Transcript Biosphere - University of Washington

Environmental Science
The application of all fields
of science to solve
environmental problems
Environmental Principles
Resources and Resource Use
Environmental Pollution
Social Aspects of Environmental Science
Environmental Principles?
Some examples:
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Impact = population x technology
Use of ‘the commons’
Things change!!
Others?
Have we changed the rate at which
‘things’ change?
Environmental Principles
The environment
consists of 4 spheres:
Lithosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
What role does biogeochemical cycling
play in the environment?
Resources & Resource Use
Resources
Society
Input reduction
• Improve
efficiency
• Reuse/recycling
• Substitution
Sinks (Waste)
Output management
• Remove
• Remediate
• Restore
Resources & Resource Use
• Sustainability = meeting the needs of
today without reducing the quality of life for
future generations
What are resources?
Minerals/metals  products
Fuels  Energy (fossil, nuclear, biomass)
Water  Life, Energy
Food (soils, plants, animals, fish)  Energy
Biological  biodiversity, esthetics
Resources & Resource Use
Renewable Resources vs.
Nonrenewable resources
• can be regenerated within a few human
generations vs.
• can not be regenerated within a few human
generations
Should sustainability be part of these
definitions?
What are ways we can prevent depletion
of resources?
Environmental Pollution
Pollution: excess outputs by society into the environment
How has ‘pollution’ changed over time?
sink
pollutant
examples:
Do we need to be concerned about each
of these?
Environmental Pollution
What about:
• Lead?
• N-fertilizer?
• Milk?
• Pesticides?
Typical methods for
dealing with pollution are:
Removal
Restoration
Remediation
Can you suggest a better way?
Input reduction:
efficiency improvements, substitution, recycle/reuse
Social Aspects of
Environmental Science
What are social issues that affect our environment?
Does human population affect these?
Would your answer change if:
Human population:
Growth?
Stability?
Decline?
Social Aspects of
Environmental Science
What are some social solutions for environmental
management?
Economic…… incentives, green taxes
Legal………… laws, regulations, eliminate subsidies
Education…… media, environmental science
Ethics/
Persuasion.. peer interactions/conservation groups
Social Aspects of
Environmental Science
Environmental economics studies society
and the natural environment as a single
system.
How does this differ from traditional
economic theory?
How do ethics relate to social aspects of
environmental management?
Social Aspects of
Environmental Science
Do you think environmental quality is better
in the US today or during your parent’s or
grandparent’s childhood?
What about for your children?
What about the US today versus other
developed countries? Developing
countries?