Ecology

see also: Etymology of Ecology

The ecology is the study of the interactions of the living beings between them and with their medium. Ecology is one of the Natural science.

The term “ecology” comes from the Greek oikos (“house”, “habitat”) and logos (“science”, “Connaissance”): it is the science of the house, of the habitat. He was invented in 1866 by the German biologist Ernst Haeckel, although Henry David Thoreau perhaps invented it as of 1852. He seems to be used for the first time in French towards 1874 and Pierre Fournier which benefitted from the columns of the newspaper Hara Kiri to express its talent of polemist on the subject. In 1972, it created the weekly magazine the open Mouth entirely devoted to ecology and health. It is then as from years 1980 that the first political parties are created after the candidature for presidential of 1974 of Rene Dumont. The 30 last years of the 20th century saw in the majority of the countries emerging from the movements environmentalists and the parties ecologists, (known as '' left Verts ''). There exists a difference between these movements and current Politique S and ideological and Ecology as a Science. One calls écologisme , or environnementalism the first object, and ecology the second, their respective actors being described of ecologists and ecologists .

An example is the use of the “ecological” adjective: one weeding ecological, the ecological car, ecological houses… Expressions which do not seem always etymological lies justifiable and make ecology scientific more confused for the Public opinion which often confuses ecology and écologisme.

Some wished to define ecology compared to the human , as the analysis of the interaction complexes between the Environnement (including like medium of life of Humanity) and economic operation , Social, ethical and Politique of the human Communauté S. This definition makes it possible to approach the topic of the ecology policy as developed by Alain Lipietz.

Generally, the State S and the Citoyen S admit more and more the need for respecting the natural laws, even if that implies an evolution of a state of Esprit and in a manner of living. Modern ecology makes it possible scientifically to define parameters which help with the decision of the measures to be taken for the Protection of nature, such as the creation of national parks and natural reserves, banks of seeds and to promote Loi S and international conventions intended to protect the fauna, the Flore and the mediums Naturel s.
The evaluation of the ecosystems for the millenium, the most important last and of the evaluations of the State of the world Environment estimated that the situation of the ecosystems had become overall critical, requiring fast changes of behaviors if one wanted to avoid serious economic consequences, medical, social following the decline of the services rendered by the ecosystems.

Human concrete cases

The study of the influence of the mankind, cosmopolitan Species and invasive, on the whole of the biosphere: biochemical cycles, flow of energy, biodiversity, forms also part of the object of ecological science. The study of the consequences of the last human choices makes it possible to light those whose the future depends on the biosphere.

Some reference marks in figures

Which are the given quantified ecology , and which they represent? This nonexhaustive list gives an outline of it.

Industry

821.000.000 of tons: it is the weight of waste produced by industry in France in 2004. That represents 82 000 times the weight the Eiffel Tower.
150.000 km ² /an: it is the surface cleared by Humanity for the manufacture of the Papier. Let us note that it is the equivalent of the French forests…

Individuals

7%: it is the energy saving which we carry out if we lower the temperature of heating to 19°C instead of 20°C in the dwellings.
353 kg/an : it is the weight of waste of one Average Frenchman (+10% in 10 years)…
70% of the electricity consumption of a television set is due to its Mise in day before (a score of hours per day whereas it is looked at only four hours maximum).
5: it is the number of nuclear reactors which it is necessary to only feed the dishwashers, washing machine and dryers French! Let us recall that there are 60 engines in France.
100 kWh/an : it is the economy which you can rather make by buying a screen LCD than a cathode tube screen (with 8:00 of utilization/j). Only problem: the price, although the average costs of a screen LCD do not cease dropping.
30%: they is the thermal losses due to the bad insulation of the roofs.

Mixed

6 Gigatonnes/an: it is the emission of Gaz to greenhouse effect of Humanity, knowing that the Earth can recycle only 3 GT/an, therefore 3 WP accumulate each year…
+ 0,5 to 0,7 °C: it is the increase in the temperature on the surface of the Earth since 1860.
12 billion Km/jour: it is the way traversed by all Europeans in the car, this is equivalent to 300.000 times it tower of the Earth per day.
55%: it is the share of worn water which is cleansed, in France.
40%: it is the overconsumption of a 4x4 downtown compared to a “traditional” car.
1: it is the number of plant specie exterminated by the Man each day!
156: it is the number of countries which ratified the protocol of Kyoto. To note that the the United States and the Australia are not signatories of the protocol.
-2,9%: it is the fall of gas emission to greenhouse effect in Europe in 2003 compared to 1990. We engaged with a fall of 8% between 2008 and 2012.
5.500 billion Dollar S: it is what the Climate warming could cost if anything is not done. That represents approximately three times GDP French.
62 TWh : it is the electrical energy produced in 2006 in France thanks to the renewable energies. France produced in all 3177 TWh of energy (fossil energy + renewable energy). That is equivalent to the production of 130 nuclear reactors of 5th generation.

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