Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

Chapter 1 : APESMs. Miller

Chapter 1 : APESMs. Miller

Key ConceptsKey Concepts

Growth and SustainabilityGrowth and Sustainability

Resources and Resource UseResources and Resource Use

PollutionPollution

Causes of Environmental ProblemsCauses of Environmental Problems

Living More SustainablyLiving More Sustainably Ecology—biological science that studies the relationships between living organisms and their environment

Ecology—biological science that studies the relationships between living organisms and their environment

Environmental Science—interdisciplinary study that uses information from both physical sciences and social sciences to learn how the earth works

Sustainable Society—society that meets the basic resource needs of its people indefinitely without degrading or depleting the natural capital that supplies these resources

What Keeps Us Alive? CapitalWhat Keeps Us Alive? Capital

Solar

Natural

Solar

Natural

Fig. 1-2, p. 7

Population GrowthPopulation Growth

Doubling Time/Rule of 70:

70/ %growth rate=doubling time

Doubling Time/Rule of 70:

70/ %growth rate=doubling time

ExponentialGrowth

ExponentialGrowth

Fig. 1-4, p. 8

Fig. 1-1 p. 5

World PopulationWorld Population

Economic GrowthEconomic Growth Economic Growth—increase in the

capacity of a country to provide people with goods and services

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)—annual market value of all goods and services produced in a country

Economic Growth—increase in the capacity of a country to provide people with goods and services

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)—annual market value of all goods and services produced in a country

Per Capita GNP—GDP divided by total population at midyear

Per Capita GNP—GDP divided by total population at midyear

Economic DevelopmentEconomic Development

Developed Countries—high average per capita GDP and highly industrialized (United States, Canada, Japan, Australia New Zealand and countries of Europe)

Developed Countries—high average per capita GDP and highly industrialized (United States, Canada, Japan, Australia New Zealand and countries of Europe)

Developing Countries—low average per capita GDP and/or not highly industrialized (most in Africa, Asia, and Latin America)

Developing Countries—low average per capita GDP and/or not highly industrialized (most in Africa, Asia, and Latin America)

GlobalizationGlobalization

Globalization—process of social, economic, and environmental global changes that lead to an increasingly interconnected world

Social—increasing exchange of people and modern communications and human mobility

Economic—increases in international trade

Environmental Effects—decentralized network allows for sustainability on a global scale

Globalization—process of social, economic, and environmental global changes that lead to an increasingly interconnected world

Social—increasing exchange of people and modern communications and human mobility

Economic—increases in international trade

Environmental Effects—decentralized network allows for sustainability on a global scale

ResourcesResources

Perpetual(continuously renewed)

Perpetual(continuously renewed)

Renewable(replenished rapidly; Hoursseveral

decades)

Renewable(replenished rapidly; Hoursseveral

decades)Non-renewable(exist in a fixed quantity)

Non-renewable(exist in a fixed quantity)

Fig. 1-6 p. 9Fig. 1-6 p. 9

Renewable ResourcesRenewable Resources

Sustainable Yield—highest rate a renewable resource can be used indefinitely without reducing supply

Sustainable Yield—highest rate a renewable resource can be used indefinitely without reducing supply

Environmental Degradation—exceeding a renewable resource’s natural replacement rate

Environmental Degradation—exceeding a renewable resource’s natural replacement rate

Tragedy of the Commons—(Garett Hardin)—explanation of environmental degradation that if “I” do not use the resource, “Someone else will”

Tragedy of the Commons—(Garett Hardin)—explanation of environmental degradation that if “I” do not use the resource, “Someone else will”

Ecological FootprintEcological Footprint

Fig. 1-7 p. 10Fig. 1-7 p. 10

Per capita ecological footprint is the amount of biologically productive land and water needed to supply each person with renewable resources to use and to absorb or dispose of wastes

Non-Renewable ResourcesNon-Renewable ResourcesEnergy Resources (coal, oil, natural gas)Energy Resources (coal, oil, natural gas)

Metallic Resources (iron, copper, aluminum)Metallic Resources (iron, copper, aluminum)Non-Metallic

Resources (salt, clay, sand)

Non-MetallicResources

(salt, clay, sand)

Reuse (use again in the same form)

Reuse (use again in the same form)

Recycle (process of turning waste into new product

Recycle (process of turning waste into new product

Economic DepletionFig. 1-8 p. 11

Dealing With PollutionDealing With Pollution

Prevention (Input Control)—reduces or eliminates production of pollutants

Prevention (Input Control)—reduces or eliminates production of pollutants

Cleanup (Output Control)—cleaning up or diluting pollutants after they have been produced

Cleanup (Output Control)—cleaning up or diluting pollutants after they have been produced

Environmental and Resource ProblemsEnvironmental and Resource Problems

Major Problems(See Fig. 1-10 p. 13)

Major Problems(See Fig. 1-10 p. 13)

Five Root CausesFive Root Causes

Environmental ImpactEnvironmental Impact

Fig. 1-13 p. 15

Environmental InteractionsEnvironmental Interactions

Fig. 1-14 p. 15

Environmental WorldviewsEnvironmental Worldviews PlanetaryManagement/Cornucopianism/

Resourcism (some consumer’s belief)

1) We are most important species and thus in charge of nature2) We will not run out of resources because of our ability to develop

and find new ones3) Potential for global economic growth is essentially unlimited4) Success depends upon how we manage earth (mainly for our

benefit)

PlanetaryManagement/Cornucopianism/Resourcism (some consumer’s belief)

1) We are most important species and thus in charge of nature2) We will not run out of resources because of our ability to develop

and find new ones3) Potential for global economic growth is essentially unlimited4) Success depends upon how we manage earth (mainly for our

benefit)

Stewardship Worldview (another perspective)

1) We are the most important species and must care for other species

2) We will probably not run out of resources but do not waste them3) We should encourage environmentally beneficial forms of

economic growth and discourage harmful forms 4) Our success depends on how well we can manage earth’s life

support for our benefit as well as for the rest of nature

Environmental Wisdom Worldview1) Nature exists for all species, not just for us and we are not

in charge of the earth

2) Earth’s resources are limited, should not be wasted, and are not all for us

3) We should encourage earth-sustaining forms of economic growth

What is Our Greatest Environmental Problem?What is Our Greatest Environmental Problem?

Disease Overpopulation Water Shortages Climate Changes Biodiversity Loss Poverty Malnutrition

Disease Overpopulation Water Shortages Climate Changes Biodiversity Loss Poverty Malnutrition

SolutionsSolutions

Current Emphasis (Reactive)

Sustainability Emphasis (Proactive)

Current Emphasis (Reactive)

Sustainability Emphasis (Proactive)

Fig. 1-16, p. 18