Environmental Science - Introduction

Explore the fundamentals of environmental science in this introductory lecture. Learn about the environment, natural resources, and the impact of growing human populations. Discover how environmental mistakes can lead to human catastrophes and gain insights into the scientific method. Delve into the concept of sustainability and understand the distinction between environmental science and environmentalism. Examine how resource consumption and population growth affect global society, and explore varying perceptions of environmental problems. Gain a solid foundation in the systematic process of scientific inquiry and its application to environmental issues.

Intro
Our environment surrounds us Humans depend on a healthy functioning planet The fundamental insight of environmental Science: . We are part of the natural world
Environmental science can help us avoid past mistakes How will resource consumption and population growth impact today's global society?
People vary in how they perceive environmental problems Whether an environmental condition is seen as a problem depends on the individual and
Environmental science is not the same as environmentalism Environmental science • Pursues knowledge
The Nature of Science Science a systematic process for learning about the world and testing our understanding of it • The accumulated body of knowledge arising from the dynamic process of observation testing, and discovery
Scientists test ideas by critically examining evidence Science is an incremental approach to the
The scientific method is a traditional approach to research
We test hypotheses in different ways Manipulative experiments yield the strongest evidence
Population and consumption drive impact
Next Lecture: Matter and Energy in Environmental Systems