chapter 1 exam review, exam on Friday the 29th

Environmental Science, Chapter 1 study guide If you know the following vocabulary words and can answer the following questions you should be well prepared for the exam on Friday (8-29-08).   Vocabulary: Be able to define and give examples of the following terms. Environmental Science Ecology Pollution Extinction Closed system Renewable resource Non-renewable resource Biodiversity Nonbiodegradable pollutant Sustainability Developed countries Developing countries "The Tragedy of the Commons" Law of supply and demand Agriculture Natural resource Spaceship earth   Be familiar with the different fields of environmental science.   How was the environment affected by: Hunter-gatherer societies The agricultural revolution The industrial revolution   What human activities contribute to the extinction of animals?

outline 1.2

Chapter 1, section 2, outline       How human societies act play a role in how we will create/solve environmental problems.   "The Tragedy of the Commons" – essay by Garrett Hardin Said difficult to solve environmental problems because trying to balance the short term interests of individuals with long term interests of society Greed "If I do not use it someone else will" Common can be any shared resource – lake, atmosphere, field, earth with a common resource a few can spoil resource for all so everyone must respect the common. Hardin argued that the short term interests of a few would mess up the common If we divided it up into individual parcels so that everyone had their own supply of the resource then they could not mess up all of the resource for everyone and they would feel/see the affect of their actions. Earths natural resources are our modern commons but it is often impossible to divide them into individual portions so we have to educate or otherwise change peoples behavior and use of resources.   Economics and the Environment Economic forces influence how we use resources Law of supply and Demand – the greater the demand for something of limited supply the more it is worth. (If more people want it, it will cost more) If supply goes up without demand the cost will drop Cost-benefit analysis – balances the cost of an action against the projected benefits Depends on who is doing the analysis – short term monetary interests of company versus long term interests of society and the environment Risk assessment – part of cost-benefit analysis, this tries to figure the chance that something bad will happen.   Developed and Developing countries – Developed countries – higher incomes, slower population growth, diverse industrial economies, and stronger social support networks US, Japan, European, Canada Developing countries – lower incomes, simple and agricultural based economies, rapid population growth Most African, Asian, and S. American countries   Population and Consumption Most Environmental problems traced to two main causes 1.      population rowing to fast for resources available 2.      people using up, wasting , polluting resources faster than they can be renewed, replaced, or cleaned up. Local population pressures Consumption trends – people in developed countries (20%) use many more resources (75%) Ecological footprint – the productive area of earth needed to support one person in a particular country a way of measuring the amount of resources a person uses amount of resources needed to support a person   Environmental Science in context Solving problems are complex, involving individuals rights as well as societies Arguments are often emotional and information can be misleading                          Need to listen to many viewpoints and investigate the source of the information   Sustainability – condition in which human needs can be met in a way that the human population can survive forever We are not currently living sustainably but it should be a goal of our societies

quiz 1.1 answers in complete sentences

Environmental Science Answers to quiz 1.1, in complete sentences.   Earth is compared to a spaceship because it is also a closed system. For the most part resources do not enter or leave the earth. Energy from the sun is an example of a renewable resource. It can be replaced relatively quickly by natural processes. Mercury, lead and some plastics are examples of nondegradable resources. They can not be broken down by natural processes. Biodegradable substances can be broken down by natural processes. Examples are: sewage, paper, wood, food. Biodiversity is defined as the # and variety of species that live in an area. Environmental science involves many fields of study so it is considered to be an interdisciplinary science. Hunter-gatherer societies occurred prior (before) the agricultural revolution and the industrial revolution. Hunter-gatherer societies changed their environment by burning praries which prevented the growth of trees and by spreading plants/seeds to new areas. During the agricultural revolution plants and animals were domesticated. This led to population growth. The over hunting of large animals was not the direct result of the industrial revolution.

Env Sci outline 1.1

Chapter 1, section 1, outline     Assigned 8-14-08      due Monday 8-18-08   Outlining is an important skill to develop. The goal is to pick out the information that is most important and leave behind the fluff so that your final result is a condensed version of the original. The process of outlining is an important skill and the resulting outline is a good tool and study guide. When we have quizzes, they will often be open note so if you have a good outline the quizzes should be a breeze.   Directions: Outline chapter 1, section 1 (pages 5-8). First read the objectives and key terms (page 5). At a minimum, these should be explained in your outline. The outline should be a brief summary of the chapter. Read one paragraph at a time and then sum it up it a phrase or two. It is not necessary for the outline to be in complete sentences. A finished outline will probably be 1-2 pages if hand written or less than 1 page if typed.   After you finish your outline, re-read the objectives to see if your outline meets those objectives. Then read the section review and see if you can answer those questions in your head. You do not have to answer the on paper but you should be prepared to answer them if you see them on a quiz or a test.   An example of an outline of the first paragraph might be as follows:   Environment – everything around us, natural or man made, living and non-living, more than what we can see, made of complex relationship with all around us.   The outline of the second paragraph should contain a definition of environmental science but does not have to contain the details about Keen High School's mussel research.