chapter 1 – key themes in environmental issues. do now look at your previous list of environmental...
Post on 24-Dec-2015
220 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 1 – Key Themes in Environmental Issues
Do Now
• Look at your previous list of environmental issues that you have heard of. Do any affect you in Mishawaka?
Common Concerns of Environmental Scientists
• Reliance on resources (like oil), which we might be depleting
• Recent rapid increase in human population
• Too many people and not enough resources (or not maintaining them intelligently)
• Future deterioration in quality of life
Environmental Science Themes
Human population
growth
Sustainability
Global perspective
Urbanization
People and nature
Science and Values
Human Population Growth
Population in Indiana
Why so much growth??
Human Population Growth
Great increase in
last 50 years
3 million
years
ago: Hunter gatherers
Introduction of
agriculture
18th century
Industrial revolution
1. Human Population Growth
“Human population growth is, in some important ways, the
underlying issue of the environment.”
2. Sustainability
• Management of natural resources and the environment with the goals of allowing the harvest of resources to remain at or above some specified level, and the ecosystem to retain its functions and structure
Coffee, anyone??
•What things are we doing on earth that are unsustainable practices?
Sustainability and Carrying Capacity
• We are using animals, plants, forests, fish, wildlife, minerals, resources apparently faster than they can replenish themselves.
• Shortages in the future?• Carrying Capacity– The max number of individuals of a species that can
be sustained by an environment without decreasing the capacity of the environment to sustain that same number in the future
– A “desirable human carrying capacity”
Lesson of the Kaibab!
3. Global Perspective
• Human actions have begun to change the environment all over the world
• Gaia Hypothesis:– Over the history of life on earth, life has
profoundly changed the global environment, and these changes have tended to improve the chances for the continuation of life. Because life affects the environment at a global level, the environment of our plant is different from that of a lifeless one.
4. Urbanization
• Urban areas becoming more popular and also overtaking plains, wetlands, etc.
• Megacity = urban area with at least 10 million inhabitants– Increased from 2 to 22 from 1950 to 2005
5. People and Nature
• People and nature are intimately integrated
• We depend on nature– Soil for plants– Plants for eating– Atmosphere for climate and
protection• Environment isn’t “out
there” somewhere… it’s all around us
6. Science and Values
• Use science to know all about a particular phenomenon and the environment, and use values to decide what action to take– EX: Having children when scientists say we have an
“unsustainable” population– How many fish can we catch to sustain the fish
population?• Technology and ability to catch and store tons…
– What does the Catholic Church say?
• When making decisions pertaining to environmental issues…–Quite a few things affect the way we
respond
The Precautionary Principle
• Often we don’t have the time or ability to be absolutely certain about environmental decisions.
• Need to be proactive, rather than reactive• Rio Earth Summit 1992– When there is a threat of serious, perhaps even
irreversible, environmental damage, we should not wait for scientific proof before taking precautionary steps to prevent potential harm to the environment
Value on the environment
1. Utilitarian (livelihood)2. Ecological3. Aesthetic4. Recreational5. Inspirational6. Creative7. Moral
1. “species have a moral right to exist” –signed by UN
8. Cultural
Easter Island
• Read pg 17 – 18, answer 2 of the 3 Critical thinking questions at the end.
Mishawaka Environmental Issues
• Combined Sewer Overflow – working to separate pipes for sewage and rain water
• St. Joseph River Water Quality• People producing emissions that cause acid rain• Drinking water – water quality• Air pollution, air quality• Farmland – pesticides• Endangered species• Lack of recycling
top related