Environmental Problems Foundations of Science Natural Cause The

Environmental Problems

Foundations of Science Natural Cause: The universe behaves in a predictable way under “rules” that can be determined through observation and experimentation. Uniformity: The “rules” are constant through space and time.

Foundations of Science Parsimony: All other things being equal, the simplest explanation is the best. Efficient Cause cause & effect Objective

Scientific “Method” Observation Question Hypothesize Test & Observe Publish Repeat (as necessary) Theorize Publish Repeat (as necessary)

Environmental Science interdisciplinary a way of looking at things scientific (& objective) interconnected systems human impact vs naturally occurring • attempt to assign “responsibility”

What is the Environment? definitions circumstances or conditions that surround an organism or group of organisms the complex of social or cultural conditions that affect an individual or community for humans - our home - well suited to our existence natural world • • • plants animals earth air water “man-made” • sociological • scientific • technological

“Tragedy of the Commons” common property usually owned by all (or the government) examples • • air water “air waves” public land commons are subject to poor use open, unregulated access benefits of use are focused costs are widely distributed

Common Property must be carefully managed may privatize cost of use & effects • internalization of costs • laws and taxes commons (difficult) • sale of public land • sale of right to use

Global Climate Change Earth’s climate has been changing for over 4. 5 billion years wide scale of variability causes of variability Sun physical Earth life

Research Priorities What is the scale of the current change? What are the causes of the current warming? What are the effects of human activity?

Tools to Study Global Change geologic record historical record real time observation mathematical modeling

Energy Balance almost all energy ultimately from sun earth’s energy cycle incoming energy • reflected 30% • absorbed 70% (visible & IR) outgoing energy emitted as IR • (as much energy as received) Earth warmed by energy between absorption and emission energy circulated by air and water movement

Earth’s Temperature atmospheric retention of heat “greenhouse effect” H 2 O vapor, CO 2, CH 4, CFC’s released by natural & human processes

Earth’s Temperature historically over last billion years: warmer with ice ages current ice age • 2 MYA to present: cooler with “interglacials” • last glacial advance ended 10, 000 yrs ago • generally warming since warming rapidly in last 150 years

Earth’s Temperature CO 2 changes currently: 0. 03% of atmosphere recent highs • “interglacial periods” • 125 K yrs ago and now releasing stored CO 2 from rocks & plants • natural • humans current increase started in 1800's other “greenhouse” gasses human’s have increased release rate

Potential Effects of Global Warming local climate change more rain more violent storms sea level rise change in ocean circulation complex response

Current Research On-line http: //www. globalchange. umich. edu/globalchang e 1/current/lectures/samson/climate_patterns/ http: //www. giss. nasa. gov/research/ http: //www. ncdc. noaa. gov/oa/ncdc. html http: //www. mos. org/cst/article/3369/ http: //www. scotese. com/climate. htm http: //www. ngdc. noaa. gov/paleo/ei/ei_cover. html http: //www 4. nas. edu/onpi/webextra. nsf/web/clima te? Open. Document

More research and advocacy on-line American Petroleum Institute: http: //api-ec. api. org/environ/index. cfm industry site Natural Resources Defense Council: http: //www. nrdc. org/globalwarming/ environmental organization Global Warming Information Page: http: //www. globalwarming. org/ “astroturf” site (no direct supporters listed) Global Warming Early Warning Signs: http: //www. climatehotmap. org/ “environmentalist” site (supporters listed) the Global Simulation Workshop http: //www. osearth. com/workshops/ commercial “environmentalist” site

worldwide use of energy overall oil - 36% coal - 26% natural gas - 23% nuclear - 7% biomass – 6% hydro - 2% geothermal & wind - 1% U. S. consumes ¼ of worlds energy