Ch.1: Introduction to Environmental Science The world is finite We need a “healthy” world People affect environment & vice versa Environmental science: embraces scientific method interdisciplinary solutions Policies are also shaped by culture, politics, technology, economy I. What is environmental science? A. What is “science”? 1. Latin “to know” 2. study of nature (structure & processes) & its causes B. Environment = all living and nonliving; surroundings; includes humans C. Environmental science = study of environ., & how humans affect environ. & vice versa II. Natural resources Only one earth, and it’s small! A. Renewable 1. always available = sunlight, wind and wave energy 2. renewed monthly or longer = trees, soil, fresh water, crops, livestock, wild meat B. Nonrenewable 1. fossil fuels = oil, coal, natural gas 2. metals Renewable can become nonrenewable III. Human population What’s a “population”??? A. Growing exponentially 1. agriculture (~ 10,000 yr ago) 2. industry (~ mid 1700s) a. fossil fuels b. sanitation, medicine, improved agri. B. Popn clock http://www.census.gov/www/popclock.html C. Warnings of disaster Popn growth is good. Or is it bad??? 1. Thomas Malthus (British) 2. Paul and Ann Ehrlich D. Consumption ENV 2100 Environmental Science, Dr. L. Kelly1. increased by wealth 2. “The Tragedy of the Commons” (1968) E. Ecological footprint (page 17) 1. = environ. impact of a person or popn = Earth’s surface that a person uses 2. = popn size + consumption 3. How do diff. nations compare? F. Depends on intact, functional environ. IV. Environ. Science is Interdisciplinary A. Natural + social sciences B. Ecology, political science, sociology, biology, chemistry, etc. C. Finds solutions to environ. problems D. Not environmentalism = E. Pursues scientific method (evidence) 1. 2 major approaches a. discovery or descriptive science b. hypothesis testing 2. Major steps a. observe nature b. question nature c. test hypothesis, or gather via d. prediction--was hypothesis supported? e. report results (publish) 3. What is an experiment? a. = test or study that compares b. manipulates one variable while holding examples: 4. criteria a. 1 or more trt b. control group c. several individ. per d. “controlled” conditionse. reproducible results V. Sustainability A. Definition B. Biodiversity H I P P O C. Millenium Ecosystem