Living in the Environment
H1 – The Environment and Sustainability
Key questions:
- 1.1 What are some key
principles of sustainability?
- 1.2 How are our
ecological footprints affecting
the earth?
- 1.3 What causes
environmental problems and
why do they persist?
- 1.4 What is an
environmentally sustainable
society?
Sustainability id the capacity
of the earth’s natural systems
that support life and human
social systems to
,survive or adapt to changing
environmental conditions
indefinitl
Key questions:
- 1.1 What are some key
principles of sustainability?
- 1.2 How are our
ecological footprints affecting
the earth?
- 1.3 What causes
environmental problems and
why do they persist?
- 1.4 What is an
environmentally sustainable
society?
Sustainability id the capacity
of the earth’s natural systems
that support life and human
social systems to
,survive or adapt to changing
environmental conditions
indefinitl
Key questions:
- 1.1 What are some key
principles of sustainability?
- 1.2 How are our
ecological footprints affecting
the earth?
- 1.3 What causes
environmental problems and
why do they persist?
- 1.4 What is an
environmentally sustainable
society?
Sustainability id the capacity
of the earth’s natural systems
that support life and human
social systems to
,survive or adapt to changing
environmental conditions
indefinitl
Key questions:
- 1.1 What are some key
principles of sustainability?
- 1.2 How are our
ecological footprints affecting
the earth?
- 1.3 What causes
environmental problems and
why do they persist?
- 1.4 What is an
environmentally sustainable
society?
Sustainability id the capacity
of the earth’s natural systems
that support life and human
social systems to
, survive or adapt to changing
environmental conditions
indefinitly
Chapter 1: the environment
and sustainability
The term biomimicry describes the rapidly growing scientific effort to understand and
catalog the ways in which nature has sustained life on the earth.
The environment is everything around us. It includes all living things and non-living things.
Environmental science studies connections of nature. It studies how the earth works and
has survived and how humans interact with it. But also, how we can live more sustainable.
Ecology: branch of biology that focuses on how living organisms interact with living and non-
living parts. Organisms belong to a species: group of organisms with unique characteristics.
Focus here is on ecosystems: set of organisms within a defined are that interact with one
another and with their environment of nonliving matter and energy.
Environmental activism (environmentalism): social movement dedicated to protect the
earth. Not practiced in science.
Scientific principle of sustainability:
1. Dependence on solar energy: warms the planet and provides energy to produce nutrients.
2. Biodiversity: variety of genes, species and ecosystems. Provides ways to adapt to a
changing environment.
3. Chemical cycling: circulation of chemicals or nutrients needed to sustain life through
organisms and back (nutrient cycling). Waste = useful resource
Key components of sustainability
- Natural capital: natural resources and ecosystem services that keep species alive and
that support human economies.
- Natural resources: materials and energy provided by nature, useful to humans
(inexhaustible, renewable or nonrenewable resources). Inexhaustible resource: solar
energy. Renewable: replenished by natural processes. Highest rate at which people
use this without reducing its availability is called sustainable yield. Nonrenewable:
nature cannot replace them faster than we use them. Example: land
- Ecosystem services: natural services provided by ecosystems that support life and
human economies at no monetary cost to us. Example: food production
Natural capital = Natural resources + ecosystem services
H1 – The Environment and Sustainability
Key questions:
- 1.1 What are some key
principles of sustainability?
- 1.2 How are our
ecological footprints affecting
the earth?
- 1.3 What causes
environmental problems and
why do they persist?
- 1.4 What is an
environmentally sustainable
society?
Sustainability id the capacity
of the earth’s natural systems
that support life and human
social systems to
,survive or adapt to changing
environmental conditions
indefinitl
Key questions:
- 1.1 What are some key
principles of sustainability?
- 1.2 How are our
ecological footprints affecting
the earth?
- 1.3 What causes
environmental problems and
why do they persist?
- 1.4 What is an
environmentally sustainable
society?
Sustainability id the capacity
of the earth’s natural systems
that support life and human
social systems to
,survive or adapt to changing
environmental conditions
indefinitl
Key questions:
- 1.1 What are some key
principles of sustainability?
- 1.2 How are our
ecological footprints affecting
the earth?
- 1.3 What causes
environmental problems and
why do they persist?
- 1.4 What is an
environmentally sustainable
society?
Sustainability id the capacity
of the earth’s natural systems
that support life and human
social systems to
,survive or adapt to changing
environmental conditions
indefinitl
Key questions:
- 1.1 What are some key
principles of sustainability?
- 1.2 How are our
ecological footprints affecting
the earth?
- 1.3 What causes
environmental problems and
why do they persist?
- 1.4 What is an
environmentally sustainable
society?
Sustainability id the capacity
of the earth’s natural systems
that support life and human
social systems to
, survive or adapt to changing
environmental conditions
indefinitly
Chapter 1: the environment
and sustainability
The term biomimicry describes the rapidly growing scientific effort to understand and
catalog the ways in which nature has sustained life on the earth.
The environment is everything around us. It includes all living things and non-living things.
Environmental science studies connections of nature. It studies how the earth works and
has survived and how humans interact with it. But also, how we can live more sustainable.
Ecology: branch of biology that focuses on how living organisms interact with living and non-
living parts. Organisms belong to a species: group of organisms with unique characteristics.
Focus here is on ecosystems: set of organisms within a defined are that interact with one
another and with their environment of nonliving matter and energy.
Environmental activism (environmentalism): social movement dedicated to protect the
earth. Not practiced in science.
Scientific principle of sustainability:
1. Dependence on solar energy: warms the planet and provides energy to produce nutrients.
2. Biodiversity: variety of genes, species and ecosystems. Provides ways to adapt to a
changing environment.
3. Chemical cycling: circulation of chemicals or nutrients needed to sustain life through
organisms and back (nutrient cycling). Waste = useful resource
Key components of sustainability
- Natural capital: natural resources and ecosystem services that keep species alive and
that support human economies.
- Natural resources: materials and energy provided by nature, useful to humans
(inexhaustible, renewable or nonrenewable resources). Inexhaustible resource: solar
energy. Renewable: replenished by natural processes. Highest rate at which people
use this without reducing its availability is called sustainable yield. Nonrenewable:
nature cannot replace them faster than we use them. Example: land
- Ecosystem services: natural services provided by ecosystems that support life and
human economies at no monetary cost to us. Example: food production
Natural capital = Natural resources + ecosystem services
