introduction to

environmental science

Joshua Gariando
history of envi. sci.
•The history of environmental science, as it is an
interdisciplinary science, goes a long way back as
much as “science” is concerned.
•When the Egyptian civilization reached its Fifth Dynasty
(about after 2480 BC), they were significantly happy
people. They had reliable food supplies thanks to the
Nile River which flooded once each year.
history of envi. sci.
•However, most of their view on the world were
mythological and magical.
•Similar with the Hebrews which abided on the bible.
Their distinction between clean and unclean animals
was that clean animals are ruminants (goats, sheep,
cow) while pigs, although it has hooves as well, are
unclean.
history of envi. sci.
640-546 BC
•In a Greek trading town of Miletus (now Turkey), science
(previously called philosophy or love of wisdom)
began with Thales.
•In his Ionian School, they introduced radical thinking
upon which magical and mythological phenomena can
be discussed rationally.
history of envi. sci.
640-546 BC
•That is, to challenge mythical ideas with arguments
based on evidences, replacing weak theories by
stronger ones.
•With this, the Greeks, living in Asia Minor, started the
“scientific approach”.
history of envi. sci.
429-347 BC
•The Greek development reach its peak with The
Academy, founded by Plato (a student of Socrates).

384-322 BC
•Followed by The Lyceum, founded by Plato’s disciple,
Aristotle.
history of envi. sci.
384-322 BC
•Aristotle wrote extensively on natural history including
the weather in his book Meteorologica (a discourse on
atmospheric phenomena) from which the word
Meteorology was derived from.
history of envi. sci.
1880-1930
•Alfred Wegener, German climatologist, published is
theory on continental drift and seafloor spreading.
history of envi. sci.
•Today, many disciplines contribute to environmental
science and its practitioners are equipped with
instruments and techniques that enable them to begin
compiling an overall picture of the way the world works.
•The picture remains far from complete, however, and
we must be patient while we wait to discover whether
some of what are popularly received as environmental
problems are really so, and how to address them.
environment
•Is the total of our surroundings
•All the things around us which we have interactions
> living things
> non-living things
> our built-in environment
> social relationships and institutions
environment
•Humans exist within this environment and is also a part
of nature.
> our survival depends on a healthy, functioning
environment.
•The fundamental insight of envi. sci. is that we (humans
are part of this natural world.
> our interaction with its other parts plays a great
role.
environment
•However, through the years, our natural resources are
being degraded.
> pollution, erosion, species extinction.
> these environmental changes can threaten long-term
health and even our survival.
environmental science
•Is the study of:
> how the natural world works.
> how the environment affects humans and v.v.

“With environmental problems

comes opportunities for solutions.”
environmental science
•An interdisciplinary field including:
> ethics >ecology >biology
>chemistry >meteorology >oceanography
>geology >archaeology >anthropology
>sociology >history >engineering
>economics > political science
environmental science
•Is different from environmentalism.
- environmental activism.
- a social movement dedicated to
protect the natural world.

•In environmental science, scientists remain objective.

environmental science
•Hopefully, this study can help us avoid mistakes made
by past civilizations.
> human survival depends on how we interact with
our environment
> our impacts are now global
> many great civilizations have fallen after
depleting their resources.
natural resources
•Substances and energy sources vital for survival.
•Two types:
> renewable resources
> non-renewable resources
natural resources
•Substances and energy sources vital for survival.
•Two types:
> renewable resources
- resources that are perpetually available:
> sunlight, wind, wave energy
- can renew themselves over short periods of time:
> timber/wood, water, soil (can be destroyed)
natural resources
•Substances and energy sources vital for survival.
•Two types:
> non-renewable resources
- resources that can be depleted
> oil, coals, minerals
global population growth
•At January 2020,
humans population is at 7.8 billion.

“Why do you think there are so many humans?”

global population growth
“Why do you think there are so many humans?”

•Agricultural revolution have stabilized food supplies.

•Industrial revolution have:
> urbanized societies using fossil fuel
> improved sanitation and medicine
global population growth
•However, according to Thomas Malthus, an English
economist, “population growth must be controlled or it
will outstrip food production.”
•This could result to starvation, wars, and diseases.
•Population growth has disastrous effects– if not for the
agricultural revolution, this crisis would have doomed
humans before.
global population growth
•Acc. to Garret Hardin’s “tragedy of the commons”
(1968)
> unregulated exploitation causes resource
depletion of lands, forest, air, and water.
> no one has the incentive to care for a resource
> everyone takes what he/she can until the
resource is depleted
•What are the possible solutions?
global population growth
•Acc. to Garret Hardin’s “tragedy of the commons”
(1968)
> unregulated exploitation causes resource
depletion of lands, forest, air, and water.
> no one has the incentive to care for a resource
> everyone takes what he/she can until the
resource is depleted
•What are the possible solutions?
ecological footprint
•The environmental footprint of a person or a
population
> amount of biologically active land and water
> food resources
> waste disposal
ecological footprint
•The ecological footprint of countries actually vary
greatly.
> The US ecological footprint (9.6 ha) is much
greater than the world’s average (2.2 ha).
> Developing countries have much smaller footprints
than developed countries.
ecological footprint
•It is alarming that today, humans have surpassed the
Earth’s capacity to support its inhabitants.

•We have been using 30% more of the planet’s

resources that should have been left for reserve.
sustainable development
•Is the use of resources to satisfy current needs without
compromising future availability of resources.
•This must meet the following criteria:
> environmental goals
> economic goals
> social goals
•This requires humans to limit our impact while promoting
economic and social well-being.
sustainable development
•How do you do that?