Transcript APES practice Questions Chap 1

environmentally sustainable
society
A Society that satisfies the basic needs
of its people without depleting or
degrading its natural resources and
thereby preventing current and future
generations of humans and other
species from meeting their basic
needs.
Natural Capital
The natural resources and natural
services that keep us and other species
alive and support our economies.
Natural Capital =Natural Resources +
Natural Services
Natural Resources
Water
Soil
Life (biodiversity)
Nonrenewable minerals (iron, sand)
Renewable energy (sun, wind, water flows)
Nonrenewable energy)fossil fuels, nuclear
power
Natural Services
Air Purification
Water purification
Water Storage
Soil Renewal
Nutrient Recycling
Conservation of
biodiversity
Wildlife Habitat
Grassland &
Forest Renewal
Waste Treatment
Climate Control
Population Control
Pest Control
Solar Capital
Energy from the sun that warms the
planet and supports photosynthesis and
in doing so all life on Earth.
Also results in other forms of renewable
energy such as wind, flowing water,
biofuels.
Natural Capital Degradation
Using a resource at a faster rate than it
can renew itself…it “shrinks” the
amount of natural capital available to
us.
The opposite of sustainable yield
Economic Growth
Increase in the capacity to provide
people with goods and services
produced by an economy; an increase
in gross domestic product (GDP).
GDP = Annual market value of all goods
and services produced by all firms and
organizations, foreign and domestic,
operating within a country.
Economic Development
Improvement of living standards by use
of economic growth.
The UN classifies the world’s countries
as economically developed or
developing based primarily on their
degree of industrialization and their per
capita GDP.
2 Ways Economic Growth Can
Be Accomplished
Environmentally unsustainable
Environmentally sustainable
Developed Countries
Country that is highly industrialized and
has a high per capita GNP
Include: USA; Canada, Japan;
Australia, New Zealand and most
European countries (population = 1.2
billion)
Gross National Product (GNP)
Is the total dollar value of all final goods
and services produced for consumption
in society during a particular time
Developing Countries
Country that has low to moderate
industrialization and low to moderate
per capita GNP. Most are located in
Africa, Asia, and Latin
America.(population = 5.4 billion)
Environmental Degradation
Depletion or destruction of a potentially
renewable resource such as soil,
grassland, forest, or wildlife that is
used faster than it is naturally
replenished. If such use continues, the
resource becomes nonrenewable (on a
human time scale) or nonexistent
(extinct)
Ecological Footprint
It measures the average environmental
impact of individuals or populations in
different countries and areas. AND IS
The amount of biologically productive land
and water needed to supply each person or
population with the renewable resources they
use and to absorb or dispose of the wastes
from such resource use.
Ecological Footprint
 Developed countries have a much larger ecological
footprint. About 50% of Global Ecological Capacity is
used by USA(25%); European Union(19%); Japan
(5%)Add China(18%) & India(7%){moderately
developed} = 74%
 Developing countries such as those in Africa; SE Asia;
Latin America have a smaller ecological footprint.
 Currently (2002) humanity’s footprint is 39% higher
than Earth’s ecological capacity
What is Culture
environmental worldview
How people think the world works, what
they think their role in the world should
be, and what they believe is right and
wrong environmental behavior
(environmental ethics).
Major Cultural Changes
hunter-gatherers
agricultural revolution,
industrial-medical revolution,
information and globalization revolution.
(discuss why each has led to more environmental degradation)
Environmental Revolution
Cultural change involving halting population
growth and altering lifestyles, political and
economic systems, and the way we treat the
environment so that we can help sustain the
earth for ourselves and other species. This
involves working with the rest of nature by
learning more about how nature sustains
itself. (also called sustainability revolution)
5+ Basic Causes of the
Environmental Problems of Today
1. Population Growth
2. Climate Change
3. Clean Fresh Drinking Water
4. Loss of Biodiversity
5. Improper use of land
6. Deforestation
7. Over harvesting
http://www.panda.org/about_our_earth/faq
/top_5_environmental_questions/
Poverty & its Link to Negative
Environmental Impact
Poverty = Inability to meet basic needs
for food, clothing, and shelter.
(discuss Impact)
Negative effects of Not including
Environmental Cost in Price of
Products/Services
Though cost of goods are much lower than if
all these hidden cost of environmental
“damage” the overall problem is no one takes
responsibility for “repair” of the environment.
Recall that coal or ore mines once exhausted
are often waste lands. Also in one of the
documentary films (WASTE) it was pointed
out that if the manufactures of cars, tv’s,
washing machines, etc. took recycle
responsibility than our waste problem
(landfills) etc. would be greatly reduced.
Planetary Management
Worldview
Beliefs that (1) as the planet’s most important
species, we are in charge of the earth; (2) we
will not run out of resources because of our
ability to develop and find new ones; (3) the
potential for economic growth is essentially
unlimited; and (4) our success depends on
how well we manage the earth's life-support
systems mostly for our own benefit.
Stewardship Worldview
 Beliefs that (1) we are the planet's most
important species but we have an ethical
responsibility to care for the rest of nature; (2) we
will probably not run out of resources but they
should not be wasted; (3) we should encourage
environmentally beneficial forms of economic
growth and discourage environmentally harmful
forms of economic growth; and (4) our success
depends on how well we can manage the earth's
life-support systems for our benefit and for the
rest of nature.
Environmental Wisdom
World View
Beliefs that (1) nature exists for all the earth's
species and we are not in charge of the earth;
(2) resources are limited, should not be
wasted, and are not all for us; (3) we should
encourage earth-sustaining forms of
economic growth and discourage earthdegrading forms of economic growth; and (4)
our success depends on learning how the
earth sustains itself and integrating such
lessons from nature into the ways we think
and act
Frontier Environmental
Worldview
This is another world view that
historical occurred (1600 to 1890 in
North America). Here the view was
that resources were unlimited and
Nature needed to be conquered and
managed for human use.