Understanding Environmental Science and Sustainability: Principles, Challenges, and Solutions
Understanding Environmental Science and Sustainability
What is Environmental Science?
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field that draws on knowledge from various disciplines to understand the environment and our interactions with it. It encompasses insights from:
- Natural Sciences: ecology, biology, geology, chemistry
- Social Sciences: geography, politics, economics
- Humanities: ethics, philosophy
Goals of Environmental Science
Environmental science has three primary goals:
- To learn how nature
Morphostructural Units of Relief in the Iberian Peninsula and Canary Islands
Morphostructural Units of Relief
The Plateau
The peninsular fundamental unit of relief consists of high plains, remnants of the Hesperian Massif, primarily shaped by the Hercynian orogeny and later eroded and deformed during the Alpine orogeny. Within the plateau, we can differentiate:
The Old Basement
- Composed of granite, slate, and quartzite, primarily found in the west.
- Features peneplains (smooth surfaces with minimal elevation differences), montes islas (isolated hills), and mountain ranges like
The Industrial Revolution: Causes, Consequences, and Social Movements
Why Great Britain? The Origins of the Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution, a period of profound technological advancement and societal change, began in Great Britain during the 18th century. Several key factors contributed to this unique historical development:
Favorable Conditions for Industrialization
- Agricultural Revolution: The 18th century saw significant improvements in agricultural practices, leading to increased food production and a surplus of labor available for new industries.
The High Middle Ages: Feudalism, Social Organization, and the Church
The High Middle Ages and Feudalism
Characteristics of the Fiefdom
Many fiefdoms were self-sufficient, providing everything their inhabitants needed.
A fiefdom consisted of various areas:
- The castle: the lord’s residence, shared with family, vassals (knights), and servants.
- The demesne: the lord’s land.
- The village: home to farmers (serfs and free peasants), a church, taverns, traders’ stalls, and workshops.
- Tenements: plots of land rented to peasants in exchange for part of their harvest.
- Other communal
Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources: Importance and Threats
Renewable Resources
Renewable resources, together with inexhaustible resources (sunlight, wind, salty water…) are fundamental because their existence and renewal depend on rational use. Examples are land and forests.
Fertile soil is one of the most important because agriculture and livestock form the basis of the global food supply, and overexploitation can use it up. Excessive use of pesticides, fertilisers and inappropriate crops make the soil less fertile, or make land disappear altogether (desertification,
Read MorePrinciples of Flight
Ethnic Group: members perceive themselves as different from others because of a common ancestry or shared culture Examples: Philippine Canadian – More Acadian flags in particular regions in Canada. Linked to ancestors and to specific cultural traditions. Linked to the past and elders. Implies minority status. Religion is a source of conflict. Example: France – Conceives itself as a singular ethnic identity. Example: Uganda is home to 50 or more tribes
Race: distinct group of a species that only develops
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