ESS Topic 1
What is an EVS
An Enviromental Value systme is a world view that shapes the wat an individual or group of people percieve and understand enviromental issues.
What influences the EVS
Cultural, religious, economic, political, social contexts
Name and Describe the EVS
Ecocentric= Puts nature above all, prioritises natures needs and the importace of education so people understand that humans should leave nature alone, allowing it to restore itself back on and equilibrium
Anthropocentric= Humans must sustainably manage the global system. Through: taxes, regulations and legislations
Technocentric= Technological developments provide sollutions to enviromental problems
What is a systems approach
a way of visualising a complex set of interactions both social and enviromental
what are two integral parts of a system
storages= where enrgy or matter is stored
Flows= Processes that are either transfers ( change in location) or transformation ( chenge in state or energy)
what are the different types of systems
Open= Exchanges both energy and matter
Closed system= exchanged only energy
issolated system= nothing comes in or out of the system
What happenes as the food chain progresses
there is a progress loss of energy along the food chain (via respiration)
The First two Laws of thermodynamics
1st= Entropy of a system increases over time. ( Entropy is a measure of the amount of dissorder in a system)
2nd= Energy cant be created or destroyed it can only be transformed
The Feedback Loops
Negative Feedback Loop= When the output of a process reverses the operation of the same process in order to reduce change
Positive Feedback Loop= This aims to amplify change driving systems towards a tipping point forming a new equilibrium
How can we tell if a system is strong
Through its resilience a system shows its ability to avoid tipping points and maintain stability
Through diversity a system can have higher resilience and slow down the speed of impact
What is Sustainability
Sustainability is the use and management of resources that allows full natural replacement of the resources exploited
What is Natural Capital
Natural Capital= Resources that can produce a sustanable natural income of goods and services
What are ecosystems
Ecosystems may provide life supporting services such as water replenishment, flood protection and goods such as fisheries and agricultural crops
What are some factors that indicate Sustanability
Biodiversity, Pollution, Population, Climate
What are Enviromental Impact Assesments and What are they Used for
EIAs conduct studies before a project has started to asses the enviromental, social and economic impacts of the project.
EIAs provide decision makers with information in order to consider the enviromental impact of a project. However they arent obliged to follow them
What are some negatives of Enviromental Impact Assesments
They dont have to be followed
Lack of clear definition of system boundaries
Dont include indirect impacts
Arent enough trained practicioners
What is an ecological footprint
Is the Area of land and water required to sustanably provide at the rate by which they are being consumed by someone
What is pollution
Its the addition of substance to an enviroment through human activity, at a greater rate than which it can be naturally dealed with by the enviroment
what are pollutants
They are substances ( organic or inorganic, Light, Sound or Thermal energy, Biological agents or invasive spacies) primarily realeased by humans