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INTRODUCTION
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Earth Lights from Space
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Potential Test Questions
1. What is Environmental Science? 2. How does
science compared with other approaches used to
understand the world? 3. What is the Scientific
Method? 4. What are the world views that
influence issues of Environmental Science?
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Our Environment
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World Views Utilitarian Economic value
(short term) Ecological Life-supporting
value Aesthetic Beauty and enjoyment
value Moral Species rights
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Science Assumes 1. Events follow patterns
understood through observation and
analysis. 2. Generalizations can be subjected to
tests that disprove them. 3. Evidence can
disprove existing scientific theories, but
science can never provide an absolute proof of
the truth of its theories. Because of this,
Science is very different from other fields, such
as Religion, Art, or even Mathematics.
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Theory Vernacular Theory hypothesis In
Science Theory a strongly supported
hypothesis supported by many experimentally
tested hypotheses. Examples Cell theory of
life Germ theory of disease
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• Solving Environmental Problems
• Scientific Assessment
• Refer back to scientific investigation
• Risk Analysis
• Evaluate the potential effects of intervention
• Public Education
• Explain problem, choices, costs, and
• potential results
• Political Action
• Implement course of action
• Scientific Follow-Up
• Evaluate the results of actions taken

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Lake Washington
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Ten Suburbs Dumped Sewage Into The Lake.
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Oscillatoria Was Found Growing In The Lake.
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Sewage Appeared To Cause The Lake To Become
Eutrophic.
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• Lake Washington
• Models predicting water quality were made.
• Risk analysis of possible responses discussed.
• Public given information on sewage dumping.
• Proposed bill voted down.
• Revised bill passed by voters.

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Results
The predictions concerning decreasing the
phosphorus as a way to decrease eutrophication
were correct.
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Water Visibility Was Even Greater Than The Model
Predicted. Daphnia Had An Unpredicted Effect.
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