Environmental Science 1021F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Leachate, Focus 3, Point Source Pollution
5 Feb 2020
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Document Summary
How do we define environmental science: the surroundings or conditions (including living and nonliving components) in which organisms" lives. What is environmental science: a field of research to understand the world and our relation to it, natural (book uses empirical) and applied science. Causes of climate change: burning fossil fuels, deforestation, methane from agriculture, affluence and consumption. Some of the consequences: sea level rises, habitat loss and species endangerment, spread of tropical diseases, agriculture: worse in some area, while better in others. Irrigation: alternative energy sources, reforestation projects, protecting flood-prone areas. History: first nation people, relatively low environmental impact, great respect for land and animals, colonial era, european settlement and exploitation, public lands moving to private interests, myth of superabundance. Industrial revolution strokes resource extraction: conservation and environmental era, recognition that resources are not super abundant, understanding required to manage resources. *three different environmental philosophies: anthropocentrism, human lives and interests are paramount, extracting ecosystem services, species have instrumental value.
