage growth
Fig. 1-1
Examples of
Developed and
Developing
Countries?
1-5
Results of
Poverty
Lack of
access to
Number of people
(% of world's population)
Adequate
sanitation facilities
Enough fuel for
heating and cooking
Electricity
2.6 billion (38%)
2 billion (29%)
2 billion (29%)
Clean drinking
water
1.1 billion (16%)
Adequate
health care
1.1 billion (16%)
Adequate
housing
Enough food
for good health
1-13
1 billion (15%)
0.86 billion (13%)
Fig. 1-13, p. 18
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Found at high enough
levels in the
environment to cause
harm to organisms.
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Point source
Nonpoint source
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Problems with relying on cleanup:
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Often removes a pollutant from one part of the
environment to cause problems in another.
Pollutants at harmful levels can cost too much to reduce
them to acceptable levels.
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Pollutants can have three types of unwanted
effects:
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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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Ecological footprint concept
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Biological capacity
Ecological footprint
Average ecological footprint of an individual in a
given country is called per capita ecological
footprint.
The WWF estimates human’s global ecological
footprint exceeded the earth’s biological capacity by
how much? 25%
U.S consumption would only support 1.3 billion
people.
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Leading consumer of various foods and goods
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Wheat, rice, and meat
Coal, fertilizers, steel, and cement
Second largest consumer of oil
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Two-thirds of the most polluted cities are in
China
Projections, by 2020
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Largest consumer and producer of cars
World’s leading economy in terms of GDP PPP
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Companies do not pay the environmental cost
of resource use
Goods and services do not include the harmful
environmental costs
Companies receive tax breaks and subsidies
Economy may be stimulated but there may be a
degradation of natural capital
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Scientific research
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Identify problem and multiple solutions
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Consider human values
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5–10% of the population can bring about major
social change
Aldo Leopold: environmental ethics
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A leader of the conservation and environmental
movements of the 20th century
 Land ethic
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Wrote: A Sand County Almanac
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Estimate your own ecological footprint by
visiting the website www.myfootprint.org/.
What are 3 things you could do to reduce your
ecological footprint?
(10 points)
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Each person will turn in a paper with notesWorth 15 points.
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Be able to discuss your answers with other groups
or the class. It is more important that you be able to
discuss rather than writing everything out
perfectly. If you are not participating I will mark
your grade down.
It is important to express your opinion. This does
not mean attacking each other. Ask the question am
I talking too much or too little.
You of course can disagree with my opinions.
Usually everyone has a different view and that is
OK.
What’s the use of a house if you don’t have a
decent planet to put it on?
End chapter 1