1.1 Environmental Value Systems
puts ecology and nature as central to humanity and emphasizing a less materialistic approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of societies
ecocentric
a movement into or out of a system and between stores in a system (energy or matter)
Flow
State the second law of thermodynamics
Energy in systems is gradually transformed into heat energy due to inefficient transfer, thereby increasing disorder (entropy)
Designed to limit the impact of the project and protect the environment.
Mitigation Strategy
capable of being broken down by natural biological processes
Biodegradable
argues that humans must sustainably manage the global system
anthropocentric
The part of the Earth in habitated by organisms that extends from the upper parts of the atmosphere to deep within the Earth's crust.
Biosphere
Compare positive and negative feedback mechanisms
Positive feedback amplifies changes away from equilibirum. Negative feedback helps to maintain stability.
the area of land and water required to sustainably provide all resources at the rate at which they are being consumed and the assimilation of all wastes by a given human population.
Ecological Footprint
Pollution arising from a single clearly identifiable site
Point Source Pollution
argues that technological developments can provide solutions to environmental problems
technocentric
a way of visualizing a complex set of interactions which may be ecological or societal.
System Approach
Provide and example of a negative feedback mechanism using a predator-prey relationship
1. Increase in prey population = increase in predator population
2. Results in prey population decrease = predator population decrease.
Back to number 1
is the yield obtained from natural resources (not financial)
Natural Income
one that is not biodegradable and continues to exist in the environment without intervention from humans
persistent pollutant
a world view or paradigm that shapes the way an individual or group of people perceive and evaluate environmental issues, influenced by cultural, religious, economic and socio-political contexts
environmental value system
A hypothetical concept in which neither energy nor matter is exchanged across the boundary
Isolated System
What can contribute to the resilience of an ecological and social system?
Diversity and size of storages.
the use and management of resources that allows full natural replacement of the resources exploited and full recovery of the ecosystems affected by their extraction and use
Sustainability
arising from the long lasting release of a pollutant with the effects lasting for a long time
chronic pollution
The influential book written by Rachel Carson on the threat of DDT was called what?
Silent Spring
In 1956, a chemical company in Minamata, Japan released a toxic substance into waste water. What was this substance and what were the effects?
Methyl mercury, local people developed illnesses from mercury poisoning and local fish + shellfish were contaminated.
This international agreement happened in 1992 and defined national and state responsibilities. It also created a non-binding action plan called Agenda 21.
What is the Rio Earth Summit?
These two books were written in late 1960's and 1970's by Edward Abbey had the idea of Wilderness as Sacred and Environmental Activism in the face of money interest.
What is Desert Solitaire and Monkey Wrench Gang?
This agreement in 1997 had committed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and acknowledged that global warming exists and is caused by anthropogenic CO2 Emissions.
What is the Kyoto Accord?