Environmental

Science – The
interdisciplinary
study of
humanity’s
relationship with
other organisms
and the nonliving
physical
environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

• Deals with the study of our environment,

either globally or locally, it’s living and
non-living components.
GOALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE
1. To develop a sustainable world
2. To study environmental problems and
issues.
Tools To Study The Environment
• The nature of
environmental science
• The scientific method
and the scientific
process
• Natural resources and
their importance
• Culture and
worldviews
• Environmental ethics
• Sustainability
The “environment”

• Encompasses all that surrounds us.

• Consists of both:
- Biotic factors (living things)
- Abiotic factors (nonliving things) that surround us
and with which we interact.
Humans and the environment

• We humans exist within the environment and are a part

of the natural world.
• Every aspect of human behavior has some relationship
with the natural environment.
• Like all other species, we depend for our survival on a
properly functioning planet.
• Thus, our interactions with our environment matter a
great deal.
• Our existence depends much on what our environment
can provide.
What is the effect of population growth?

What are the most economical ways to

prevent the depletion of our resources?
SIGNIFICANT FEATURES OF
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE.

1. NON RENEWABLE – resources that can be retrieved

from the environment but are no generated.
2. RENEWABLE – resources that can be renewed,
adjusted and manipulated.
Natural resources

• Renewable resources like sunlight cannot be depleted.

• Nonrenewable resources like oil CAN be depleted.
• Resources like timber and clean water are renewable only
if we do not overuse them.
Thomas Malthus (1766-1834)

Population growth will

lead to starvation, war,
disease.
Death rates check
population unless birth
rates are lowered.
The tragedy of the commons

Garrett Hardin, 1968:

In a “commons” open
to all, unregulated use
will deplete limited
resources.
Environmental science

… is an
interdisciplinary
field, drawing on
many diverse
disciplines.
SCIENCES INVOLVED IN
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Environmental science

… is NOT the same as

environmentalism.
It is science, NOT
advocacy.
Science

A systematic process for learning about the world and

testing our understanding of it

A dynamic process of observation, testing, and discovery

And the accumulated body of knowledge that results from

this process
Applications of science

Technology is another
application of science.

Energy-efficient
methanol-powered
fuel cell
Scientific method

A step-by-step method
for testing ideas with
observations.
Scientific Method

Observations are anything you

can sense?
How do you sense things?
See, hear, smell, touch, taste
Scientific Method

Observations must be
Measurable
Repeatable
Controllable
Scientific Method

Hypotheses are tentative explanations of the observations or

educated guesses.

Predictions result from hypotheses and are usually seen in

the form of if then statements.

For example, My car won’t start is an observation. The

battery in my car is dead is a hypothesis. If I replace my car
battery with a brand new battery then it will start is a
prediction.
Scientific method

Scientists use educated guesses called hypotheses to

generate predictions
that are then tested experimentally.

Results may reject or fail to reject a hypothesis.

Results never confirm a hypothesis, but only lend support to

it by failing to reject it. This means we never prove
anything with this method.
Experiments
Manipulative experiments Natural or correlational
are strongest. ones are often necessary.
Scientific process

Peer review,
publication,
and debate are
parts of the
larger
scientific
process.
Hypothesis, theory, and paradigm

Hypothesis = an educated guess, to be tested

Theory = a well-tested and widely accepted explanation of
the observations, validated by much previous research

Paradigm = a dominant view. May shift if new results

show old results or assumptions to be wrong
Scientific Method

Feedback is the most important

feature of the scientific method.
It allows for self reflection.
It lets us look at the data from
different points of view.
It allows us to test different but
related hypotheses.
It creates opportunities to find
multiple reasons to confirm our
hypothesis.
Ethics

Ethics is a discipline that

deals with how we value
and perceive our
environment.

Ethics influence our

decisions and actions.
Worldview

Worldview = a person’s or group’s beliefs about the

meaning, purpose, operation, and essence of the world.
Some questions in environmental ethics

Should the present

generation conserve
resources for future Are humans justified
generations? in driving other
species to extinction?

Is is OK to destroy a
forest to create jobs Is it OK for some
for people? communities to be
exposed to more
pollution than others?
Environmental Ethics

Moral = the distinction between right and wrong

Values = the ultimate worth of actions or things
What is instrumental value?
What is intrinsic value?
Environmental Ethics

is concerned with the moral relationships between humans

and the world around us. Do we have special duties,
obligations, or responsibilities to other species or nature in
general? Are our dispositions towards humans different
than towards nature? How are they different? Are there
moral laws objectively valid and independent of cultural
context, history, situation, or environment?
Environmental Ethics

Universalists
Relativists
Nihilists
Utilitarians
Environmental Ethics

Universalists
Fundamental principles of ethics are universal, unchanging,
and eternal.
The rules of right and wrong are valid regardless of our
interests, attitudes, desires or preferences.
Plato, Kant
Environmental Ethics

Relativists
Moral principles are always relative to a particular person,
society, or situation. Ethical values are contextual, that is
they depend on the person, the society, or the situation.
There is right and wrong or at least better or worse but no
principles are absolute regardless of context.
Sophists
Environmental Ethics

Nihilists
The world makes no sense at all! Everything is completely
arbitrary, there is no meaning or purpose to life other than
the instinctive struggle for survival. There is no reason to
behave morally. Might is right. The is no such thing as the
good life. Life is uncertain full of pain and despair.
Schopenhauer
Environmental Ethics

Utilitarians
An action is right that produces the greatest good for the
greatest number of people.
Goodness = Happiness Happiness = Pleasure
Bentham
John Stuart Mill held that the greatest pleasure is to be
educated and to act according to enlightened,
humanitarian principles
Environmental Perspectives (World views)

Worldview = a person’s or group’s beliefs about the

meaning, purpose, operation, and essence of the world.

There are lots of them

Three ethical worldviews
Environmental Perspectives

Domination
Stewardship
Biocentrism
Ecocentrism
Ecofeminism
Scientific Process
Sustainability
Critical Thinking
Environmental Perspectives

Domination
“Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and
subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and
over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that
moveth upon the earth” Gen 1:28
Stewardship
Responsibility to manage and care for a particular place. As
custodians of resources, they see their proper role as
working together with human and nonhuman forces to
sustain life.
Humility and reverence are essential in this worldview
Environmental Perspectives

Biocentrism
Life centered, all organisms have some intrinsic values and
rights. Biodiversity is the highest ethical value in nature.
Individuals and populations are the basic units of
biodiversity.
Environmental Perspectives

Ecocentrism
Ecologically centered, because
individuals are doomed to suffering and pain
evolution, adaptation, and biogeochemical cycles are really
more important than individuals.
The whole ecosystem is more important than the individuals
and populations that make up the ecosystem.
Moral values for ecological process and systems
Environmental Perspectives
Ecofeminism
• the concept of ecofeminism relates environmental
damage to women's exploitation and lack of
empowerment.
• life is interconnected
• maintenance of diversity
• restructuring human society
• Bounty rather than scarcity
• Cooperation rather than competition
• A network of personal relationships rather than isolated
egos
Environmental Perspective

Sustainability
Refers to whether a process can be continued indefinitely
without depleting the energy or material resources on which
it depends. Sustainable agriculture maintains the integrity
of the soil and water resources. Sustainable development
provides people with a better life without sacrificing or
depleting resources or causing environmental impacts that
will undercut future generations. Sustainable society
sustainable yield.
Environmental Perspective

Sustainability based on ecosystem processes

A recycling of elements
Sunlight as a source of energy
Carrying capacities are realized and maintained
Biodiversity is maintained
Environmental Perspectives

Critical Thinking
Elements of thought
Intellectual standards
Sustainability

The key concept for our future:

Limiting human impact on the natural world so that our
civilization can continue to exist
Conclusions: Challenges

We live on a planetary island with limited resources.

Population and consumption are growing.
Many feel that we have not yet developed the ethical basis
for sustainability.
Environmental justice remains a challenge.
Conclusions: Solutions

We are developing ideas and technologies to lessen our

impacts.
We can reduce population and consumption.
Sustainability is catching on.
Science helps us understand our world and develop
solutions.
Conclusions: Solutions

Environmental science is vibrant and growing.

Ethics evolve, and we may yet develop an ethical basis
for sustainability.
Advances in technology and efficiency can mitigate our
environmental impacts.
Advances have been made toward environmental justice.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

• It is the process by which people develop

awareness, knowledge, and concern of the
environment and its diverse values and processes,
and learn to use this understanding to preserve,
conserve and utilize the environment in a
sustainable manner for the benefits of present and
future generations.
GOALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

1. Society prepares its citizen to carry out their

responsibilities through its system of education.
a. Education must develop in each citizen as an
awareness and sensitivity to the environment and its
problem
b. Education must teach each citizen the knowledge,
understanding and skills to solve the problems.
c. Education must posters positive attitudes and
patterns of conduct toward the environment
GOALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

2. E.E. must consider all aspects of the environment

- natural, manmade, technological political, social
economic, cultural, aesthetic and knowledge.
3. E.E. must emphasize an enduring continuity
4. E.E. must aid young citizens in developing a sense of
responsibility and commitment to the future
 GOALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
-UNESCO

1. To foster clear awareness of, and concern about,

economic, social, political and economic
interdependence at local, regional, national and
international/global levels;
2. To provide every person with opportunities to acquire
the knowledge, values, attitudes, commitment and skills
needed to protect and improve the environment;
3. To develop and reinforce new patterns of
environmentally sensitive behavior among individuals,
groups and society as a whole for a sustainable
environment
5 objectives which were outlined in UNESCO-UNEP
Environmental Education
1. Awareness - to help social groups and individuals acquire
awareness and sensitivity towards: " the environment as a whole,
and; " issues, questions and problems related to environment and
development.
2. Knowledge - to help individuals, groups and societies gain a
variety of experience in, and acquire a basic understanding of
what is required to create and maintain a sustainable environment.
3. Attitudes - to help individuals, groups and societies acquire: " a set
of values and feelings of concern for the environment, and " the
motivation to actively participate in protection of the environment.
4. Skills - help individuals, groups and societies acquire the skills
for: " identifying, " anticipating, " preventing and " solving
environmental problems.
5. Participation - to provide individuals, groups and societies with
an opportunity and the motivation to be actively involved at all
levels in creating a sustainable environment.
Key elements of sustainable development
that the National Environmental Education
Plan must support:

1. Poverty Reduction
2. Social Equity
3. Empowerment And Good Governance
4. Peace And Solidarity
5. Ecological Integrity
EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY

• Create awareness of sustainable development issues

• Enhance knowledge and understanding skills
• Influence values and attitudes
• Encourage more responsive behaviour
• Promote learning that leads to action