Environment Questions Study Guide
Environment
Unit 1:
Define Sustainability and discuss/analyze how it must take into account ecological, environmental and social concerns?
Sustainability is the maintenance of the factors and practices that contribute to the quality of environment on a long-term basis. Sustainable development can be defined as the process of developing land; cities, businesses and communities so that our current needs are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The social, ecological and environmental issues are interconnected and that decisions must incorporate each of these aspects in order to be successful over the longer term. It cannot just benefit one of these aspects but all of them, because it is then not sustainable.
Discuss Humanity’s role within an ecosystem?
We need sun, food and water like other species but unlike other species cause drastic changes to the ecosystem we depend on. We extract resources faster then they can be renewed, and we produce waste faster then the earth can assimilate it. The result is natural decline in the productivity of the ecosystem. Many people don’t believe they are part of the ecosystem but people are starting to realize that they are and need to contribute/protect it.
Explain the 80/20 split?
Affluent nations (Western Europe, US, Australia, Canada, Japan) make up 20 of the population and consume 80 of the world’s resources each year.
Discuss the difference between a need and want?
- A need is something that you must have and is essential to have in order live and function.
- A want is something that you wish to have that is not necessary but is nice to live with. In North America we often see wants as needs when they really aren’t.
What is an ecological footprint, how is it calculated and what is its significance?
It is an estimation of the total area of land or water needed to produce all the resources consumed and to assimilate all the wastes discharges by
Unit 1:
Define Sustainability and discuss/analyze how it must take into account ecological, environmental and social concerns?
Sustainability is the maintenance of the factors and practices that contribute to the quality of environment on a long-term basis. Sustainable development can be defined as the process of developing land; cities, businesses and communities so that our current needs are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The social, ecological and environmental issues are interconnected and that decisions must incorporate each of these aspects in order to be successful over the longer term. It cannot just benefit one of these aspects but all of them, because it is then not sustainable.
Discuss Humanity’s role within an ecosystem?
We need sun, food and water like other species but unlike other species cause drastic changes to the ecosystem we depend on. We extract resources faster then they can be renewed, and we produce waste faster then the earth can assimilate it. The result is natural decline in the productivity of the ecosystem. Many people don’t believe they are part of the ecosystem but people are starting to realize that they are and need to contribute/protect it.
Explain the 80/20 split?
Affluent nations (Western Europe, US, Australia, Canada, Japan) make up 20 of the population and consume 80 of the world’s resources each year.
Discuss the difference between a need and want?
- A need is something that you must have and is essential to have in order live and function.
- A want is something that you wish to have that is not necessary but is nice to live with. In North America we often see wants as needs when they really aren’t.
What is an ecological footprint, how is it calculated and what is its significance?
It is an estimation of the total area of land or water needed to produce all the resources consumed and to assimilate all the wastes discharges by