environmental history: learning from the past

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Environmental Environmental History: Learning History: Learning from the Past from the Past

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Environmental History: Learning from the Past. Cultural Changes and the Environment Human History. Homo sapiens have been on Earth 160,000 years Until 12,000 years ago we were hunter-gatherers, moving as we needed for food. Cultural Changes and the Environment Three Cultural Changes. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Environmental Environmental History: Learning History: Learning

from the Pastfrom the Past

Page 2: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment

Human HistoryHuman History Homo sapiens Homo sapiens have have

been on Earth 160,000 been on Earth 160,000 yearsyears

Until 12,000 years ago Until 12,000 years ago we were hunter-we were hunter-gatherers, moving as gatherers, moving as we needed for foodwe needed for food

Page 3: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment

Three Cultural ChangesThree Cultural Changes Agricultural revolutionAgricultural revolution

Began 10-12,000 yrs agoBegan 10-12,000 yrs ago Industrial revolutionIndustrial revolution

150 years ago150 years ago Information and globalization Information and globalization

revolutionrevolution 50 years ago50 years ago

Page 4: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment

Three Cultural ChangesThree Cultural Changes Have increasedHave increased our impact on our impact on

environment in several waysenvironment in several ways1.1. More energy and technologyMore energy and technology

2.2. Increased food productionIncreased food production

3.3. Expansion of human populationExpansion of human population

4.4. Increase in resource useIncrease in resource use

Page 5: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment

Hunters-GatherersHunters-Gatherers Most of our existenceMost of our existence

1.1. Collect edible plants, fish, huntCollect edible plants, fish, hunt

2.2. Lived in small nomadic bandsLived in small nomadic bands

3.3. Worked together to surviveWorked together to survive Population grew Population grew slowlyslowly SmallSmall environmental impact environmental impact South Africa: San, Khwe, Sho, South Africa: San, Khwe, Sho,

Bushmen, and Basarwa Bushmen, and Basarwa Australia: Australia: Spinifex people

Page 6: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment

Hunters-GatherersHunters-Gatherers

Small environmental Small environmental impact due to:impact due to: Understanding of Understanding of

environmentenvironment Low Low populationpopulation Low Low resourceresource use use Migration to allow reparationMigration to allow reparation Lack of Lack of technologytechnology

Page 7: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment

Agricultural RevolutionAgricultural Revolution Began 10-12,000 years agoBegan 10-12,000 years ago H-G H-G settledsettled & created & created

agricultural communitiesagricultural communities Plant cultivation developed Plant cultivation developed

Slash and burn/shifting Slash and burn/shifting cultivationcultivation

Sustainable: Sustainable: grow food enough grow food enough for living; want resources for living; want resources available for future available for future generations!generations!

Little Little impactimpact on the environment- on the environment-no machineryno machinery

Page 8: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

3

Harvesting for2 to 5 years

1Clearing

and burningvegetation

2

Planting

4Allowing

to revegetate10 to 30 years

Page 9: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Agricultural Revolution

Good News Bad News

More food Destruction of wildlife habitats from clearing forests and grasslands

Longer life expectancy

Fertile land turned into desert by livestock overgrazing

Supported a larger population

Formation of villages, towns, and cities

Towns and cities served as centers for trade, government,and religion

Killing of wild animals feeding on grass or crops

Soil eroded streams and lakes

Increase in armed conflict and slavery over ownership of land and water resources

Towns and cities concentrated wastes and pollution and increased spread of diseases

Higher standard of living for many people

Pick 3 examples of each to ADD to your notes!

Page 10: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment

Industrial/Medical RevolutionIndustrial/Medical Revolution Began in Began in

England in England in 17001700’’ss

U.S. in 1800U.S. in 1800’’ss Huge shift in Huge shift in

cultureculture

Page 11: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment

Industrial/Medical RevolutionIndustrial/Medical Revolution Cultural shiftsCultural shifts

RenewableRenewable (wood, water) (wood, water) nonrenewable nonrenewable Localized goods Localized goods large scale, machine large scale, machine

mademade Rural (country living) Rural (country living) urban (city-living)urban (city-living) Increased Increased crop yields/acre w/ farm crop yields/acre w/ farm

machinery machinery Population Population ↑↑ sharply sharply Environmental impact Environmental impact ↑↑

Page 12: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Industrial-Medical Revolution

Trade-Offs

Good News Bad News

Mass production of useful and affordable products

Increased air pollution

Longer life expectancy

Soil depletion and degradation

Greatly increased agricultural production

Increased urbanization

Lower rate of population growth

Increased water pollution

Groundwater depletion

Habitat destruction and degradation

Higher standard of living for many

Lower infant mortality

Increased waste pollution

Biodiversity depletion

Pick 2 examples of each to ADD to your notes!

Page 13: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment

Information and Global Information and Global RevolutionRevolution Information and Global Revolution-Information and Global Revolution-

19501950’’ss New technology to gain rapid access to global New technology to gain rapid access to global

infoinfo TVTV TelephoneTelephone SatellitesSatellites ComputersComputers

Page 14: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Information-Globalization Revolution

Trade-Offs

Good News Bad News

Remote-sensing satellite surveys of the world’s environmental systems

Ability to respond to environmental problems more effectively and rapidly

Globalized economy can increase environmental degradation by homogenizing the earth’s surface

Globalized economy can decrease cultural diversity

Computer-generated models and maps of the earth’s environmental systems

Information overload can cause confusion and sense of hopelessness

Page 15: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Environmental History of theEnvironmental History of theUnited StatesUnited States

4 Eras4 Eras The environmental history of the US can The environmental history of the US can

be divided into 4 eras:be divided into 4 eras:

1.1. TribalTribal

2.2. FrontierFrontier

3.3. Early conservationEarly conservation

4.4. EnvironmentalEnvironmental

Page 16: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Tribal EraTribal Era Native AmericansNative Americans 10,000 years before 10,000 years before

European settlement European settlement Hunter GatherersHunter Gatherers Slash and Slash and

burn/shifting burn/shifting cultivationcultivation

SmallSmall population population LowLow environmental environmental

impactimpact

Page 17: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Frontier EraFrontier Era Early 1600Early 1600’’s—European s—European

settlementsettlement Frontier environmental Frontier environmental

worldviewworldview—vast and —vast and inexhaustible resourcesinexhaustible resources

Tribes and land conqueredTribes and land conquered PublicPublic private land private land Government declared frontier Government declared frontier

officially closed in 1890officially closed in 1890

Page 18: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Conservation Era (1832-1960)Conservation Era (1832-1960) Concern over Concern over resourceresource use use Preservation of Preservation of publicpublic land land Public health initiativesPublic health initiatives Environmental Environmental restorationrestoration projects projects

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Conservation EraConservation Era

Page 19: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Environmental Era Environmental Era (1960-2010)(1960-2010) Science of Science of

EcologyEcology 1980’s: 1980’s: anti-anti-

environmental environmental movementmovement

1990’s: 1990’s: environmental environmental awareness awareness

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Environmental EraEnvironmental Era

Page 20: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

George Perkins MarshGeorge Perkins Marsh A scientist and member of congressA scientist and member of congress Questioned the idea that resources were Questioned the idea that resources were

inexhaustibleinexhaustible Created resource conservation Created resource conservation

principles we still use today principles we still use today Example: We will conserve forests, Example: We will conserve forests,

so we can use them later—wood, etc.so we can use them later—wood, etc.

Page 21: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

John MuirJohn Muir Founded the Sierra ClubFounded the Sierra Club PreservationPreservation Preserve areas for aesthetics Preserve areas for aesthetics

(beauty of nature!)(beauty of nature!)

Page 22: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt Conservationists whose term in office Conservationists whose term in office

was known as the was known as the “Golden Age of “Golden Age of Conservation”.Conservation”.

Designated the Grand Canyon as one of Designated the Grand Canyon as one of the first 16 national parks.the first 16 national parks.

More than More than tripled the size of the tripled the size of the national forest reserves.national forest reserves.

Page 23: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Rachel CarsonRachel Carson Wrote the book “Silent Spring” Wrote the book “Silent Spring”

about the dangers of pesticides.about the dangers of pesticides. Contributed to the ban of DDTContributed to the ban of DDT

Page 24: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

1.1. The threat of climate The threat of climate changechange

2.2. Growing water shortagesGrowing water shortages

3.3. Continuing population Continuing population growthgrowth

4.4. Continuing biodiversity Continuing biodiversity lossloss

5.5. Continuing povertyContinuing poverty

Environmental Challenges Environmental Challenges of the 21of the 21stst Century Century

Page 25: Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Topography Song-RulesTopography Song-Rules

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT4FxKyE7QQ