Ch. 25 Vocabulary

1. Environmental Sustainability- the ability to meet humanity’s current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
2. Sustainable Development- development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
3. Consumption- the human use of materials and energy; generally speaking, people in highly developed countries are extravagant consumers.
4. Cultural Diversity- earth’s variety of human communities, each with its individual languages, traditions, and identities.
5. Biological Diversity- the number and variety of earth’s organisms.
6. Carrying Capacity (K)- the maximum number of individuals of a given species that a particular environment can support for an indefinite period.
7. Ecosystem Services- important environmental benefits, such as clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and fertile soil in which to grow crops, that ecosystems provide.
8. Restoration Ecology- the study of the historical condition of a human-damaged ecosystem, with the goal of returning it as close to possible to its former state.
9. Full-cost Accounting- the process of evaluating and presenting to decision makers the relative benefits and costs of various alternatives.
10. Consumption Overpopulation- a situation that occurs when each individual in a population consumes too large a share of resources.
11. Sustainable Consumption- the use of goods and services that satisfy basic human needs and improve the quality of life but that minimize the use of resources so they are available for future generations.
12. Environmental Justice- The right of every citizen, regardless of age, race, gander, social class, or other factor to adequate protection from environmental hazards.