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Environmental Science and Human Population

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Environmental Science and Human Population Worksheet

1. What would you include in a brief summary on the history of the modern environmental movement, from the 1960s to the present?
The modern environment movement began on April 22, 1970 largely due to the release of the book The Silent Spring that is written by an environmentalist name Rachel Carson. Overtime, I think the environment has improved tremendously from where and how it all began. With the help of the National Resources Defense Council, many things started happening for the betterment of the environment. Many Acts and laws were passed such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act. The National Resources Defense Council has created acts and laws that have help to stop the mistreatment of the environment as well as the senseless killings of some of our wildlife that are still effective to this very day.
2. Explain the primary concern over exponential population growth. What promotes exponential population growth? What constrains exponential population growth?
The primary concern over exponential growth is, the more people there are and the more resources we use will eventually lead to the Earths downfall thus leaving us with a weak environment. The population on Earth has grown over the past few decades and with that, growth come the more frequent use of unnatural resources. There are more people using and trying to advance technology and while it seems like a good idea, the things that are used to invent the new technology, or grow the next vegetable is causing harm to the environment. Some of the thing that promotes exponential growth is modern technology and medicine, famers and people. Educating women on the effects of birth control and the lack of water to produce food constrains exponential population growth.
3. What is carrying capacity? Compare predictions for human population growth in developed countries versus developing countries. What will occur if carrying capacity is exceeded?
Carrying capacity is the number of people that the Earth can carry and have sustainable life. The prediction for developed countries population is that in time there is hopes for it to level off. With more women working and returning to school time to raise a family has become limited and sometime nonexistent. There are also more choices for the women in developed countries to use some sort of birth control. In the developing countries it is popular for the young women to get married at an early age, thus leading to them becoming pregnant earlier in life and more likely to have more children. They lack getting educated about safe sex and contraception. If reproduction keeps, happening due to these factors in developing countries there, population will grow rapidly and this will add to the carrying capacity of the earth. If carrying capacity is exceeded it will create a packing problem and we may not be able to produce the means we need to survive.
4. How do individual choices affect natural ecosystem? Provide examples from your personal or community experience.
According to "How Do We Affect The Ecosystem?" (2011), “An ecosystem is a living system that includes the sun as an energy source, soil, rocks, water, air, plant life and living beings.” Our individual choices affect the natural ecosystem in several ways. Those who choose to have a farm are killing off the ecosystem of plants and animals that existed and lived off that area so that they can produce the kind of food they want to have. The chemicals they use to grow this farm can affect our water supply. Eating any kind of meat is affecting the ecosystem because we are slowly but surely killing off that particular species. Driving my car is also something that affects the ecosystem because the gas in the car adds pollutants to the air and is helping to add to the depletion of the ozone.

References Botkin, D. B., & Keller, E. A. (2011). Environmental science: Earth as a living planet (8th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection. How Do We Affect the Ecosystem?. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/172789-how-do-we-affect-the-ecosystem/
PNAS Study: Population Growth Will be Constrained by the Limits of Trading Virtual Water (Food). (2013). Retrieved from http://www.bigpictureagriculture.com/2013/01/pnas-population-growth-constrained-limits-trading-virtual-water-food-317.html

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