Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability Chapter Core Case Study: Exponential Growth (1)  Slow start, rapid increase  Human population • 2007 ~ 6.7 billion people  Projections • 225,000 people per day • Add population of U.S < years • 2050 ~ 9.2 billion people Core Case Study: Exponential Growth (2)  Resource consumption, degradation, depletion  Possible results • • • • • Huge amount of pollution and wastes Disrupt economies Loss of species, farm land, water supplies Climate change Political fallout Living in an Exponential Age Industrial revolution Black Death—the Plague Hunting and gathering Agricultural revolution Industrial revolution Fig.Fig 1-1, 1-1,p p 15 Solutions  Understand our environment  Practice sustainability 1-1 What Is an Environmentally Sustainable Society?  Concept 1-1A Our lives and economies depend on energy from the sun (solar capital) and natural resources and natural services (natural capital) provided by the earth  Concept 1-1B Living sustainably means living off earth’s natural income without depleting or degrading the natural capital that supplies it Studying Connections in Nature  Environment  Environmental science  Ecology  Environmentalism Environmental Science Philosophy Ethics and religion Political science Biology Ecology Economics Chemistry Demography Physics Anthropology Geology Geography Fig 1-2, p Case Study: Chattanooga, Tennessee (1)  1960s • Dirtiest air in the United States • Toxic waste in Tennessee River • High unemployment, crime  1984 • Vision 2000 – grassroots consensus Case Study: Chattanooga, Tennessee (2)  1995 • Zero emission industries, buses • Low-income renovations, downtown renewal  Individuals matter! 1-6 What Are Four Scientific Principles of Sustainability?  Concept 1-6 Nature has sustained itself for billions of years by using solar energy, biodiversity, population regulation, and nutrient cycling – lessons from nature that we can apply to our lifestyles and economies Four Scientific Principles of Sustainability Reliance on Solar Energy Nutrient Cycling Biodiversity Population Control Fig 1-13, p 20 Learning to Live More Sustainably Current Emphasis Sustainability Emphasis Pollution cleanup Pollution prevention Waste disposal (bury or burn) Waste prevention Protecting species Protecting habitat Environmental degradation Environmental restoration Increasing resource use Less resource waste Population growth Population stabilization Depleting and degrading natural capital Protecting natural capital Fig 1-14, p 20 Animation: Levels of organization Animation: Two views of economics Animation: Resources depletion and degradation interaction Animation: Exponential growth Animation: Capture-recapture method Animation: Life history patterns Video: Cahuachi Excavation PLAY VIDEO Video: Easter Island PLAY VIDEO [...]... 1-4, p 9 Environmental Sustainability  Trade-offs (compromises)  Sound science  Individuals matter • • • • Ideas Technology Political pressure Economic pressure Sustainable Living from Natural Capital  Environmentally sustainable society  Financial capital and financial income  Natural capital and natural income  Bad news: signs of natural capital depletion at exponential rates 1-2 How Can Environmentally... Forest, grasslands Natural Resources (2)  Sustainable yield • Highest use while maintaining supply  Environmental degradation • Exceed natural replacement rate Natural Resources (3)  Nonrenewable – fixed quantities • Energy (fossil fuels) • Metallic minerals • Nonmetallic minerals  Recycling  Reuse Natural Capital Degradation Fig 1-6, p 12 Reuse and Recycling Fig 1-7, p 12 Measuring Environmental. .. Percentage of World's: Population 18% 82% Population 0.1% growth 1.5% Life expectancy Wealth and income Resource use Pollution and waste 77 years 66 years 85% 15% 88% 12% 75% 25% Fig 1-5, p 10 1-3 How Are Our Ecological Footprints Affecting the Earth?  Concept 1-3 As our ecological footprints grow, we are depleting and degrading more of the earth’s natural capital Natural Resources (1)  Perpetual – renewed... 1-7, p 12 Measuring Environmental Impact  Ecological footprint • Biological capacity to replenish resources and adsorb waste and pollution  Per capita ecological footprint • Renewable resource use per individual Ecological Footprint Fig 1-8, p 13 Total Ecological Footprint (million hectares) and share of Global Ecological Capacity (%) Per Capita Ecological Footprint (hectares per person) Projected...Living More Sustainably  Sustainability – central theme  Natural capital • Natural resources • Natural services Natural Resources  Materials • Renewable • Nonrenewable  Energy • Solar capital • Photosynthesis Natural Services  Functions of nature • Purification of air, water • Nutrient cycling Key Natural Resources and Services Fig 1-3, p 8 Nutrient Cycling Organic matter... refrigerators  Future consumption • 2/3 world grain harvest • Twice world’s current paper production • Exceed current global oil production 1-4 What Is Pollution and What Can We Do about It?  Concept 1-4 Preventing pollution is more effective and less costly than cleaning up pollution Pollution  What is pollution?  Point sources  Nonpoint sources  Unwanted effects of pollution Point Source Air Pollution... capital and natural income  Bad news: signs of natural capital depletion at exponential rates 1-2 How Can Environmentally Sustainable Societies Grow Economically?  Concept 1-2 Societies can become more environmentally sustainable through economic development dedicated to improving the quality of life for everyone without degrading the earth’s life-support systems Economics  Economic growth  Gross