CHAPTER 1 KEY ISSUE 4 Why Are Some

CHAPTER 1 KEY ISSUE 4 Why Are Some Human Actions Not Sustainable?

RESOURCES �Substances in the environment that are useful to people and feasible to access.

Until humans decide it has value, a resource is just a part of n a tu r e

EXAMPLE: NATURAL GAS Until relatively recently, natural gas was ‘burned off’ at oil sites. It was perceived as having no value to people.

TODAY…

POTENTIAL RESOURCES are those which are useful, but which we do not have the technology/ability to feasibly attain. It is known that there are URANIUM deposits in Ladakh Province, India, deep in the Himalayas

There are TWO TYPES of resources – RENEWABLE and NON-RENEWABLE

Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Renewable – a resource produced in nature more rapidly than it is consumed by humans (rapid replenishment)

Renewable vs. Nonrenewable – a resource depleted by man faster than it can be replenished by nature (very slow replenishment)

D NUCLEAR is NON-RENEWABLE because it uses URANIUM

Two major misuses (abuses) of resources: Humans often exhaust nonrenewable resources.

Depleted oil field near Baku, Azerbaijan

Depleted coal Mine -

Two major misuses (abuses) of resources Humans deplete renewable resources through pollution and mismanagement.

A RESOURCE DESTROYED: THE ARAL SEA

The ARAL SEA was once the 4 th biggest inland body in the world. In the 1960 s, the Soviet Union dammed the sources of the sea to use the water for cotton irrigation Its inflow blocked, the Aral has withered- and by 2014, had nearly ceased to exist.

Desiccation of ARAL SEA in Central

FISHING SHIPS ON FORMER ARAL SEA-BED

RESPONSES TO ENVIRONMENTAL DEGREDATION

Three Pillars of Sustainability � Environment Pillar � Conservation must be embraced in general, preservation where possible Economy Pillar Prices of resources should reflect TRUE environmental costs Society Pillar � Modifying the wants of society to reward sustainable production

PILLARS OF SUSTAINABILITY

CONSERVATION is limiting human use of resources so they can be used for a long period of time to come (HUMAN use) PRESERVATION is leaving nature as it is found in its natural condition.

CONSERVATION Using resources sustainably

PRESERVATION Keeping nature in its natural state

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE: ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATION in the NETHERLANDS and SOUTH FLORIDA

The Netherlands – sustainable modification • Much of the Netherlands would be underwater, if it weren’t for polderspieces of land created when water is drained from an area.

Polders are created by DIKES, sturdy walls which hold back the sea to create usable land

• The Dutch have become world leaders in fighting the causes of global warming.

S. Florida – unsustainable development Highly unsustainable modifications have been made to ecosystem of the Everglades

The KISSIMEE RIVER has been straightened, destroying its natural

LAKE OKEECHOBEE has become poisoned by surrounding farms and encroaching cities

Much of The Everglades- once a very wide, shallow river – is now a rotting swamp, poisoned by fertilizers

� Environmental Determinism the belief that the physical environment CAUSES or GUIDES social development

Determinism was used by EMPIRES to justify their domination of native peoples, who were ‘savages’ because of their environments. English imperialists often recounted that tropic climates produced people who were ‘lazy, brutish, and uncivilized. ’

Today, there has been a determinist ‘revival’academics like Jared Diamond have written influential books arguing ENVIRONMENTS are the biggest factor guiding human civilization.

However, Possibilism has replaced determinism. It poses that people can react to and master their surroundings, no matter the

Earth’s Physical Systems A Biotic system is one composed of living organisms An Abiotic system is one composed of nonliving matter

Earth’s Physical Systems �Four Interrelated Systems: � Atmosphere: thin layer of gas surrounding Earth (abiotic) � Hydrosphere: all water on and near Earth’s surface (abiotic) � Lithosphere: Earth’s crust and layers just below the crust (abiotic) � Biosphere: all living organisms on Earth (biotic)

or EARTH SYSTEMS

CLIMATE vs. WEATHER CLIMATE is longterm and varies little year-to-year WEATHER is the atmospheric condition at any given time DESERT RAINY

Koppen’s Biomes System describing the major climate regions – TROPICAL, DRY, TEMPERATE, CONTINENTAL, & POLAR