PowerPoint Presentation - Biosphere

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Environmental Science
The systematic, scientific study of our
environment as well as our role in it.
The application of all fields of science to solve
environmental problems
Environmental Principles Resources and Resource
Use Environmental Pollution Social Aspects of
Environmental Science
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Environmental Principles
Lithosphere Atmosphere Hydrosphere Biosphere
The environment consists of 4 spheres
Each sphere interacts with the others Humans
have altered some of these interactions
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Environmental Principles?
Some examples

• Environmental Impact Population x Affluence
  x Technology
• Use of the commons
• Things change!!

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Resources Resource Use
Renewable Resources vs. Nonrenewable
resources

• can be regenerated within a few human
• generations vs.
• can not be regenerated within a few human
• generations

How does sustainability relate to these
definitions?
What are ways we can prevent depletion of
resources?
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Resources Resource Use
Input reduction
Output management

• Reduce
• Improve efficiency, Substitutions
• Reuse
• Recycle

• Remove
• Remediate
• Restore

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Environmental Pollution
Pollution excess outputs by society into the
environment that adversely affects living
organisms or alters the environment in
undesirable ways.
Typical methods for dealing with pollution are
Removal Restoration Remediation
Can you suggest a better way?
Input reduction efficiency improvements,
substitution, recycle/reuse
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Social Aspects of Environmental Science
What are social issues that affect our
environment?
Does human population affect these?
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Social Aspects of Environmental Science
What are some social solutions for environmental
management?
Economic Legal Education Ethics/
Persuasion..
incentives, green taxes laws, regulations,
eliminate subsidies media, environmental
science Different perspectives
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Difficulty in Environmental Decision Making
increases as problems and cost/benefit issues
become more complex
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Second Exam Tomorrow March 11 This room at
130 220 1 essay question (you choose between
2) Same format as the 1st exam 45 multiple
choice,T/F, matching Bring a 2 pencil and
eraser, student number