Page 28 - Environment: The Science Behind the Stories

today in a malaria-infested village in Africa may welcome the
use of DDT if it kills mosquitoes that transmit malaria, because
he or she may view malaria as a more immediate health threat.
Thus an African and an American who have each knowledge-
ably assessed the pros and cons may, because of differences in
their circumstances, differ in their attitude toward DDT.
People also vary in their awareness of problems. For
example, in many cultures women are responsible for col-
lecting water and fuelwood, and as a result they perceive
environmental degradation that affects these resources more
readily than men do. Moreover, in most societies informa-
tion about environmental health risks tends to reach wealthy
people more readily than poor people. Thus, who you are,
where you live, and what you do influences how you per-
ceive your environment, how change affects you, and how
you react to change. FIGURE 1.7 Environmental scientists play roles very different
from those of environmental activists, like those shown here.
Although many environmental scientists search for solutions to
Environmental science is not the same environmental problems, they aim to keep their research objective
as environmentalism and to avoid advocacy.
inform policy and management decisions (FIGURE 1.8). Many
Although many environmental scientists are interested in
solving problems, it would be incorrect to confuse environ- scientists are motivated by the potential for developing useful
mental science with environmentalism or environmental activ- applications, whereas others are motivated simply by a desire
ism. They are very different. Environmental science involves to understand how the world works.
the scientific study of the environment and our interactions Why does science matter? As astronomer and author Carl
with it. In contrast, environmentalism is a social movement Sagan wrote in his 1995 treatise, The Demon Haunted World:
dedicated to protecting the natural world—and, by extension, Science as a Candle in the Dark, “We’ve arranged a global civ-
people—from undesirable changes brought about by human ilization in which the most crucial elements—transportation,
actions (FIGURE 1.7). communications, and all other industries; agriculture, medi-
cine, education, entertainment, protecting the environment;
and even the key democratic institution of voting—profoundly
depend on science and technology.” Indeed, from the food we
FAQ Aren’t environmental scientists also eat to the clothing we wear to the healthcare we depend on,
environmentalists?
virtually everything in our lives has been improved by the
Not necessarily. Although environmental scientists search application of science. Sagan and countless other thinkers
for solutions to environmental problems, they strive to keep have argued that science is essential if we hope to develop
their research rigorously objective and free from advocacy. solutions to the challenges we face.
Of course, like all human beings, scientists are motivated by
personal values and interests—and like any human endeav- CHAPTER 1 • SCIENCE AND SUSTAIN ABILITY : AN INTR ODUCTI ON T O ENVIR ONMENTAL SCIENCE
or, science can never be entirely free of social influence. Yet Scientists test ideas by critically
while personal values and social concerns may help shape the examining evidence
questions scientists ask, scientists do their utmost to carry out
their work impartially and to interpret their results with wide- Science is all about asking and answering questions. Scientists
open minds. Remaining open to whatever conclusions the examine how the world works by making observations, taking
data demand is a hallmark of the effective scientist. measurements, and testing whether their ideas are supported by
evidence. The effective scientist thinks critically and does not
simply accept conventional wisdom from others. The scientist
becomes excited by novel ideas but is skeptical and judges ideas
by the strength of evidence that supports them. In these ways,
The Nature of Science scientists are good role models for all of us, because we can all
benefit from learning to think critically in our everyday lives.
A great deal of scientific work is observational science or
Modern scientists describe science as a systematic process descriptive science, research in which scientists gather basic
for learning about the world and testing our understanding information about organisms, materials, systems, or processes
of it. The term science is also commonly used to refer to that are not yet well known. In this approach, researchers
the accumulated body of knowledge that arises from this explore new frontiers of knowledge by observing and measur-
dynamic process of questioning, observation, testing, and ing phenomena to gain a better understanding of them. Such
discovery. research is common in traditional fields such as astronomy,
Knowledge gained from science can be applied to address paleontology, and taxonomy, as well as in newer, fast-growing
societal needs—for instance, to develop technology or to fields such as molecular biology and genomics. 27

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