chapter 9: earth’s resources and environmental protection introduction to geography

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