How Humans Impact the Environment
Why Do We Pollute the Environment? The “Environment” divisions ��The natural environment��The built environment��The social environmentPopulation growth
Small population and little technology—society has low impact on environment.Larger population and increased technology—society has great impact on environmentHuman behavior—Needs—Wants Driving forces—Population—Technology. → all cause environmental factors.
Chemicals in the Environment
��Roughly 70,000 different synthetic chemicals are on the global market; many others are emitted as by-products of their production, use, or disposal��Production of synthetic organic chemicals (e.g., dyes, plastics, solvents) has increased from less than 0.15 billion kilograms (1935) to more than 150 billion kilograms (1995)The Industrial Process and the Environment
Chemical inputs (raw materials)Power inputs (gas, oil, coal)Other inputs (water) ↓ industry → water poll., air poll., toxic wasteEnvironmental Impact
Growth in environ. impact= Growth in population X Growth in affluence X Growth in technology.Problem solving paradigm
Risk assessment ………→ risk identification.Hazard identification,Exposure assessment, Dose-response assessment