1 1 ADVANCED ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Environmental Science is

1. 1 ADVANCED ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Environmental Science is the study of ecosystems interacting with human systems. 1

The foundations of the course are built around these themes: 1. Science is a constantly changing process used to learn about the world. 2. All ecosystems are built around energy conversions. 3. All life is interconnected. 2

4. Technology and human population growth has affected natural systems. 5. Environmental problems have social, cultural, political, economic and ethical implications. 6. Human survival depends on building sustainable systems in which resources are not used faster than they can be renewed. 3

Sustainability is living off of resources without depleting the Earth’s capital and jeopardizing future generations. 4

In the mid 1800 s, Thoreau urged preservation and became one of the founders of the environmental movement. Thoreau - “In wildness is the preservation of the world. . from the forest and wilderness come the tonics and barks which brace mankind”. A German biologist, Ernst Haeckel, later coined the word ecology – from two Greek words: oikos, meaning "house“ refers to a habitat and logos, meaning word but referring to study. Ecology did not include human influences at that time. 5

President Theodore Roosevelt’s term of office (1901 -1909) called the “Golden Age of Conservation” 1872 Yellowstone was established as the world’s first official National Park 1892 Sierra Club founded by John Muir, also considered a father of environmentalism 1902 Pelican Island, FL - first federal wildlife refuge 6

1905 Gifford Pinchot named director of the newly established Forest Service; called the Father of Conservation 1905 Audubon Society founded to protect birds 1920 Aldo Leopold founded game management, later wrote A Sand County Almanac 7

1962 Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring” began the modern environmental movement. April 20, 1970 was the first Earth Day, founded by Senator Nelson. Sen. Gaylord Nelson (right) with William K. Reilly, Earth Day 1990 8

The 1970’s became known as the Environmental Decade with the first major U. S. environmental legislation establishing the National Environmental Policy Act. Other significant U. S. legislation enacted in the early 70’s was the creation of the: Environmental Protection Agency Endangered Species Act Clean Air Act Clean Water Act 9

The second half of the 20 th century also had major anthropogenic environmental disasters with chemical releases into the air and water. 1. Union Carbide gas leak in Bhopal, India 2. Nuclear power plant explosion at Chernobyl, Russia 3. Minimata Bay, Japan mercury poisoning 4. London smog disaster and other air events 5. Major oil spills; Valdez was only the 20 th worst spill 6. Love Canal, NY chemical waste dump 7. Baia Mare, Romania cyanide spill 8. Spanish waste water spill 10

Several years ago, Fortune magazine listed Environmental Engineers as the fastest growing professional job of the decade. 11