Chapter 1: Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

When renewable resources are used past their replacement rate the available supply begins to shrink.

________ often result in removal of pollutants in one environment and an increase in another.

The highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used indefinitely without reducing its availability.

A significant function in nature that involves the recycling of chemicals from the environment- most notably from soil and water- through organisms and back into the environment.

These are materials and energy in nature that are essential or useful to humans.

The variety of different organisms, the genes they contain, the ecosystems in which they exist, and the natural services they provide allow us to adapt to the environment when it changes.

A group of organisms with distinctive traits and, for sexually reproducing organisms, can mate and produce fertile offspring.

Materials that natural processes can not break down.

The whole of a society’s knowledge, beliefs, technology, and practices, and changes in this can greatly effect the earth.

Biologist that called degradation the tragedy of the commons.

Study of how organisms interact with one another and with their nonliving environment.

Study of the aspects of the human condition not covered by the physical and social sciences (history, ethics, and philosophy)

Functions of nature, such as purification of air and water.

The control of natural resources so as to prevent resource waste and maintain supply for both present and future generations.

Involves getting people with different views and values to talk and listen to one another and to work together to help solve environmental problems.

Study of chemicals and their interactions (biochemistry)

Set of organisms interacting with one another and with their environment of nonliving matter and energy within a defined area or volume.

The ability of an ecosystem to get rid of human waste and replenish renewable resources.

Social movement dedicated to protecting the earths life support systems for us and all other forms of life.

competition for limited resources among different species places a limit on how much their population can grow.

They can destroy ________, human health, and property.

Started 10, 000- 12, 000 years ago and this was when humans started growing their own food and eating animals for food, clothing, etc.

The ability of the earth to survive and adapt to changing environmental conditions indefinitely.

Nature exists primarily to satisfy human needs and growing wants, we are separate from nature, and we can govern the earth's life- support systems indefinitely.

The sun warms the planet and support photosynthesis used by plants to provide food for themselves and for us and most other animals.

Materials that can be broken down by natural processes.

________ say that in order to bring a new environment, revolution, or sustainability we need to decrease our ecological footprint.

Air, water, soil, plants, and water.

Copper, oil, coal, etc.

It started about 275 years ago and it was when we started inventing machines for goods and we learned how to receive energy from fossil fuels.

Although we may and should manage the earth for our own advantage, we also have a moral obligation to treat it with care and responsibility.

Renewable resources such as plants, animals, and soil that are provided by natural capital.

The goal of using economic growth to improve living standards.

Our belief about how the environment is to be treated and if what we are currently doing is right or wrong.

Believes that nature exists for all species, not just for us, and that we are completely dependent on it.

Study of the planets as a whole and their nonliving things (climatology, geology, hydrology, and paleontology)

A group of organisms with distinctive traits and, for sexually reproducing organisms, can mate and produce fertile offspring

Set of organisms interacting with one another and with their environment of nonliving matter and energy within a defined area or volume

Studies of human society (anthropology, demography, geography, economics, and political science,)

The natural resources and natural services that keep us and other forms of life alive and support our economics

These are materials and energy in nature that are essential or useful to humans

Air, water, soil, plants, and water

Copper, oil, coal, etc

Functions of nature, such as purification of air and water

A significant function in nature that involves the recycling of chemicals from the environment-most notably from soil and water-through organisms and back into the environment

Scientific remedies may include stopping the logging of mature, ecologically varied forests and harvesting fish at a rate that does not exceed how quickly they can reproduce

Although people can find scientific solutions for problems there is a legal aspect that needs to consider

A society that meets the current and future basic resource needs of people while making sure they do not prevent other generations from meeting their needs

Renewable resources such as plants, animals, and soil that are provided by natural capital

The goal of using economic growth to improve living standards

United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and most countries of Europe

Involves using political and economic systems to discourage environmentally harmful and unsustainable forms of economic growth that degrade natural capital

The control of natural resources so as to prevent resource waste and maintain supply for both present and future generations

This is also known as solar energy because it is renewed continuously and is expected to last for about 6 billion years

These can be replenished fairly quickly through natural process as long as it is not used up faster than it is renewed

The highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used indefinitely without reducing its availability

When renewable resources are used past their replacement rate the available supply begins to shrink

The Tragedy of the Commons

An individuals right to land, minerals, or other resources

When big groups of people own the rights to certain resources

Biologist that called degradation the tragedy of the commons

Exist in a fixed quantity, or stock, in the earths crust

The amount of biologically productive land and water needed to supply the people in a particular country or area with resources and to absorb and recycle the waste and pollution produced by such resource use

The ability of an ecosystem to get rid of human waste and replenish renewable resources

When the ecological footprint is greater than the biological capacity

The whole of a societys knowledge, beliefs, technology, and practices, and changes in this can greatly effect the earth

Started 10,000-12,000 years ago and this was when humans started growing their own food and eating animals for food, clothing, etc

Anything in the environment that can be harmful to the health or survival of organisms

Single identifiable sources

Dispersed and often difficult to identify

Materials that can be broken down by natural processes

Human sewage or newspapers

Materials that natural processes cannot break down

Lead, mercury, and arsenic

Set of assumptions or values reflecting how you think the world works and what you think your role in the world is

Our belief about how the environment is to be treated and if what we are currently doing is right or wrong

Why should we care about the environment

Nature exists primarily to satisfy human needs and growing wants, we are separate from nature, and we can govern the earth's life-support systems indefinitely

Although we may and should manage the earth for our own advantage, we also have a moral obligation to treat it with care and responsibility

Believes that nature exists for all species, not just for us, and that we are completely dependent on it

Involves getting people with different views and values to talk and listen to one another and to work together to help solve environmental problems

The sun warms the planet and support photosynthesis used by plants to provide food for themselves and for us and most other animals

The variety of different organisms, the genes they contain, the ecosystems in which they exist, and the natural services they provide allow us to adapt to the environment when it changes

competition for limited resources among different species places a limit on how much their population can grow

Natural process recycle chemicals that plants and animals need to stay alive and reproduce