Environmental Science and Human Population Worksheet

This worksheet discusses the current growth rate of the human population and its sustainability using the concept of carrying capacity. It also provides a timeline of important events in the modern environmental movement since 1960. Additionally, it explains the environmental impact of plastic and how individuals can reduce their impact on the environment. Lastly, it discusses the relationship between hypothesis, research/experimentation, and theory in scientific investigations.

Environmental Science and Human Population Worksheet
Using the textbooks, the University Library, or other resources, answer each of the following
questions in 150- to 300-words. Be sure to provide references for the sources you use.
Question Response
Is the current growth rate of the
human population sustainable?
Explain, using the concept of
carrying capacity.
According to Garrett Hardin (1991), the carrying
capacity is one of the fundamental basis for
demographic accounting. The resources available
for sustainable existence of human lives in the
planet depends on the fact that they should be
wisely used to maintain the ecological balance.
Catton in 1986 has defined the carrying capacity
of the environment as its maximum persistently
supportable load. The conventional economical
models suggests that human carrying capacity is
infinitely expandable owing to the advancement
of technology, ad trade and defy the demographic
impact on the environment and resources. The
world has seen maximum growth in its human
population in the last century and the current
demographic data reveals that there are over 7
billion people residing in the planet. As per the
reports of the United Nations, 200 years ago,
there were less than one billion people on earth.
From 1900 to 2000, the world saw its population
explosion which was thrice greater as compared
to the history of human evolution. The population
rose from 1.5 billion to 6.1 billion, the growth has
been extremely phenomenal in the last 100 years.
It is estimated that the earth has a carrying
capacity of 10 billion population with respect to
its carrying capacity and any further growth will
create serious problems in the standards of living,
and resource utilization in the years to come.
Using an internet search, provide a
timeline of important events in the
modern environmental movement
since 1960.
Through 1960, the world has taken initiatives to
protect the environment and certain resolutions
and conventions were undertaken in the global
scenario.
A timeline would guide us through the major
environmental movements through 1960.

 The first National Environmental Policy
Act was passed in 1969 by the United
States of America.
 The first Earth day was celebrated in
1970, on 22nd April to create
consciousness among people about the
importance of conserving nature.
 Clean Air Act was passed in 1970 by the
Unites States of America.
 UN Conference on the Human
Environment in 1972.
 The Clean Water Act was passed in 1972
in order to conserve and protect the water
and marine resources.
 The endangered Species Act in 1973 to
preserve and conserve wildlife in USA.
 February, 1979 saw the first World
Climate Conference was held in Geneva
and was organized by the World
Meteorological organisation. It saw the
foundation of the Intergovernmental
Governmental Panel for Climate zone.
 The Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act or the CERLA was passed in 1980 to
allow a fund to clear up hazardous sites
and polluted environments.
 The Nuclear Waste Policy Act was passed
in 1982 in order to regulate the use and
disposal of nuclear wastes confirming to
environmental conditions.
 In 1990, the Second Climate
Conference was held in Geneva on 29
October to 7 November. It saw the
establishment of the Global climate Treaty
and paved way for the Kyoto protocol
through the expansion of the UNFCCC or
the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change.
 The first global initiative to recognize
Earth Day by the United Nations
Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED), was taken and
the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit,
commonly referred as Rio Conference or
Earth Summit was held on 3rd to 14th June,

1992.
 World Summit on Sustainable
Development (2002)
 The Third World Climate Conference was
held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 31
August till 4 September in 2009 and saw
the emphasis of climate prediction and
climate observation.
 UN Conference on Sustainable
Development in 2012
 The Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015
within the framework of the UNFCCC.
The agreement is aimed at dealing with
greenhouse-gas-emissions and climate
change. The agreement was signed by 196
state parties and bringing the terms to
effect in the year 2020.
 UN Sustainable Development Summit in
2015
(Research.un.org., 2018)
Perform an internet search using one
of these topics: car, electronics,
water bottles, plastic grocery bags,
food choice, home size, commuting
and incorporate the “environmental
impact” they may elicit.
Read one of the articles you find and
explain:
 The environmental impacts of
that item or activity.
 How you as an individual can
reduce your impact on the
environment as it relates to this
item or activity.
The impact of Plastic in the environment is highly
detrimental and has long lasting impact in the
ecology. The ecological footprint of the plastic in
any form has consequences that degrade the
environmental to an irreversible extent. The
degradation of polymers take much longer than
usual and can contaminate the resources to an
alarming extent. Plastics have contributed greatly
to persistent organic pollutants or PoPs which
have affected the marine ecosystem greatly. The
polymers have serious health impacts in humans
causing carcinogenic and endocrine disruptive
disorders. The major impact of the plastic bags
and material is on the marine ecosystem thereby
causing vulnerable conditions to the people. It is
estimated that the global ocean holds a minimum
of 5.25 trillion particles weighing approximately,
268,640 tons. This huge amount of debris will
take an approximate time of 100 to 500 years to
disintegrate completely and has been a huge
impact this makes plastics as one of the major
hazardous wastes (Eriksen, et al., 2014).
The importance to reduce the impact of plastic is
utmost and it is time humanity looks into
sustainable alternatives to mitigate the pollution
and reduce the impacts. As an individual I would

initiate the practice of recycling the plastic bags
and other materials that can be recycled. I would
also proactively practice proper disposal of the
plastic materials and encourage use of alternative
materials to reduce the impact of plastics from the
environment. Recycling and proper disposal
would help to reduce the carbon footprint of
plastic thereby reducing the impact on a long run.
Explain the relationship between
three aspects of science: hypothesis,
research/experimentation, and
theory.
Hypothesis, research experiment and theory are
all interrelated to each other and is the basic
framework upon which a scientific research is
done. In order to formulate a theory, a hypothesis
is made which is actually an assumption made on
the basis of general observation and peer
reviewing of relevant literature. Once the
hypothesis is made, the assumptions are tested,
tried and experimented through the process of
scientifically validated methods. This step is one
of the basis of formulating a theory. The
experimentation yields results either in favor of
the hypothesis or against it. The confirmation of
the hypothesis results in the formation of the
theory. The role played by the three aspects in any
scientific investigation is paramount and is
evident in establishing any scientific theory
(Bang, et al., 2012).

References
Bang, A. L., Krogh, P., Ludvigsen, M., & Markussen, T. (2012). The role of hypothesis
in constructive design research. The Art of Research, 1-11.
Eriksen, M., Lebreton, L. C., Carson, H. S., Thiel, M., Moore, C. J., Borerro, J. C., ... &
Reisser, J. (2014). Plastic pollution in the world's oceans: more than 5 trillion
plastic pieces weighing over 250,000 tons afloat at sea. PloS one, 9(12), e111913.
Our World in Data. (2018). Our World in Data. Retrieved from
https://ourworldindata.org/
Research.un.org. (2018). Research Guides: UN Documentation: Environment: Major
Conferences and Reports. Retrieved from
https://research.un.org/en/docs/environment/conferences
Un.org. (2018). World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision | Multimedia Library -
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Retrieved from
https://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/world-population-prospects-
the-2017-revision.html
Un.org. (2018). World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision | Multimedia Library -
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Retrieved from
https://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/world-population-prospects-
the-2017-revision.html