Environmental Issues Exam 1

What are characteristics of pseudo-science? Give some examples of pseudo-science

*Characteristics:* -based on assumptions, beliefs, correlations not supported by evidence -biased/opinion -not reproducible or quantifiable -underlying mechanism is not investigated *Examples:* -astrology, psychics, UFO-logy, numerology

Name and describe the contributors to shaping public's perception of climate change (including those that we would think influence perception but actually don't). Which is most influential?

*Extreme weather* (doesn't make much difference) -brings into topic of discussion but short-lived and prominent counter-argument that extreme weather disproves climate change (e.g. it was hotter in 1990 and there was a worse hurricane) -entrenches people further where they already were b/c enough arguments come out both ways *Public access to science info* (doesn't make much difference) -just b/c available doesn't mean public actively seeking it out or properly interpreting it *Media coverage* -is a factor in perception, but smaller relative to elite cues and advocacy movements -also, media coverage largely reflects elite cues and economic factors *Elite cues* -def: the expressed opinions of people in power (people perceived to be knowledgable and worthy of listening, e.g. famous politicians) -elite partisan battle over issue is *most important* factor in influencing public opinion -(more in the next flashcard) *Advocacy movements* -Movements to raise awareness, raise perceptions

What are biologist Jared Diamond's five factors that contribute to society's demise, and explain how they applied to the Greenland Vikings?

*Greenland Vikings only societal demise that had all five factors at play 1. Natural climate change - *Mini ice age* (found Greenland when warmer, made more difficult when got colder) 2. Self-inflicted environmental damage - *Overgrazing, overharvesting* - *probably biggest contributing factor 3. Failure to respond to natural environment - *Would not eat fish* - always an opportunity to change path - climate changing and environment degrading, but didn't change ways - contrast to Icelandic Vikings, who had a similar pattern of behaviors but when environment was being destroyed adjusted by switching to eating fish instead of cattle 4. Hostile Neighbors - *Refused Inuits' help* - Inuit people already on Greenland, doing fine eating fish, descendants there today - Vikings refused to learn lessons from them or interact, viewed Inuits as inferior heathens (they were the hostile neighbors) 5. Loss of friendly neighbors - *European supplies stopped arriving*

What is a main reason, and sub-reasons, newspaper articles misrepresent scientific studies and info? What is the impact of sensationalized climate change science on consumers?

*There is a lot of pressure to sensationalize, which leads to misreporting climate change science in media... -editors and journalists may not fully understand the theoretical models, assumptions, and extrapolations involved in climate science --> look to the press releases based off peer reviewed journal articles for their research (more accessible than highly technical journal articles) = rely too much on secondhand press reports/press releases rather than checking facts -scientists may not play an active enough role in making sure press releases are accurate -scientists also benefit from sensational reporting in newspapers; sell ad time, gain journal citations, gain more research funding, gain donations from charities, and gain an agenda that can attract votes or advance careers --> *pressure to sensationalize undermines public understanding and public trust*

Explain the tragedy of Rapa Nui/ Easter Island. What is Easter Island otherwise known for?

- Settled by Polynesians, then Dutch sailors found it on Easter Day in 1400s --> found a barren island with no trees and little else, a small number of people living primitively, but many giant stone heads and didn't know how they were made or moved --> anthropologists and archaeologists studied and found story of environmental disaster and deforestation - When discovered, Rapa Nui was a lush tropical island of diverse flora and fauna; settled by Polynesians, relatively advanced civilization over 10,000 people - BUT they degraded the environment and destroyed surrounding habitat: deforestation for fire, structures, and to move the giant heads + over-farming led to poor soil + topsoil eroded and washed into ocean - Civilization collapsed (evidence of civil war, anarchy) but also couldn't leave island bc no wood for boats + Europeans settled and brought diseases

Give examples of tragedy of the commons.

-"commons" can refer to any shared resources, e.g. oceans, rivers, national parks -examples: harvesting, clean air, water, forests, burning fossil fuels -herders share a pasture, one farmer adds two more cows and gains the milk from those cows while all the farmers share in the degradation of the land, all the farmers must add cows to return to same level of production and commons eventually degrades to no longer support any animals

There is broad agreement on a few major points of sustainability and how we can practice biomimicry. What are they?

-*population:* control human Population growth/impact -*nature:* resource transition to an economy that relies on Nature's income and protects ecosystem capitol from depletion -*tech/industry:* tech transition from pollution-intensive economic production to environmentally benign processes -*transportation:* community transition from car-dominated urban sprawl to "smart growth" concepts of smaller functional settings

Apply class concepts to the case study of declining populations of marine mammals.

-*time delay*: harbor seals' population decimated 60 yrs after industrial whaling boom (whale population crashes, killer whales go to next biggest marine mammals, 40 yrs later crash in elephant seal populations, 60 yrs later make way to harbor seals) (social trap = beneficial behavior set in motion long-term negative effects) -*tech development (I = PAT)*; humans have whaled long time, but tech after WWII (axe v chainsaw) enabled greater whaling success (industrial whaling boom); estimate N Pacific 30 mill tons whale bio mass decreased to 3 mill tons -*open system*: industrial whaling effects across the globe -- sea otters' fav good = sea urchins, which eat kelp of kelp forests (on bottom of ocean, important ecosystem for many things including fisheries); if sea otters dying and too many urchins, kelp forest disappearing -*irreversible consequences*: can take steps to return whale biomass to where it was, but can't do it overnight -*lag times/ uncertainty*: can't prove theory b/c didn't know pacific ocean mammal ecology/populations 60 yrs ago (no one studying then), don't know for sure what/how many killer whales were eating, but can verify correlations as described; lag times = delay b/w stimulus and effect makes it difficult to prove causation

Explain the declining populations of marine mammals and its cause.

-10 yrs ago in Pacific Northwest Hood Canal, all of a sudden huge masses of harbor seals tearing out of water and running onto land in great panic w/ increasing regularity -started studying the problem, observed declining marine mammal populations throughout Pacific Northwest (sea otters, sea lions, fur and harbor seals, minke whales) -developed theory of Consumer-driven Sequential Megafaunal Collapse/ Cascade Theory of Killer Whale Predation: killer whales set up camp in Hood Canal, decimating harbor seal population, unprecedented = why? -industrial whaling boom 60 yrs ago decimated whale population, big whales are significant portion of killer whales' diet; shifted to eating other animals, went thru marine mammals in sequential order of size (transient orca prey) & ~60 yrs later arrived for harbor seals -b/c harbor seals smaller than preferred animals, had to eat more of them

Explain Elite Cues' influence on public perception of climate change.

-2 strongest effects on public concern: Dem Congressional action statements and Rep roll-call votes (increase/diminish public concern) -"When elites disagree, polarization occurs, and citizens rely on other indicators, such as political party or source credibility, to make up their minds" -Individuals *use* media coverage to gauge the positions of elites and interpret the news based on their party and ideological identifications

What are good approaches for media reporting science and climate news?

-As in science, reporters should consider all evidence to draw conclusions and support their claims (Don't cherry pick examples, quotes) -the best reporting reflects scientific opinion: active debate should be reported, but also scientific consensus (as with anthropogenic climate change; e.g. scientists agree on role of humans in climate change but are uncertain about the extent of the role or specific implications)

What does fair and balanced mean? With respect to environmental issues such as climate change, do you think journalists should always give equal coverage to both sides? (opinion question)

-Fair and balanced = journalistic norm, ethos of balanced reporting, presenting both sides of any issue -No; 1. something like climate change is an incredibly complex scientific issue, and 2 min debates won't capture the complexity of science's side although it may capture deniers' arguments, 2. fair and balanced coverage of climate change presents it like a debate, perpetuates notion that it remains uncertain, but humans' role in causing climate change is well-accepted by scientists -- you don't need people's opinions on a fact

What is the goal of sustainability?

-I = PAT --> to lower "I," the impact of humans on Earth -ensure long-term livability/survivability of the planet

Explain the North American Mega Fauna Extinction - what were mega fauna?

-Mega Fauna = animals over 200 pounds, like saber-toothed tiger, woolly mammoth, North American camel, dire wolf, more than 50 species of N. American horses (even more various than see in Africa today) --> existed in N America prior to human settlement -As we can see, all went extinct

What is Chaos Theory, and to which research/solution challenge does it relate?

-Microscopic variations impact *outcome, unpredictability;* everything is interrelated, and little changes have a series of different effects; inherent uncertainty makes it difficult to decide how to act when you don't know the outcome (politicians need certainty to back legislation) -relates to open systems - difficult to pinpoint boundaries, and everything that contributes to an element of nature -Jurassic Park, butterfly effect

What is the "triple bottom line" perspective in business initiatives?

-New way of accounting for business success besides profit/loss -People / Planet / Profit -"Corporate Social Responsibility"

Were ancient or primitive societies more "in tune" with nature? (Subjective question) Also, define primitive.

-Primitive: person belonging to preliterate, nonindustrial society -Same as today - just different (within the context of each period): before using nature for their purposes, also some examples in the past of societies that were very destructive to nature, today exploring and preserving nature but also more capacity for destruction

Name the main characteristics/features of "good science."

-Scientific Method -Peer reviewed, independent/unbiased -Full of uncertainty (e.g. uncertain about where hurricane will land, may be different than expect, but the science is still good)

What are characteristics of scientific fields?

-Systematic observation -empirical Testing of specific hypotheses -collecting tangible data, Evidence -formulation of general Theories -Peer-review or reputable journal/source

Name and give an example of a potential weakness of Biocentric Preservation, and explain a response to this weakness.

-Weakness: extending biocentric preservation to every animal in nature, who have their own rights to exist that we shouldn't impact (e.g. PETA) --> However, to preserve the ecosystem overall, reality is you have to keep it in balance, control overpopulation etc -Response/ refinement: Ecocentrism - rather than nature has a right to exist, attaches primary value to nature/ecosystems as a whole, preserve functioning ecosystems thru balance -example: most parts of country suffer from overpopulation of whitetail deer b/c natural predators wiped out in most of N America, impacts ecology negatively b/c overgraze, change diversity of plant communities --> prohibiting hunting is ineffective at keeping overpopulation in check

What are signs of bunk?

-appeal to Myths -Irrefutable hypothesis (e.g. everyone was born 2 mins ago with full memory of a past) -explanation by scenarios or Story-telling -Literary v. empirical interpretation of facts -Resistance to revising one's position -sympathy for theory b/c it's New or Daring -tendency to shift Burden of proof from person who makes extraordinary claim to person who asks for evidence before accepting the claim

Uncertainty surrounds Cascade Theory of Killer Whale Predation. How are scientists verifying this theory?

-as whale population comes up, observe killer whales preying on other big whales -energy studies modeling diet shows that whole killer whale population is highly sustainable w/ small fraction of diets from larger whales and only some smaller animals (populations maintained)

Explain environmental constraint on economic growth.

-conventional economic analysis does not account for constraint on the economy of the *limited capacity of the natural environment* -e.g. there is no econ mechanism in place to highlight that oil is a finite resource. market price reacts to scarcity of oil at given point in time but not its absolute scarcity -econ growth must be constrained by social and environmental considerations

What lessons can we learn from Mono Lake that tie to previous class concepts?

-effective to appeal to different schools of thought (biodiversity and human health) -some problems in environment aren't complex and have easy, quick solutions; just about knowledge of problem and solution and concern among people -interconnectedness/open systems: 85% of gulls from coast use that lake for nesting, though don't think of gulls feeding from far-off mtn when look at them on the beach = interconnected no matter how remote the systems seem -Conservation Ex Situ: sustainability starts at home, changes in lives able to save Mono Lake

Explain Biocentric Preservation and name a famous proponent and opponent.

-emphasizes the fundamental right of other organisms to exist and pursue their own interests; nature has spiritual value independent of its use to humans and greater than tangible material gain, has a right to exist -proponent: John Muir (fought for Yosemite Nat'l Park, & Nat'l Park Service was headed by follower of Muir)

Summarize the Cascade Theory of Killer Whale Predation.

-humans dramatically reduce whale biomass = decline in natural food availability for orcas (eat large whales) -orcas systematically shift eating preferences in sequential order w/ respect to size: elephant seals and stellar seat lions --> harbor and fur seals --> sea otters -greater demands on natural prey populations, could potentially lead to collapse for all (overhunting by orcas leads to related probs like kelp forest)

Explain Global Environmentalism, including the historical occurrence that triggered it and subsequent widespread impact of this stage of environmental and conservation history.

-major historical trigger: Apollo Space Program- Earthrise photo = first time humans viewed Earth from outside, iconography of an era, fundamentally changed human consciousness to realize we live in a contained ecosystem/ one biosphere -arises also from 1) increased travel and knowledge of other areas 2) increased ability to affect other regions (man with axe v massive deforestation argument) -represents shift from local concerns to realizing all humans share common global environment; impact of one country on environment affect everyone, must have global cooperation to preserve world's ecosystem -impact: Earth Summit Conferences, sustainability, conservation biology

How does the issue of science v. pseudoscience affect your lives?

-majority of American adults look online for health info -misinformation/info for everyday decisions -can be swayed by bias or superstition w/o knowing all necessary data -could spread misinfo to friends, family -other serious consequences (environmental issues)

What is the definition of sustainability?

-meeting present needs w/o compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs -stabilizing the currently disruptive relationship b/w Earth's 2 most complex systems: human culture and the living world

Fix the 3-legged stool.

-order for 3 domains is important; nest them --> Environment on outside, society within, and economy within both -important shift is to recognize that the economy is the creation of society, not the other way around; economy thus framed by social context -both society and economy operate *within* the context of a natural environment of limited capacity

Explain Modern Environmentalism, including the historical occurrence that triggered it.

-post WWII, arises out of concerns over pollution and human health -first time there was an organized fight for environmental issues using *litigation*, becoming involved in regulatory process, public hearings, using mass media to further the cause (before this, environmentalism was handled privately) -now expanded to include wide variety of issues throughout environmental movement, including energy production, human population growth, species protection, etc

Explain Utilitarian conservatism, name a famous proponent and opponent, and name a historical outcome.

-pragmatic resource conservation; nature should be saved not b/c they're beautiful or for some moral reason but b/c of their usefulness to humans (we rely on nature for food, wood, etc) -proponent: Gifford Pinchot, first US Forest Service Chief: nature should be saved "only to provide homes and jobs for people" -opponent: John Muir, first Sierra Club pres -1st species conservation laws as a result (hunting laws to protect a species valuable to humans)

Explain Sound Science as a solution to environmental issues. Give an example.

-realistic solutions backed by science (? he didn't really give a def) (e.g. not enough to want your pond and fish to exist in pond exercise, also have to study environment and systems to make is possible) Mono Lake: -lake in the Sierra Nevada with huge biodiversity- stopover point for birds, wildlife sanctuary -presumably out of reach of human impact (where no one goes), except being used to supply municipal water to LA due to water shortage -saltwater lake, so draining causes water to become saltier = kills organisms in lake, deters/doesn't adequately feed birds -upon realizing, Save the Mono Lake Campaign - effective b/c combined focuses of saving biodiversity and health implications (mineral deposits around edges blowing off and negatively impacting humans) -sound science: scientists determined level of water Mono Lake had to maintain to work and how much LA could draw off + other solutions to water shortage/wastage like toilet replacements, recycling water for irrigation, etc -sustainable solution

What is a precautionary principle? Does the US employ this?

-rule of thumb that encourages leaving a wide safety margin when setting the exposure limit (max quantity humans can be safely exposed to) -yes and no; US applies precautionary principle when setting exposure limits but not in general with regard to whether we should allow chemicals or not without knowing their effects for sure

Explain Stewardship as a solution to environmental issues.

-steward = someone who takes care of something --> we are and must be stewards for the environment; "with great power comes great responsibility" -power to do harm, as well as mitigate harm and care for environment

The media plays a role in misinformation and logical fallacies. What was wrong with The Washington Post article "Panel Urges Study of UFO Reports - Unexplained Phenomena Need Scrutiny, Science Group Says"?

-the panel was assembled by Society for Scientific Exploration, who are sympathetic to UFO claims -one panelist was a well known pseudo-scientist who researches ideas that violate laws of thermodynamics -panel discussed science that had already been debunked -Media outlets were taken in by well written press release and a few legitimate scientists in attendance (saw as legitimizing)

What is biomimicry and explain why it's relevant

-uses nature as a model, mentor, and measure for design of our own human ecosystems (e.g. aircraft design based on birds' anatomy/flight, Olympic swimsuit design based on dolphins to reduce friction) -ecosystems are naturally sustainable w/o humans; would be ideal to practice biomimicry to achieve sustainability, or at least sustainable practices

What are the 3 levels of working toward sustainability? Explain each and give examples where possible.

1. *Sustainable systems* - a system/process is sustainable if it can be continued indefinitely, w/o depleting any of the material or energy resources required to keep it running - e.g. Mono Lake - first step: recognizing the right amount, "sustainable yield" (e.g. harvest right amount of wood so forest keeps growing, b/c too much = deforestation) 2. *Sustainable societies* - more complicated; less success as increase scale - a society in balance with the natural world generation after generation, neither depleting its resources by exceeding sustainable yields nor producing pollutants in excess of nature's capacity to absorb them - e.g. many primitive societies (but no modern societies; some unsure if it's possible; some cities do better than others like Denmark and carbon-neutral European cities but still overconsumption) 3. *Sustainable development* - meeting the needs of the present w/o compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (abstract concept) - ultimately leads to sustainable society - in practice, don't really know what it means, still trying to figure out how to develop sustainably

What makes environmental science different from other sciences? Explain each.

1. It's a new science (relatively) 2. Both an empirical and applied science/mission-oriented - Empirical = data, evidence, experiment-based - Applied/mission-oriented = with a directive to find solutions (apply that data to find solutions) 3. Highly interdisciplinary - Draws on range of fields (e.g. ecology, biology, humanities like anthro, law, soc)

Name examples of the destruction of nature in the past.

1. North American Mega Fauna Extinction 2. Rapa Nui/ Easter Island 3. Greenland Vikings

Name, explain, and give examples of types of research/solution challenges in environmental science.

1. Open Systems - difficult to define boundaries in nature, poses challenges to researching in nature -example: algae on farm ponds - results from run off from fertilizer on field into pond, livestock defecation, even acid rain caused by pollution in far-away city (conditions determined by what's going on around, not only in) -Chaos Theory 2. Lag Times - often a very long period of time b/w the stimulus and response; most human-induced environmental changes involve slow processes with cumulative effects (build over time); makes it difficult to prove causation -example: chemical factory releases small amounts of chemicals into stream, impact on ecology of stream and people who drink water builds over time, 30 years later someone notices increase in cancer rates and the factory may not even be there anymore 3. Irreversible Consequences - solution to environmental damage may take a long time or be impossible -example: soil erosion on Easter Island (may eventually return if for example wind brings tree seeds, but in centuries), loss of old growth forests (species hundreds of years old), genetic diversity, extinction

What are the three categories of special challenges in environmental science? Define each.

1. Social traps - decisions by individuals/groups that seem good at the time and produce short-term benefit but hurt society in the long run 2. Research/solution challenges - inherent challenges to environmental systems that make it difficult to research things and find solutions 3. Wicked problems - large-scale, long-term policy dilemmas: multiple and compounding risks/uncertainties + sharply divergent public values = contentious political stalemates

Explain 2 statements made by climate change deniers about polar bears cited in Masters of Doubt.

1. There are more polar bears than used to be and causing trouble -yes polar bear numbers up dramatically, but only measuring in areas where they shouldn't be at times of year when they shouldn't be on the ice -aka there are not actually more polar bears, but they're losing their natural habitat (ice pack and seals) so driven toward town to find food (need high fat content diet for frigid environment) 2. Polar bears are drowning -polar bears are incredible swimmers; if drowning, signals something wrong -as ice pack declines, further swim between ice packs combined with less food/calories = can't make the swim (cubs especially) -also more difficult to hunt (need certain thickness of ice to attract seals)

Name, explain, and give examples of types of social traps.

1. Tragedy of the Commons - exploitation of shared or limited resources by rational individuals b/c one herder gets all the benefit but the cost is shared (e.g individual herder adds cows, leads to more milk for the herder but degrades the environment for everyone) 2. Time Delay - actions that produce a benefit today set into motion events that cause problems later on (costs of actions are hidden) -example 1: modern fishing techniques use giant nets to harvest lots of fish, and fishers get lots of fish in the short term, but more fish are taken than can be replaced naturally and over time the population declines along with other animals that depend on the fish and fishers eventually cannot catch enough fish to meet needs -example 2: burning of fossil fuels- energy production from burning, but increased releases of CO2 felt later with climate warming 3. Sliding Reinforcer - actions that are beneficial at first may change conditions such that their benefit declines over time -example: pesticides reduce pest numbers on a crop but those that survive (bc they were resistant) reproduce, and the pesticide is now only helpful if more is applied but 1) this can be harmful to other organisms and humans and 2) the pest population may even become bigger if the pest's predators are also killed

What two pieces of info are necessary to change people's perceptions of sustainability?

1. individuals have a significant effect on the biosphere thru social institutions and mechanisms 2. individuals are capable of changing society and its institutions

What is required for protecting the biosphere?

1. recognition that human action is causing catastrophic changes to the environment = need for change in both society and environment 2. global biosphere has one energy input and no output for waste (e.g. greenhouse gases trapped)

Explain the North American Mega Fauna Extinction - what are the possible causes of the extinction event, name possible flaws as applicable, and which are most likely?

4 competing theories: 1. Overchill - Climate explanation - oncoming ice age, climate changing - Problems: fossil record shows that many species went extinct before ice age kicked in, and a number of species that eventually went extinct died in bulk but continued to live in scattered places 2. *Overkill* - humans came in and hunted - One of the most likely; crossing of the Siberian land bridge coincides with large dying offs, plus pattern throughout history that when humans reach new areas globally, adverse impact on biodiversity 3. Overill - disease from humans - no real support for this 4. *Overgrill* - Meteor (which wiped out the dinosaurs) - Also one of the most likely; although haven't found a meteor/ impact crater to match this event, it's possible for meteors to come in and never strike ground if they blow up in the upper atmosphere and cause a flame that fries the animals below - would also expect to iridium, but haven't (very rare on earth but really common in meteors)

Environmental and Conservation history has how many distinct stages? Name them in chronological order.

4: 1. Utilitarian conservatism (aka Resource Conservation Ethic) 2. Biocentric Preservation (Preservationist Ethic) 3. Modern Environmentalism 4. Global Environmentalism

What do scientists say about anthropogenic climate change? (ACC) (if humans are causing climate change)

97-99% of scientists' studies say ACC is happening = consensus that human actions contribute to climate change, with uncertainty about the extent of human contribution

Explain ecosystem decline, a major area of environmental concern.

Around the world we see supplies depleted, agricultural soils degraded, oceans overfished, and forests cut faster than they can regrow. All this has consequences for ecosystem health and function.

Explain the controversy surrounding BPA in cans and bottles.

BPA = chemical in linings of cans and baby bottles -study released that "some concern" about effects of BPA exposure on brain, behavior, prostate glands in fetuses, infants, and children --> media picked it up -most National Toxicology Program panelists felt data too uncertain to warrant a ban, but applied a *precautionary principle* aka prudent to start looking for BPA replacement -eventually banned in baby bottles when realized endocrine disruptor harmful to young children and pregnant/nursing mothers (endocrine disruptor: harmful at low doses, not high, mimics hormones and prevents actual hormone from having effect) but not harmful for adults -however, long term low dose effects still not really known (doesn't build up in high concentrations in body b/c broken down, but low-level traces in 90% of people's systems)

To which stage/camp of environmental and conservation history would Plato be attributed?

Biocentric Preservation (saw the value of nature in and of itself)

What is the tragedy of the commons?

Common/shared resources tend to become overexploited because individuals will act in a way to maximize his or her own benefit - this one person experiences the whole benefit, while everyone shares the cost (aka the exploitation of shared and limited resources by rational individuals)

What is the 5th possible historical stage of environmental and conservation history that is developing/occurring now? Explain.

Conservation Ex Situ - in situ = in sight, conservation where the animals naturally live etc; ex situ = not just where they're/you're living - understanding that sustainability starts at home (not just donating to polar bears far away), that we need to live more harmoniously with nature everywhere, including where we live (e.g. climate change impacted by individual decisions like transportation methods and what we eat)

How do approaches to chemical substances differ between EU and US?

EU: "better safe than sorry"; applies precautionary principle overall (if don't know for sure whether harmful or safe, tend to ban it) US: "innocent until proven guilty," educated guesses about safety based on how similar compounds have fared, puts onus on consumers to prove a chemical is actually more dangerous than expected

What lesson can we learn from the seemingly anomalous example of Easter Island?

Earth, too, is an island with finite resources in a delicate balance

How do sustainability priorities differ among specialties/professionals? How do we reconcile this?

Economists- concerned mainly with growth, efficiency, max use of resources w/o compromising future Sociologists- focus on human needs and equity, empowerment, social cohesion, cultural identity Ecologists- main concern is preserving integrity of natural systems, living w/n carrying capacity of environment, dealing effectively with pollution Reality- true sustainability lies at the intersection

What are the main lessons to learn from Greenland and Icelandic Vikings?

Greenland Vikings: never too late to change path and respond to natural environment Icelandic Vikings survived not b/c they never did anything wrong but b/c they adjusted, learned, observed, solved (ate fish)

What are logical fallacies to look for in arguments/claims (about chemical, environment, etc) and examples of each?

HAD AIR Hasty generalization - drawing broad conclusions from too little evidence (e.g. BPA present in urine of babies who drink from plastic bottles = babies being poisoned by bottles) Ad hominem attack - attacks person/group, not evidence, presenting opposite view (e.g. BPA is unsafe b/c the chemical industry is untrustworthy) false Dichotomy - sets up either/or choice that isn't valid (e.g. completely avoid BPA, or totally safe for everyone; you're a conservative so you can't possibly believe in climate change) appeal to Authority - doesn't present evidence directly, claim relies on experts who agree with claim (e.g. majority of climatologists say climate change not real) appeal to Ignorance - statement/implication that the issue is too complex, reader not capable of understanding (e.g. no way to know the effects of BPA, too uncertain to act) Red herring - extraneous info that doesn't directly support claim might confuse the reader (e.g. argument that buildup of toxic chemicals is significant and many of these buildups have led to problems in general)

What is the difference b/w hard and soft science?

Hard: straightforward, clear answers (yes/no), logical approaches Soft: complex issues like humans, more sophisticated approaches, generates less clear-cut answers (answers in probabilities)

What questions surrounding consumption and sustainability does the 3-legged stool fail to address? Aka questions surrounding sustainability and consumption

How do we *improve* people's quality of life w/o necessarily increasing *consumption* to levels that might cause environmental degradation? Can we have a sustainable *economy* w/o need for constantly increasing levels of *consumption*? Can we satisfy people's desire for *access* w/o environmentally damaging levels of *mobility*?

Why is today's impact so much more significant than in the past? (unprecedented e.g. climate change, mass extinction)

IPAT Model: Impact = Population Size - more people = more power to create problems - historically, as population increases, impact increases, and population still growing Affluence - affluent societies = higher consumption rate of natural resources - and still building Technology - axes vs bulldozes in a forest; can have same attitude/intent throughout time, but dramatically higher capacity to do harm today - and still advancing

What addition to the IPAT Model can mitigate today's impact?

Knowledge/Concern/Caring -arguable that better overall as human society than in the past -as societies more affluent, resources and time to devote to being better (not just worrying about survival) -affluence and tech concerned with potential impact (e.g. regulations)

Explain how the ecosystem is naturally sustainable w/o humans and how we might mimic this.

MR. Peanut Butter 1. *use Matter sustainably:* no new matter arrives on Earth, so ecosystems must make do with what they have; fortunately, matter can be recycled, and organisms use matter resources repeatedly, waste of one becomes resource for next -reduce our waste by reducing use of resources and reusing, recycling matter we use + minimizing toxins we create and release that degrade natural resources 2. *rely on Renewable energy:* sources of energy replenished daily in nature, energy used by one organism is "used up" and cannot be used by another; energy is NOT recycled, new inputs constantly needed -move away from nonrenewable fuels (fossil fuels) toward sustainable energy sources harvested at sustainable rates (solar, wind, geothermal, biomass) 3. *Population control* sizes of various populations kept in check by disease, predators, competitors; prevents population from getting too large and damaging ecosystem -birth rate (not death rate) has biggest impact on populations; many ways to reduce human birth rates such as increased access to education for women 4. *depend on local Biodiversity:* higher biodiversity generally means more energy can be captured for ecosystem and resident species, more matter can be recycled and faster, and pop sizes can be better controlled -protecting biodiversity will help meet all other goals; emulate nature with variety of local energy sources, building materials, and crops by exploring innovations that come from diverse human community

What is grey literature? What are organizations that produce grey literature? What are common grey literature publication types? Give an example.

Materials and research produced by organizations outside traditional commercial or academic publishing and distribution channels. *Orgs that produce grey lit include:* -gov't depts and agencies -academic centers -private companies and consultant -civil society and NGOs *Common grey lit pub types include:* -reports (annual, research, technical) -working papers -gov't docs -ex: internal docs of tobacco company

What is the simple explanation for why the Greenland Vikings vanished?

McGovern: combo of natural events and human choices

Must scientists be "certain" to be "right"?

No, especially in environmental science, difficult to predict results (chaos theory - small variations impact outcome; open systems - undefinable boundaries, cannot contain or always determine what impacts a system; lag times - don't know impact of an action for long time)

Name major areas of environmental concern today. What is the cause? Explain.

P. BEAF -human Population growth -loss of Biodiversity -Ecosystem decline -global Atmospheric Changes -other issues like water, Food, energy use = common denominator: humans are an environmental force impacting Earth's ecosystem mostly via population size, resource use, and pollution

Where does the environmental movement begin?

Plato - outspoken about environment, some of the earliest writings that showed concern for the environment, described the effects of soil degradation and deforestation on Attica peninsula

Where are we today in terms of solutions to areas of environmental concern?

SSS: Stewardship Sound Science Working toward Sustainability

Explain the role of society in affecting and improving the biosphere. (paradox)

The paradox of individual action: -as individuals, there's really nothing you can do to make a big difference, BUT very small changes, if magnified across many people, have huge impacts (positive or negative) --> collective action of society (thru institutions and market economy) -e.g. one person driving to work v. millions driving to work -one of the dilemmas we face in trying to move towards environmentally sustainable existence is the scale of ecosystems, which dwarf a single human actor

What is the weakness(es) of the 3-legged stool of sustainability? Some think this model might not be an effective or realistic way of characterizing sustainability...

The paradox of the 3-legged stool: 1. stool presents the legs as independent, but reality is that all elements are intertwined, impact e/o -fundamentally the triad model is based on a triangle of forces in *balance* BUT to achieve one leg, environmental sustainability, we need to change the other 2, society and economy --> we can't have stable triangle where trying to sustain all 3 "legs" in their existing state b/c in conflict -can't trade vigorous/sustainable economic growth for unsustainable environmental practices 2. does not explicitly recognize that environmental sustainability requires changes to social and economic institutions

Explain time delay vs. lag times.

Time delay is a social trap = poor decisions made b/c costs not seen till later (large net to catch lots of fish) Lag times is a research/solution challenge = difference in time b/w stimulus and response makes causation difficult to prove

US Forest Service vs Park Service - to which environmental and conservation ethic does each belong?

US Forest Svc = utilitarian conservatism (preservation for timber, etc) Park Svc = natural preservation, wilderness

How is science converted into news? (Flow chart)

Universities or NGOs or Gov't institutions do research, find stuff --> Info goes from universities, NGOs, or gov't institutions to peer reviewed publications; or info goes from NGOs or gov't institutions (not universities) to grey literature --> Info goes from peer reviewed publications or grey literature to press release --> from press release to news agency and then to feature item, or from press release directly to feature item; interviews can also go directly to feature item

Explain the settlement of Vikings in Greenland

Vikings sailors, ardent explorers --> settled in a lush protected valley in Greenland (Greenland otherwise lots of ice and not much trees), also in a coincidentally warmer period making it more hospitable

Explain wicked problems, including characteristics and an example.

Wicked problems: -one category of special challenges in environmental science -def: large-scale, long-term policy dilemmas: multiple and compounding risks/uncertainties + sharply divergent public values = contentious political stalemates -characteristics: PUT MICC P- policy problems U- unprecedented T- solutions involve Trade-offs M- multi-causal I- require Innovative solutions C- complex C- alternative sides create Contentious politics -example: climate change, "super wicked problem"; multiple causes, multiple consequences, multiple possible actions and required trade offs

Tangent: where did they ultimately discover the crater to match the meteor that caused the extinction of dinosaurs?

Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, mostly underwater

What are the components of making a scientific argument?

claim, evidence, warrant

Explain the 3-legged stool of sustainability.

common model of sustainability made up of triad of economical, social, and environmental sustainability -- sustainability depends on achievement of 3 simultaneous goals: *economic profitability, social responsibility, environmental conservation* PPP - *people, planet, profit*

Why is it important to report on climate change?

consensus that humans impact climate change, but general population does not think the debate is settled; public perception going opposite direction of science (science becoming more certain, narrowing gaps of humans' exact contribution and factors, but continuously portrayed as ongoing debate)

What is wrong with this statement: "The ability to make accurate predictions is a hallmark of good science. Predictions by environmental doom-mongers have proven to be wrong time and time again. No wonder most people no longer believe them"

environmental science is based on probabilities. also, some predictions may be wrong but still accurate (e.g. where a hurricane will fall)

Tangent: Why do people have shared fears? Name some.

evolutionary benefits that enhance survival, e.g. the dark, spiders, snakes

What is biodiversity?

high # of species and variation of individuals within species

What lesson about conservation can be learned from the Cascade Theory of Killer Whale Predation/ industrial whaling?

limitations of endangered species act: -2 types of killer whales, resident and transient, are very different in feeding (resident are only fish-eaters, transient are the mammal-eaters harmed by industrial whaling); transient whales need most protection, but endangered species act is too broad and impacts the types of killer whales differently

What is the paradox of modernity with relation to sustainability? Give examples.

many contemporary activities that have led to our "quality of life" tend to undermine rather than uphold the objective of sustaining life -agriculture, ecologically harmful forms of industrial agriculture (cattle), pollution, transportation means, failure to actively begin to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, city and regional planning (urban sprawl), architecture (the way we construct buildings), household consumption, energy production

Is sound science certain?

not necessarily; in fact, often uncertain

Ultimately, what is believed ended the North American Mega Fauna?

one-two punch idea between overkill and overgrill: weakened by one, finished by the other

Options in response to tragedy of the commons

options: privatization, regulation, volunteer cooperation, co-ops, polluter pays

Explain overgrazing and overharvesting in terms of the Vikings.

overgrazing: Vikings brought cattle for food but energy intensive, used lots of resources, and then couldn't raise enough cattle to feed themselves after environment degraded overharvesting: covered houses in thick sod to insulate, but led to erosion, sediment and topsoil deposits in ocean, deforestation

What is a climate change threat index?

people's perceptions about the threat of climate change (contains a prediction model and the actual public perception mapping)

Good science is full of uncertainty. In practice, why is this problematic? (Implications of uncertainty)

policy and press - have to convince politicians, legislators, media of scientific issues to achieve policy change and make people aware, and these entities won't back uncertainty

Why does the history of environmental and conservation efforts/ethos matter?

reflect different reasons people care about the environment; when attempting large scale solutions to environmental issues and conservation initiatives, need cooperation b/w many different groups/orgs/people -- shows us to how to reach people

How do we fix the outcome of Killer Whale Predation/ marine mammal population decimation?

steps to return whale bio mass to where it was: whale protection (which occurred in the 80s with widespread global bans on industrial whaling), successful and whale populations have grown a lot, but they have long generation times and few offspring so even growing at max speed isn't that fast (now at ~10 mill tons whale biomass)

What is our starting place for conceptualizing sustainability?

the earth is an island/ enclosed ecosystem

Is grey literature reliable?

the standard of quality, review, and production of grey lit varies considerably

How can we avoid social traps?

through education - when people are aware of consequences, they are more likely to examine trade-offs to determine whether long-term costs are worth short-term gains

Explain and debunk a common misconception surrounding the tragedy of the commons.

tragedy of the commons does not simply result from greed; it happens even with the best intention, and is pretty inevitable without communication and knowledge information

Name an example of Conservation Ex Situ of increasing popularity.

urban ecology - green space, better air quality, healthy trees, biodiversity

If media coverage should stop giving equal representation to both sides of the climate change "debate," what should its focus be?

what we should do about climat echange