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Environmental Issues,
Their Causes, and Sustainability
Key Concepts
Exponential
Growth
Fig. 1-2 p. 4
World Population
J
curve
Population Growth
Exponential
Growth
Doubling Time
and the
Rule of 70
Fig. 1-2 p. 4
Rule of 70
70 Doubling
= Time
Percent
(in years)
growth rate
(%)
Lets See If the Rule of 70 Works!
10% fixed growth rate.what is doubling time?
70/10 = 7 year doubling time
Developed Countries
US, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, all of Europe
Developing Counties
Most of Africa, Asia, and Latin America
<$2700
$2700-$10,750
>$10,75
0
Positive Aspects
Global life expectancy has doubled
from 33 to 67 years
Infant mortality has dropped
Food production has outpaced
population growth
Access to safe drinking water has
increased.
Economic Development
Negative Aspects
Average life expectancy in developing
countries is 11 years less than in
developed countries
Infant mortality is 8x higher
Harmful environmental effects of
industrialized food production may limit
future food production
Air and water pollution are high in most
developing countries
Natural resources are being used
unsustainably
Globalization we are living in
an increasingly integrated world
Economic indicators
Global economy grew
International trade grew
Corporation operating in multiple countries grew
Environmental Effects
Number of diseases transmitted across international
borders has increased
Pollution transported globally
Resources
Perpetual
Renewed continuously
Renewable
Replenished rapidly
Non-renewable
Exist in a fixed quantity
Renewable Resources
Metallic Resources
Non-Metallic
Resources
Reuse
Prevention Cleanup
(Input Control) (Output
Refuse Control)
Temporary
Replace
Shifts problem
Reduce
somewhere
Reuse else
Recycle Costly
Environmental and Resource
Problems
Major Problems (See Fig. 1-9 p. 12)
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
Biodiversity Depletion
Food Supply
Waste Production
Biodiversity Depletion
Habitat destruction
Air Pollution Habitat degradation
Global climate change Extinction
Stratospheric ozone
depletion
Urban air pollution
Acid deposition Food Supply Problems
Outdoor pollutants Overgrazing
Indoor pollutants Farmland loss
Noise and degradation
Major Wetlands loss
Environmental and degradation
Problems Overfishing
Coastal pollution
Water Pollution
Soil erosion
Sediment Soil salinization
Nutrient overload Soil waterlogging
Toxic chemicals Water shortages
Infectious agents Groundwater depletion
Oxygen depletion Loss of biodiversity
Pesticides Poor nutrition
Oil spills Waste Production
Excess heat Solid waste
Hazardous waste
Environmental and Resource
Problems
Root
Causes
Environmental Impact
Fig. 1-11 p. 13
Environmental Impact (I)
PxAxT=I
P = Population
A = Affluence
T = Technology
I = Impact (Environmental)
Environmental Interactions
Fig. 1-12 p. 14
Environmental Worldviews
Planetary Management Environmental Wisdom
We are in charge of nature. Nature does not exist just
for us and we only think we
are in charge.
There is always more.
There is not always more.
All economic growth is
good. Some forms of technology
are environmentally
beneficial, some are
harmful.
Our success depends on Our success depends on
how well we can learning how the earth
understand, control, and sustains itself and
manage the earths life integrating these lessons
support systems. into how we think and act.
Environmentally-Sustainable
Economic Development
Environmental Environmental
Fig. 1-13 p. 17
Traditional Decision making in a
decision making sustainable society