Download Name of Your Country

Five of the World’s Most Critical
Environmental Concerns
Environmental Concern #1:
Desertization
Source: http://theroadtothehorizon.net/photo/desertification%20in%20China.jpg
What is desertization?
The United Nations has defined the term as:
“Land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas
resulting from adverse human impact.”
What do they mean by degradation?
“Reduction in resource potential by water and wind erosion,
sedimentation and siltation, reduction in the level of diversity in
vegetation, crop yields, soil salinization, and sodication.”
Source:
(Hellden, 1991)
Background Information On Soil:
• Soil is needed to feed the world. Without it, we would starve!
• Soil is important because it is a limited natural resource which
takes about 100 years to produce just one inch of topsoil
• Soil consists of organic and inorganic material
• The inorganic material is sand, silt, clay, gravel, and bedrock
• Humus is the organic material (dead stuff) which provides the soil
with needed nutrients
• The ideal soil is loam which has a proportional amount of sand,
silt, and clay
• The soil ecosystem includes bugs and worms. These creatures are
important because they dig tunnels for air and water to reach the
root of the plant
Background Information On Soil:
If an apple were the world and you cut it into 32 pieces, the peeling of
the 1/32 piece of apple would be equivalent to the amount of topsoil
present on earth.
Background Information On
Desertization:
• The Sahel of Africa is the most stricken region of the
world
• 35% of the world’s land surface is at risk
• Each year, 21 million hectares of soil is turned almost
useless or useless
• This is a threat to the world’s economy
Causes of desertization:
Human Actions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Population Growth – need for more food
Populations larger than the carrying capacity
Mismanagement of natural resources
Overgrazing
Deforestation and clearing of vegetation for pasture land
Increased number of livestock
Irrigation problems leading to salination of soil
Climatic change causing decrease in rainfall
Wind and water erosion
Source: Le Houerou (1977)
Effects of desertization:
• Droughts
• Loss of topsoil – land degradation with desert like
conditions
• Decrease in rainfall and water
• Dust storms increasing in number
• Damaged economy – retail, travel, industry, worker
absenteeism due to illnesses
• Damages biodiversity within ecosystems
• Destroys crops, trees, vegetation
Source: (Brown)
Solutions for desertization:
Establish greenbelts along the boarders of deserts:
• Halts encroachment and affects microclimates of local
areas
• Helps with wind and soil erosion
• Reduces soil temperature
• Reduces run-off
• Increases the organic material near the edges of desert,
thus improving the soil’s nutrient content
Cons – evidence does not support a high success rate, it is
very expensive, and hard to manage
Source: Le Houerou and Lundholm (1976)
Solutions for desertization:
Water supply through desalinization:
• Applicable for mineral and oil-rich countries like Saudi
Arabia
Runoff Farming:
• Planting near rain water catchments so irrigation is not
needed
Using agricultural and industrial by-products:
• Take part of the herd to feed lot
• Feed livestock by-product instead of allowing them to graze
Source: Le Houerou and Lundholm (1976)
Solutions for desertization:
Agricultural:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Better practices
Crop rotations
Plant legumes – source of protein and alternative to meat
Drip irrigation
Land use planning
Plant vegetation that minimizes erosion by maximizing
vegetation cover on the land
• Organic fertilizers
Livestock:
• Limit population size
• Rotate graving sites
• Move to an animal lower down on the food chain which
uses less water and food
Source: Le Houerou and Lundholm (1976)
Solutions for desertization:
Successful Family Planning:
• Decrease or at least stabilize the growth of the population
Planning:
• Consider land consolidation and sound land use practices
• Inventory humans, cattle, land, water, vegetation, and natural
resources to gather data
• Use data to make plans for relief
Source: Le Houerou (1977)
World map of desertization locations
Source: http://colli239.fts.educ.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/800pxDesertification_map.png
Desertization Video
Source: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3332285257674477144#
Environmental Concern #2:
Population Growth (Overcrowding)
Source: http://candobetter.org/files/population.growth.gif
What is population growth and over
crowding?
When the number of births for the year is higher than the
number of deaths. The result is a net increase of
people.
Background Information:
People need a certain amounts of natural resources to live a life that
in adequate:
•
•
•
•
•
Land
Fresh water
Food
Energy
Material resources
There is a limited supply of natural resources and problems arise
when and where there is a shortage of these
Take a second to review the change in the size of the world’s
population
Background Information:
Population Size of the World:
1800 – 900 million
1950 – 2.5 billion
1970 – 3.7 billion
1990 – 5.3 billion
2010 – 6.8 billion
2030 – 8.2 billion (est.)
2050 – 9.3 billion (est.)
Causes of population growth and over
crowding:
• Death rate decreased while birth rate increased
• Better medicine (vaccines, antibiotics, health care,
immunizations) and better nutrition
• Clean water available to more people
• Increased food productivity
• Increase in fertility rate
• Better sanitation = less disease
• Higher standard of living
• Able to supply needs and demands of population
Source: (Kinder, 1998)
Effects of population growth and over
crowding:
•
•
•
•
•
Land Use:
Increase in food consumption means more land for crops
and cattle
Overgrazing damaging the soil – worst case scenario
would be desertization
Higher crop yields but near the ceiling for production
Deforestation to create farmland and grazing areas to
feed the growing numbers
Increase in CO2 emissions adding to global warming
which is causing heat waves and droughts which
damage the crops and the land
Effects of population growth and over
crowding:
Water Use:
• Higher demand
• 70% of all fresh water is used in irrigation to make food
• Increase in use of water to accommodate the demand in
food production
• Aquifers are being drained quicker than they can refill
• Pollution from agriculture has damaged the aquatic
biomes
Effects of population growth and over
crowding:
Pollution:
• Use of fertilizers and pesticides which runoff and damage aquatic
and terrestrial ecosystems Higher crop yields
• Deforestation to create farmland and grazing areas to feed the
growing numbers – takes away oxygen producers
• Increase in CO2 emissions adding to global warming
• Increase in methane from landfills and animals
• CFCs used in refrigerators are more harmful than CO2
Solutions for population growth and
over crowding:
Increase productivity in agriculture:
• multiple cropping – allows for overlapping so the land doesn’t sit still
• intercropping – grow two crops at the same time with nitrogen rich
plants like peanuts and legumes mixed in with nitrogen dependent
crops
• Seed bed transplanting – allows for multiple crops to be produced in
shorter time
• Land reform – shift cattle ranches into farms
• Better irrigation practices – less water to yield same amount
• Grow crops that require less water
• Genetically modified plants
• Move from meat to high protein plants = less water required
Solutions for population growth and
over crowding:
Third World Countries
• Equal rights for women – right to choose number of children they have
• Economic development – bring them out of poverty where social status is
based on earnings instead of the number of children they gave birth to
• Education – better income and learn about birth control
• Education + better economy = lower birth rate
In General
• Legislation or tax incentives for having fewer children
• Foreign aid – educate and provide birth control
Source: http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/populationgrowth.htm
Population Growth Video
Source: http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_on_global_population_growth.html
Environmental Concern #3:
Global Warming/Climate Change
Source: http://westorlandonews.com/wpcontent/uploads/2009/12/global_warming.jpg
What is global warming and climate
change?
Global warming is the increase in temperature in the
earth’s atmosphere and oceans due to the increase in
greenhouse gases, caused by pollutants. It should also
be noted that the amount of sunlight that reaches the
earth from the sun in manipulated.
Climate change is a change in the patterns of
temperatures, seasons, humidity, precipitation, and
wind.
(Easton, T. 2010)
Causes of global warming and climate
change:
Human Influences:
• Humans – we emit greenhouse causes with our cars,
factories, and with the use of electricity.
• Methane – landfills, livestock
• Nitrous oxides from fertilizers
• Depletion of forests
• CFC’s and HCFC’s – used in refrigeration and are more
potent that carbon dioxides
Effects of global warming and climate
change:
Because so many systems are tied to climate, a change in climate can
affect many related aspects of where and how people, plants and
animals live, such as food production, availability and use of water,
and health risks.
• Predicted 0.5-1.0 degree increase in temperature over next few decades
• Increased production of ozone (5%-10% by 2050) due to increased
temperature, combined with primary emissions, sunlight, and air mass
stagnation events
• Increase in wildfires
• Water concerns – drought, waterborne diseases, harmful increase in bluegreen algae, melting of the polar ice caps
• Increase in sea levels – flooding, damage to city infrastructures
• Extreme weather events – more frequent hurricanes, cold weather fronts,
floods, heat waves
(English et al., 2009)
Effects of global warming and climate
change:
Because so many systems are tied to climate, a change in climate can
affect many related aspects of where and how people, plants and
animals live, such as food production, availability and use of water,
and health risks.
• More allergies and respiratory illnesses due to increase in production of
plant biomass (pollens could show a 320% increase by 2050)
• Disease and premature deaths
• Environmental infectious diseases – range of diseases can spread to larger
range (West Nile, Lyme, valley fever, dengue fever and human hantavirus
cardiopulmonary syndrome
• Heat vulnerability – poor, children, elderly, health patients, infants, and
the socially isolated are at a higher risk
(English et al., 2009)
Global Warming Simulation
Video: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/globalwarming/gw-impacts-interactive
Steps to address global warming and
climate change:
You
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use energy efficient light bulbs
Replace air filters frequently
Purchase energy efficient appliances
Use less energy when cooking,
cleaning, etc…
Buy local, fresh, organic, and farther
down the food chain items
Carpool or limit trips
Switch to green power
Plant a tree
Reduce waste
Buy items with the least amount of
packaging
Government
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use less fossil fuels
Switch to technologies that use fewer
harmful emissions
Create legislation for all to follow on
the local, state, national, and world
level
Create more and better technology that
is energy efficient
Develop clean, renewable, and safe
energy
Move from coal, oil and gas by
switching to natural gas
Address population growth
Push towards fewer cattle ranches and
educate people to eat lower down the
food chain to reduce methane gas
levels
Source: Alberni Environmental Coalition,
http://www.portaec.net/library/energy/government_solutions_to_global_w.html
Global Warming Video
Video: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/environment/globalwarming-environment/global-warming-101.html
Al Gore Video:
Causes of global warming and what you can do?
Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_on_averting_climate_crisis.html
Environmental Concern #4:
Energy Resources
population growth and over crowding
Source: http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/imgLib/20080722_energy_crisis_3.jpg
What are our energy resources?
The United States is fossil fuel (oil, coal, and natural gas)
dependent.
Who are the top exporters of oil to the
United States?
Source:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/
import.html
Causes of our energy crisis:
• Overconsumption – population growth
• Dependency on fossil fuels
• Inability to switch to cleaner renewable energy source
• The incentive to change energy resources is not economically
advantageous at this point
• Cost of new technologies are high
• Cost of fossil fuels are low
• Lobbyist (i.e. oil companies) slow progress within government
• Not acknowledging the problem – irresponsibly avoiding the issue
Effects of our energy crisis:
• Global warming – caused by the use of current fuel
source
• Climate change
• Dependence on fossil fuels from other countries
• Beginning to look into other options – clean fuel
• Innovations in science and technology
• Some states in the United States are starting to take
the lead in energy reform – California
Who is and isn’t doing their part in trying to
help with improving energy efficiency?
The key state-specific rankings in the 2010 ACEEE Scorecard are as follows:
The four most-improved states – Utah (tied for #12, up 11 spots from 2009), Arizona (#18, up 11 spots),
New Mexico (#22, up eight spots), and Alaska (#37, up eight spots) – climbed at least eight spots since the
2009 Scorecard
In general, the Southwest region demonstrated considerable progress from 2009 to 2010.
California retained its #1 ranking for the fourth year in a row, outpacing all other states in its level of
investment in energy efficiency across all sectors of its economy.
The balance of the top 10 states: Massachusetts (#2, holding steady) ; Oregon (#3, up from #4); New York
(#4, up from #5); Vermont (#5, up from #6); Washington (#6, up from #7); Rhode Island (#7, up from #9);
Connecticut (tied for #8, down from #3); Minnesota (tied for #8, holding steady); and Maine (#10, holding
steady).
The 10 states with the most room for improvement in the Scorecard
Louisiana (#42, down one spot); Missouri (tied for #43, down two spots); Oklahoma (tied for #43, down
four spots); West Virginia (tied for #43, up two spots); Kansas (#46, down seven spots); Nebraska (#47,
holding steady); Wyoming (#48, up three spots); Alabama (#49, down one spot); Mississippi (#50, down
one spot); and North Dakota (#51, down two spots).
Source: http://www.aceee.org/press/2010/10/state-energy-efficiency-scorecard
Solutions for our energy crisis:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Wind energy – uses wind to create energy
Nuclear energy
Photovoltaic or solar panels – converting light into energy
Geothermal – using energy stored within the earth
Hydrogen fuel cells - automobiles
Hydropower – uses water to produce energy
Biomass – turning garbage, waste, cow manure etc. into electricity
by burning it to heat water which turns a turbine that creates
electricity
• Natural gas
• Conservation
Video: News Report on Energy Summit from Abu Dhabi
Video: http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=1004555244
Environmental Concern #5:
Water
Source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3070/2414908852_ca23fb6afd_m.jpg
What is the water crisis about?
If you look at all of the water on the earth, only 3% in drinkable and the
other 97% is salt water. Of the 3%, only 1% is easy to access.
How does the world use water?
Agriculture = 70% Industry 20% Domestic use = 10%
Population growth has caused water withdrawals to triple over the last 50
years. We are now consuming water from aquifers quicker than it can
replenish itself.
The largest consumers are India, China, US, Pakistan, Japan, Thailand,
Indonesia, Bangladesh, Mexico, and Russia.
By 2030, 47% of the world population will live in a high water stress area.
Water is expected to become the next oil crisis.
Source: Stockholm International Water Institute
Background Information:
• Humans need ½ gallon of water each day for basic survival, yet
Australians and Americans consume 100 gallons per day. (Bloch, M. 2010)
• Australia is in its worst drought ever, the population is expecting to jump
from 22 million to 36 million people by 2050, and they are spending $13.2
billion on a desalination project. The taxpayers will spend 33% more on
water to pay for the costs.
• China and the United States face similar problems in the future and are
increasing the number of potential desalination projects.
• Saudi Arabia was the leader but the plant in Tianjin, China will push
them ahead of the Saudis.
• Potable water in the US costs about $0.50 per 1,000 liters and in Germany
it cost $1.91 per 1,000 liters.
• The cost for treating US sewage so it can be released into rivers and
streams ranges from $0.30-$0.55 per 1,000 liters.
• Parts of the world currently facing a crisis: Northern Africa, India,
Australia, Pakistan, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East
Sources: (Onishi, N. 2010)
Causes of the water crisis:
Agriculture = 70% Industry 20% Domestic use = 10%
Food production – draining rivers for irrigation, agriculture, and
animals that consume large quantities of water.
Source: Stockholm International Water Institute
Causes of the water crisis:
• Salination of ground water due to poor irrigation where
salts are pushed through soil and into aquifers or seawater
encroaches into aquifers.
• Fertilizer runoff and chemical pollution from agriculture
• Overconsumption and wasteful use
• Population growth
• Decrease in rainfall
• Rise in temperature
• Evaporation rates
• Soil quality
• Vegetation types
• Water runoff
Source: Stockholm International Water Institute
(Hun-Dorris, 2004)
(Pimentel et al., 2004)
Effects of water crisis:
• Severely effects the biodiversity of aquatic and terrestrial
ecosystems
• Examples:
• Drainage of more than half of all US wetlands, which is the
home of 45% of all federally threatened and endangered
species
• In 2002, about 33,000 salmon died due to the increased use
of the Klamath River as the water was used for irrigation
• 90% of the infectious diseases are transmitted from polluted water
• Under-production of crops = food shortages
• One billion people do not have adequate drinking water
Sources:
(Pimentel et al., 2004)
Solutions to the water crisis:
• Develop strategies for food and nutritional security for
all countries which are linked to a water resource
management system
• Implement a pricing strategy for water that better
reflects its value
• Improve, upgrade, and invest in water infrastructure
for better efficiency
• Educate by building awareness
• More research in water productivity increase in
agriculture
Source: Stockholm International Water Institute
Solutions to the water crisis:
• Pollution treatment and prevention plans
• Develop the concept and application of benefit sharing of water use,
including the socio-economic and environmental effects
• Water catchments or artificial recharge where rain water is put
back into aquifers
• Desalination plants – does make ocean water accessible but at the
cost of emitting more CO2 into the atmosphere
• Desalinizing brackish water costs $0.25-$0.65 per 1,000 liters
• Desalinizing sea water costs $0.75-$3.00 per 1,000 liters
Sources: Stockholm International Water Institute
(Hun-Dorris, 2004)
(Pimentel et al., 2004)
Video Clip: Water Crisis
Video: http://vimeo.com/15990816
GE Commercial: Reverse Osmosis Desalinization Plant
Opening in Algiers, Africa
Video:
http://current.com/green/88710921_water-desalination.htm
Video: Thermal Desalination
Video: http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/convert-salt-water.htm
Is there someone shooting for a creative approach
towards addressing several of these issues at once?
Masdar City in Abu Dhabi is!
Goals of Masdar City
Utilize the geology and geography to their advantage
• Geography – takes advantage of features instead of
allowing them to be problems
• wind from ocean during the day and wind from the desert
at night
• water scarce – use water reclamation system and
desalinization technology
• Geology – takes advantage of features for energy
uses and structure design
• sand = lower structure height
• sun = photovoltaic energy
Vision for city to use energy efficiency practices with a
+3% net gain in energy
Geothermal Energy
Wind Movement – Natural Cooling Agent
Naturally Vented Courtyard
Reduce Energy Needed for Lighting
Photovoltaic/Solar Energy
Water Reclamation System
This recycling program will have three streams: 1) Drinking water
2) Grey water 3) Sewage or black water
Wastewater from cooking and bathing will be lightly filtered before
being reused for irrigation.
The will also use desalinization technology to provide Masdar City
with needed water.
Waste to Energy
Items which cannot be recycled will be incinerated using pryolysis. The end
result is carbon, which will be collected and used as energy.
Strategies and How the Energy is Used
103% Energy Efficient
Addressing Transportation – Personal Rapid Transit
Automated taxi service that will replace banned automobiles within the
city. These are emissions-free and run on renewable resources.
Addressing Transportation – Metro and high Speed Rail
High speed transportation that will move thousands around the city.
Addressing Transportation – Light Rail Transit
It will travel along a vast track with 6 hubs located along areas with high
activity to maximize its use.
Masdar City Video
Source: http://www.masdarcity.ae/en/index.aspx
Resources:
Brown, Lester. Deserts Invading China. The Economic Costs of Ecological Deficits. pp.
7-28
Easton, Thomas. Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Science, Technology, and Society.
Are “Space Sunshades” a Possible Answer to Global Warming?. 9th ed. New York:
McGraw Hill, 2010.
Eckholm, Erik. Desertification: A World Problem. Ambio. 4.4 (1975): pp. 137-45.
English, Paul et al. Environmental Health Indicators of Climate Change for the United
States: Findings from the State Environmental Health Indicator Collaborative.
Environmental Health Perspective. 117.11 (Nov 2009): pp. 1673-81.
Hellden, Ulf. Desertization: Time for an Assessment?. Ambio. 20.8 (Dec 1991): pp. 372383.
Hun-Dorris, Tara. Groundwater Problems Spring to the Surface. Environmental
Health Perspectives. 112.3 (Mar 2004): p. 159.
Resources:
Le Houerou, H.N. Man and the Desertization in the Mediterranean Region.
Ambio. 6.6 (1977): pp. 363-5.
Le Houerou, H.N. and Lundholm, B. Complementary Activities for the
Improvement of the Economy and the Environment in Marginal Drylands.
Ecological Bulletins. No. 24, (1976): pp. 217-229.
Onishi, Norimitsu. Arid Australia Sips Seawater, but at a Cost. New York
Times. 10 Jul 2010.
Pimentel, David et al. Water Resources: Agricultural and Environmental
Issues. American Institute of Biological Sciences. 54.10 (Oct 2004): pp.
909-18.
Stockholm International Water Institute. Let it Reign: The New Water
Paradigm for Global Food Security. Final Report to CSD-13. (2005).
Online Resources:
Alberni Environmental Online Library. Government Solutions to Global Warming. Information
obtained on 22 Nov 2010 from
http://www.portaec.net/library/energy/government_solutions_to_global_w.html
Bloch, Michael. The Cost of Desalination. Green Living Tips. (2010): Information obtained on 21
Nov 2010 from http://www.greenlivingtips.com/blogs/138/The-cost-of-desalination.html
Decision News Media. Over-Consumption is Bleeding the Earth Dry. 29 Apr 2005. Information
obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Supply-Chain/Overconsumption-is-bleeding-the-earth-dry
Kennedy, K. and Cheng, M. Population Growth and Society. Information obtained on 22 Nov 2010
from http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/populationgrowth.htm
Kinder, Carolyn. The Population Explosion: Causes and Consequences. Yale-New Haven Teachers
Institute. (1998): Information obtained on 22 Nov 2010 from
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1998/7/98.07.02.x.html#e
Masdar City. Information obtained on 22 Nov 2010 from http://www.masdar.ae/en/home/index.aspx
Stockholm International Water Institute. Statistics. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from
http://www.siwi.org/sa/node.asp?node=159
Resources (Videos):
CNBC Video. Green Energy Case Still Strong. 19 Jan 2009. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from
http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=1004555244
Current TV. Water Desalination., 12 Dec 2007. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from
http://current.com/green/88710921_water-desalination.htm
Google Videos. Desertization. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3332285257674477144#
How Stuff Works. G Word: Water Desalinization. Sep 2008. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from
http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/convert-salt-water.htm
Masdar City. Information obtained on 23 Nov 2010 from http://www.masdarcity.ae/en/index.aspx
National Geographic. Global Warming 101. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/environment/global-warming-environment/global-warming101.html
National Geographic. Likely Scenarios if Climate Change Continues: Interactive Simulation. Information obtained
on 22 Nov 2010 from http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-impactsinteractive/
Sapiens Productions. Nor Any Drop to Drink – Teaser. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from
http://vimeo.com/15990816
TED. Al Gore on Averting Climate Crisis. Jun 2006. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from
http://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_on_averting_climate_crisis.html
TED. Hans Rosling Talks on Global Population Growth. Jun 2010. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from
http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_on_global_population_growth.html