Introduction to Env. Science Flashcards
Environmental Science
Studies how the natural world works and how the environment affects humans, and how humans affect the environment
I.e., it studies the dynamics of the natural world and the interrelationship between humans and the environment
An interdisciplinary field with the goal to develop solutions to environmental problems to aid us in avoiding and correcting past mistakes
Natural Resources
Substances and energy sources vital for human survival
Useful materials obtained from nature
Natural Resources: Perpetually Available
Cannot be overused/depleted/destroyed; always available
Ex. sunlight, wind, wave energy (hydropower), geothermal energy
Natural Resources: Replenishable Renewable
Can be destroyed/depleted
Can be renewed only if the resource is managed well
Ex. timber, water, soil, wildlife, forest products, fresh water, agricultural crops
Natural Resources: Non-Renewable
Can be depleted
Can be replenished, but over very long periods of time
Ex. oil, coal, minerals, crude oil, natural gas, copper, aluminum, other metals
Resource Consumption Solutions
Private Ownership
- when people have to pay for the resource and consequences of their actions, they tend to take better care of their land/resources
- individuals tend to take better care of what belongs to them and seek to maintain the resource over a longer period of time than if they were not responsible for it
Voluntary Organizations
- enforce responsible use for companies and individuals
- pressures governments to provide laws and regulations for responsible resource use
Government Regulations
- pressures individuals to use resources responsibly
- left unregulated, resources will be exploited and inevitably depleted
Environmentalism
Environmental activism
A social movement that is dedicated to protecting the environment/world. It brings forth awareness to pressing environmental problems in the hopes to bring forth changes that will provide alleviation or solutions to these problems
Env. Science vs Environmentalism
Environmental science is based on facts, it is not opinionated or biased. It seeks to determine the functioning of the natural world and how it can be influenced by humans and how humans are effected by the natural world and its changes
Environmentalism is a social movement that can be opinionated or biased, it is not necessarily founded on facts. It seeks to bring forth awareness and concern regarding environmental problems in hopes to create change
Scientific Method
A technique for testing ideas
Scientists makes observations, form questions, and formulate a hypothesis based on the observation and question
The hypothesis is then used to generate predictions of outcomes that can be tested
The results of these tests either reject the hypothesis or fail to prove it is not true
Ecological Footprint
The total area of land and water required to produce the resources a given person or population uses, combined with the total amount of land and water required to dispose of their waste
It measures our consumption rates and waste generation compared to waste disposal and the rate of resource regeneration
It measures (hectares [ha]) the environmental impact of a person or a population
Carbon Footprint
The total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product, or person
It is a subset of ecological footprint
Ecological Footprint vs Carbon Footprint
The ecological footprint is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of factors that have an impact on the environment. It measures our consumption rates and waste generation compared to waste disposal and the rate of resource regeneration.
The carbon footprint is one of the many factors that compose the ecological footprint (i.e., it is a subset of the ecological footprint). It measures the total greenhouse gas emissions produced by any given entity or population.
