Chapter 1- Philosophy and Fundamental Concepts*p.7- Geologic Time Line with Important Events Geology- science of processes related to the composition, structure, and history of Earth and its life Environmental Geology- branch of Earth science that studies the entire spectrum of human interactions with the physical environmento Components: earth materials, hazards, land-use planning and environmental impact, and hydrologic processes Fundamental Concepts of Geology: human population growth, sustainability, earth as a system, hazardous Earth processes, and scientific knowledge and valuesI. Human Population Growth The number one environmental problem is the increase in human population Exponential growth- a constant percentage of the current population is added each yearo Growth rate- measured as a percentageo Doubling time- time it takes for whatever is growing to double D=70/G… “G” is the growth rate 2000-2013 there will be 1 billion new people and by 2050 there will be 3 billion more, which is half of today’s population. o Carrying capacity- max number of people Earth can hold without causing environmental degradation that reduces the ability of the planet to support the population As the rate of literacy increases, population growth is reduced Some say that through catastrophes we will take care of ourselves, others are more optimistic and say we will find ways to control the population.  Fortunately since 1980, the increase in human population is increasing Population reduction is most likely related to the education of women, the decision to marry later in life, and the availability of modern birth control methods.II. Sustainability Development that ensures that future generations will have equal access to the resources that our planet offerso Economically viable, does not harm the environment, socially justHuman activity is the most significant process shaping the surface of the Earth Environmental crisis- result of overpopulation, urbanization, and industrialization, combined with too little ethical regard for our land and inadequate institutions to cope with environmental stress. The rapid use of resources continues to cause environmental problems on a global scale:o Deforestation and accompanying soil erosion and water and air pollutiono Mining of resources such as metals, coal, and petroleumo Development of both groundwater and surface-water resources Earth will likely outlive the human race so our major concern is the quality of the human environment, which depends on sustaining our large support systems, including air, water, soil, and other life.III. Earth as a System Understanding Earth’s systems and their changes is critical to solving environmental problems System- any defined part of the universe that we select for study (ex. Planet, river, volcano)o Various parts that adjust to function as a whole Input-output analysis (three types of change)o Input into the system is equal to the output- rough steady state is established, managed system, no net changeo Input is less than the output (ex. Use of resources, can lead to extinction)o Input is greater than output (ex. Stock will increase, pollution of a lake with heavy metals)o Average residence time (T)=total size of the stock (S)/average rate of transfer (F) through the system Uniformiatarianism- idea that “the present is the key to the past”; processes that we observe today also operated in the pasto You must also take into account how human activity will affect the current process Environmental unity- one action causes others in a chain of actions o Ex. By setting up a dam you are trapping minerals which results in minerals not being able to flow to beaches Earths systems science- study of the entire planet as a system in terms of its componentso Asks how component systems such as atmosphere (air), hydrosphere (water) , biosphere (life), and lithosphere (rocks) are linked and have formed, evolved, and been maintained; how these components function; and how they will continue to evolve.IV. Hazardous Earth Processes These natural hazards must be recognized and avoided when possible, and their threat to human life and property must be minimized As a result of human activity (population increase and changing the land) what were formerly disasters are becoming catastropheso Human population increase has forced people to live in hazardous areas, land-use transformations increase runoff and flood hazard, and burning vast amounts of oil, gas, and goal has increased the concentration of carbon dioxide making the earth warmer and thus an increase in the intensity and size of hurricanes.V. Scientific Knowledge and Value The results of scientific inquiry to solve a particular environmental problem often provides a series ofpotential solutions consistent with the scientific findings. The chosen solution is a reflection of our value system.  Scientific Method: Ask a Question, field/lab work, refine question, pose answer (hypothesis), test hypothesis, conclusion => form a new hypotheses or accept hypothesis and if it withstands the testing of multiple experiments it may be accepted as a theory Geologists are more interested in time than any other scientists. Human activities can accelerate or reduce rates of some processes.  Land ethic- we are responsible no only to other individuals and society, but also to the total environment, the larger community consisting of plants, animals, soil, rocks, atmosphere, and water. Three reasons that solving environmental problems may be difficulto Expediential growth is often encountered. o lag times between when a change occurs and when it is recognized as a problemo environmental problem involves the possibility of irreversible change (ex. Extinction) precautionary principle- when there exists a potentially serious environmental problem, scientific certainty is not required to take a precautionary step; even if scientific certainty is not available, we should still take cost-effective action to solve environmental problemso issue over what constitutes a cost-effective measure and what is sufficient scientific knowledge for decision making; opponents will accuse it of not having enough facts and will be too expensive or stall progress Solutions we choose to solve environmental problems depend upon how we value people and the environment.Summary Immediate Causes of the environmental