1 The Environment and Sustainability

Transcription

1 Environmental Science, 1e SUSTAINING YOUR WORLD G. TYLER MILLER SCOTT E. SPOOLMAN 1 The Environment and Sustainability

2 Case Study: The Greening of American Schools Many schools across the United States are taking sustainability seriously. Green building design Waste recycling and repurposing Curricula that include environmental science and sustainability themes In what other ways are people and businesses increasing energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact?

3 Sustainability Defined The ability of Earth s natural systems and human cultural systems to survive, flourish into the long-term future

4 1.1 What Are Some Key Factors of Sustainability? Life on Earth: Has been sustained for 3.8 billion years by solar energy, biodiversity, and nutrient cycling Depends on energy from the sun and natural capital provided by Earth Can been preserved by shifting toward fullcost pricing and win-win solutions

5 Environmental Science Is a Study of Connections in Nature What is the environment? Everything around us, living and nonliving What is environmental science? Interdisciplinary study of how humans interact with the environment (draws on engineering, natural sciences, social sciences, ethics) Environmentalism: A social movement dedicated to sustaining Earth s life-support system

6 What Are the Goals of Environmental Science? Study the ecology of organisms in their ecosystems. Learn how life on Earth has survived and thrived. Understand how humans interact with the environment. Find ways to deal with environmental problems and live more sustainably.

7 Scientific Factors of Sustainability Solar Energy Supplies nutrients, directly and indirectly Biodiversity Provides ecosystem services and adaptability Nutrient cycling Cycling of life-giving nutrients/chemicals between organisms and environment

8 Social Factors of Sustainability Economics Full-cost pricing to include environmental and health costs of producing goods/services Political Science Win-win solutions to environmental problems Ethics A responsibility to protect Earth for future generations

9 Sustainability and Natural Capital Natural capital = Natural resources + Ecosystem services Natural resources Natural materials and energy sources essential or useful to humans Inexhaustible, renewable, or nonrenewable Ecosystem Services Free natural services provided by healthy ecosystems; support human life/economies

10 Natural Capital = Natural Resources + Ecosystem Services

11 Natural Capital: Challenges and Solutions How do Humans Degrade Natural Capital? By using renewable resources faster than nature can restore them By overloading natural resources with pollution and waste Solutions can Protect Natural Capital Scientific vs. economic and political solutions Trade-offs and compromises Daily individual and local contributions matter

12 1.2 How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting Earth? Humans have the power to degrade or sustain Earth s life-support system. Over time, growth of ecological footprints depletes and degrades Earth s natural capital. Is there any good news?

13 Many People Have a Better Quality of Life Humans have learned to transform raw materials into useful goods and services. Globally, life spans are increasing; infant mortality is decreasing. Improved food supply, air/water quality, access to education, disease prevention Some species and ecosystems are being successfully protected. Technology is improving communication.

14 Humans Are Living Unsustainably Environmental Degradation Waste, depletion, degradation of natural capital Tragedy of the commons: large numbers of people exploit a shared/open access resource unsustainably Human activities have overused about 60% of Earth s ecosystem services, mainly since 1950.

15 Countries Differ in Resource Use and Environmental Impact More-developed countries 17% of world s population (United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Western Europe) Less-developed countries 83% of world s population Middle-income, moderately developed countries (China, Brazil, Thailand, Mexico) Low income, least-developed countries (Congo, Haiti)

16 Examples of Natural Capital Degradation

17 Pollution Causes Environmental Problems Pollution: contamination of the environment by any polluting substance (pollutant) such as chemicals, noise, heat at levels considered harmful to health, survival, activities of organisms Naturally occurring (volcanoes) Contributed by humans (burning of fossil fuels)

18 Sources of Pollution Point Source Single, identifiable source from which pollutants are discharged Examples: smokestacks, motor vehicles, chimneys, drainage pipes Nonpoint Source Dispersed sources, difficult to pinpoint Examples: runoff from farm fields, trash in streams, deposition of air pollutants on land

19 How Are We Dealing With Pollution? Pollution cleanup (post-production) Cleanup: dilution/reduction of pollutants Pollution prevention (before pollution occurs) Reduces or eliminates the production of pollutants

20 What is an Ecological Footprint? Ecological footprint: The amount of land and water needed to supply an individual or a population with renewable resources and to absorb/recycle wastes and pollution such resource use produces Growth of ecological footprints: Leads to degradation of natural capital Results in the creation of pollution and waste

21 Our Ecological Footprints Are Growing Ecological deficit Occurs when the ecological footprint is larger than the biological capacity to replenish resources and absorb wastes/pollution An ecological deficit indicates that humans are living unsustainably. Globally, humans are running up a huge ecological deficit that is expected to keep growing.

22 IPAT Is Another Environmental Impact Model In the early 1970s, a new environmental model called the IPAT model was developed to determine the environmental impact of human activities: Impact (I) = Population (P) Af(luence (A) Technology (T)

23 1.3 What Causes Environmental Problems and Why Do They Persist? Environmental and social scientists have identified five basic causes of the environmental problems society faces. Population growth Unsustainable resource use Poverty Lack of full-cost pricing for goods/services Increasing isolation from nature

24 The Human Population Is Growing at a Rapid Rate The human population is growing world population: 7.3 billion; more than 89 million people added each year Projected 2050 world population: 9.8 billion Slowing population growth could limit severe environmental degradation. Aim to level off at 8 billion by 2050 Promote economic development, family planning, elevated status for women

25 Exponential Growth of Human Population

26 Affluence Can Have Negative Environmental Impacts High levels of consumption and waste of resources More air pollution, water pollution, and land degradation Acquisition of resources without regard for/ awareness of the environmental effects of consuming them

27 Affluence Can Have Positive Environmental Impacts Better education Scientific research Technological solutions resulting in improvements in environmental quality (e.g., safe drinking water)

28 Poverty Can Have Harmful Environmental and Health Effects Harmful effects Short-term requirements for survival can lead to degraded forests, topsoil, grasslands, fisheries, wildlife populations Health effects Malnutrition, limited access to sanitation/clean drinking water, outdoor and indoor air pollution

29 Prices of Goods/Services Rarely Include Their Harmful Environmental/Health Costs Consumers are unaware of the damage caused by their consumption due to lack of full-cost pricing. Current government subsidies often increase environmental degradation. Change subsidies to promote sustainability: Tax pollution and waste Shift from environmentally harmful to environmentally beneficial subsidies

30 People Are Increasingly Isolated From Nature More than half the world s population lives in urban areas. Technology (cell phones, computers) adds to isolation from nature. Nature deficit disorder Symptoms: stress, anxiety, depression Benefits of getting outdoors: exercise, improved health, brain function, creativity, sense of wonder

31 People Have Different Views About Environmental Problems/Solutions What is an environmental worldview? A set of assumptions and values reflecting how one thinks the world works and what one s role in it should be Some environmental ethics questions: Why care about the environment? Are humans the most important species? Must we protect Earth for future generations? Should everyone live more sustainably?

32 Three Major Types of Worldviews Human-centered Natural world is support system for human life Divided into planetary/stewardship worldviews Life-centered All species have value even if not valuable to humans, should be protected from extinction Earth-centered Humans part of, dependent on, nature Look to nature for ways to think and act

33 1.4 What Is an Environmentally Sustainable Society? In order to live sustainably, one must live off the natural resources without depleting or degrading the natural capital that supplies these natural resources.

34 Environmental Conservation and Protection in the United States: Early Years Early conservation efforts 1864: First conservation efforts (Marsh) Early 20 th century Preservation: Fully protect wilderness (Muir) Conservation: Manage public lands wisely for their natural resources (Roosevelt, Pinchot) Blending of preservation/conservation (Leopold) Mid-20 th century Industrialization leads to air/water pollution Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

35 Environmental Conservation and Protection in the United States: 1970s The American public demands action in response to environmental problems. First Earth Day (April 22, 1970) Environmental Protection Agency (1970) Most U.S. environmental laws passed Establishment of environmental groups, college courses on environmental issues

36 Environmental Conservation and Protection in the United States: 1980s and After Backlash against environmental laws/ regulations Corporations, some lawmakers seek to weaken environmental laws Disinformation campaigns Call for United States to once again take lead on environmental issues

37 An Environmentally Sustainable Society Natural income is the portion of renewable resources that can be used sustainably. By living only on Earth s natural income and not depleting the natural capital, society moves from an unsustainable lifestyle to a sustainable one.

38 A More Sustainable Future Is Possible Given enough time, most degraded environments can recover, but many will take hundreds and even thousands of years to recover. Time is our most scarce resource. However, 5 10% of a population that changes can make a difference. Changes can occur in a shorter time than previously thought.

39 Environmental Science, 1e SUSTAINING YOUR WORLD G. TYLER MILLER SCOTT E. SPOOLMAN 1 Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability