The student will investigate and understand public policy decisions relating to the environment. Key concepts include
1. natural resources are important to protect and maintain;
2. renewable and nonrenewable resources can be managed;
3. major health and safety issues are associated with air and water quality;
4. major health and safety issues are related to different forms of energy;
5. preventive measures can protect land-use and reduce environmental hazards; and

Central Idea: Natural resource management and health and safety issues related to the use of resources should be considered in the development of public policy.

Management of Resources

Natural resources have different properties, making them suitable for different uses. Natural resources are limited and are distributed unevenly around the planet.

• People, as well as other living organisms, are dependent upon the availability of clean water and air and a healthy environment.
• Local, state, and federal governments have significant roles in managing and protecting air, water, plant, and wildlife resources.
• Modern industrial society is dependent upon energy.

• Fossil fuels are the major sources of energy in developed and industrialized nations and should be managed to minimize adverse impacts.
  • Renewable resources should be managed so that they produce continuously. 
    • Sustainable development focuses decisions about long-term use of the land and natural resources on maximum community benefit for the longest time with the least environmental damage
  • Preventing pollutants from entering the air and water can protect the health of living things.
    •  Water pollutants such as pesticides, fertilizers, and chemicals affect the limited amount of fresh water available for living things to maintain life processes. 
    • These pollutants may also lead to an increase in bacterial, viral, and parasitic diseases.
• Conservation of resources and environmental protection include individual acts of stewardship.
• Human use of resources has a cause-and-effect impact on Earth systems and on the global economy.
• There are advantages and disadvantages to using any energy source. 
  • These advantages and disadvantages may affect the environment and have economic implications.
• Human health can be affected when pollutants, in the form of particulates and thermal energy released into the atmosphere, disrupt the natural balance in the system

Preventative Measures

Earth scientists and engineers develop new technologies to extract resources while reducing the pollution, waste, and ecosystem degradation caused by extraction.

• Preventive measures, such as pollution prevention or thoughtfully planned and enforced land-use restrictions, can reduce future damage.
• Regulations, incentives, and voluntary efforts help conserve resources and protect environmental quality.
• Use of renewable (water, air, soil, plant life, animal life) and nonrenewable resources (coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear power, and mineral resources) must be considered in terms of their cost/benefit tradeoffs.
• Pollution prevention and waste management are less costly than cleanup