Environmental ScienceLook at the World’s Use of its Resources

Over time… Hunter-Gatherers

Obtained food by hunting and gathering plants

Agricultural revolution – 10,000 years ago, started collecting seeds, etc

Industrial Revolution – middle of 1700s Water/animal muscle – coal and oil

Industrial Revolution Machinery made farming,

work, etc more efficient.

Cheap transportation over great distances

Materials such as plastic, pesticides, and fertilizers developed

Resources Natural resource – natural

material used by humans

Renewable resource – can be replaced quickly with natural processes

Non-renewable resource – forms at a much slower rate (fossil fuels)

“Tragedy of the Commons” When land was held in common,

individuals grazed as many animals as possible

Overgrazing led to destruction of land resources

“Tragedy of the Commons” “If I don’t use this resource, somebody

else will”

When land was enclosed and owned by individuals, people only grazed what they could support.

“Tragedy of the Commons” Best short-term interest of individual vs.

best long-term interest of society

Earth’s Resources = modern “commons”

Population and Consumption Developed nations

75 percent of world’s resources, 20% population = more waste

Ecological Footprint – productive area of Earth needed to support one person in a particular country.

Sustainable World Sustainability - condition in which

human needs are met in a way that human population can survive

Today – far from sustainable

Critical Thinking Research is often used to make political

points

Media distorts information

Be prepared to hear many different view points….

Carbon Cycle

Fossil Fuels Remains of ancient organisms

that changed into coal, oil, or natural gas Supply is limited Environmental consequences

Fossil Fuel Formation Coal – plants in swamps hundreds of

millions of years ago Sediments compressed plant remains

Oil/natural gas – decay of tiny marine organisms compressed and heated

Coal 57% of electric production in US formed

by coal

Obtained by underground mines and/or mountain removal

Drilling Oil pumped from the ground;

crude oil

Fuels, chemicals, plastics – petroleum products

45% of world’s commercial energy use

Fossil Fuels and the Future By 2050, world energy demand will

double

Oil production peak??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9gGqNUxQ5Q