Introduction to Environmental Science

Introduction to Environmental Science

Maria I. Hernández 4-781-2212

1. What is environmental science?

The Environmental science is the study of the interaction of human with the natural environment.

2. The environment includes:

a. climate

b. air and water quality

c. soil and landforms

d. presence of other living organisms

3. Environmental science is interdisciplinary because….

-Includes concepts and ideas from multiple fields of study

-Decisions have impacts in all these fields of study.

3. Using the example of coal-for-electricity, describe how each of these fields of study is involved.

a. Economics – a community decides to use coal for electricity, as it is the cheapest source available.

b. Geology – the coal must be mined from under the soil.

c. Engineering – the coal must be transported to the population center by road or rail.

d. Chemistry – when it is burned at a power plant, air pollution is released. Some of that pollution is converted to acid in the atmosphere.

e. Meteorology – this falls as acid rain somewhere downwind.

f. Ecology – the acid stresses plants by affecting their nutrient absorption.

g. Politics - laws are passed requiring the plant to install pollution scrubbers.

Three Major Environmental Problems

4. Define renewable resource –

Can be replenished within a human life time.

a. Give one example of a renewable resource.

-timber, water.

5. Define nonrenewable resource –

-Is replenished extremely slowly, if at all.

a. Give one example of a nonrenewable resource.

-coal, oil, minerals.

b. What is the estimated remaining supply of coal?

-It is estimated we have about 250 years of the resource remaining at current rates of use.

6. Define biodegradable pollution –

-Will break down naturally over time.

7. Define nondegradable pollution

-Does not break down.

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