Introduction to Environmental Science

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Tragedy of the Commons

-Describes a situation in which resources, made available to everyone, are used unsustainably and eventually depleted -Resource management, whether voluntary or mandated, can help avoid resource depletion.

What Is Environmental Science?

-The study of our planet's natural systems and how humans and the environment affect one another -The environment includes all living and nonliving things with which organisms interact. -Understanding the interactions between humans and the environment is the first step to solving environmental problems.

Natural Resources

Natural resources are materials and energy sources found in nature that humans need to survive.

Nonrenewable resources

Naturally formed more slowly than we use them.

Renewable resources

Naturally replenished over short periods

Environmental Science

Objective, unbiased pursuit of knowledge about the workings of the environment and our interactions with it

Renewable vs. Non-renewable resources

Renewable resources can become nonrenewable if used faster than they are replenished.

Environmentalism

Social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world

Human Population Growth

The population has experienced exponentail growth. This is tremendous and rapid human population growth can be attributed to: • The Agricultural Revolution: About 10,000 years ago; humans began living in villages, had longer life spans, and more surviving children. • Industrial Revolution: Began in early 1700s; driven by fossil fuels and technological advances

Ecological Footprints

The total amount of land and water required to: provide the raw materials an individual or population consumes dispose of or recycle the waste an individual or population consumes Most informative when footprints are calculated using the same method

Global commons

Things that are shared at the global level, such as water, air and sunlight.

Local commons

Things that are shared at the local level, such as water, air, community gardens, and parks.


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