Chapter 1 Flashcards
Nonrenewable Resources
Resources presented in limited supply and are depleted as they are used
Examples of nonrenewable resources
Minerals: iron, copper
Fossils Fuels: Coal, Oil, Natural Gas
Renewable Resources
Resources replaced by nature and can be used forever, if not depleted in the short term
Ecological Footprint
An amount of productive land, water, and ocean required to supply a person w/ food, energy, etc.
What type of countries have an ecological overshoot?
Highly developed countries
Environmental Impact Equation
I=PxAxT
Environmental Impact Equation:
I
Impact
Environmental Impact Equation:
P
Number of people
Environmental Impact Equation:
A
Measure of consumption per person
Environmental Impact Equation:
T
Technology
Human Behavior
- Using nonrenewable resources to fast
- using renewable resources to fast
- Polluting environment as if it were absorbed unlimitedly
- Population growing faster than resources
- Our actions disrupt the ability for nature to regenerate
First Goal for Sustainability?
What changes is society willing to make?
Main Difficulty of Sustainability?
Understanding of how environment work and how human action effect it
Define Environmental Science
Study of humanities relationship w/other organisms and the environment
Define Ecology
Studies the interrelationship between organisms and their environment
