CAS GE 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Forest Stewardship Council, Polynesian Rat, Polynesians

• School: Boston University
• Department: Geography & Environment
• Course: CAS GE 100
• Professor: Cutler Cleveland

Document Summary

Temperature anomaly - global land ocean temperature index. Easter island- isolated in pacific ocean, most isolated place in the planet, volcanically formed, discovered by polynesians by boat, colonized, carved statues, cleared land for crops. Fewer trees, increase in soil erosion, decrease in crop yields. Triggered a positive feedback loop- environmental problems caused by lack of understanding. Sustainability- meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of the future generations, making sure your kids live better than you. Sustainable society- don"t use resources faster than they can reproduce, depends on natural resources (water, soil, trees) and environmental services (natural processes that regulate the planet to make the planet suitable for life) 2nd principle of sustainability-system- collection of parts that generate a regular or predictable pattern, society and environment are interconnected, connections may amplify or dampen the effect of human actions on the environment, positive feedback loop/ negative feedback loop.