biodiversity
astounding variety and adaptability of natural systems and species
bioderadable pollutants
material that can be broken down into simpler substances by bateria or other decomposers (e.. paper, manure)
culture
whole of a society's knowledge, beliefs, technology, and practices
ecological footprint
the amount of biologically productive land and water neede to provide the people in a regiom withindeffinite supply of renewable resources, and to absorb and recycle wastes and pollution
ecological tipping point
an often irreversablw shift in the behavior of a natural system
ecology
biological science that studies the relationships between living organisms and their environment; study of the structure and functions of nature
economic development
using economic growh to raise living standards
economic growth
increase in output of a nation's goods and services
environment
everything around us
environmental degradation
wasting, depleting, and degrading the earth;'s natural capital
environmental ethics
what is right and wrong with how we treat the environment
environmental science
interdisciplinary science connecting information and ideas from natural sciences (ecology, biology, geology, chemistry, ect), social sciences (geography, politics, economics), and humanities (ethics, philosophy)
environmental wisdom worldview
we are part of nature and must engage in sustainable use
environmental worldview
Set of assumptions and beliefs about how pople think the worls works, what they think their role in the world should be, and what they believe is right and wron environmental behavior
environmentalism
social movement dedicated to protecting the earth's life support systems for us and other species
environmentally sustainable society
meets current needs while ensuring that need of future generations will be met
exponential growth
growth in which some quantity (e.g. population size or economic output) increase at a constant rate per unit of time
gross domestic production (GDP)
annual market value of all goods and services produced by all businesses, foreign and domestic, operating within a country
less-developed countries
most countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America
more-developed countries
North America, Austrailia, new Zealans, Japan, most of Europe
natural capital
supported by solar capital
natral income
renewable resources such asplants, animals. and soil providedby natural capital
natural resources
useful materials and energy in nature
natural services
important nature processes (such as renewal of air, water, and soil)
nondegradable pollutants
pollutant that don't degrade
nonpoint sources
pesticides blown into the air
nonrenewable resources
energy resources
metallic mineral resources
nonmetallic mineral resources
nutrient cycling
the circulation of chemicals necssary for life, from the environment, through organisms, and back to the environment
organisms
any form of life
per capita ecological footprint
amount of biologically productive land and water needed to supply each person or population with the renewable resources they use and to absorb or dispose of the wastes from such resource us. it measurees the average environmental impact of indviduals or
per capita GDP
one measure of economic development
perpetual resource
solar energy
planetary managment worldview
we are seperate from and in charge of nature
point sources
smokestack
pollution
Undesirable change in the physica, chemical, or biological characteristics of air, water, soil or food that can adversely affect the health, survival, or activities of the humans or other living organisms
pollution cleanup
device or process that removes or reduces the level of pollutant after it has been produced or had entered the environment.
pollution prevention
device, process, or strategy used to prevent a potential pollutant from forming or entering the environment or to sharply reduce the amount entering the environment
poverty
inability of people to meet their basic needs for food, clothing, or shelter
recycling
to collect and reprocess a resource so that it can be made into new products
renewable resources
takes several days to several hundred years to renew
resource
anything we obtain from the enviroment to mett our needs
reuse
to use a poduct over and over again in the same form
social capital
result of getting people with different views and values to tlk and listen to one another, find common ground based on understanding and trust, and work together to solve environmental and other problems
species
group ofsimilar organisms, and for sexually reproducingorganisms, they are a set of individuals that can mate and reproduce fertile offspring
stewardship worldview
manage earth for our benefit with ethical responsibility to be stewards
sustainability
the capacity of the earth's natural systems and human cultural systems to survive, flourish, and adapt into the very long-term future
sustainable yeild
highest rate at which we can use a renewable resource without reducing available supply
nature's survival strategies follow 3 principles of sustainability
reliance on solar energy (sun provides warmth and photosynthesis)
biodiversity
Chemical cycling (circulation of chemicals from environmen to organims and then bak to the environment)
private property
common property
open access renewable resources
3 types of property or resource rights
tragedy of the commons
common property and open-access renewable resources degraded from overuse