environment
the surroundings or conditions where a person, animal, or plant lives and operates.
environmental science
a grouping of scientific disciplines that are all concerned with the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the surroundings in which organisms live.
ecology
the study of relations of organisms in their physical environment.
ecosystem
a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
environmentalism
a broad philosophy, ideology, and social movement regarding concerns for environmental protection and improvement of the health of the environment.
sustainability
a societal goal that broadly aims for humans to safely co-exist on planet Earth over a long time.
natural capital
the world's stocks of natural assets which include geology, soil, air, water and all living things.
natural resources
materials or substances such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain.
inexhaustible resource
a resource that never runs out or gets depleted.
renewable resource
a resource of which there is an endless supply because it can be replenished.
nonrenewable resource
a natural resource that cannot be readily replaced by natural means at a pace quick enough to keep up with consumption.
ecosystem service
the many and varied benefits to humans provided by the natural environment and from healthy ecosystems.
environmental degradation
the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources.
pollution
the presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects.
point source
a single identifiable localized source of something.
nonpoint source
a source of pollution that issues from widely distributed or pervasive environmental elements.
ecological footprint
the impact of a person or community on the environment.
exponential growth
a pattern of data that shows greater increases with passing time, creating a curve.
environmental worldview
a person's view of the relationship between humans and nature.
environmental ethics
an environmental worldview is determined by a person's environmental ethics what one believes about what is right and what is wrong in our behavior
human-centered worldview
the belief that humans to be the most important species and stewards of the earth.
life-centered worldview
the belief that humans have an ethical responsibility to avoid causing the premature extinction of species.
earth-centered worldview
humans and all forms of life are interconnected parts of the earth's life-support system, it is in our own self- interest not to act in ways that impair the overall system.
environmentally sustainable society
a society that meets the current and future basic resource needs of its people in a just and equitable manner without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their basic needs.
natural income
the yield obtained from natural resources.