INSTRUCTOR: Chapter 1.
In this chapter
we will be talking
about the basic concepts
of environmental sciences,
Philosophy and
Fundamental Concepts.
Earth is geospatially
isolated in the universe.
It's a single unit,
and population growth
is exponential, and
not a gradual change.
Population is increasing, but
resources are not increasing.
Therefore, resources
are limited.
Land is getting limited.
Drinking water is
getting limited.
With pollution and all
industrial practices,
waste accumulation creating
lots of environmental issues.
Haiti is an example
of what can happen
when environmental
degradation linked
to high human population.
Earth began 4.6 billion years
ago and changing over the time.
This illustration shows the
appearance and disappearance
of plant and animal
species over the time.
Time, and the
length of the time,
is different for a geologist
compared to a non geologist.
For instance, chemist
will expect changes
within milliseconds, but
geologists would expect changes
over million years.
Geological time scale.
This is where you have all
the geological events record
with respect to the time.
This is a longtime calendar,
or deep time calendar.
Please go through
this, and make a copy,
and have in front
of your study table,
as this is very important.
James Hutton identified
earth as a super organism,
while James Lovelock
introduce Gaia hypothesis,
a set of hypotheses
that likens earth
to a super organism with
interrelated mutually adjusting
systems.
Earth is an organism.
Life significantly affects
the earth's environment.
Life modifies the environment
for the betterment of life.
Life deliberately or
consciously controls
the global environment.
Earth is dynamic,
alive, and complex.
Everything alive with
a beginning and a end.
So we are dealing with
environmental monitoring,
environmental problems,
and environmental problem
prevention and protection for
earth's sustainable healthy
life.
Environment: a
complex system with
physical, biological,
geological, ecological,
and geopolitical aspects.
This requires
multidisciplinary research:
environmental geology,
environmental chemistry
or geochemistry, global climate
change, biological diversity
and ecosystems,
environmental economics,
environmental ethics,
environmental law.
All these different
types of research
going on about these
environmental sciences.
When it comes to
environmental crisis,
we talk about population,
environmental hazards,
resources and their
limitations, contaminations,
environmental ownership.
Why do we study
environmental geology?
Well we talk about this in
the introduction as well.
So the environmental geology
is the applied geology.
This will give you a
better understanding
about environmental
problems, [INAUDIBLE]
you better knowledge--
geological knowledge
for solving these
environmental problems,
and this will optimize
the use of resources
to maximize environmental
benefits for the society.
This figure shows all about
environmental geology.
Number 1, earth materials.
Number 2, hazards.
Number 3, land use planning
and environmental impacts.
Number 4, hydrologic processes.
Please read each
individual subtitles--
earth materials, hazards,
land use planning
and environmental impacts,
hydrologic processes--
and understand the terms
under these subtitles
and refer those to the picture.
There are five major fundamental
concepts: population growth,
sustainability, system and
change, hazardous earth
processes, scientific
knowledge and values.
The number one
environmental problem
is the exponential
growth of population.
Earth's carrying
capacity is limited.
Resources are limited.
Land is limited.
But with high population
we are increasing
the demand for those, and
increasing the waste causing
all environmental issues.
Growth rate denoted with a
G measured as a percentage.
Doubling time is denoted by D.
So D equals 70 over G. However,
good news is that the rate
of increase in population
is decreasing.
The population bomb.
It is about to explode.
Look at the
population in billions
increasing with time
in all the countries
in the world in general.
However, population
growth could vary
depending on the country,
culture, economy.
This figure shows
you differences
in population growth in
different geographic regions.
This shows the human population
growth at exponential rate.
It is not a gradual increment.
It's very fast, as you
can see in this chart.
Uneven growing pace and
uneven global distribution.
Some countries
are overpopulated.
Larger continents like Africa
has more room, but not all land
is useful since you
have to think about how
to deal with environment--
like the condition
of the environment,
such as desert.
So you need adjustments.
Sustainability, an
evolving concept.
Sustainability is
basically using resources
carefully and wisely.
Waste disposal and recycling
are highly concerned
under this title.
Measuring sustainability: use
and consumption of resources,
replenishment and
renewable rates,
development and improvement
of human environment
versus viable environment, not
lead to environmental crisis.
This is how you measure
the sustainability
of the environment.
Earth is a dynamic system.
Two engines behind its dynamics,
its internal and external heat
sources.
There are four
interconnected subsystems,
geosphere, atmosphere,
hydrosphere, biosphere.
If you think about these words,
geosphere is where we live.
All the earth materials,
soils, rocks, minerals.
Atmosphere is what we breathe.
Hydrosphere is what we drink.
Biosphere is actually ourselves,
like animals and plants.
Four subsystems mutually
need to be adjusted.
When you think
about the system--
the earth systems and changes--
open versus closed systems.
When you think about
system changes,
you need to talk about types
of changes, rates of changes,
scales of changes, etc.
Rates of change: average
residence time is important.
The residence time
is denoted by T.
And S is the total
size of stock.
F is the average
rate of transfer.
The residence time means
how long this material
can survive in a place.
So the total size of
stock means if you
think about a lake
environment, how long this lake
water will be there.
And the average
rate of transfer,
what are the processes this
lake water can be transported?
They will populate--
some part of it
will populate through soils
and get into the ground water.
Some portion will evaporate
with the sunlight.
So then the residence
time will be calculated
based on the amount,
or the total size
of the material
available divided
by average rate of transfer.
This is total size of
stock in that equation.
Example to think about, as I
mentioned, the water in a lake.
With evaporation, water
is moving out from Rate
to atmosphere.
Part of that process is slow.
If you look at the equation,
F is little in this example.
And this brings the
residence time higher.
Short term changes create
long lasting adverse effects,
for example, landslides.
All right.
What is uniformitarianism?
The present is key to the past.
The present is
key to the future.
Changes of frequency
and magnitude;
geological processes
and human activities.
So uniformitarianism--
what the meaning of it is,
uniformity being consistent with
time, biological, geological,
chemical, physical changes
happening today is happening
in--
they were happening
in past, and they
will be happening in future.
So they're being consistent.
This concept is introduced
by James Hutton.
Hazardous earth processes.
Hazardous earth processes
and risk statistics
for the past two decades.
You can read about this, and
you can think about this.
So studying about earth
hazards is important.
What are the earth hazards?
Earthquakes, floods, volcanic
eruptions, hurricanes,
or other earth related or the
environment or related hazards
are considered as the
environmental hazards.
These are natural hazards.
We cannot stop them, but we
could prevent them by taking
precautions.
It is important to study how
to identify hazardous event.
Risk assessment explains
type of hazards,
probability of
happening of the event
and results of the impact.
There are different ways
that you can assess the risk:
critical facility mapping
and analysis, economic impact
analysis, social
impact analysis,
total environmental
impact analysis.
This leads to risk
management and mitigation.
Scientific method is
important whatever
the science or whatever the
subject that you are majoring.
This is basically
logical thinking.
Scientific method is always
based upon observations.
Based on observation you're
going to make good hypotheses.
That means scientifically makes
sense, good judgment, that
is scientifically make sense.
Then you will do experiments
to test the hypothesis.
Your hypothesis can
be accepted hypothesis
if you are successful
in your experiments.
Then it becomes a theory,
and moving towards a model.
You can see this chart
in this figure 1.112--
1.12-- and you
will understand how
you're going to
reach to a theory
starting from observation.
Science is an
accumulated knowledge.
The knowledge is basis
for making decisions.
Scientific methods that
formulate possible solutions
to environmental problems.
Scientific design:
structure more suitable
for certain
environmental settings.
Scientific information
is public awareness
and environmental regulations.
These are the questions that I
would like you to think about
for Chapter 1.
It is highly recommended
to read Chapter 1,
and understand the basic
concepts meaningfully.
Feel free to contact me if
you do have any questions.
