Introduction to Environmental Technology

1. Introduction to Environmental Technology Preserving the Legacy

2. Introduction cont. • Developed in the early 70’s • Pollutant, a general terms that refers to any substance introduced to the environment that adversely affects that environment. • Contaminant, a more specific term that refers to specific substance or features (whether physical, chemical, biological or radiological) that has an adverse affect on air, water or soil.

3. Environmental Consciousness • Developed in the early 70’s • Environmental health is now a national and global priority • New government agencies set standards and enforce compliance with regulations

4. Environmental Technology • Knowledge and skills necessary to manage, work with and control hazardous materials • Also refers to an industry that has developed around the skills and knowledge base that has developed • Can be very technical or more politically developed. • What do I mean by political?

5. Hazardous materials – substances that may cause an increase in death or irreversible illness in the population or pose a hazard to human health or the environment when handled improperly • Hazardous waste – hazardous material for which there is no further use

6. Environmental Compartments • Also called an environmental medium • Includes air, water, soil and biota • A spill of hazardous material that evaporates quickly could – contaminate air and soil immediately, migrate to ground and surface water, and be ingested by animals and humans

7. Primary Federal Agencies • EPA – Environmental Protection Agency • OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration • DOT – Department of Transportation

8. Historical Perspectives • During colonial times our national resources were viewed as an unlimited supply of raw materials for our developing nation • Concern for the environment and reverence for nature were first expressed by people such as Thomas Jefferson and Ralph Waldo Emerson

9. Henry David Thoreau • Influenced policy makers during the 19th century • Wilderness was vital to human existence • It was neither an enemy to be conquered or a resource to be exploited • Contributed to the establishment of the first nation park at Yellowstone in 1872

10. John Muir • A geologist and botanist, was the first president of the Sierra Club in 1892 • Contributed to the formation of six more national parks including Yosemite • Has become a force in shaping US conservation policies

11. Post WWII • Rise of automobile based urban culture • Era of abundance and consumption • Petrochemical products – plastics, pesticides, additives for food and fuels, detergents and solvents

12. Rachael Carson • Biology teacher and researcher for the Bureau of US Fisheries - Wrote Silent Spring in 1962 • Accumulation of pesticides such as DDT had caused disruption of the reproductive processes in birds • Public health and the environment are inseparable and should be regulated by government

13. Environmental Awareness • Public concern about the environment increased • Colleges began to offer courses in environmental science • Paul Erlich wrote The Population Bomb in 1968 • We will talk about this further, were his predictions accurate? • First Earth Day - April 22, 1970 A national teach-in on the crisis of the environment

14. Love Canal • First highly publicized environmental crisis occurred in the late 1970’s • Casual dumping of highly toxic industrial chemicals and municipal waste • Citizens group led by Lois Gibbs forced the government to address the problem • The area was declared a federal disaster area by Jimmy Carter in 1978

15. 1980 1951 Love Canal before and after

16. 1978 2007 More Love Canal photos

17. Superfund • In 1980 Love Canal led to the enactment of CERCLA • The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act • Identifying sites and the responsible parties as well as selecting cleanup technologies

18. Exxon Valdez • March 24, 1989 • ¼ of a quarter million ton load of crude oil was spilled into Prince Edwards Sound • Resulted in changes in the regulation of oil transport

19. Consequences of our Actions • Many of our environmental problems today are a result of activities that were once perfectly acceptable • DDT was considered a miracle chemical! • CFC’s (chlorofluorocarbons) were used in aerosol propellants and refrigerants

20. Today we recognize that they are depleting the ozone layer, exposing us to dangerous ultraviolet radiation • What present practices and activities will be found to have harmed the environment we leave for our children and grandchildren?

21. Population and Sustainable Development • Economic productivity is no longer considered the ultimate measure of success • There has been little incentive to develop long-range plans for sustainable resource use

22. Many of the global problems that we face are interconnected • Poverty, population growth, industrial development and destruction of the environment • What is a carrying capacity? • What is sustainable growth? • What is per capita consumption?

23. Population Growth • At present and projected growth rates our world population today of 6.6 billion • May increase to 10-12 billion by 2050 • However, new estimates indicate a slowing of population growth w/ a peak of ~ 9.4 billion • 90% of this growth will occur in the world’s poorest countries

24. United Nations data on projected world population growth

25. Linear growth; where the rate of growth remains constant Exponential growth: where the rate of growth is non-constant but instead varies at a compounded percentage rate

26. Population Growth II • http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2002/WPP2002-HIGHLIGHTSrev1.PDF • http://www.unfpa.org/6billion/ • http://www.un.org/popin • http://www.un.org/esa/population/unpop.htm

27. The US represents 5% of the world’s population • We consume 25% of the world’s energy resources

28. Sustainable Development • A global goal for the 21st century • Management of resources to enable us to meet our current needs without jeopardizing the ability of the earth’s future inhabitants to do the same • And without degrading the environment

29. Career Opportunities • Occupational health and safety • Regulatory agencies • Industry • Transportation • Public Service • Environmental consulting firms

36. Environmental cleanup contractor • Education/training • Banking • Environmental laboratories • Insurance

47. Changing Nature of Environmental Regulations • The scope and strictness of regulations has increased over the years • This regulation forms the backbone on which environmental work is conducted in the private sector • Small businesses, farms and municipalities are being affected by regulation at a higher level

48. Use of toxic substances and disposal of hazardous waste are now a major concern • Higher drinking water standards, protection from leaking underground storage tanks (LUST), and now increasing regulation of non-point source pollution • Radon contamination and the removal of asbestos

49. It is estimated that municipalities will have to charge an additional $100 per year to each household to cover the additional regulatory burden • Many small businesses may be unable to absorb the additional cost of compliance • Business, industry and the general public need to educate themselves and provide input in the process of regulation