welcome to ap environmental...
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to
AP Environmental
Science!!!
So why are you here?
The population of the planet is
growing bigger and bigger, but…
the planet’s resources aren’t!
Exponential Growth and the
Rule of 70.
70 ÷ % growth rate =
doubling time in years (approximately)
In 2017, the world population
has grown by 1.11%.
70/1.11 ~ 63.06 years
The current global population is
~7 billion people.
7,523, 940, 542(Aug 2017 est)
If the world maintains its current
rate of growth, it will double it’s
population in 63 years.
That is more growth than has
occurred in all of human history
combined!!!
Unit I -
Introduction to
Environmental Science
Introduction to
Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science is essentially the study of ecosystems interacting with human systems.
It is a broad interdisciplinary science that includes science, math, and social studies.
Introduction to
Environmental Science
Environmental Science recognizes that there are no ecosystems that are not impacted by humans.
We all share the same resources, use the same available energy, and undergo changes as the environment changes.
Exponential human growth is at the center of all environmental concerns.
Introduction to
Environmental Science
Earth’s capital
all the combined available resources on the planet.
Introduction to
Environmental Science
Sustainable societies seek to manage growth of the economy, population, and resources.
Are there any sustainable societies in the world?
Sustainability is living off resources without depleting the Earth’s capital and jeopardizing future generations.
The Wealth Gap
GDP – Gross Domestic Product – is the annual market value of all goods and services produced by all firms and organizations, foreign and domestic, operating within a country.
Per capita means divided by population
The Wealth Gap
It is the distance between the GDP of developed and developing countries.
There is no single definition however…Developed nation status is generally based on higher per capita GDPs…but there are many exceptions!
The Wealth Gap
Highly Developed Countries
Complex industrial bases, low population growth, high per capita incomes
• Ex: USA, Japan, France
Less Developed Countries
Low level of industrialization, very high fertility and infant mortality, low per capita income
• Ex: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nigeria
The Wealth GapPer capita, Qatar ($102,100), Liechtenstein ($89,400), and Monaco ($85,500) are the wealthiest nations.
US is $52,800 (9th)
The U.S. ($16.72 trillion), China ($13.39 trillion), and India ($4.99 trillion) lead the world in total GDP.
Burundi, Somalia, Zimbabwe ($600), and DRC ($400) are the poorest countries (per capita).
The Wealth Gap
Developed countries have ~1.2 billion people.
Is only 21% of the world’s population.
Utilize over 75% of all natural resources.
Generate 75% of the world’s pollution.
Earth’s CapitalEarth’s Capital
Earth’s Capital
Other resources can be reused
A material is considered reusable if it can be put to another use without altering the product.
• rubber, plastic grocery bags
Some resources can be recycled
Some metals and minerals
• aluminum, iron
Ecological Footprint
The average amount of land, water, and ocean required to provide that person with all the resources they consume.
Ecological Footprint
Developing Countries
Larger populations.
Use small amounts of resources per person.
Have less environmental regulations.
Developed Countries
Smaller populations.
Use large amounts of resources per person.
Have strict environmental regulations.
Pollution OverviewPollution is basically the wasteful use of resources (Earth’s capital).
Unevenly distributed populations and resources increase it.
Pollution is classified into two basic types:
Point Source – comes from a single identifiable sources (factories, power plants, etc.)
Non-Point Source – comes from dispersed sources (storm water runoff, oil from the highway).
Pollution OverviewThe severity of pollution depends on several factors
concentration, amount, toxicity, ability to degrade, and the speed at which it is added.
Bioaccumulation
process that increases toxicity of a pollutant within one organism
• typically the pollutant does not break down in the organism
Pollution OverviewBiomagnification
process that increases the effects of pollution as it passes through organisms in the food chain.
• as biomass increases, so does toxicity.
Pollution OverviewPrevention is much cheaper than cleanup
However most funding goes to cleanup.
Best Management Practices (BMP) is a set of strategies for industry, business, government, etc. to act smarter and operate more efficiently.
Strategies for Pollution ControlCommand and Control Solutions
Government agency requires limitations to emissions or pollutants
Environmental Taxes/Tradable Permits
Difficult to assess true costs of environmental pollution
Carrot & Stick Approach
History of the Conservation
Movement
Land impact increased as societies evolved
hunter-gathering peoples
agricultural societies
eventually industrialized societies.
History of the Conservation
Movement17th and 18th centuries
Frontier Attitude• Natural resources are inexhaustible• Widespread environmental destruction
1870’s to 1920’s saw an awakening in environmental awareness.
Henry David Thoreau and George Perkins Marsh became the fathers of environmentalism.
1st wildlife refuge established at Lake Merritt, CA (1870)
Yellowstone National Park established (1872)
Sierra Club was established by John Muir (1892)
President Theodore Roosevelt’s term became known as the “Golden Age of Conservation” (1901 – 1909)
History of the Conservation
Movement1870’s to 1920’s ...
1st national wildlife refuge established at Pelican Island, FL (1903)
US Forest Service established (1905)
Audubon Society founded by John Audubon (1905)
National Park Service established (1916)
Migratory Bird Act (1918)
History of the Conservation
Movement1930’s – 1950’s saw large public works projects dealing with the environment.
Economic depression and war took precedence.
Soil Conservation Act (1935)
US Fish and Wildlife Service established (1940)
Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac published (1949)
Water Pollution Control Act (1956)
History of the Conservation
Movement
1960’s saw a “reawakening” of sorts of the environmental movement.
Foam was appearing in New York rivers from detergents being dumped.
Clean Air Act was first established (1963).
DDT was killing birds and at least a half dozen species were near extinction (birds of prey).
Land and Water Conservation Act established (1965).
Lake Erie was closed for the first time due to health concerns.
The Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, OH actually caught fire and burned for 8 days!!! (1969)
History of the Conservation
Movement
Rachel Carson published Silent Spring in 1962.
Told the story of spring arriving with fewer insects from overuse of pesticides (particularly DDT).
Other creatures relying on insects for food either died of starvation or experienced poisoning due to biomagnification.
Some birds of prey were not able to reproduce because of the effects of DDT on their egg shells.
1970’s became known as the “Environmental Decade”
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) written 1969.
The EPA was established (1970).
April 22, 1970 was the 1st Earth Day, founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson.
The Endangered Species Act was established (1973)
Energy Policy and Conservation Act established (1975)
The Clean Water Act was first established (1977)
History of the Conservation
Movement
Since 1970
6 air pollutants have dropped by 25%
Since 1990
Wet sulfate levels decreased 20-35%
As of 2006
45% of municipal waste is either recycled or burned for energy
As of 2007
90% of US has healthy drinking water (up from 75% in 1993)
Effects of Environmental Legislation
Field of ethics that considers the moral basis of environmental responsibility.
Western WorldviewHuman superiority and dominance over nature.
Deep Ecology WorldviewAll species have an equal worth to humans.
Most people’s ethics fall somewhere in between.
Environmental Ethics