chapter 9: earth’s resources and environmental protection introduction to geography
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 9: Earth’s Resources and Environmental Protection
Introduction to Geography
What Is a Natural Resource?►Something that is useful to people►Defined by
Cultural values►What is used and valued by
people►Wood, mud or brick building►Swamps become wetlands,
cultural shifts Available technology
►Potential resources►Ability to extract and use
Economics►Supply and demand►Externalities
Natural Resources
►Substitutability Stabilizes prices Limits resource scarcity
►Nonrenewable resources Limited amounts
►Gas, oil, coal, metals
►Renewable resources Replaced continually
►Air, wind, water, solar Some can be depleted
Solid Waste►Landfills
Sanitary landfills►Receive about 55% of
solid waste►Reduce air & water
pollution►Many becoming full &
closing►Public objection to new
landfills (“NIMBY”)
►Incineration Reduces
volume Provides
energy
Recycling► Reduces need for landfills and incinerators► Reuses natural resources► Barriers
Waste separation Consumer
resistance Lack of market Hidden costs Indirect losses
► New products & technologies
► Shared costs with consumers
Energy Resources►Renewable energy
Solar energy from the sun Hydroelectric & wind power from movements of air
& water Geothermal from heat within Earth
►Most energy from chemical energy stored in
Wood Coal Oil Natural gas Alcohol Manure
Fossil Fuels►Oil, natural gas, coal
Created from plant & animal remains millions of years ago
►Nonrenewable Wood primary energy
source until coal become dominant in 19th century
Oil is most important energy resource today
►U.S. and Canadian industry Natural gas, oil, coal
►Distribution of fossil fuels Uneven Reserves
Renewable Energy
►Nuclear Fission vs. fusion Problems
►Potential accidents►Radioactive
waste►Public
opposition►High cost
Renewable Energy►Biomass
Burning wood, plant material & animal waste Home heating & cooking in most of world
►Hydroelectric Flowing water ¼ of world’s electricity Opposition to dams
►Solar Energy from sun Thermal & photovoltaic Wind generation
►Transition to new energy sources
Air Pollution► Human
concentration of trace substances at greater-than-natural levels Predominately fossil
fuels
► Acid deposition Acid rain - sulfur,
nitrogen oxides Concentrated in
►Northeastern North America
►Central Europe►Eastern China
Air Pollution►Urban air pollution► Components
Burning in power plants and vehicles►CO2
►Incomplete burning
Photochemical smog
Particles (dust, soot)►Weather factors
Wind or calm Air temperature inversions Sunlight
Water Pollution►400 billion gallons per day pumped in U.S.►Pollution sources
Point Non–point
►Concentration & dilution
► Oxygen in water Oxygen levels indicate
healthy water body Biochemical oxygen demand of decomposing
waste►Wastewater & disease►Chemical & toxic pollutants
Controlling Pollution►Controlling pollution
Common strategy Removal before entering environment
►Sewage treatment►Catalytic
converters►Smoke stack
scrubbers
Preventing Pollution
►Paradigm shift in the 1990’s Stop producing pollution Use of non-toxic substances Recycling potential pollutants
► Incentives Remaining pollution even with
control measures Legal liability Cheaper Public relations value
Forests► Cover 1/3 of Earth’s surface► Uses
Renewable natural resource Timber, paper, wood products Recreational
► Ecosystem Habitat Carbon
storage Biodiversity
End of Chapter 9