Chapter Introduction
Environmental science is all encompassing.
The Greenland Vikings’ demise was caused by natural events and human choices.
Responding to environmental problems and working with neighbors help a society cope with changes.
Humans are an environmental force that impacts Earth’s ecosystems.
Ecosystems are naturally sustainable and a good model for human societies hoping to become more sustainable.
Humanity faces some challenges in dealing with environmental issues.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Science gives us tools to observe and make sense of the natural world.
The ozone layer protects life on Earth
Scientific views rarely change overnight.
The scientific method systematically rules out explanations.
Different types of studies amass a body of evidence.
Multiple ozone depletion hypotheses were tested but only the CFC hypothesis was confirmed.
The international community got together to meet the problem head on.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
We live in an environment full of toxic substances.
Regulation happens even in the face of change.
Information sources vary in their reliability.
What are the dangers presented by toxics, and how do we determine safe exposure levels?
Endocrine disruptors cause big problems at small doses.
Critical thinking gives us the tools to uncover logical fallacies in arguments or claims.
Risk assessments help determine safe exposure levels.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Human populations grew slowly at first and then at a much faster rate in recent years.
Fertility rates are affected by a variety of factors.
Factors that decrease the death rate can also decrease overall population growth rates.
The age and gender composition of a population affects more than just its potential for growth.
Carrying capacity: Is zero population growth enough?
What awaits China’s generation of Little Emperors?
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Human manipulation of the environment can increase our exposure to pathogens.
Public health programs seek to improve community health.
Addressing biological hazards requires environmental and behavioral changes.
The factors that affect human health differ significantly between more and less developed nations.
Environmentally mediated diseases can be mitigated with funding, support, and education.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Businesses and individuals impact the environment with their economic decisions
Mainstream economics supports some actions that are not sustainable
Businesses can learn a great deal about how to be sustainable from nature.
There are many tactics for achieving sustainability.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Waste is a uniquely human invention, generated by uniquely human activities.
How big is the Atlantic Garbage Patch, and is it growing?
How we handle waste determines where it ends up.
Solid waste pollution threatens all living things.
Some waste is hazardous and must be handled carefully.
When it comes to managing waste, the best solutions mimic nature.
Life-cycle analysis and better design can help reduce waste.
Consumers have a role to play, too.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Organisms and their habitats form complex systems.
Living things survive within a specific range of environmental conditions.
Nutrients such as carbon cycle through ecosystems.
Ecosystems are irreplaceable, but learning how they function may help us restore degraded ones.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Populations fluctuate in size and have varied distributions.
Populations display various patterns of growth.
A variety of factors affect population growth.
The loss of the wolf emphasized the importance of an ecosystem’s top predator
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
The well-being of a species depends on the health of its ecosystem.
Human alterations have changed the face of the Everglades.
Matter and energy move through a community via the food web.
Communities, such as the ones found in the Everglades, are shaped by biotic and abiotic factors.
Changing community structure changes community composition.
Species interactions are extremely important for community viability.
Ecologists and engineers help repair ecosystems.
Community composition changes over time as the physical features of the ecosystem itself change.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Natural selection is the main mechanism by which populations adapt and evolve.
Populations need genetic diversity to evolve.
Populations can diverge into subpopulations or new species.
The pace of evolution is generally slow but is responsive to selective pressures.
Extinction is normal, but the rate at which it is currently occurring appears to be increasing.
Humans affect evolution in a number of ways.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Biodiversity provides a wide range of essential goods and services.
Biodiversity includes variety at the individual, species, and ecosystem levels.
Endemism increases with isolation, as does extinction risk.
Biodiversity faces several serious threats.
Sustainable palm oil may protect biodiversity.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Human impact is the main threat to species worldwide.
Human impact that threatens the forest elephant also puts its entire ecosystem at risk.
There are multiple approaches to species conservation.
Legally mandated protection can aid in species conservation
Conservation plans should consider the needs of local human communities.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Water is one of the most ubiquitous, yet scarce, resources on Earth.
Like other communities around the world, California depends on many sources of water.
Untreated wastewater can contaminate freshwater sources and is a serious health risk worldwide.
Solving water shortages is not easy.
Conservation is an important “source” of water.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Different types of water pollution degrade water quality.
The source of pollution can be hard to pinpoint.
Addressing eutrophication begins in the farm field.
Watershed management is the key to reducing hypoxic zones.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
World hunger and malnutrition are decreasing but are still unacceptably high.
Agricultural advances significantly increased food production in the 20th century.
The next Green Revolution may be a “gene” revolution.
Concerns about GMOs trigger strong debate.
It will take a combination of strategies to achieve global food security.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Modern industrial farming has advantages and disadvantages.
Mimicking natural ecosystems can make farms more productive and help address some environmental problems.
Sustainable techniques can control pests, protect soil, and keep farm productivity high.
Consumers also have a role to play in helping to bring about a sustainable food system.
A sustainable food future will depend on a variety of methods.
Can sustainable farming methods feed the world?
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
The world depends on coal for most of its electricity production.
Coal forms over millions of years.
Mining comes with a set of serious trade-offs.
Surface mining brings severe environmental impacts.
Can coal’s emissions be cleaned up?
Reclaiming a closed mining site helps repair the area but can never re-create the original ecosystem.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Fossil fuels are a valuable, but nonrenewable, resource.
Oil is a limited resource.
Conventional oil and natural gas reserves are tapped by drilling wells.
Fossil fuel extraction and use comes at a high environmental cost.
Energy producers are turning to unconventional reserves of oil and natural gas.
Pursuing unconventional reserves comes with a high environmental cost.
Is fracking the answer to our energy needs?
Oil consumption drives extraction.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
There are many different types of outdoor air pollution.
Air pollution is responsible for myriad health and environmental problems.
Outdoor air pollution has many sources.
The air we breathe affects our lungs, especially those of children.
Traveling pollution has far-reaching impacts.
Indoor air pollution is also a significant health threat.
We have several options for addressing air pollution.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Climate is not the same thing as weather.
Evidence of global climate change abounds.
A variety of factors affect climate.
Current climate change has both human and natural causes.
Some tree species are already migrating north, but it doesn’t mean they will survive.
Climate change has environmental, economic, and health consequences.
Confronting climate change is challenging.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
The heat of nuclear reactions can be harnessed to produce electricity.
Nuclear energy has a troubled history.
Nuclear accidents can be devastating.
The generation of nuclear waste is a particularly difficult problem to address.
Responding to a nuclear accident is difficult and dangerous work.
The impacts of nuclear accidents can be far reaching.
Will nuclear power play a role in future energy?
The future of nuclear energy is uncertain.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Sustainable ecosystems and societies rely on renewable energy.
To become sustainable, Samsø turned to one of its most plentiful natural resources.
The most abundant sustainable energy source is the one that powers the planet—the Sun.
Energy that causes volcanos to erupt and warms hot springs can also heat our homes.
The power of water can be harnessed but comes with trade-offs.
The true cost of various energy technologies can be difficult to estimate.
Conservation plays a vital role in a sustainable energy society.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Public policies aim to improve life in societies.
Policy making involves many players.
A variety of policy tools are being used to address climate change.
Policies sometimes have unintended consequences.
Adapting policies is necessary but difficult.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
More people live in cities than ever before.
Suburban sprawl consumes open space and wastes resources.
Environmental justice requires engaged citizens.
The future depends on making large cities sustainable.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Modern society relies heavily on mineral resources.
Geologic processes produce mineral resources.
Extracting and processing mineral resources impacts the environment.
Mining also comes with significant social consequences.
There are many ways to decrease our use of mineral resources.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
The presence and type of grassland biome is determined by abiotic and biotic factors.
Grasslands provide a wide range of important goods and services.
Grasslands face a variety of human and natural threats.
The importance of soils cannot be overemphasized.
Nature may offer clues on how to use grasslands sustainably.
Nature offers clues about how to use grasslands sustainably.
Counteracting overgrazing requires careful planning.
Grassland protection takes many forms.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
The type of forest found in an area reflects local climatic conditions.
Forests provide a range of goods and services.
Forests face a number of threats.
Forests can be managed to protect or enhance their ecological and economic productivity.
When it comes to protecting forests, we have many options.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Acidification threatens life in the world’s oceans.
Marine ecosystems are diverse.
Coral reefs are complex communities with lots of interspecific interactions.
Can some populations adapt to ocean acidification?
The world’s oceans face many other threats.
Reducing the threats to oceans requires a multi-pronged approach.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
The way we raise livestock may jeopardize the safety of food products.
Affluence influences diet.
CAFOs can raise a large number of animals quickly but incur a huge environmental cost.
A variety of methods can reduce E. coli contamination.
There are more sustainable ways to grow livestock.
U.S. food policies support industrial agriculture.
Consumer choices can increase food supply.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Industrial fishing is impacting fisheries worldwide.
Humans rely on protein from fish, but overfishing is threatening wild fish stocks.
Laws exist to protect and manage fisheries.
Scientists study the possibility of growing marine fish indoors.
Aquaculture presents environmental challenges.
Indoor fish farming may provide a solution.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Chapter Introduction
Biofuels are a potentially important alternative to fossil fuels.
Biofuels can come from unexpected sources.
Turning grass into gas is less environmentally friendly than it sounds.
Tilman’s experiments showed the importance of biodiversity.
There is another rising biofuel star: algae.
There are many reasons biofuels have not solved our dependence on fossil fuels.
Multiple solutions will be needed to help replace fossil fuels.
Despite ongoing controversies and setbacks, the future of biofuels looks bright.
Environmental Literacy: Understanding The Issue
Science Literacy: Working With Data
Information Literacy: Evaluating Information
Appendix 1
AVERAGES (MEANS)
PERCENTAGES/FREQUENCIES
SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
MEASUREMENTS AND UNITS OF MEASURE
Appendix 2
VARIABLES
DATA TABLES
TYPES OF GRAPHS
Appendix 3
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
INFERENTIAL STATISTICS
OTHER FACTORS AFFECT RESULTS
Appendix 4
EARTH IS A DYNAMIC PLANET THAT IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING
Appendix 5
CHAPTER 1: ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY
CHAPTER 2: SCIENCE LITERACY AND THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE
CHAPTER 3: INFORMATION LITERACY
CHAPTER 4: HUMAN POPULATIONS
CHAPTER 5: ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
CHAPTER 6: ECONOMICS
CHAPTER 7: SOLID WASTE
CHAPTER 8: ECOSYSTEMS AND NUTRIENT CYCLING
CHAPTER 9: POPULATION ECOLOGY
CHAPTER 10: COMMUNITY ECOLOGY
CHAPTER 11: EVOLUTION AND EXTINCTION
CHAPTER 12: BIODIVERSITY
CHAPTER 13: PRESERVING BIODIVERSITY
CHAPTER 14: FRESHWATER RESOURCES
CHAPTER 15: WATER POLLUTION
CHAPTER 16: FEEDING THE WORLD
CHAPTER 17: SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE: RAISING CROPS
CHAPTER 18: COAL
CHAPTER 19: OIL AND NATURAL GAS
CHAPTER 20: AIR POLLUTION
CHAPTER 21: CLIMATE CHANGE
CHAPTER 22: NUCLEAR POWER
CHAPTER 23: SUN, WIND, WATER, AND EARTH ENERGY
CHAPTER 24: ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
CHAPTER 25: URBANIZATION AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Credits/Sources Introduction
Glossary Introduction
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Index Introduction
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Frontmatter Introduction
BRIEF CONTENTS
DETAILED CONTENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
CAPTIVATING STORIES
EMPOWERING SCIENCE
WHAT’S NEW
INSTRUCTOR RESOURCES
STUDENT RESOURCES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
REVIEWERS