Title: Fig. 1-1, p. 5
1Chapter 1
Living in an exponential age
Fig. 1-1, p. 5
2The Exponential Age
- Exponential--doubling.
- Example of chessboard and kings wager.
- Example of folding paper--fold the paper in half,
continue folding in half another 42 times--the
stack of paper will reach from earth to moon. How
many times can you fold the paper anyway?
- Between 1950 and 2005 world population increased
from 2.5 billion to 6.5 billion--what is a
guestimate of the doubling time? - 1950-2005 an 8 fold increase in economic
growth--great but most live in poverty--almost
one out of two live on less that 2 per day.
3Industrial revolution
Black Deaththe Plague
Hunting and gathering
Agricultural revolution
Industrial revolution
Fig. 1-1, p. 1
Fig. 1-1, p. 5
4Environmental Science
- Environment--everything that affects a living
organism. - Ecology--biological science that studies the
relationship between living organisms and their
environment. - Environmentalism--social movement dedicated to
protecting earths life support system for us and
other species.
- Environmental Science--interdisciplinary study
that uses information from physical sciences and
social sciences to learn how the earth works and
how humans interact with the earth, and how to
deal with environmental problems we face. -
5Sustainability
- Sustainability--ability of earths various
systems (including cultural systems and
economies) to adapt to changing environmental
conditions. - First step--sustain earths natural capital.
- Natural Capital--the natural resources and
natural services that keep us and other species
alive and support our economies. - Capital--is essentially wealth used to sustain
business and generate more wealth. -
6Capital
- Capital of 100,000
- Invest entire capital and get 10 return (that
was really what happened in the 90s boom, sadly
not today!), net worth is now 110,000. - Wealth is increased.
- Protect your capital and live off the income it
generates.
- Win the Lottery! One million dollars! How will
you manage this? Invest the money and earn 10
return. - Have 100,000 to live off every year and capital
is not touched. - Spend 200,000 per year, and fortune gone in 7
years. - Spend 110,000 per year, fortune gone in 18 years.
7Fig. 1-3, 12th ed
8Natural Capital
- Natural Capital is sum of natural resources and
natural services. - Natural resources--air, water soil, land, life,
non-renewable minerals, renewable energy,
non-renewable energy.
- Natural services, air purification, water
purification, soil renewal, nutrient recycling,
food production, pollination, grassland and
forest renewal, waste treatment, climate control,
population control and pest control.
9Fig. 1-6-12th ed
10Path to Sustainability
- Major themes--
- 1. Natural Capital
- 2. Natural Capital Degradation
- 3. Solutions
- 4. Trade-offs
- 5. Individuals matter
- First understand components and importance of
natural capital. - Next recognize that human activity degrades
natural capital. - Identify solutions--conflicts often involved.
- Trade-offs often required.
- Individuals matter in search for solutions or
bringing about change.
11Global Outlook--comparison of developed and
undeveloped countries, 2005
Fig. 1-4
12Growth and Development
- Current population growth is 1.2 per year.
- Economic growth--increase in capacity of a
country to provide people with goods and
services. - GDP--Gross Domestic Product--annual market value
of all goods and services. - Per capita GDP--GDP divided by total population.
- Economic development--improvement of human living
standards by enconomic growth. - Developed countries--highly industrialized with
high average per capity GDP. - Developing countries--well, developing
industrialization and per capita GDP.
13Natural Capital Use and Degradation
- Per capita ecological footprint--amount of
biologically productive land and water needed to
supply each person with resources and absorb
wastes. - Total ecological footprint--per capita times
total population of country.
- Humanitys ecological footprint currently exceeds
earths ecological ability to replenish renewable
resources by 21. - Footprint of developed countries is large because
of huge consumption of renewable resources.
14Stepped Art
Fig. 1-7
15Natural Capital Degradation
Fig. 8
16Natural Capital depletion and degradation cause
most of the environmental problems
Stepped Art
Fig. 1-10
17Number of people ( of world's population)
Lack of access to
Harmful results of poverty
Adequate sanitation facilities
2.6 billion (39)
Enough fuel for heating and cooking
2 billion (30)
2 billion (30)
Electricity
Clean drinking water
1.1 billion (16)
Adequate health care
1.1 billion (16)
Adequate housing
1 billion (15)
Enough food for good health
0.84 billion (13)
Fig. 1-11
18One in every 3 children under age 5 suffers from
sever malnutrition. It is estimated that at least
13,700 children under the age of 5 die from
malnutrition, infectious diseases and drinking
contaminated water each day.
Fig. 1-12
19Affluenza
- Affluenza--unsustainable addiction to
overconsumption and materialism exhibited in
lifestyles of affluent consumers in US and other
developed countries. - Shop till you drop.
- Use it up..
- Environmental impact of population (I) depends on
three key facors - P--number of people
- A--average resource use per person (affluence)
- T--harmful effects of technologies used to
provide and consume each unit of resource. - See figure 1.13
20Fig. 1-14