The Fundamental Principles of Environmental Science
The Fundamental Principles of Environmental Science
Jessica Cameron
ENV 100
August 5, 2013
Andrew Walsh
The Fundamental Principles of Environmental Science
Environmental science is defined as an interdisciplinary field that combines the scientific information from several disciplines not limited to biology, geology, physics and economics (Berg & Hagar, 2009, p. 1.5) to understand and influence the environment. The reason that environmental science is so important is because it brings to light the damage done to the earth and the things that can be done to help the earth find and maintain sustainability through future generations.
One of the things that affect the sustainability of the planet is technology. The relationship between technology and the environment is a very strong one though it is not always for the best. In today’s world of commerce our trade is mostly based on supply and demand. This means that if an item is in short supply and the demand for it is high then the price for the consumer goes up. This seems like a good way to do business but there is one cost that is not ever applied to a product for sale. The cost that the consumer never sees is the cost that making the consumer product has on the environment. In a perfect world the cost of environmental resources would be included in the purchase price of consumer goods. Following this practice might open the eyes of the consumer about how much a cellular phone or a laptop computer with an LCD screen actually costs. With this awareness a consumer might choose to purchase less than planned or not to purchase the item in question at all (Berg & Hagar, 2009 chap.3). Technology has come a long way over the centuries. Factories were created to manufacture the products in record time but at what cost to the environment? Companies look at the bottom dollar when manufacturing a product. Companies would rather produce more of a product and dump their waste into the local rivers,
Jessica Cameron
ENV 100
August 5, 2013
Andrew Walsh
The Fundamental Principles of Environmental Science
Environmental science is defined as an interdisciplinary field that combines the scientific information from several disciplines not limited to biology, geology, physics and economics (Berg & Hagar, 2009, p. 1.5) to understand and influence the environment. The reason that environmental science is so important is because it brings to light the damage done to the earth and the things that can be done to help the earth find and maintain sustainability through future generations.
One of the things that affect the sustainability of the planet is technology. The relationship between technology and the environment is a very strong one though it is not always for the best. In today’s world of commerce our trade is mostly based on supply and demand. This means that if an item is in short supply and the demand for it is high then the price for the consumer goes up. This seems like a good way to do business but there is one cost that is not ever applied to a product for sale. The cost that the consumer never sees is the cost that making the consumer product has on the environment. In a perfect world the cost of environmental resources would be included in the purchase price of consumer goods. Following this practice might open the eyes of the consumer about how much a cellular phone or a laptop computer with an LCD screen actually costs. With this awareness a consumer might choose to purchase less than planned or not to purchase the item in question at all (Berg & Hagar, 2009 chap.3). Technology has come a long way over the centuries. Factories were created to manufacture the products in record time but at what cost to the environment? Companies look at the bottom dollar when manufacturing a product. Companies would rather produce more of a product and dump their waste into the local rivers,
References: Berg, L., & Hagar, M. (2009). Visualizing environmental science (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Plus Indoor mold and effects on health. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.poison.org/current/indoor%20mold.htm