PE014IU

Environmental Science
Class Introduction and
Induction
Date: September 13th, 2018
Introduction
• Who am I?

• Why am I here?

• What would I like to gain this class?

Who Am I?
• HM “Thomas” Nguyen
• Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology and Conservation Biology, University of Western Australia (UWA),
with distinction, 2012.

• Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Marine Biology, UWA, with distinction, 2013.

– Thesis: Evaluating the effects of climate change on hapuku (Polyprion oxygeneios) in western Australian waters
using an otolith increment chronology

• Research Assistant and Data Analyst, 2013-2015

– School of Environmental, Civil and Mining Engineering; School of Earth and Environment; and the Oceans Institute
– UWA

• Master of Science in Marine Science, University of Texas at Austin, 2018.

– Thesis: Spatial and temporal variations in benthic bivalve’s stable isotopic compositions in the Chukchi Sea, Arctic
Ocean
What Would I Like to Gain from This Class?

• Not only as your teacher but also your

•Guide
•Support
•Inspiration
• I would like to:
•Guide you to understand environmental science, its concepts,
challenges and discoveries
•Inspire you to communicate your learning and understand to
people
Learning Outcomes
• An understanding of:
• Environmental and environmental science terminology and concepts;
• Integration of environment and development;
• Population growth, natural resources utilization and exploitation; environmental implications and mitigation
measures
• Climate change: causes, impacts and adaptation measures;
• Sustainable development.

• Ability to explain natural phenomenon and environmental problems caused by human activities

• Ability to predict population growth, natural resource demands, waste generations in future

• Ability to convince people to protect environment by simple activities.

• Ability to suggest simple sustainable strategies to mitigate the impact of human activities on the
environment and
“One natural
thing resource.
I have learned in a long life: That all our science, measured against reality, is
primitive and childlike - and yet it is the most precious thing we have.”
Rules and Policies
• Class starts at 8:00AM every Monday
• With at least one 15-minute break.

• 20mins late is considered absence

• Arrival after break-time is still considered absence

• 3 absences result in mid-term or final examination prohibition

• Attendance is checked in every single lecture

• Exception provided if
• I am notified beforehand
• Medical emergency: must have valid doctor’s note, subject to follow-up inspection by me or Dept. of Academic
Affairs
• Family emergency: family member’s medical emergency, bereavement, celebrations… according to my discretion
Attendance Tracker
• Attendance will be checked in every lecture via QR codes
• Students must have a Google account and a smartphone with QR scanner app
installed

• Scan the QR code provided to each one student with your mobile phone and
follow the link
• Each student can only scan their own code, no exceptions
Rules and Policies
• Taking part in classroom discussion/debate/Q&A results in bonus points or other benefits
at my discretion
• Benefits includes but are not limited to exam prohibition revoked, quiz waived or bonus points
• English only in class. Questions and Answers in any other languages will not be considered.

• No mobile phones allowed, except for scanning the QR codes

• Anyone caught using a mobile phone will
• Be asked to leave the classroom immediately
• Have their attendance canceled for that day

• Respect lecturer and fellow students

• Violations include but are not limited to physical and verbal abuse, and noise pollution
• Violator will
• Be asked to leave the classroom immediately
• Have their attendance canceled for that day
• Be reported to Office of Academic Affairs and others for appropriate penalties
Rules and Policies
•Office hour: 9:00AM – 11:00AM at Rm. A1.704

•Out-of-office-hour: by appointment only

•Contact via email ([email protected]) or in-

person only
•No exceptions
•Fill in your email address at https://goo.gl/bPcx7Z
•To miss an email announcement is NOT an excuse
Assessments
• Midterm Exam:30%

• Final Exam:40%

• Quizzes and In-class assignments: 10%

• Group assessment: 20%

PE014IU
Environmental Science
Lecture 1: Environmental
Problems, Their Causes,
and Sustainability
Date: September 13th, 2018
Content
• Section 1-1: What are three principles of sustainability?

• Section 1-2: How are our ecological footprints affecting the earth?

• Section 1-3: Why do we have environmental problems?

• Section 1-4: What is an environmentally sustainable society?

Why Do We Need to Study Environmental
Science?
What are three
principles of
sustainability?
Section 1-1
Ecological Footprints: Our Environmental Impacts

Ecological footprint is the amount of biologically

productive land and water needed to supply a
person or country with renewable resources and to
recycle the waste and pollution produced by such
resource use.
Environment Definition Atmosphere

Physical
Lithosphere
• Environment includes all Environment

living and nonliving things ….

with which an organism Fauna

interacts. Biological
Flora
• Environmental science Environment Environment

• Learn how life on earth has Microbial

survived and thrived Society

• Understand how we interact
with the environment Cultural
Economy

• Find ways to deal with Environment

Politics
environmental problems and
live more sustainably …
Sustainability Definition
• Sustain (v.): Cause to continue for an extended period or without interruption (Oxford
Dictionary)

• Sustainability: the capacity of the Earth’s natural systems and human cultural systems to survive,
flourish and adapt to changing environmental conditions into the very long-term future

• Key components:

Human
Sustainability
Life depends activities can Solutions can
begins at
on natural degrade be found and
personal and
capital natural implemented
local levels
capital
 Natural Capital
Solar Natural Capital = Natural Resources + Natural Services
energy

Air

Renewable
energy
Air purification
Climate control
Life UV protection
(biodiversity)
(ozone layer)

Nonrenewable
minerals Population
control
Water purification
Pest
Water control
Waste treatment

Soil
Soil renewal Food production
Nonrenewable Nutrient
energy recycling

Land

Natural resources
Natural services Fig. 1-3, p. 9
Renewable vs. Non-renewable
Renewable Non-renewable
• They can form and replenish fairly • They do not form or replenish in a
easily in a short period of time short period of time
• Typically need much longer than a human
life-time
• Requires
sustainable yield
• Def: the highest
rate at which we
can use a
renewable resource
eliminate its supply
Sustainable Yield

Use Less Use Again Convert Used

in the Same Materials into
Form New Materials

Image source: VoicesofYouth.org and Cardiff University

How are our
ecological footprints
affecting the earth?
Section 1-2
 Natural Capital Degradation

Degradation of Normally Renewable Natural Resources

Climate Shrinking
change forests

Decreased
Air pollution wildlife
habitats
Species
Soil erosion extinction

Water
pollution

Declining
Aquifer ocean fisheries
depletion

Aquifer (n.): a body of permeable rock that can contain or transmit groundwater.
Fig. 1-5, p. 11
 Pollution
• Pollution (n.): introduction of harmful materials (pollutants) into the environment. (National
Geography)
• Pollute (v.): contaminate (water, the air, etc.) with harmful substances (Oxford Dictionary)
• Pollutant (n.): chemical or other substance that harms a natural resource. (National Geography)
Air Pollution Water Pollution Noise pollution Light Pollution

Source: National Geography Source: Suston Magazine Source: Hindustan Times Source: South China Morning Post
Homework
http://bit.ly/ESHomework1 • Reading the National Geographic
Encyclopedia entry sections:
• Air Pollution
• Water Pollution

• Summarize them and bring your

notes to next lectures
• 3 sources
• Are they point source or non-point
source?

• Words from the vocabulary section

will be included in mid-term and
final examination
Pollution Sources
Point Source Pollution Non-Point Source Pollution
• Point sources are single, identifiable • Nonpoint sources are dispersed and often
sources (e.g., smokestack) difficult to identify (e.g., lawn runoff).

Source: University of British Columbia

Solution to Pollution
• Prevention
• Prevent pollutants from entering the environment

• Cleanup
• After pollutants already in the environment
• Temporary
• Can results in different pollution
• E.g. burning garbage
• Dispersed pollutants can be too costly to cleanup

• Which solution is more commonly used in Vietnam?

• Why?
Why Doesn’t Knowing the Solutions Help?

Source: Nicholas Amendolare - https://youtu.be/CxC161GvMPc

Calculate Our Impacts
I = P xA xT
Why do we have
environmental
problems?
Section 1-3
(Some) Causes of Environmental Problems
(Some) Causes of Environmental Problems
The human population is growing
exponentially at a rapid rate →
beyond Earth’s sustainable support

Affluence has harmful and beneficial

environmental effects → too high
consumption of resources but can have
some upsides

Poverty makes people focus on

short-term survival → less likely to
be concerned about the
environment

Cost of damaging the

environment is not included
in product cost → prices are
kept low but will have to
pay later for damages
People Have Different Views about Environmental Problems and
Their Solutions

• Each individual has their own environmental worldview—a set of

assumptions and values reflecting how you think the world works and
what your role should be.

• One needs to understand other people’s points of view in order to

cooperate and find solutions to maintain sustainable living
What is an environmentally
sustainable society?
Section 1-4
What Is an Environmentally Sustainable Society?
• Environmentally sustainable societies protect natural capital
and live off its income.
•Increase reliance on renewable resources.
•Protect earth’s natural capital.

• We can work together to solve environmental problems.

•Trade-off solutions provide a balance between the benefits and the
costs.
•Individuals matter especially in success of bottom-up grassroots
action.
Three Big Ideas
1. Rely more on renewable energy from the sun.

2. Protect biodiversity by preventing the degradation of the

earth’s species, ecosystems, and natural processes, and by
restoring areas we have degraded.

3. Help sustain earth’s natural chemical cycles by reducing waste

and pollution, not overloading natural systems with chemicals,
and don’t remove natural chemicals faster than the cycles can
replace them.
Summary