Ch.1: Introduction to Environmental Science The world is finite We need a “healthy” world People affect environment & vice versa Environmental science: embraces scientific methodinterdisciplinarysolutionsPolicies are also shaped by culture, politics, technology, economyI. What is environmental science?A. What is “science”?1. Latin “to know”2. study of nature (structure & processes) & its causesB. Environment = all living and nonliving;surroundings; includes humansC. Environmental science = study of environ., & how humans affect environ. & vice versaII. Natural resources Only one earth, and it’s small!A. Renewable1. always available = sunlight, wind and wave energy2. renewed monthly or longer = trees, soil, fresh water, crops, livestock, wild meatB. Nonrenewable1. fossil fuels = oil, coal, natural gas2. metalsRenewable can become nonrenewableIII. Human populationWhat’s a “population”???A. Growing exponentially1. agriculture (~ 10,000 yr ago)2. industry (~ mid 1700s)a. fossil fuelsb. sanitation, medicine, improved agri.B. Popn clockhttp://www.census.gov/www/popclock.htmlC. Warnings of disasterPopn growth is good. Or is it bad???1. Thomas Malthus (British)2. Paul and Ann EhrlichENV 2100 Environmental Science, Dr. L. KellyD. Consumption1. increased by wealth2. “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 + consumption3. How do diff. nations compare?F. Depends on intact, functional environ.IV. Environ. Science is InterdisciplinaryA. Natural + social sciencesB. Ecology, political science, sociology, biology, chemistry, etc.C. Finds solutions to environ. problemsD. Not environmentalism= E. Pursues scientific method (evidence)1. 2 major approachesa. discovery or descriptive science b. hypothesis testing2. Major stepsa. observe natureb. question naturec. 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. criteriaa. 1 or more trtb. control groupc. several individ. perd. “controlled” conditionse. reproducible resultsV. SustainabilityA. DefinitionB. BiodiversityHIPPOC. Millenium Ecosystem