Sustainability Environmental Science Sustainability Sustainability When human needs
Sustainability Environmental Science
Sustainability • Sustainability - When human needs are met in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely • One of the key goals of environmental science is to achieve sustainability
“The Tragedy of the Commons” • The main difficulty in solving environmental problems is the conflict between short-term interests of individuals and long-term welfare of society • Someone has to take responsibility for maintaining a resource, or it will become overused and depleted.
Tragedy of the Commons • Tragedy of the Commons video
Economic Pressures • Law of Supply and Demand – the greater the demand for a limited supply of something, the greater the worth • Cost-Benefit Analysis – balances the cost of doing something with the benefits of doing it • Risk Assessment – determination of the risks of an undesirable outcome
Population and Consumption Most environmental problems can be traced to two root problems 1. Overpopulation - The population in the area is growing too fast for the local environment to support. 2. Over consumption - People are using up, wasting, or polluting resources faster than they can be replaced.
Overpopulation • In severely overpopulated areas forests are stripped bare, topsoil is exhausted, and animals are driven to extinction. • Food production, education, and job creation cannot keep up with population growth, so each person gets fewer resources as time goes by.
Over Consumption • In wealthier countries the population is more stable, and there is a high quality of life • However, developed countries consume 75% of the Earth’s resources, but only house 20% of the population. • The rate of consumption produces more waste and pollution person
Ecological Footprints • An ecological footprint shows the productive area of Earth needed to support one person in a country • It includes estimates for : – Land used for crops, grazing animals, forest products, housing, waste storage – Ocean area for harvesting seafood – Forest area needed to absorb air pollution
What is a sustainable world?
Ecological Footprints • 1. State what your ecological footprint is and what factor most influenced your personal footprints? (Each person should respond) • 2. Decide on 5 actions that your group could carry out to reduce your footprints. • 3. What is the biggest difference between the eco footprints of the countries you researched and the US?
- Slides: 11