Chapter 5:
Environment and
Sustainability
Environmental Degradation,
Resource Depletion and
Sustainability
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• What is happening in these pictures?
• How do you feel about it?
• What is your opinion regarding environmental
degradation?
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• VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnYHFRq7-5s
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The Environmental Problem
• We are exceeding and eroding the earth’s
carrying capacity.
• There are limits to growth on a finite planet.
• We are in a state of planetary emergency!
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Environmental Degradation
Environmental Degradation is the deterioration of the
environment through depletion of resources such as:
- Air
- Water
- Soil
And constitutes the destruction of ecosystems, natural
habitat, extinction of wildlife and pollution.
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Environmental Sustainability
• Responsible interaction to avoid degradation of natural
resources and allow for long-term environmental
quality.
• To define environmental sustainability we must first
define sustainability. Sustainability is the ability to
continue a defined behavior indefinitely.
• A state in which the demands placed on the
environment can be met without reducing its capacity
to allow people to live well, now and in the future.
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The Paradox of Sustainability
• Healthy environments and ecosystems are necessary
for the survival of humans and other organisms.
• Economic progress and a growing consumer base
demands increasing resource extraction.
HOW TO STRIKE A BALANCE?
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Video
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Three Pillars of Sustainability
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Three Pillars of Sustainability
• Three Pillars is a powerful tool for defining the
complete sustainability problem.
• If any one pillar is weak, the system as a whole
is unsustainable.
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Social sustainability
is the ability of a social system, such as a
country, family, or organization, to function at
a defined level of social well being and
harmony indefinitely. Problems like war,
endemic poverty, widespread injustice, and
low education rates are symptoms a system is
socially unsustainable.
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Environmental sustainability
is the ability of the environment to support
a defined level of environmental quality and
natural resource extraction rates indefinitely.
This is the world's biggest actual problem,
though since the consequences of not
solving the problem now are delayed, the
problem receives too low a priority to solve.
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Economic sustainability
is the ability of an economy to support a
defined level of economic production
indefinitely. Since the Great Recession of 2008
this is the world's biggest apparent problem,
which endangers progress on the
environmental sustainability problem.
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Environmental Pollution
Environmental pollution is an incredible disease.
It can only be prevented.
Barry Commoner
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Activity
What kind of pollution can you see in this picture?
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Activity
What kind of pollution can you see in this picture?
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Activity
What kind of pollution can you see in this picture?
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Activity
What about this one?
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Activity
Can you detect any kind of pollution in this picture?
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Kinds of Environmental Pollution
1. Air Pollution
2. Water Pollution
3. Soil Contamination
4. Plastic Pollution
5. Radioactive Pollution
6. Noise Pollution
7. Littering
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Activity
What is happening in this picture?
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Activity
DID YOU KNOW?
1. Visual Pollution: Disturbs the visual areas by creating
harmful changes in the natural environment.
Give some examples
2. Light Pollution: Brightening of night sky by man-made
sources.
What are these man-made sources?
How do they harm the environment?
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Causes of Environmental Pollution
1. Industries
2. Transportation
3. Population growth
4. Rising consumerism
5. Agricultural activities
6. Trading activities
7. Residential activities
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Activity
Select a product and explore the 3 stages of the
item’s life in terms of:
1. Production
2. Sale
3. Disposal
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Effects of Environmental Pollution
Effects on Effects on
Humans Animals
Effects on Effects on
Plants Ecosystem
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Solutions
1. Vehicle Emission Control
2. Public Transport System
3. Alternative Sources of Energy
4. Waste Management
5. Energy Conservation
6. Afforestation
What other solutions can you propose?
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Depletion of Natural Resources
What is meant by the depletion of Natural
Resources?
Why is Natural Resource depletion a problem?
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Types of Natural Resources
1. A Renewable Resource: Can renew themselves
and never deplete.
Give some examples?
2. Non-renewable Resource: Once exhausted,
cannot be renewed.
Give some examples?
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nonrenewable and renewable.
Renewable resources are
Nonrenewable energy
replenished naturally and over
There are nine major areas of resources, like coal, nuclear, oil,
relatively short periods of time.
energy resources. They fall into and natural gas, are available in
The five major renewable
two categories: nonrenewable limited supplies. This is usually
energy resources are solar,
and renewable. due to the long time it takes for
wind, water (hydro), biomass,
them to be replenished.
and geothermal.
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Causes of Resource Depletion
1. Overpopulation
2. Deforestation
3. Mining Industries
4. Urbanization
5. Destruction of Ecosystems
6. Over Consumption and Waste
7. Industrial and Technological Developments
8. Pollution and Contamination of Resources
Can you think of other causes?
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Effects of Resource Depletion
1. Scarcity of Resources
2. Rising Prices
3. Water Shortage
4. Smaller Economies
Can you think of any other consequences of
natural resource depletion?
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Solutions
1. Reduce Use of Fossil Fuels
2. Develop Alternative Sources of Energy
3. Invest in Green Transportation
4. Water Cleanliness and Conservation
5. Preservation of Trees and Forests
6. Protect Coastal Ecosystems
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Activity
HOW CAN YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Suggest 3 ways to:
Save Save Water? Reduce Protect
Energy? Waste? Resources?
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Rights of Future Generations
Declaration on the Responsibilities of the Present
Generations Towards Future Generations recognized
that the present generations have the responsibility of
ensuring that the needs and interests of present and
future generations are fully safeguarded.
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