Readings: Tillery, B. W., Enger, E. D., & Ross, F. C. (2019). Integrated science

Readings:
Tillery, B. W., Enger, E. D., & Ross, F. C. (2019). Integrated science (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Chapter 23, “Ecology and Environment” (pp. 612-617)
Bryson, B. (2008). A really short history of nearly everything. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.
“Humans Take Over” (pp. 156-157)
To Prepare:
Rarely a day goes by without reading newspaper headlines or online news feeds about the world’s environmental problems and the need to “go green.” As you explored in the Learning Resources for the past two weeks, human-induced factors have changed ecosystems. In many cases there have been substantial gains in human well-being and economic development, but these gains may have also been reached at considerable cost.
As an example, in the mid-1980s, there was a heated debate surrounding the future of the northern spotted owl. For centuries, the spotted owl had made its home in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. But the owl’s habitat also became a primary source of timber for a thriving logging industry. As logging production increased, the population of spotted owls decreased. By 1990, environmentalists worked to have the owl declared to be a threatened species. This move ultimately banned the timber industry from further clearing of the forests. The environmentalists argued that society has an obligation to preserve this rare species and the wilderness it inhabits. The timber industry claimed that establishing logging restrictions would lead to dire economic consequences for the thousands of Pacific Northwest loggers who would lose their jobs.
Although the debate over the fate of the spotted owl has subsided, new and equally relevant concerns related to the depletion of natural resources will continue to surface into the foreseeable future.
How well do you understand the impact that humans are having on the natural environment? Think about examples of how the Earth’s environment is changing as a result of human activity. When humans alter an ecosystem to gain something of seeming importance, what trade-offs occur? What “green” technologies or approaches do you know about that aim to reduce the damage being done to natural resources and move us toward a more sustainable future?
Discussion:
Post a description of one or more ways that human actions are impacting the natural environment. Explain the possible benefits to these actions, as well as the associated costs to the environment. Offer your opinion on whether or not the benefits outweigh the potential risks. If applicable, include an example of a “green” technology that is emerging to reduce the risks and provide an alternative approach.