Topic 1 revision
Jun 18, 2022
Environmental movement
Different lecels of influence:
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individuals
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Independent pressure groups (NGOs)
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Governments
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Intergovernmental bodies (e.g. United Nations)
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historical events
Environmental Value Systems: Anthropocentric
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people centerd
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Nature here to benefit humankind
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Use taxes, regulation, legislation to sustainably manage
Environmental Value Systems Technocentric
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Technology-cented
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Technological developments can solve any envirnmental problem
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Focused on economic growth
The Systems Approach
A system is a set of interrelated parts working together to make a complex whole
What does it involve:
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Simplifying complex environmental systems
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Outlining its inputs + outputs
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Emergent properties
Systems are composed of…
Storages: where energy or matter remainsFlows: where energy or matter move between storages (inputs and outputs)Can be a:
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transfere: a change in location
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Transformation: a change in the chemical nature, state or form
And they obay certain laws:
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1st law of thermodynamics/Law of censervation of energy: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only . E.g. light to heat, chemical to electrical•
2nd law of thermodynamics: Thhe entropy (disorder) of a system increases over time; Energy conversations are only 10% efficient: energy is always lostEquilibrium and feedback loops
Equilibrium: The tendency of a system to return to its original state following a disturbance.Distinguish in terms of activity:
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steady-state (dynamic)
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static
And Stability
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stable
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unstable
Positive and Negative feedback
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negative Feedback → negates change! (E.g. predator prey interactions)
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Positive feedback → amplifies change (e.g. albedo in global warming)
Topic 2 revisions
Jun 18, 2022