Environment

the biological and physical surroundings in which any given living organism exist.

Fields of study for environmental science:

• Social Sciences- psychology, economics
• Humanities- art, music
• Natural Sciences-ecology, geology

Environmental Dilemmas

• Burning fossil fuels
• Deforestation
• Methane from Agriculture
• Affluence and Consumption

Known to be "wicked" problems because:

      ~usually involve trade-offs, so there is no clear "winner."

Environmental Literacy

ability to understand environmental problems.

**Such literacy is crucial to helping us become better stewards of Earth.

Challenges dealing with environmental issues

• climate change
• failure to properly respond to environmental changes
• self-inflicted environmental damage
• hostile neighbors
• loss of friendly neighbors

Sustainable and its characteristics

using resources in a way that we can use them indefinitely.

Characteristics

• Renewable energy
• Using matter sustainably
• having population control
• depend on local biodiversity to equal the above 3

Humans/Societies

• use sustainable renewable energy sources
• using matter oconservatively and sustainably
• getting human population growth under control
• depending on local human contributions and biodiversity.

Science

~a body of facts and explanations & a process used to gain taht knowledge.

Limited to Questions about the natural world: physical phenomena taht can be objectively observed.

Science is "never proven" because it is always changing.

Hypothesis

~a tentative explanation for an observation.

2 Types of Scientific Studies/Tested

Observational studies

Experimental studies

Ozone

~located in the stratosphere and is the blanket of gases surrounding our planet.

Protects from UV rays

Depletion of Ozone caused by:

• Coolants (Freon)
• Aerosol Can Dispersants
• Styrofoam production

Scientific Method

Observations generate questions -> Choose a question to investigate -> Conslut literature -> Develop Hypothesis -> Design and carry out Exp/Obs study -> Analyze Date -> Draw conclusions