Nature of Env Science Flashcards
environment
all biotic and abiotic entities that interact with e/o and their relationships, involves both natural and constructed environments, networks of a multitude of institutions
environmental problems
results from the manipulation of env and its manipulation of ppl, symptoms of dysfunctional economic and social systems
natural resources
Earth’s materials found in nature and can be used, allows ppl to improve their circumstances
3 types of natural resources
perpetual: infinite on human timescales (solar energy, winds); renewable: can be used repeatedly when returned, results in degradation due to degrading quality; non-renewable: breaks down into non-usable forms when used the first time, finite, can’t be used repeatedly
natural capital
Earth’s natural assets and what the env naturally does, intangible and unquantifiable
ecosystem services
variety of benefits to humans provided by a healthy nature
biotic potential
max number of individuals a species can produce (large organisms have small BP while microorganisms have large BP)
carrying capacity
the quantifiable ability of the env to sustain the pop of a certain species , decreases over time due to pop boom-and-bust cycles
Thomas Robert Malthus
concluded that food supply increases constantly over time, pop increases exponentially, and pop will exceed food availability which leads to famine and death (pop growth can’t be sustained by food supply)
Paul and Anne Ehrlich
concluded that human pop control is needed to prevent global famine and death (like contraceptives, sterilization, expansion of abortion rights, sex ed), and tech continues to offset effects of pop growth but this may be unsustainable
Ehrlich/Holdren (IPAT) Equation
represents how pop has an essential impact on env impact
ecological footprint
env impact of an individual/pop in terns if the area of land and water required to provide the materials they consume and absorb/recycle wastes
paradigms
how each person views and understands the world and how things work, linked to personal ethics and values, influenced by ppl around us
economic paradigm
economy is separate from env but dependent on it, env is infinite and can manage waste, fuels economic growth and provides prosperity
ecological paradigm
human sphere is a part of env, resources are consumed by humans and put back into nature as waste in the ecosphere
holistic paradigm
human-built env is defined by a network of social, economic, and technological connections, all of which are connected to global network of natural systems, where all Earth’s spheres conjoin is the human sphere since humans are dependent on all spheres (known as the human culturesphere)
planetary management
humans are the most important and responsible for managing nature, driven by economic growth and prosperity, tech ensures infinite resources, success depends on how well Earth’s systems are managed for humans’ benefit
stewardship
humans are the most important species but have an ethical responsibility to care for nature, resources shouldn’t be wasted but are infinite, encourage all env friendly forms of economic growth, discourage env harmful growth, success depends on how well Earth’s systems are managed for all species’ benefit
environmental wisdom
nature exists for all species, humans aren’t in charge, resources are limited and shouldn’t be wasted or completely used, encourage sustainable econ growth, discourage degradation, success depends on learning how nature sustains itself and integrating these lessons from nature into behaviours and views
science
process of learning about the world and testing understandings of it, involves observation, testing, and discovery, seeks to simplify the world and how it works
scientific method
question the structure of the natural world, develop inferences, formulate and test hypotheses, must be re-formulated and re-tested, generalized conclusion
scientific process
involves peer review, publication, and debate, consistently supported hypothesis becomes a theory, paradigm shifts in dominant worldview can occur with enough data
environmental science
interdisciplinary study of humanity’s relationship with other organisms and the env, env problems are complex and interconnected, seeks to establish general principles about how the natural world functions and use these to develop solutions to env problems
environmentalism
social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world
