Environmental science intro & chapter 1

1. Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science
Why study Why study
Environmental Environmental
Science?Science?

2. Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science
Environmental Science is…Environmental Science is…
An interdisciplinary study of how An interdisciplinary study of how
the earth worksthe earth works
How we interact with the planetHow we interact with the planet
How to deal with environmental How to deal with environmental
problemsproblems
It affects all aspects of your lifeIt affects all aspects of your life

3. InterdisciplinaryInterdisciplinary
BiologyBiology
EcologyEcology
ChemistryChemistry
PhysicsPhysics
GeologyGeology
MeteorologyMeteorology
AnthropologyAnthropology
EconomicsEconomics
Political SciencePolitical Science
EthicsEthics

4. Global Environmental ConcernsGlobal Environmental Concerns
Population GrowthPopulation Growth
Economic DevelopmentEconomic Development
Decline of Vital EcosystemsDecline of Vital Ecosystems
Loss of BiodiversityLoss of Biodiversity
Global Atmospheric ChangesGlobal Atmospheric Changes

5. Population Growth - Population Growth -

6. Population GrowthPopulation Growth
Human population today is Human population today is
approximately 7 billionapproximately 7 billion
Global estimates for the year Global estimates for the year
2050 could reach over 9 billion 2050 could reach over 9 billion
peoplepeople

7. Population Growth - Population Growth -

8. Population GrowthPopulation Growth
Concern over economic growth in Concern over economic growth in
developing nations, e.g. China and Indiadeveloping nations, e.g. China and India
Most developing Most developing
countries have the countries have the
desire for a westernized desire for a westernized
middle class life stylemiddle class life style

9. Population GrowthPopulation Growth
USA is the largest consumer of USA is the largest consumer of
fossil fuels and largest producer fossil fuels and largest producer
of carbon emissionsof carbon emissions
With rapid economic growth what With rapid economic growth what
is the is the impactimpact on the environment on the environment??

11. Ecological FootprintEcological Footprint
What is your Ecological Footprint?What is your Ecological Footprint?
The The ecological footprintecological footprint is a measure of is a measure of
human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. human demand on the Earth's ecosystems.
It compares human demand with planet It compares human demand with planet
Earth's ecological capacity to regenerate.Earth's ecological capacity to regenerate.

Ecological Footprints measures Ecological Footprints measures
humanities demands on Nature. humanities demands on Nature.
Everything we do has consequences…Everything we do has consequences…
www.mywww.myfootprintfootprint.org/.org/

13. Vocabulary DefinitionsVocabulary Definitions
ResourceResource: is anything : is anything
obtained from the environment obtained from the environment
to meet our needs and wantsto meet our needs and wants
Renewable ResourcesRenewable Resources: can be : can be
replenished fairly rapidlyreplenished fairly rapidly
Nonrenewable ResourcesNonrenewable Resources: :
exist in a limited quantityexist in a limited quantity

14. Vocabulary DefinitionsVocabulary Definitions
ConservationConservation: the : the
management of natural management of natural
resources for future resources for future
generationsgenerations
Environmental DegradationEnvironmental Degradation: :
occurs when resource demands occurs when resource demands
exceed its replacement rate exceed its replacement rate

15. Vocabulary DefinitionsVocabulary Definitions
EcosystemEcosystem: A group of plants, : A group of plants,
animals, and other organisms animals, and other organisms
that work/interact with each that work/interact with each
other in a specific other in a specific
environment.environment.
OrganismOrganism: Any living thing; : Any living thing;
plant, animal or microbeplant, animal or microbe

16. Vocabulary DefinitionsVocabulary Definitions
BiodiversityBiodiversity: The variety of : The variety of
organism found within an organism found within an
ecosystemecosystem
SpeciesSpecies: A single kind of any : A single kind of any
plant, animal or microbe that plant, animal or microbe that
can reproduce and have viable can reproduce and have viable
offspringoffspring

18. Decline of EcosystemsDecline of Ecosystems
What is the importance of healthy What is the importance of healthy
ecosystems?ecosystems?

Provides support for all life on this Provides support for all life on this
planetplanet

19. Decline of EcosystemsDecline of Ecosystems
How do you feel about habitat How do you feel about habitat
loss?loss?
What about animal extinction?What about animal extinction?
Why should we care about the Why should we care about the
environment?environment?

20. Easter IslandEaster Island

22. Loss of BiodiversityLoss of Biodiversity
Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species
--every day one species goes extinctevery day one species goes extinct
-there are thousands of-there are thousands of
animals on the animals on the
Endangered Species ListEndangered Species List
-this number increases -this number increases
every yearevery year
-few animals ever get de-listed-few animals ever get de-listed

26. Loss of BiodiversityLoss of Biodiversity
Risks of losing biodiversity?Risks of losing biodiversity?
-animal species once gone can never -animal species once gone can never
be replacedbe replaced
-stability within the environment -stability within the environment
decreasesdecreases

28. Sustainable FutureSustainable Future
SustainabilitySustainability
A habitat that A habitat that
can continue indefinitely can continue indefinitely
without depleting without depleting
its resources its resources

29. StewardshipStewardship
What is Stewardship?What is Stewardship?
-taking responsibility for our actions -taking responsibility for our actions
and how they effect the planetand how they effect the planet

30. StewardshipStewardship
Transition Generation…Transition Generation…

Are you a part of the solution?Are you a part of the solution?

31. Science & Scientific MethodScience & Scientific Method
Science: A way of gaining knowledgeScience: A way of gaining knowledge
Scientific Method: Scientific Method:
1. Problem/Observation 1. Problem/Observation
2. Hypothesis 2. Hypothesis
3. Experiment 3. Experiment
4. Theory/Solution4. Theory/Solution

Data: Information that is gathered from Data: Information that is gathered from
observations and measurements drawn observations and measurements drawn
from experimentsfrom experiments

33. Science & Scientific MethodScience & Scientific Method
Theories: An explanation of how Theories: An explanation of how
things workthings work

Theory of EvolutionTheory of Evolution

Theory of RelativityTheory of Relativity

Theory of GravityTheory of Gravity

34. Science & Scientific MethodScience & Scientific Method
What is scientific objectivity?What is scientific objectivity?
-All information is considered when -All information is considered when
developing conclusionsdeveloping conclusions
What is scientific rationality?What is scientific rationality?
-All information is considered and -All information is considered and
presented is a clear and logical presented is a clear and logical
fashionfashion

All scientific research is peer reviewed All scientific research is peer reviewed
for accuracy, clarity and rationality. for accuracy, clarity and rationality.

35. Science & Scientific MethodScience & Scientific Method
Sound ScienceSound Science: (reliable) is peer : (reliable) is peer
reviewed research that can be reviewed research that can be
duplicatedduplicated
Junk ScienceJunk Science: (unreliable) usually : (unreliable) usually
doesn’t have a solid scientific basis of doesn’t have a solid scientific basis of
reasoning, challenges other scientific reasoning, challenges other scientific
data with the intent of causing data with the intent of causing
confusion and damage to further their confusion and damage to further their
own interestsown interests

36. Science & Scientific MethodScience & Scientific Method
Cause & EffectCause & Effect
A A causecause is something that makes something is something that makes something
else happen. Out of two events, it is the else happen. Out of two events, it is the
event that happens firstevent that happens first
An An effecteffect is what happens as a result of the is what happens as a result of the
cause. Of two related events, it’s the one cause. Of two related events, it’s the one
that happens second or lastthat happens second or last
-pollution and acid rain-pollution and acid rain

37. Science & Scientific MethodScience & Scientific Method
CorrelationCorrelation
a statistical measure of a a statistical measure of a relationship relationship
between two or more variablesbetween two or more variables, gives an , gives an
indication of how one variable may predict indication of how one variable may predict
anotheranother
-Body versus Brain size-Body versus Brain size

38. Science & Scientific MethodScience & Scientific Method
ObservationObservation
InterpretationInterpretation
--When looking at scientific When looking at scientific
evidence, you need to see thing evidence, you need to see thing
objectively without emotional objectively without emotional
interpretation!interpretation!