ENVR101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Ecological Footprint, Ecosystem Services, Industrial Revolution

• School: University of Delaware
• Department: Environmental Studies
• Course: ENVR101
• Professor: Veron Dana Elizabeth

Document Summary

Environmental sci: study of how the natural works, how the environment affects humans and vice versa. Natural: substances, energy sources need for survival (solar, wind energy) Renewable: replenished over short periods (freshwater, soil) Ecosystem services - arise from the normal functioning of natural services and allow us to survive. Ecological systems - purify air and water, cycle nutrients, regulate climate. Degradation of ecosystem services - occurs when we exhaust resources, destroy habitat, general pollution; intensified by human affluence and population growth. Two major phenomena triggered human population growth. Industrial revolution - mid 1700s, demand for fossil fuels. Ecological footprint - the area of biologically productive land and water to provide resources and dispose/recycle waste. We are using renewable resources 50% faster than they are being replenished. Overshoot - when humans have surpassed earth"s capacity to sustainably support us. It would take 1. 5 years for the planet to regenerate renewable resources people use in 1 year.