Download introduction to environmental science

UNIT 1:
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Chapters 1, 21, & 2
1.1
Understanding our Environment


Environmental science – the study of the
impact of humans on the environment
Two types of interactions between humans &
environment:
How we use resources
 How our actions alter the environment

Fields of Study

Many sciences contribute to the study of
environmental science
Our Environment Through Time

Hunter-gatherers
(most of human
history)
 Hunted
animals,
collected plants for
food
 Over-hunting led to
extinctions of some
animals

Agricultural Revolution
 Agriculture—growing,
breeding & caring for
plants & animals
 Caused habitat
destruction & overuse of
land

Industrial Revolution
(1700’s – today)
 Machines
use fossil
fuels to produce goods
 Substances to make
life easier created
more environmental
problems
Main Environmental Problems

Resource depletion
 Natural
resource—
any natural material
used by humans
 Renewable—are
continuously replaced
 Non-renewable—isn’t
replaced fast enough
for human use

Pollution—
undesired change in
air, water or soil
that affects other
organisms

Loss of Biodiversity
 Biodiversity—
number & variety
of species in an
area
 Extinctions cause
decline in
biodiversity
1.2
Understanding our Environment

Types of environmental problems
 Local—in
one or a few communities (city, county,
etc.)
 Regional—across
a state, country or part of the
world (Minnesota, Midwest, U.S., etc.)
 Global—worldwide
biosphere
problem affecting the entire
Developed & Developing Countries


Developed countries—higher incomes,
industrialized (U.S., Canada, Japan, etc.)
Developing countries—lower incomes, nonindustrialized (Mexico, India, Kenya, etc.)
Population & Consumption

Environmental problems are due to:
 Overpopulation
 Overconsumption

Goal of environmental science:
 Achieve
sustainability—human needs are met
without depleting natural resources
Why Conserve?

Biocentric preservation—nature should be
protected because it has value
 All

living things are important, prevent extinction
Utilitarian conservation—nature should be
protected because it serves people
 Food,
lumber, tourism
21.2
History of U.S Environmental Policy

Late 1800’s – early
1900’s
 People
realized
need to preserve
nature
 John Muir started
environmental
movement

1905
 President
Theodore
Roosevelt
established the first
national parks,
wildlife refuges, &
game laws

1930’s – 1940’s
 Conservation
&
ecology practices
became more
popular
21.3
Influential Individuals

1960’s decade
 Rachel
Carson
published Silent Spring
 Brought attention to
pollution & resource
depletion

Started modern
environmental movement

1970’s
 First
Earth Day:
April 22nd, 1970
 Started by
Wisconsin senator G.
Nelson
2.1
Scientific Methods

Steps of the scientific
method:
1. Observe / Question
2. Hypothesize &
predict
3. Experiment
4. Organize data
5. Conclude
6. Communicate results
The Correlation Method

Correlation—association between two events
 Don’t
necessarily prove cause & effect
Scientific Habits of Mind

Key habits for
scientific thinking:
 Be
curious
 Be skeptical
 Be open to new
ideas
 Be honest
 Be imaginative
& creative