Test # 1 : on Wiley
Decomposers
bacteria and fungi that break down dead organisms
Which field of study considers the moral basis of environmental responsibility
Environmental ethics
Mutualism
both organisms benefit
The shape of the beak on the bird in the figure below is most likely the result of:
coevolution.
Which type of adaptive strategy for defense is illustrated by these adult meerkats?
social group
The type of energy that drives ecosystems is
solar.
What is the Western Worldview (Expansionist Worldview)
- Based on human superiority over nature -Unrestricted use of natural resources to fuel economic growth and expand the industrial base:- Consistent with frontier attitude - Anthropocentric - human centered
What are two types of resources?
- Nonrenewable resources •Natural resources that are present in limited supplies and are depleted as they are used •Fossil fuels •Finite supply that took millions of years to form- Renewable resources •Resources that are replaced by natural processes and that can be used forever, provided they are not overexploited in the short term •Trees, soil, water •Potentially replaced by natural processes
What are some scientific fact that provide solutions to environmental problems?
- Science is a body of knowledge AND a systematic process- Science involves data collection and analysis/interpretation- Science is not based on faith, emotion, or intuition- Scientific observations and experiments must be repeatable and produce consistent data to be considered valid- Careful inspection by other scientists always part of the scientific process - peer review- Scientific understanding changes over time, as new experiments and new data are undertaken and gathered
What is the importance of a prediction ?
- Scientists formulate hypotheses based on what they think to be true based on prior scientific work •Hypotheses are predictions that can be tested by experimentation •Try to test one variable at a time and hold other constant •Experimental group vs. control group •May lead to a theory- Theories are an integrated explanation of numerous hypotheses •Each included hypothesis is supported by many observations and experiments •Theories clarify and simplify our understanding of the natural world- Unfortunately, many environmental science questions are not able to be formulated as testable hypotheses
Environmental impact statements -IMPORTANT
1. Major Construction project proposed 2. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 3. EIS released for public review and comment 4. Based on public debate the project may procceed with modification, be sent by back for further development , or withdrawn
What are the steps of the scientific method?
1. Recognize Problem or unanswered question .2. Develop hypotheses to explain the problem.- Make predictions based on hypothesis 3. Design and perform experiment to test hypothesis 4. Analyze and interpret data to reach conclusions- Does the hypothesis predict reality? is it true? 5 Share new knowledge with other scientists.
How we handle Environmental Problem
1. Scientific assessment: Problem is defined, hypotheses are tested, and models are constructed to show how present situations developed and to predict future course of events. 2. Risk Analysis: What are the aftermath if that risk is taken. 3. Public engagement : effective process to work around the solution presented. 4. Long term Environmental Management: Results of the actions being monitored. 5. Political considerations. : implementing a course of action with official along the social and economic considerations
The highly developed countries represent how much of the world's population?
18%
Who is Ernst Haeckel?
1866, the German biologist Ernst Haeckel gave a name to the study of how organisms fit into their environment. He called this study Ecology. Which comes from the Greek word oikoshouse, meaning place where one lives
Approximately _________ percentage of the world's population lives in either moderately or less developed countries?
82%
What is deep ecology worldview?
A worldview based on the idea that all species have equal worth.
What are the Intrinsic and Instrumental Values ?
According to the Western worldview, organisms have instrumental value—that is, they are valuable if they provide goods and services to humans. In contrast, according to the deep ecology worldview, organisms have intrinsic value—that is, they are valued for their own sake, not for the goods and services they provide
What does the phrase "environmental sustainability" imply?- The actions of humans directly impact the wellbeing of the natural environment .- Future generations will have the resources necessary for quality of life. - A shared global responsibility is necessary for conservation practices.
All of the above are implied by environmental sustainability.
Which of the following statements about risk, risk assessment, and risk management is CORRECT? -Risk assessment is the quantitative and qualitative characterization of risks so that they can be compared, contrasted and managed. -Risk assessment estimates the probability that an event will occur and helps us determine how we can best avoid, reduce, or eliminate a particular risk. -Based on risk assessment calculations, to reduce the risk of cancer it is more important to stop smoking than to stop drinking bottled water .-All of the above statements about risk, risk assessment, and risk management are correct
All of the above statements about risk, risk assessment, and risk management are correct.
Recommendations for achieving sustainable living include: - Eliminate poverty. - Design sustainable cities. - Provide adequate food for all people. - All these are recommendations for sustain living
All these are recommendations for sustainable living.
Which label identifies the economic optimum amount of pollution?
B The Economic optium amount of pollution
What is an environmental Worldview?
Based on how the environment works, our place in the environment, and right and wrong environmental behaviors
Which of the following statements associated with poverty is CORRECT? 1. Poverty is associated with a short life expectancy, illiteracy, and inadequate access to health services, safe water, and balanced nutrition. 2. The number of people living in poverty has been steadily declining and today less than one billion people live in poverty worldwide. 3. Poverty is a condition in which people are unable to meet their basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, education, or health.
Both 1 and 3 apply as descriptions of poverty.
How does science obtain knowledge about the world?
By systematically gathering evidence and discarding potential explanations that do not fit the evidence, and refining those that do fit the evidence.
Which of these claims associated with animal studies is LEAST valid?
Cancer studies in animals do not apply to humans.
Why does the Stockholm Convention still allow some developing countries to use DDT, a persistent organic pollutant?
Careful use of DDT can save millions of lives by killing malaria causing mosquitoes.
Which of the following associations between children, adults, and pesticides is CORRECT?
Children often face greater exposure, from playing in contaminated areas and putting their hands and other objects into their mouth.
What are some Global Environmental issues ?
Climate (increasing) is affected by human activities including: - Increased release of C O 2 and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere - Industrial processes - Fossil fuel consumption - Deforestation Land use change
All of the following describe the process of science EXCEPT:- Science seeks to reduce complexity of the natural world to general principles which are used to provide new insights. - Scientific data is collected through observation and experimentation and thus questions of science are limited to testable questions. - Conclusions inferred from collected data are often based on faith, emotion, or intuition. - Confirming the validity of new results by repeatability is a requirement of science.
Conclusions inferred from collected data are often based on faith, emotion, or intuition.
What is the environmental significance of the process of "consumption"?
Consumption can outstrip the natural resources available and lead to overexploitation of the environment.
Which of the following DOES NOT describe a less developed country? - Countries where hunger, illiteracy, and poverty are common. - Countries such as Mali, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia where the economies of the nation are primarily agriculturally based. - Countries with low levels of industrialization, very high rates of population growth, very high infant mortality rates, and very low per person incomes .- Countries with abundant capital for investment but with limited unskilled labor.
Countries with abundant capital for investment but with limited unskilled labor.
Which of the following describes a highly developed country? - Countries with low rates of population growth and high per person incomes. - Countries with complex industrialized bases such as Mexico and Thailand. - Countries with low levels of industrialization, very high rates of population growth, very high infant mortality rates, and very low per person incomes. - Countries with abundant unskilled labor but with limited capital for investment
Countries with low rates of population growth and high per person incomes.
What Step 5 ?
Design Sustainable Cities •Over 50% of world's people live in cities - Over of U S and Canada's populations live in cities •Making cities more livable •Reduce use of cars •Develop subways, light rail systems, bicycle/pedestrian pathways -Build cities around people, not cars •Parks and open spaces instead of parking lots and highways •Reduces C O 2 emissions, air pollution, and improves quality of life Address water scarcity Improvement of squatter settlements •Address quality of life for the very poor
What does the diagram below illustrate? 1. Major construction project proposed 2. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared. 3. EIS released for public review and comment 4. Based on public debate , the project may proceed as planned , proceed with modification , be sent back for further development , or be withdrawn
EIS
Population, Resources, and the Environment (5 of 6)
Earth's ecological footprint has been increasing over time. By 2010, humans were using the equivalent of 1.5 Earths, a situation that is not sustainable
What is Ecology?
Ecology is a basic tool of environmental science•The study of interrelationships between organisms and the environment
Which of the following is key to the elimination of world poverty and stabilizing global population?
Educating children and improving status of women
What is the first step to sustainable living?
Eliminate Poverty and Stabilize the Human population .•Global distribution of resources is uneven-The U S, with 5% of world's population, controls 25% of the world's economy •However, the U S depends on other nations for this prosperity- Globally, 16,000 infants and children under 5 die each day •Most of these deaths could be prevented with adequate food and basic medical care- Necessary to raise the standard of living of the world's poor•Universal education of children •Eliminate illiteracy •Improving the status of women -Stay within the Earth's carrying capacity
What is Environmental Science?
Environmental Science is the interdisciplinary study of humanity's relationship with other organisms and the physical environmentCombines information include Biology, physics, geology, geography, chemistry, economics, sociology (including demography), cultural anthropology, agriculture, engineering, law, politics, and ethics.
Which of the following documents provides answers to all of the questions in this chart? 1. How will the Project affect wildlife habitat? 2. How will increased soil erosion affect water quality? 3. How will air quality be affected? 4. How will stream flow rates change? 5. Will the project hairm any endangered species? 6. How will the landscape be altered?
Environmental impact statement (EIS)
Environmental justice is BEST reflected in:
Environmental justice is BEST reflected in: the concern that the largest number of landfills, incinerators, and sewage treatment plants are found in low-income communities.
A personal perspective based on a collection of basic values and beliefs about how the environment works, that helps us make sense of our place and purpose in it, and determine right and wrong behaviors describes:
Environmental worldview
Who was Rachel Carson?
Environmentalist who wrote "Silent Spring" in 1962- In it, she questioned the wide scale application of pesticides on agricultural crops •Short term crop yield gains from pesticide use could undermine the availability of clean air, fresh water, and fertile soil in the long run, is the short term benefit worth the long term affect? •We need to consider trade-offs between short term gains and long term sustainability as global population continues to grow -Carson's compelling description of the environment as a network of complex and interrelated systems is credited as a foundation of the modern environmental movement.
Food chains always start with primary consumers.
False
Trees, fishes, fertile agriculture soil are examples of nonrenewable resources.
False
What are other Global Environmental Issues? pt 5 The Ozone Depletion
First noticed in the mid-1980's the springtime "ozone hole" over the Antarctic continues to grow. Restricting chlorofluorocarbons (C F Cs) and other ozone depleting chemicals have begun to level the rate of depletion.Stratospheric ozone shields the Earth from the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Thinning of this protective layer can have devastating effects on Earth's biological functions
Which U.S. president established the Civilian Conservation Corps, which employed young men to plant trees, make paths and roads in national parks and forests, build dams to control flooding, and perform other activities that protected natural resources?
Franklin Roosevelt
How many people globally live in poverty?
Globally, about 1.5 billion people live in poverty this means a condition in which people are unable to meet their basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, or health.Poverty is associated with: •Short life expectancy•Illiteracy•Inadequate access to health services, safe water, and balanced nutrition
Why is the deep ecology worldview impractical?
Human population size would have to decline drastically for it to work.
Which of the following statements reflects the Western worldview?
Humans have the right to modify the environment to benefit their wellbeing and high standard of living
What are the steps to the scientific method?
I. State the problem II. Develop a hypothesis III. Design and perform an experiment to test the hypothesis IV. Analyze and interpret the data V. Share the results with other scientists V. Design and perform an experiment to test the hypothesis
What is the IPAT model?
Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology
To test a hypothesis about a given variable, experimental and control groups are tested in parallel. Which of the following best explains the dual experiments?
In the experimental group, a chosen variable is altered in a known way. In the control group, that chosen variable is not altered so a comparison can be made.
Which of the following statements BEST describes emerging diseases like swine flu?
Infectious diseases that were not previously found in humans and typically jump from an animal host to humans.
After an organism uses energy, what happens to the energy?
It dissipates as heat.
What is a serious shortcoming of the Western worldview to attaining environmental sustainability?
It promotes an unlimited consumption of goods and services
Why is the National Environmental Policy Act considered the cornerstone of U.S. environmental law?
It provides regulatory oversight to reduce adverse environmental impacts of federal projects.
Why is the National Environmental Policy Act considered such landmark legislation?
It served as a basis for almost 40 pieces of later legislation to protect resources.
Which of the following is most likely to happen if everybody in the world used resources at the rate that people in the United States do?
Our current resources would run out quickly.
What does LDC mean?
Less Developed Country. •Very low per person incomes relative to those in highly developed countries •Low levels of industrialization, most economies are agricultural •High population growth rates•High infant mortality rates •Hunger, disease, and illiteracy are common
What is Eco-justice?
Links social and environmental ethics •Low-income communities/minorities are more likely to be in polluted areas, and near landfills, toxic waste facilities, etc. •Tend to have lower access to health care•Rights of the poor and disenfranchised vs. the rights of rich and powerful
Which of the following stages comes LAST in addressing environmental problems?
Long-term management and evaluation
Which of the following represents an idea associated with environmental sustainability?
Many of the Earth's resources are present in finite supply and must be used wisely
What is Step 4 ?
Mitigate Climate Change •Climate change caused by the enhanced greenhouse effect: - Additional warming produced by increased levels of gases that absorb infrared radiation •C O 2 ,methane, nitrous oxide, tropospheric ozone, C F Cs - The most important greenhouse gas, C O 2, is produced when we burn fossil fuels - Current climate change is human induced, causing•Rapid warming since 1975 •Shifted precipitation patterns •Rapid future changes in temperature and weather patterns
Which of these statements is MOST compatible with a philosophy of biocentric preservation?
Natural areas should be respected, and protected from human activities.
What does an ecological footprint measure?
Natural resources used by each person in an area.
All of the following statements describe environmental science EXCEPT: - The goal of environmental science is to try to establish general principles about how the natural world functions.- Environmental scientists seek to develop viable solutions to environmental problems that are based as much as possible on scientific knowledge. - Since environmental problems are generally complex and scientific understanding of them is often less complete, environmental scientists are often called on to reach scientific consensus before the data are complete.
No exceptions, all of the above statements describe environmental science.
Put the following steps of risk assessment in the correct order: I. risk characterization II. risk management III. hazard identification IV. dose-response and exposure assessment
None of these choices
What does NIMBY mean?
Not In My Back Yard
What is a worldview?
Personal perspective based on our individual basic values •Help us make sense of the world and determine right and wrong behaviors •These behaviors are not necessarily compatible with environmental sustainability
What is the difference between a community and a population?
Populations only relate to one species.
Which of the following is a reason people might object to preservation?
Preservation can prevent the use of some economically valuable resources.
What is Step 2 to Sustainable Living?
Protect and Restore Earth's Resources •To build a sustainable society, we must preserve the natural systems that support us - Conservation of nonrenewable resources-Sustainable use of renewable resources •Forests - Unsustainable logging making them a non-renewable resource - Population pressure drives deforestation in many areas - Deforestation in developing countries occurring at a non-sustainable rateContributing to global climate change
Community members bring information, preferences, and goals that must be incorporated into a policy decisions during which of the five stages of solving an environmental problem
Public engagement
Which of the following is an example of natural resource preservation?
Purchase of a forested area to protect it from human activity.
Poverty is associated with all of the following EXCEPT: - low life expectancy - balanced nutrition - inadequate access to health services - illiteracy
balanced nutrition
DDT was sprayed in a Long Island salt marsh over a period of years for mosquito control. A portion of the food web is as follows:algae -> shrimp -> American eel -> Atlantic needlefish -> ring-billed gullIn which organism would biological magnification be MOST evident?
Ring-billed gull
Why are both science and ethics necessary to solve environmental problems?
Science helps us understand the outcomes of particular actions and ethics are necessary to help us decide what we ought to do among a range of choices.
What important environmental book describing the problems associated with pesticide use was written by Rachel Carson?
Silent Spring
Which ... is/are considered carnivores?
Snakes and Eagles
Which of these is true regarding the Environmental Impact Statement process?
Solicitation of public comments is required.
What are some examples of highly developed countries?
Some of the highly developed countries are the United States , Canada or Japan. They represent 18 % of the world's population. - They have complex industrialized bases, low rates of population growth, and high per person incomes. - People in highly developed countries consume more resources per person than people in developing countries
Which of the following terms encompasses all areas on Earth where life exists?
biosphere
Ecology is defined as the environmental study of
biotic and abiotic components.
It has been argued that the United States has a serious consumption overpopulation problem. Why is this possibly true?
The United States population consumes too large a portion of the world's resources due to relatively affluent lifestyles.
Which of the following statements is true of an "economic optimum amount of pollution" calculation?
The calculation uses empirical analysis of available data to help society make a more informed decision about acceptable levels of pollution.
Which of the following is not usually calculated in traditional economic analyses?
The cost of disposal of used products
Which of these factors contributes most to the likelihood of pandemic disease?
The growing trend of people to travel internationally.
Which of the following is NOT included in an Environmental Impact Statement?
The guarantees that no species or habitat will be negatively impacted by the proposal.
What are the goals of Environmental Science ?
The main goals of Environmental are to supply the general principle how the natural world works.- To find logical solutions to environmental problems- To figure out the problem that come from the people created
What is carrying capacity
The maximum population that can be sustained by a given environment.
Which of the following was the banning of hormone treated and GMO fed beef by the European Union based upon?
The precautionary principle.
What is one reason why laboratory tests of the effect of toxic chemicals on animals like mice and rats is problematic?
The results may not be reliably translated to humans due to different physiology.
What is Environmental Justice?
The right of every citizen to adequate protection from environmental hazards
What are the three factors of Sustainable development?
The three factors of sustainability are environmentally sound decisions, economically viable decisions, and socially equitable decisions —interact to promote sustainable development.
What is the Scientific Method?
The way a scientist approaches a problem, by formulating a hypothesis and then testing it
Which of the following statements about scientific theories are TRUE?
Theories can be used to predict the existence of as-yet unobserved things or phenomena.
An integrated explanation of numerous hypotheses is known as a
Theory.
How do moderately developed countries MOST differ from highly developed countries?
They have fewer opportunities for income, education, and healthcare.
Which of the following is TRUE about Environmental Impact Statements?
They must be made available to the public.
Why is a risk analysis usually performed in solving environmental problems?
To analyze the potential effect of an intervention versus doing nothing.
What is a common goal for environmental conservation and environmental preservation?
To maintain high quality natural resources for the benefit of humans and other species.
An organism may feed at different levels in various food chains.
True
Autotrophs are organisms that are capable of making their own food.
True
If it is true that too many people living in an area causes degradation and a destruction of natural resources, then why is it that people who live in the large metropolitan areas in the United States able to have so many more material possessions than those living in the countries to the south of US?
We are using the natural resources of less developed countries to keep us supplied with goods and produce.
Why do we need to be careful when interpreting IPAT equation results?
We often do not understand all of the environmental impacts of a particular technology.
What is the Overall Plan for sustainable Living?
What is the Overall Plan for sustainable Living ? •Lester R. Brown, 2006. Plan B 2.0 Recusing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble 1.Eliminate poverty and stabilize the human population 2.Protect and restore Earth's resources 3.Provide adequate food for all people 4.Mitigate climate change 5.Design sustainable cities
Which of the following is an example of a commensalistic relationship?
a bird building a nest in a tree
Air pollution is more harmful to children than adults for all of the following reasons except:
a potentially lethal dose for a child is more than that for an adult.
A snake eats a mouse. This is an example of
a secondary consumer eating a primary consumer.
The second law of thermodynamics explains how over time energy has increased entropy. Entropy is:
a tendency towards disorder.
Which of the following forest management strategies is least likely to be advocated by a utilitarian conservationist?
absolutely no resource extraction for any reason.
After a short, high-level exposure to a toxicant, you immediately feel dizzy and nauseous showing symptoms of
acute toxicity.
Environmental sustainability implies: - the actions of humans directly impact the wellbeing of the natural environment - future generations will have the resources necessary for quality of life - the environment can function indefinitely without going into a decline from the stresses imposed by human society on natural systems
all of these choices
Which of the following is an abiotic factor in an ecosystem?
amount of rainfall
Detritivores and decomposers
are important for ecosystem health, and work together to prevent a build-up of organic waste
Keystone species
are particularly influential in determining the species composition of an ecosystem.
A symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the other species is neither harmed nor helped is termed:
commensalism
This photograph illustrates a tidal pool ___.
community
To obtain nourishment, this organism is classified as a ___.
consumer (Crab)
•Detritivores
consumers, such as this crab, that eat waste organic matter
As you move up the levels of the energy pyramid, the amount of available energy __________.
decreases
No two organisms can occupy the same ______ for an extended period of time.
ecological niche
The study of the interaction among organisms and between organisms and their abiotic environment is termed
ecology.
What important economic indicator can be determined by the point on the diagram?
economically optimum amount of pollution
Which is the most comprehensive term that includes all the other terms?
ecosystem
Public drinking water is tested for coliform because
elevated levels of E. coli may indicate the presence of sewage-carried pathogens.
If economic decisions are to be sustainable they will have to consider which of the following?
environmental and societal costs must both be considered
Current national income accounting practices provide inaccurate measures of income because
environmental factors are not taken into account.
The issue that racial and ethnic minorities face unusually high exposure to environmental hazards is a central argument to:
environmental justice
The interdisciplinary study of humanity's relationship with other organisms and the non-living physical environment is termed:
environmental science
The ability to meet humanity's current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs is termed:
environmental sustainability
The ability to meet humanity's current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs is
environmental sustainability.
What is the most common method of determining whether a chemical causes cancer?
exposing lab animals to potential carcinogens
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but changes from one form to another. This is the ___ law of thermodynamics
first
If DDT were introduced into this food chain, which animal would store the greater concentration of bioaccumulated toxicants?
fish more than eels
Energy
flows in one direction through an ecosystem
Which of the following is a nonrenewable resource?
fossil fuels
Figure A shows the __________________ niche of the green anole and Figure B shows the _______________ niche of the green anole after the brown anole out-competed the green anole.
fundamental; realized
What is a factor that contributes to the rapid spread of infectious diseases?
highly concentrated urban populations
I= P × A × T model can be used to calculate which of the following?
human impact on the environment
According to the Western worldview humanity is ethically obligated to which of the following?
humans
The fecal coliform test is used to assess:
if water is safe to drink
People overpopulation is a situation:
in which there are too many people in a given geographical area.
Trees of the same species in a dense forest must compete for available sunlight. This is an example of
intraspecific competition.
A persistent toxicant is one that
is not easily broken down through chemical or biological processes.
Pollution is considered an external cost because;
its cost to the environment is not reflected in the price of the product that produces it.
The majority of organisms in the Antarctic food web are either directly or indirectly tied to the fate of the _____ population?
krill
Non-renewable resource is to renewable resource as
limited supply is to sustainable supply.
The EPA rates Environmental Impact Statement drafts as Adequate, Insufficient Information, or Inadequate. Which of these do you think would get your submitted EIS a rating of Insufficient Information?
lists impacts but fails to provide enough data regarding alternatives
In the scientific method, a hypothesis
makes a prediction that can be tested
In order to estimate human impact on the environment we can
multiply the number of people times affluence per person times resources used and wastes produced (I = P × A × T
Acacia ants make nests on the acacia plant's leaves and gain special nutrients from these leaf tips while protecting the plant from herbivores. This is an example of
mutualism.
For organism 2, the effect of commensalism is
no effect.
What was an important provision of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970?
obligatory Environmental Impact Statements
Interspecific competition
occurs among organisms that are different species.
Parasitism
one benefits at the expense of the other
What is the lowest level of ecological organization?
organism
The photo below illustrates what type of symbiosis?
parasitism
A disease causing agent is also called a:
pathogen
What form of energy is depicted by the bow in this photo?
potential (Arch bow)
The Arctic National Wildlife Reserve sets aside a natural area to protect it from human activities. This is an example of
preservation.
The type of imitation coloration use by this frog is a protective strategy of
prey.
If a lizard eats cricket and is then eaten by a snake, the cricket is a __________ in this food chain.
primary consumer
Consumers feed on __________ or ____________.
producers, consumers
Organisms that can manufacture their own food are considered
producers.
Plants and algae are
producers.
Nitrogen is essential for living organisms to synthesize
proteins.
Utilizing slightly different resources on the same tree has reduced direct competition between the five species of warblers, a process known as
resource partitioning
Renewable resources are:
resources such as fish that can be replaced by natural processes on a fairly rapid scale provided they are not overexploited in the short term
When you consider the hazards involved in your planned sky diving excursion, you are making a(n)
risk analysis.
Making informed decisions about how to reduce the probability of harm is the focus of
risk management.
Which of the following is the BEST example of voluntary simplicity?
sharing ownership of a hybrid car with someone else
An Environmental Impact Statement must include:
short- and long-term effects and any adverse environmental effects.
Economies depend on natural capital, which in the environment is/are the
sources for raw materials and sinks for waste products.
The use of goods and services that satisfy basic human needs, improve the quality of life but minimize resource use is referred to as:
sustainable consumption
Each level of the energy pyramid captures about _______ percent of the energy found in the level below it.
ten
What is sustainability?
the ability of the environment to meet the needs of organisms that live there over long periods of time
In 2000, "Clean Energy Now!" was:
the theme for Earth Day celebrations
Keystone species, like the gray wolf, are defined by:
their place in the food chain; grey wolves are the top predator in their ecosystem.
What is the single largest cause of preventable death in the world today?
tobacco use
Examples of non-sustainable human activities or behaviors include:
use of non-renewable fossil fuels
A type of sustainable consumption which recognizes that individual happiness and quality of life are not necessarily linked to the accumulation of material goods but rather that a person's values and character define that individual more than how many things he or she own is known as:
voluntary simplicity
Which of the following is an example of a "sink" in environmental economics?
waste that accumulates when a product is no longer useful.
Why are public water supplies monitored for fecal coliform bacteria despite the fact that most strains of E. coli do not cause disease
water supplies monitored for fecal coliform bacteria despite the fact that most strains of E. coli do not cause disease E. coli is the best indicator of sewage-contaminated water because it doesn't appear in the environment except from human and animal feces.
Why is drinking water tested for the presence of E. coli?
water tested for the presence of E. coli? It is a reliable way to indicate the existence of pathogens in water.
Commensalism
where one benefits but the other is unaffected—neither harmed nor helped
Determining Health Effects of Pollutants (2 of 3)- IMPORTANT
• One way to determine the acute toxicity of a chemical is to administer different sized doses to populations of laboratory animals -Responses to dosing are then measured and used to predict effects on humans •Lethal dose-50 percent, or L D 50 -Dose that is lethal to 50% of a population of test animals •Usually noted as milligrams of chemical per kilogram of body weight -The smaller the L D 50 , the more toxic the chemical; the greater the L D 50, the less toxic the chemical •Generally, a chemical with a low L D 50 in several animal species will also be very toxic in humans
What are other Global Environmental Issues? pt 2
•13 million hectares of forest lost annually •Loss of biodiversity •Loss of habitat for plants and animals •Deforested areas release C O 2 •Deforestation affects local climate
Environmental Legislation (1 of 2) - IMPORTANT
•A combination of environmental disasters and public demand led to the creation of the National Environmental Policy Act and the Environmental Protection Agency, in 1970 -N E P A requires the federal government to consider the environmental impact of proposed actions/projects -Before federally funded projects begin, environmental impact statements must be completed (E I Ss) -N E P A established the Council on Environmental Quality to monitor E I Ss and report to the president •E I Ss are available to the public for scrutiny •Major projects go through extensive review processes
Protecting Forests (2 of 3) -IMPORTANT!
•American Forestry Association (1875) -Founded by citizens to raise public awareness to prevent the destruction of America's forests •Forest Reserve Act (1891) -Gave U S presidents authority to establish forest reserves on federal land •Harrison, Cleveland, McKinley, T. Roosevelt preserved 43 million acres of forest -Modified in 1907 •Creating national forests now required acts of Congress •Roosevelt signed bill into law, but only after designating 21 more national forests (16 million additional acres)
What are other Global Environmental Issues? pt 4
•Animal grazing and land converted for agriculture are main causes of desertification •Desertification causes -Loss of topsoil-Increased soil salinity -Damaged vegetation -Regional climate change -Decline in biodiversity ( decrease in all the variety of life that can be found on Earth (plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms) as well as to the communities that they form and the habitats in which they live.
Establishing National Parks and Monuments (2 of 2) -IMPORTANT!
•Antiquities Act, 1906 -Authorized the president to set aside sites that had scientific, historic, or prehistoric importance •Management of national parks and monuments was transferred from the U.S. Army to the National Park Service in 1916 - Congress created the National Park Service to manage the national parks and monuments for the enjoyment of the public, "without impairment" •Hetch Hetchy Valley conflict •Dinosaur National Monument
Sustainable Consumption (2 of 3)
•At the global level, sustainable consumption requires the eradication of poverty -Consumption of essential resources by the global poor should increase, while consumption patterns of those in wealthy countries should decrease -Requires behavioral changes in people in highly developed countries - think about how difficult it is to make behavioral change in the U.S.? •Single use plastics, wearing a mask during a pandemic, etc.
Step 2: Protect and Restore Earth's Resources (2 of 2)
•Biodiversity: The number and variety of Earth's organisms - 5/6 of all species have yet to be described- 80% species we depend on are found in developing countries •Loss of biodiversity results in loss of resources that global populations depend on for health and daily life •Organisms and the natural environment provide ecosystem services we need to survive -Protection of watersheds, agricultural lands, climate, habitats
Cancer-Causing Substances (1 of 2)- IMPORTANT
•Carcinogens are any substance that causes cancer •Cancer was originally the main effect evaluated in chemical risk assessment -Other serious health concerns are also linked to environmental toxicants, but were not initially the focus of chemical risk assessment -Non-cancer diseases, birth defects, damage to the immune system, reproductive problems, and damage to the nervous system or other body systems, all can be due to chemical exposure, and risks for these effects are assessed similarly to cancer risks
Children and Chemical Exposure
•Children are more susceptible to the effects of chemicals than adults -Weigh less than adults -Interact more with their environment -Undergoing rapid internal changes as they grow -Less aware of potential risks from chemical exposures -Higher metabolic rate requires more oxygen, causing increased susceptibility to air pollution
Economic Strategies for Pollution Control (1 of 2) - IMPORTANT!
•Command and control regulations - Pollution control laws that work by setting limits on levels of pollution •Require either: •Use of a specific method of pollution control •Setting a quantitative pollution control goal -Economists argue that costs of command and control regulation can be too high •Believe that using economic tools instead can achieve the same environmental benefits at lower cost, via incentive-based regulation
Establishing National Parks and Monuments (1 of 2)- IMPORTANT!
•Congress established Yellowstone National Park in 1872 -The world's first national park •John Muir (1838-1914), important naturalist and writer -Influenced foundation of Yosemite National Park in 1890 -Founded Sierra Club -Biocentric preservationist •Protecting nature from human interference •All forms of life deserve respect and consideration
Environmental Regulations -IMPORTANT!
•Congress has passed federal laws which serve as the foundation of environmental management in the U S -Clean Air Act -Clean Water Act -Resource Conservation and Recovery Act •The E P A was founded in 1970 -Part of the executive branch of the federal government -Translates laws into specific regulations •Office of Management and Budget -Assesses environmental impact of each new regulation •Implementation and enforcement of regulations are at the state level -States then report back to E P A
Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers (IMPORTANT!)
•Consumers are animals that consume other organisms -Primary consumers, or herbivores, eat producers -Secondary consumers eat primary consumers -Tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers •Secondary and tertiary consumers are carnivores •Consumers that eat both plants and animals are omnivores
Sustainability and the Environment (2 of 2)
•Currently, human society is not operating sustainably, due to: - Use of nonrenewable resources as if they were unlimited-Use of renewable resources faster than they can be replenished -We are polluting the environment with toxins as if its capacity to absorb them was limitless-Population continues to increase - Human activities disrupt many natural regenerative processes •Left unchecked, these activities may make recovery of many depleted natural systems impossible-Solutions are complex and challenging -Ecological, social, and economic factors interact, making sustainability difficult to achieve
Pesticides and Children -IMPORTANT!
•Different individuals can have different responses to substances that can affect human health • For example: -Pesticides are chemicals that are more harmful to children than adults: •Children have greater exposure and greater response •Playing in contaminated fields •Putting hands/objects in mouth •Developing bodies are more sensitive to toxic effects -Range of effects •Cancer, mental and/or physical disabilities •Can affect the development of intelligence and motor skills in young children
Disease-Causing Agents in the Environment (1 of 3)- IMPORTANT!
•Disease-causing agents (pathogens) are infectious organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasitic worms -Typhoid, cholera, bacterial dysentery, polio, infectious hepatitis are common diseases that are transmissible through contaminated food and water •These diseases are considered environmental health hazards •Diseases that are not transmissible through the environment (such as A I D S) are not environmental health hazards
What are Environmental policy decision that have ethical dimension and whose rights have priority when siting an environmentally hazardous facility
•Finding and adopting equitable solutions to difficult environmental problems is challenging, but essential in an ethical society •We have a moral imperative to not repeat past environmental injustices •Advocates in many areas are calling for remediation of hazardous sites in areas of previous environmental injustice
Environmental Changes and Emerging Diseases (3 of 3)- IMPORTANT
•Diseases carried by animals -Malaria, West Nile and Zika viruses are spread by mosquitoes •Half the world's population is at risk of contracting malaria, which causes about 500,000 deaths a year •Zika virus is an emerging disease that can cause severe birth defects if woman is infected during pregnancy -Lyme disease is spread by deer ticks -Hanta virus is spread by mice and other rodents •Efforts to control disease-carrying animals have had mixed success over the years
Cancer-Causing Substances (2 of 2)- IMPORTANT
•Dosing experiments using laboratory animals (rats, mice) are the most common methods used to determine the carcinogenicity of chemicals -Problems with this research method: •Very large doses necessary to get statistically significant results •Rats and mice may respond differently to dosing than humans •Extrapolating high dose lab animal data to low dose human exposures does not always accurately estimate human risk -Solutions: •E P A is working with toxicologists to develop direct evidence of risk due to exposure to low doses of cancer-causing chemicals •Epidemiological studies are also useful in determining chemical carcinogenicity
The Environmental Movement (2 of 2)- IMPORTANT!
•Earth Day 1990 -Also organized by Hayes, but globally this time o200 million people in 141 nations participated -"Think globally, act locally" •Earth day 2000, "Clean Energy Now" -Brought concerns over global climate change due to fossil fuel consumption into the public eye •Wangari Maathai, environmental activist, 1940-2011 -Established Greenbelt Movement in Kenya -Awarded the Noble Peace Prize for advancing sustainability
Human Impacts on the Environment (1 of 3)
•Earth's human population exceeded 7.3 billion in 2015 - In 1960 = 3 billion; 1975 = 4 billion; 1987 = 5 billion •World population may stabilize by the end of the 21st century- Population experts project anywhere from 7.7 to 10.6 billion, depending on how rapidly the fertility rate decreases -Current average fertility rate worldwide is 2.5 children per woman -Fertility rates vary: 1.7 in highly developed countries compared to 4.5 in some of the least developed countries -Even with most countries' active involvement with family planning, population growth rates take time to change
Population, Resources, and the Environment (4 of 6)
•Ecological footprint: - Amount of productive land, fresh air/water, and ocean, required to supply one person with food, wood, energy, water, housing, clothing, transportation, and waste disposal -Allotted global footprint 4.3 acres - what is physically possible to be supported by Earth •(Amount of Earth's productive land and water ÷ Global human population) - Average global footprint 6.9 acres - what is actually be consumed by the current population•This results in an ecological overshoot - Ecological footprints of countries (not individuals) vary depending on both population and consumption •France's total footprint is 783.6 million acres •The US's total footprint is 6943 million acres
Environmental Economics (1 of 2)- IMPORTANT!
•Economics -Study of how people use limited resources to satisfy unlimited wants -The world is one large marketplace -Supply and demand determine prices •Economies depend on natural environment -Sources for raw materials -Sinks for waste products
EnviroDiscovery: Environmental Literacy-IMPORTANT!
•Environmental education -Critical to the development of appropriate decision-making skills based on scientific concepts •Required in most states during primary and secondary education -The National Environmental Education Act of 1990 requires the Environmental Protection Agency to increase public awareness and knowledge of environmental issues. -In 2012, the National Council for Science and the Environment launched the Climate Adaptation and Mitigation e-Learning portal -As of 2016 the American College and University President's Climate Commitment had over 670 schools agree to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and require sustainability education for all students -Roots and Shoots program- Youth-based environmental action organization started by environmentalist Jane Goodall
Environmental Changes and Emerging Diseases (1 of 3)- IMPORTANT
•Environmental factors are a significant cause of human disease in many areas of the world •There are links between human activities that alter the environment and human health -Over 25% of injury and disease worldwide is related to human-caused environmental changes -Climate change and disruption of natural environments give disease-causing agents the opportunity to thrive •Cholera is increasing as temperatures increase due to climate change •Cutting forests, building dams, and agriculture, may bring us into contact with disease-causing agents and increasing populations of disease-carrying organisms such as mosquitoes
The Environmental Movement (1 of 2)- IMPORTANT!
•Environmentalists: People concerned about the environment •Environmental movement -Prior to 1970 in the U S, environmental concerns were generally funneled through organizations like the Sierra Club -This all changed with the celebration of the first Earth Day, on April 22nd 1970 -Organized by Gaylord Nelson and Denis Hayes, in response, in part, to the Santa Barbara oil spill of 1969, it brought 20 million people across the U S out in support of reducing pollution and improving environmental quality -A broad-based coalition of the public and leaders united to address environmental concerns, and results included the foundation of the U S Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the development of local and regional organizations and legislation aimed at environmental protection
Environmental Health Hazards (2 of 3) -IMPORTANT!
•Epidemiology -The study of how chemicals (toxicants), biological agents (disease), and physical hazards (accidents, radiation) affect the health of human populations -Epidemiologists study large groups of people and investigate a range of causes and types of disease and injuries
What is Ecology? (1 of 3) - Important !
•Ernst Haeckel •The study of the interactions among organisms and between organisms and their abiotic environment •Biotic and abiotic
What is Ethics?
•Ethics is the branch of philosophy that deals with human values and morality •Environmental ethics considers the moral basis of environmental responsibility -Considers the rights of people living today AND of future generations-Critical because our actions today affect the environment in the future
What is Step 3 ?
•Food insecurity- The condition in which people live with chronic hunger and malnutrition - Link between poverty and food insecurity •800 million people worldwide lack access to food needed to live healthy, productive lives - Mostly live in rural areas of developing countries •Improved agriculture is the highest priority for global sustainability - Multi-cropping - Conservation tillage - Aquaculture
Renewable Energy Policy Challenges
•Governments struggle to develop climate change policies -Costs of doing either something or nothing about climate change are huge, uncertain, and are spread out over time, space, and people •One of the biggest issues is how to shift from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources (IMPORTANT!) -The United States produces less energy from renewable sources than many other countries, due to lower cost and high availability of fossil fuels such as natural gas -Other countries have fewer fossil fuel resources, and have higher economic incentives to develop renewable energy sources
EnviroDiscovery: Green Roofs
•Green roof: Partially or completely covered with vegetation and soil •Provide environmental benefits - Reduce heating costs in winter and cooling costs in summer-Filter rainwater pollutants -Reduce stormwater in sewers-Provide wildlife habitats •New York City has increasing numbers of green roofs
How many people can Earth support?
•How many people the Earth can actually support is unknown - This will depend on our ability to develop sustainable agricultural practices that do not destroy the biological communities that support life on the planet-Consumption levels of materials and energy also play a part.
Who are the dominant agent of environmental changes
•Humans are the dominant agent of environmental change -Humans transform the landscape - Increasing populations are overwhelming Earth's regenerative capacity •Human activities have: -Disrupted habitats of thousands of species •In 2015, a total of 22,784 species were classified as threatened worldwide - Profound effects on processes such as nutrient cycles and climate
An Economist's View of Pollution (1 of 5)- IMPORTANT!
•In a free market system, all costs of product production should be paid for by the consumer. Unfortunately, a product's market price does not usually include external costs: -External costs are harmful environmental or social costs that are borne by people not directly involved in selling or buying the product •Labor, raw materials, building, and energy use, are generally all factored into a final product price •Costs of pollution produced during manufacture or transport of the product are not currently routinely included in the pricing equation •These costs are ultimately absorbed by those whom the pollution directly affects, not the end users of the product •This encourages pollution •If full cost were added, people might not purchase such products
Determining Health Effects of Pollutants (3 of 3)- IMPORTANT
•In addition to determining the lethal dose range of a chemical, it is important to also measure the dosage where biological responses other than death occur -Effective dose-50 percent, or E D 50 •Dose at which 50% of a population will exhibit the biological response under study
A Perspective on Risks (1 of 4)- IMPORTANT!
•Many environmental threats impact human and ecosystem health -Risk analysis is an approach that helps us determine which threats are the most significant •Risk -The probability of harm (human or environmental) occurring under certain circumstances -Inherent in our actions and our environment -Risk management is the process of identifying, assessing, and reducing risks
National Income Accounts and the Environment- IMPORTANT!
•Natural capital is a valuable asset •National income accounts -Measure total income of a nation's goods and services for a given year -Ideally should include natural resource depletion and environmental degradation in the measures -Neither of the current most used measures (Gross domestic product (G D P) and net domestic product (N D P) incorporate environmental factors in their calculations -Other methods have been suggested, for example, the genuine progress indicator (G P I) •G P I includes human development and natural capital depletion measures in calculations
Step 4: Mitigate Climate Change (2 of 2)
•No simple cause -and-effect relationship between an increase in atmospheric C O 2 and climate warming - Instead it is a cascade of interactions in the environment•Stabilizing the climate requires a comprehensive energy plan - Cut carbon emissions - Phase out fossil fuels - Improve energy efficiency - Stop and reverse rainforest destruction -Multinational commitment to plan
What are other Global Environmental Issues? pt 3
•Oceans cover two-thirds of the Earth's surface and are home to half of the world's biodiversity •Over 70% of the world's commercial fish species are depleted or nearing depletion •50% of coral reefs worldwide are threatened by human activity•Many factors cause ocean stresses: -Overfishing -Pollution -Increased C O 2 emissions -Global climate change -Coastal development
Environmental Health Hazards- IMPORTANT!
•Pandemic -Disease which reaches nearly all parts of the world and can infect almost every person •Influenza (flu) •Avian influenza, affects birds and may infect humans •Hard to transmit to humans, but once infected, human mortality is high •H 1 N 1 (Swine) Flu •Appeared in Mexico in late spring 2009, and was pandemic by early summer -Understanding and controlling pandemics requires: •Understanding of the environment and conditions that allow the virus to survive and travel •Cooperation among many governments and individuals
A Perspective on Risks (4 of 4)- IMPORTANT
•People are more concerned about small risks than large risks -Large risk: Complications associated with obesity and smoking -Small risk: E P A-accepted amount of chemical in drinking water •A person with both risks is 2 million times more likely to die of cancer from smoking than from ingesting the low level chemical in the water •However, person with both risks is more likely to buy bottled water to prevent chemical exposure than to stop smoking
Disease-Causing Agents in the Environment (3 of 3)-IMPORTANT
•Periodic testing of drinking water supplies is routinely done to detect and address this potential threat to public health -Fecal coliform test •Tests water for the common intestinal coliform bacterium E. coli •If E. coli is present, it indicates sewage contamination has occurred, and other, pathogenic, bacteria may also be present
Movement and Fate of Toxicants (2 of 2)- IMPORTANT!
•Persistence -Persistent toxicants are stable in the environment and take many years to break down into less toxic forms •Persistent substances that can't be broken down by organisms will be stored in the fatty tissues of the organism that has taken them in •Bioaccumulation -The increase of a chemical in an organism over time as more is taken in but little or none is removed •Organisms at top of food chain store greater concentrations of bioaccumulated toxicants in their bodies than those lower on the food chain •Biological magnification -The increase in toxicant concentration as a toxicant passes through successive levels of the food chain
The Global Ban of Persistent Organic Pollutants (1 of 2)- IMPORTANT
•Persistent organic pollutants (P O Ps) -Persistent toxicants that bioaccumulate in organisms and travel through air and water to contaminate sites far from their source -Table shows list of the 12 most toxic P O Ps on Earth
Mobility in the Environment
•Persistent toxicants tend to move through soil, water, and air; sometimes for long distances -Agricultural pesticides are washed into rivers and streams, harming aquatic life
The First Law of Thermodynamics ( IMPORTANT!)
•Photosynthesis •Photosynthesis -Plants capture light energy from the sun, and convert it into stored chemical energy -This captured energy is then released during cellular respiration, and is used by the organism to do biological work -The chemical equation for photosynthesis is: •6C O 2 + 12H 2 O + radiant energy → C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6H 2 O + 6O 2 -The chemical equation for cellular respiration is: •C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2 + 6H 2 O → 6C O 2 + 12H 2 O + energy
Sustainable Consumption (1 of 3)
•Pollution and degradation of the environment increase with increasing resource consumption-Compared to more modest living situations, affluent lifestyles: •Use disproportionally more resources•Create disproportionally more pollution •Sustainable consumption is a balance between improving quality of life while reducing resource consumption-Influenced by population, economic activities, technology, social values, personal preferences, and government policies
What does MDC mean?
•Poor countries are known as moderately developed countries (M D Cs) or less developed countries (L D Cs) •82% of the world's population live in either M D Cs (such as Mexico, Turkey) or L D Cs (such as Haiti, Bangladesh) • MDCs have: •Medium levels of industrialization•Lower per person incomes, and fewer opportunities for education and health care than those in highly developed countries
Population, Resources, and the Environment (3 of 6)
•Population size and resource consumption: -At the same level of consumption, a larger population will consume more resources than a smaller one -However, globally, not all people consume the same amounts of resources •One child in a highly developed country has greater environmental impact than 20 children in a developing country •Highly developed nations represent less than 20% of the world's population and consume more than half of the world's resources: •86% of the aluminum used •76% of timber harvested •68 percent of energy produced •61% of meat eaten •42% fresh water consumed
Population, Resources, and the Environment (6 of 6)
•Population, consumption, and environmental impact -Human impacts on the environment are difficult to assess - Mathematical models are utilized which use three most important factors to determine environmental impact: •The number of people (P) .•The affluence per person, which is a measure of the consumption, or amount of resources used per person (A). •The environmental effects (resources needed and wastes produced) of the technologies used to obtain and consume the resources (T). - This assessment method is known as the IPAT model:•I = P × A × T.
Conservation and Preservation of Resources (2 of 2)
•Preservation -Setting aside undisturbed areas -Maintaining them in a pristine state -Protecting them from human activities that might alter their natural state •Preservation vs. conservation controversy -Resources in undisturbed places have high economic value -Expanding population and growing industrialization puts significant development pressure on preserved areas
Conservation in the Mid-20th Century (1 of 2) -IMPORTANT!
•President Roosevelt -Established Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression (IMPORTANT!) •Employed 500,000 young men to plant trees, make paths and roads in national parks and forests, build dams to control flooding, and perform other activities that protected natural resources -Established the Soil Conservation Service in 1935, in response to the American Dust Bowl •Aldo Leopold, wildlife biologist, 1886-1948 -Influenced conservation movement in 20th century with writings: •Game Management, 1933 •A Sand County Almanac, 1949 •Wallace Stegner, writer, 1909-1993 •"Wilderness Essay," 1962 •Influenced passage of the Wilderness Act, 1964
Conservation in the Mid-20th Century (2 of 2)- Important
•Rachel Carson, 1907-1964 -Marine biologist who wrote about interrelationships among living organisms, including humans, and the natural environment -Published Silent Spring, 1962 •Explored the consequences of indiscriminate use of D D T and other pesticides •Raised public awareness of environmental consequences of both pesticide use and general environmental pollution -Carson's approach to environment emphasized a systems perspective •A systems perspective considers both the immediate effects of activities as well as their subsequent impacts in other places or at other times
Conservation and Preservation of Resources (1 of 2)- iMPORTANT!
•Resources -Any part of the natural environment used to promote the welfare of people or other species •Conservation -Sensible and careful management of natural resources •Can be technological or behavioral -Conservation targets can include agriculture, water, mineral, forest, fishery, and other resources -Even early human cultures practiced conservation •Terracing hilly farmland to prevent soil erosion •Crop rotation to maintain soil fertility and reduce topsoil loss
A Perspective on Risks (2 of 4) -IMPORTANT!
•Risk assessment -The quantitative and qualitative characterization of risks so that they can be compared, contrasted, and managed •Four steps in risk assessment 1.Hazard identification 2.Dose-response assessment 3.Exposure assessment 4.Risk characterization/Risk management
Protecting Forests (3 of 3)- IMPORTANT!
•Roosevelt appointed Gifford Pinchot as the first head of the U.S. Forest Service •Both Roosevelt and Pinchot were utilitarian conservationists -Value natural resources because of their usefulness but use them sensibly and carefully
Accomplishments of Environmental Legislation- IMPORTANT
•Since 1970: - 40 major environmental laws passed •These laws address endangered species, clean air and water, energy conservation, hazardous wastes, pesticides -16 national parks have been established (109 million acres) -Vulnerable farmland removed from production •60% reduction in soil erosion -Many endangered species are recovering -Pollution control efforts •E P A's 2008 Report on the Environment •Reduction in six important air pollutants •Reduction in acid rain components •Significant recycling, recovery, or reduction, of municipal solid waste •Hazardous waste sites effectively reducing human contamination
Environmental Changes and Emerging Diseases (2 of 3)- IMPORTANT
•Social factors can also contribute to disease epidemics -High urban population concentrations promote rapid spread of infectious organisms -Global travel has contributed to rapid spread of disease over great distances -Urban environmental conditions can harbor breeding grounds for disease carrying mosquitoes •Discarded tires and other containers can collect standing water which provides an optimal environment for the explosive growth of mosquito populations
Movement and Fate of Toxicants (1 of 2)- IMPORTANT
•Some toxicants are particularly dangerous -Certain pesticides, radioactive isotopes, heavy metals (mercury), flame retardants (P B D Es), and industrial chemicals (P C Bs) -Resist degradation -Travel quickly in the environment •D D T demonstrates the problem -D D T pesticides banned in the U S in 1972 -Causes birds to lay eggs with thin shells, leading to chick death -Effects on birds are due to D D T persistence in environment, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification
The Global Ban of Persistent Organic Pollutants (2 of 2)- IMPORTANT
•Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, 2001 -U N treaty to protect human health from the 12 most toxic P O Ps -Requires countries to develop plans to eliminate the production and use of intentionally produced P O Ps •Exception: D D T still used to control malaria mosquitoes in countries where no affordable alternatives exist
Sustainability and the Environment (1 of 2)
•Sustainability: - The ability to meet humanity's current needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their needs - Based on several ideas •Economic, social, and environmental well being must all be considered •We must consider effects of our actions on the environment •Earth's resources are finite •Understanding environmental and social costs of our consumption •All Earth's inhabitants have shared responsibility for living sustainably
Human Use of the Earth (1 of 2)
•Sustainable development - Economic growth that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs - Can occur only within the limits of the environment •The level of resource consumption found in highly developed countries, such as the U S, Europe, and Japan, would not be sustainable if practiced globally
Environmental History ( IMPORTANT!)
•The first 200 years of U.S. history were a time of widespread environmental destruction (1600s-1800s) -European settlers exploited the resources that native peoples had used sustainably for thousands of years -Frontier attitude: Conquer and profit from nature -High unsustainable resource use
The Carbon Cycle (1 of 2)- IMPORTANT
•The global movement of carbon between the abiotic environment (atmosphere, ocean) and organisms -Atmosphere/ocean à photosynthesis - cellular respiration/combustion/ deComposition -atmosphere/ocean •Carbon is an essential component of organisms' molecules •Also essential component of abiotic environment
Protecting Forests (1 of 3) -IMPORTANT!
•The great forests of the Northeast and Midwest United States existed untouched for thousands of years before the European settlers arrived -The Northeast U S forests were decimated within a few generations of European settlement -The Midwest was almost completely deforested in the forty years following the Civil War •This environmental devastation drew the attention of many U S naturalists, who began to give environmental conservation a voice
Population, Resources, and the Environment (1 of 6)
•The high rate of resource consumption in highly developed countries affects the environment as much as rapid population growth in other parts of the world -During rapid population growth, simply providing the essentials for survival can overwhelm a country's natural resources •Often a situation found in developing countries•In highly developed countries, consumption of natural resources far exceeds amounts needed for basic survival -This depletion of resources extends past the boundaries of individual countries and can affect resources globally •Continued high-consumption lifestyles now rely on importation of resources from less developed countries to sustain them
Determining Health Effects of Pollutants (1 of 3)- IMPORTANT
•The toxicity of a pollutant is determined by the dose at which adverse effects are produced -Dose •The amount of a toxicant that enters the body of an exposed organism •Measured by quantity of toxicant absorbed (mass or volume) and time (duration of exposure) •Weight (mass) of the exposed individual is also important -Response •Type and amount of damage due to exposure to a particular dose •Lethal dose: Causes death •Sub-lethal dose: Causes harm
What are the five stages in addressing Environmental problems?
•There are five stages in addressing environmental problems 1.Scientific evaluation 2.Risk analysis 3.Public engagement 4.Political considerations 5.Long-term environmental management
Environmental Health Hazards (3 of 3) - IMPORTANT
•Toxicant exposure can be acute or chronic -Acute toxicity •Effects of toxicants occur immediately to several days after a single exposure •Symptoms range from dizziness and nausea to death -Chronic toxicity •Damage usually follows long-term, low-level toxicant exposure •Symptoms can mimic other chronic disease •We know much less about chronic toxicity
Environmental Health Hazards (1 of 3) -IMPORTANT
•Toxicants -Chemicals with adverse effects on health -All chemicals are toxic if exposure is high enough •Toxicology -Studies the effects of toxicants on living organisms -Evaluates the mechanisms that cause toxicity -Develops ways to prevent or minimize adverse effects •Handling and exposure guidelines
Sustainable Consumption (3 of 3)
•Voluntary simplicity:- Type of sustainable consumption where quality of life ≠ amount of material goods -Values and character define a person, not what they own -Includes car -sharing and using public transportation -Requires commitment at the individual level -Technological advances can help promote the acceptance of voluntary simplicity; for example: the development and availability of compact florescent light bulbs and L E Ds
Disease-Causing Agents in the Environment (2 of 3) - IMPORTANT!
•Water supplies can be very vulnerable to contamination with waterborne pathogens -Serious disease outbreaks have resulted from sewage-contaminated water supplies •1993: U.S. outbreak of Cryptosporidium in Milwaukee affected 370,000 people •2000: Waterborne E. coli outbreak in Canada, several deaths and several thousand became ill