environmental science

environmental science

Exploring the Intersection of Environmental Science and Sustainability: A Comprehensive Study

1. Introduction to Environmental Science and Sustainability

Environmental science curricula should integrate traditional environmental topics with sustainability to explore the limitations of environmental and resource policies and lead students from the state of being “successful” toward “excellence.” In contrast to the concept of sustainable development that gradually integrates environmentally friendly technology and economics to pursue a society’s development adapted to the limitation of natural capital, sustainability is rooted more deeply in the way we think about and interact within nature. Sustainability is the precaution and restraint of environmental stress, resources exploration, and settlement development in the face of ecological uncertainty, and the ethical distribution of benefits and burdens for both the protection of natural resources and the settlement of ecological stress when additional inevitable intervention in the environment occurs. Thus, sustainability is the ethical process for protecting and managing the environment.

Environmental science, the interdisciplinary study of environmental systems from scientific and social perspectives and human impacts on the systems, has grown over the past decade into a distinctive, established field of study. Different from traditional environmental studies and environmental programs that have an advocacy focus or that are limited to the disciplinary expertise of a single faculty, department, or program, environmental science programs encompass disciplinary collaboration to teach students polydimensional environmental issues with multiple cause-effect pathways. Lower-division programs generally emphasize an overview of environmental systems, while upper-division programs and specialized laboratories might empower students with critical thinking and technological problem-solving skills. When a program is structured to teach a wide variety of science and non-science students, it achieves a goal of environmental education to provide environmental literacy for the population.

2. Key Concepts and Theories in Environmental Science

An investigation into the intricate web of nature and the interdependencies involved in producing a product is to be made. What is often ignored today is the balance found in nature’s relationships that includes careful usage and efficient recycling. This chapter provides a basic foundation for environmental science and economics with the goal of sharing some concepts and theories. The overall result is to understand, protect, and conserve our surroundings. Concepts and theories discussed also will provide insight for understanding of the problems raised by existing and proposed policies in areas of economics. The environment provides an intriguing arena for such study because protecting the quality of the environment depends, in part, upon economic policies that stem from the issues in environmental science.

Key Concepts and Theories in Environmental Science

In this chapter, we introduce and describe fundamental and advanced topics in the study of environmental sciences appreciation. These topics define a broad range of concepts that help environmental scientists to identify, regulate, remediate, or prevent harmful effects of chemical, physical, or biological hazards to the environment and to assess the risks of such harmful effects occurring, as well as their benefits. Our mission is to articulate the powerful and practical reasons why college students and future professionals across many disciplines and majors should ground their educations in environmental science. Doing so not only helps understand and solve the most pressing environmental problems, but leads to a more fulfilled and satisfying life. In the balance of this introductory chapter, we promise to engage both your interest and your critical reasoning as you gain insights into the intriguing and essential science that are the building blocks of environmental science.

Introduction

3. Methods and Techniques in Environmental Science Research

Methods of science are required to distinguish effective solutions from non-effective ones. This paper is the third in a series about the methods and techniques in environmental science, designed to complement existing resources. Here, our emphasis is on the state-of-the-art in each type of research and providing ideas for those new to the research. Previous papers provide background on the nature of environmental science, discussing how it is uniquely characterized by its broad scope, complexity, methodological diversity, and interaction with society, including how it is used to solve problems. They introduce research questions of contemporary importance and also provide background on the nature of research in environmental science accordingly.

We briefly describe five broad classes of techniques that environmental scientists use to conduct their research: remote sensing, computational modeling, field observations, laboratory-based studies, and citizen science. Each class of techniques provides a unique perspective on how the environment functions, and none, by itself, can provide a full understanding. However, when combined, these techniques allow scientists to more fully access, understand, and solve environmental problems. Many projects involve multiple techniques, guided by and contributing to testing powerful theories of how different components of the Earth system interact. Environmental scientists can work closely with policy makers, industry, and the public so that knowledge and understanding are put to use to solve urgent environmental problems. With this paper, our goal is to provide a broad audience, experienced in environmental science as well as new to it, an overview of leading methods and techniques.

4. Challenges and Solutions in Environmental Sustainability

As the field of environmental sustainability science evolves, faculty find themselves addressing challenges in multiple areas across the intersection of environmental science and social sustainability. These problems arise both in the classroom and within environments of faculty work in environmental science research, diversity, service, communication, awareness, and stewardship. The relationship of teaching and service in a setting where testing new materials and techniques is a natural advantage to novel research creates a unique opportunity to engage students in cutting-edge research projects and enhance pedagogical strategies for STEM courses. The specific proximity of the faculty professional skills in research and interest in enhancing student learning taking place within the context of a large research institution creates opportunities for services and outreach to students, and environmental sustainability stakeholders not commonly available in other contexts.

We present challenges faced by environmental sciences and sustainability. These problems are described both in the classroom and within environments of environmental science faculty, ranging from disparities in training, undergraduate education, student perceptions, student community engagement, increased representation from groups traditionally underrepresented in science, communicating the complexities of environmental problems, and an outdated paradigm of charitable giving specifically as it applies to sustainability as a cultural construct. We conclude that while best practices exist, there are still critical turning points where skills make or break successful sustainability executions. These salient points are critical junctions in considering environmental science progress and also in identifying which turning points are the most critical in determining successful sustainability program outcomes. All of the turning points are roadblocks for reaching sustainability goals, making them a cornerstone for sustainability science explorations unique to our specific locale within science.

5. Case Studies and Examples of Successful Environmental Initiatives

Architects are finding innovative ways to create environmentally benign spaces. The Rocky Mountain Institute, based in Snowmass, Colorado, is developing new and innovative ways. They are incorporating other renewable technologies to make buildings more energy efficient and less dependent on the grid. McKay conceived of a solution whereby materials are produced near where they are mined, putting the least possible energy into their transport. The family members are committed to the preservation of the land, and thus to KKJT’s use of sustainable forestry practices. No other form of system could have provided such positive views of the forest, while at the same time producing long-term economic yields. The forestry practices pursued by KKJT are testament to a more enlightened stewardship of the environment, one which seeks to enhance rather than detract from both natural and built environmental capital. The family members have invested heavily in roads, and constantly thinned and pruned the forest to enhance both its ecological as well as commercial value.

Despite the many constraints on the path to sustainability and post-modern cynicism, there are innumerable examples of successful projects and initiatives that can and do make a positive difference. Progress is being made, policies that address the problem of changing the way the biophysical environment is managed are effective when they are designed and used, and there exists a positive long-term future for the planet. This chapter consists of examples of the new interdisciplinary field of environmental sustainability science. The case studies come from the fields of architecture, energy and materials, and agriculture and forestry.