Download Deforestation - Binghamton City School District

Deforestation
Deforestation is the destruction of forests, especially tropical
rainforests. Rainforests are found in the tropics, the region between
the Tropic of Capricorn and Tropic of Cancer.
Many countries have rainforest. The countries with the largest
amount of rainforest are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Brazil
Congo (Democratic Republic)
Indonesia
Peru
Bolivia
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Angola
Venezuela
Papua New Guinea
Mexico
India
(Source: http://kids.mongabay.com)
Q: What do you notice about the list of countries with the
largest amounts of rainforest?
A: They all appear in developing nations
Rainforest
Diagram
Why are rainforests important?
•
Provide a home to many plants and animals
•
Help stabilize the world's climate (regulate CO2 and the greenhouse effect)
•
protect against flood, drought, and erosion
•
Are a source for medicines and foods
•
Support tribal people
Deforestation Facts …. Did you know?
•
Experts estimate that we are losing 137 plant, animal and insect species every single day due to
rainforest deforestation. That equates to 50,000 species a year. As the rainforest species disappear, so
do many possible cures for life-threatening diseases.
•
Currently, 121 prescription drugs sold worldwide come from plant-derived sources. While 25% of
Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients, less that 1% of these tropical trees
and plants have been tested by scientists
•
Rainforests are disappearing very quickly. Every year an area of rainforest the size of New Jersey is
cut down and destroyed. The plants and animals that used to live in these forests either die or must
find a new forest to call their home.
Why are rainforests being destroyed?
Humans are the main cause of rainforest destruction or deforestation. Humans are cutting down rainforests
for many reasons, including:
•
Wood for both timber and wood for making fires
•
Agriculture for both small and large farms
•
Land for poor farmers who don't have anywhere else to live
•
Grazing land for cattle
•
Road construction
Solutions?
•
Reduce demand for wood and other rainforest products
•
“Sustainable development”
– Ecotourism
– Bio-prospecting fees
•
Conservation
– National parks
– Corporate sponsorship
•
Improve farming methods
____________________________________________________________________________
Desertification
•
Desertification refers to both the spreading of current deserts and the degradation of land in areas
of low rainfall.
•
It is caused by both natural factors such as drought, and human factors such as overuse.
•
Desertification occurs mainly in semi-arid areas (average annual rainfall less than 600 mm) bordering
on deserts.
•
In the Sahel, (the semi-arid area south of the Sahara Desert), for example, the desert moved 100 km
southwards between 1950 and 1975.
WHAT CAUSES DESERTIFICATION?

Overgrazing is the major cause of desertification worldwide

Cultivation of marginal lands

Destruction of vegetation in arid regions, often for fuel wood

Poor grazing management after accidental burning of semi-arid vegetation

Incorrect irrigation practices in arid areas can cause salinization, (the build up of salts in the soil)
which can prevent plant growth.
So…

When the practices described above coincide with drought, the rate of desertification increases
dramatically.

Increasing human population and poverty contribute to desertification as poor people may be forced
to overuse their environment in the short term, without the ability to plan for the long term effects of
their actions. Where livestock has a social importance beyond food, people might be reluctant to
reduce their stock numbers.
Causes of Soil Degradation
On the global basis, the soil degradation is caused primarily by overgrazing (35%), agricultural activities
(28%), deforestation (30%), overexplotation of land to produce fuelwood (7%), and industrialization (4%).
The patterns are different in the various regions. In North America, agriculture has been responsible for 66%
of the soil loss, while in Africa, overgrazing is responsible for about half of the soil degradation.
SOLUTIONS TO DESERTIFICATION

Restricting livestock grazing

Practice sustainable agriculture

Use proper irrigation techniques

Find alternative energy supplies to reduce dependence on fuel wood

Planting “green strips” as a buffer
Remember the solutions to deforestation and desertification are not easy and these are just suggested
practiced. They may or may not be effective depending on where and when implemented.
Urbanization
What is Urbanization?
• Urbanization is the movement of people to cities. It is one of the most
significant forces of social change, especially in the developing world.
• Often times, the reasons people have for moving to the cities are not
realized.
Reasons for Urbanization
• To find employment
• To escape the poverty of rural areas
• To access better health care and educational opportunities
• For stores and modern conveniences
Results of Urbanization
1. Cultural Change
• In modern cities, people’s traditional values and beliefs are often
weakened
• Women have more opportunity
• Some people feel cut off from their earlier community
Example: In India, the caste system is less strong in urban areas
than in rural areas
2. Poverty
• Many people cannot afford to live in cities
o There is a lack of affordable housing
• Many cities cannot absorb the additional populations that migrate from
rural areas
o There is a lack of infrastructure and services
o There are few jobs available
o Pollution and environmental damage result
The favelas of Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires show this.
Favelas
A favela is the Brazilian equivalent of a shanty town, which is generally
found on the edge of the city. They have electricity, but often not formally.
Favelas are constructed from a variety of materials, ranging from bricks to
garbage. Many favelas are very close and very cramped. They are plagued
by sewage, crime and hygiene problems. (Source: www.wikipedia.com)
Favelas formed when the poor and homeless began to settle on public
unreclaimed land. Later, displaced people and those migrating to find
employment moved in as they could not find housing otherwise. This makes
favela residents “squatters”, people living on someone else’s
land illegally.
Favela homes are self-constructed and are built without a license. There is
usually little or no sanitation in the area.
The large gap between rich and poor exists in many Latin American
nations. This is especially evident in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and Buenos
Aires.
Overpopulation
Overpopulation occurs when the population of a living species exceeds the
carrying capacity of its ecological niche.
 In other words, when the human population outpaces its environment
Overpopulation is not a function of the number or density of the individuals, but
rather the number of individuals compared to the resources they need to survive.
 If a given environment has a population of 10, but there is food and
drinking water enough for only 9 people, then that environment is
overpopulated. If the population is 100 individuals but there are food and
water enough for 200, then it is not overpopulated.
As long ago as 1789, Thomas Malthus studied the nature of population growth in
Europe.
 He claimed that population was increasing faster than food production
 He feared eventual global starvation.
 He could not foresee how modern technology would expand food
production, so his prediction was wrong
o But his observations about how populations increase were important.
 Population grows geometrically (1, 2, 4, 8 …), rather than
arithmetically (1, 2, 3, 4 …), which is why the numbers can
increase so quickly.
Link to Graphs
Causes of overpopulation
 High birth rate
 Low death rate
Lack of education
Religion / Culture
Modern medicine
Increased food production
Effects of overpopulation
 Unemployment
 Lack of housing
 Lack of public services
Poverty
Hunger/famine
Crime
Pollution
Disease
Habitat destruction
Now some 7 billion mouths must be fed and bodies clothed and housed.
Misuse or depletion of the Earth’s treasures to meet those needs
threatens human life and health around the world.
Examples:
 unsustainable logging
 poor farming practices
 overfishing
Industrialized countries in the past have done their share of plundering and
polluting. But today most such problems occur in developing countries
commonly called the Third World, which also happen to be the areas of greatest
population growth.
Solutions to Overpopulation
 Increased Education
 Family Planning initiatives
 Financial incentives for less children
Keep in mind that these may be difficult to achieve due to cultural and
religious beliefs that will not allow these solutions to be implemented.
Pollution
(http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/climate.html)
Acid rain
Scientists discovered, and have confirmed, that sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen
oxides (NOX) are the primary causes of acid rain. In the US, About 2/3 of all SO2
and 1/4 of all NOX comes from electric power generation that relies on burning
fossil fuels like coal.
Acid rain occurs when these gases react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen,
and other chemicals to form various acidic compounds. Sunlight increases the
rate of most of these reactions. The result is a mild solution of sulfuric acid and
nitric acid.
Acid rain is not only a problem in the U.S., but in many countries of the world.
Germany, India, and China are also experiencing problems with acid rain. In
India and China, there are cultural implications to the problem as well as
environmental ones. In many industrialized nations of the world, acid rain
continues to be a problem and it is truly global in its scope.
Problems Caused by acid rain
 Destroys or damages ecosystems
 Destroys / damages man-made materials and structures - costs money to fix
 Impacts human health both through the atmosphere and the soil
Solutions to acid rain
 Control emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX)
o Cap and trade emissions legislation
 Use low sulfur coal, wash sulfur out of coal
 Install scrubbers on coal-burning plants
 Conserve energy and drive cars less
Problems with Solutions to acid rain




Restricts business and effects profits
Some technology is expensive or is still experimental / unproven
People resist change and inconvenience
Cap and trade seems to promote polluting
Climate Change and Global Warming
Climate change is any substantial change in Earth’s climate that lasts for an extended period
of time.
Global warming refers to climate change that causes an increase in the average temperature
of the lower atmosphere. Global warming can have many different causes, but it is most
commonly associated with human interference, specifically the release of excessive amounts
of greenhouse gases. 1 Greenhouse gases include the following:
Water vapor
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Methane
Nitrous Oxide
CFC’s (chlorofluorocarbons)
These greenhouse gasses are naturally occurring and are necessary for life on
earth. They act as a blanket around earth, creating “the greenhouse effect”.
The greenhouse effect occurs when heat from the sun is reflected from the earth
back into the atmosphere. The greenhouse gasses act as a blanket to trap this
heat, thus regulating the temperature of the earth, making it habitable for us.
The problem is when too many greenhouse gasses are trapped, thereby creating a
much thicker “blanket”. Human activity is increasing the concentrations of the
gases that trap heat. These activities include:
 burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas)
 agriculture
 land clearing
The trapping of too many greenhouse gasses is known as the “enhanced
greenhouse effect”. Once released into the atmosphere, many of these gases
remain there for a long time. 2
Who is causing it?
Nations of the developed and developing world contribute to this problem.
Oil Consumption
Rank
Country
Coal Consumption
Rank
Country
Nat. Gas Consumption
Rank
Country
CO2 Emissions
Rank
Country
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_oil_con-energy-oil-consumption
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_coa_con-energy-coal-consumption
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_nat_gas_con-energy-natural-gas-consumption
http://timeforchange.org/CO2-emissions-by-country
What are the dangers?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnjx6KETmi4&feature=BFa&list=PLB054E293B5B21847
After viewing the movie trailer and seeing the photo essay, answer the following questions.
Is the main concern of global warming simply the melting of the polar ice caps? _________
If no, list what other dangers global warming poses to the environment that you saw.
 ____________________
 ____________________
 ____________________
What to do about it?
Since essentially all nations contribute, this is a global problem requiring
international cooperation for a solution. Attempts have been made, starting
with the Earth Summit in Rio de Janiero in 1992.
The Kyoto Protocol 5 is part of a UN environmental treaty that sets targets for
countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions. This treaty was crafted at the
meeting in Kyoto, Japan in 1997 and took effect in February 2005.
 141 countries have signed on
 55% of greenhouse gas emissions accounted for
Problems:
Although Kyoto became “binding” in February 2005, some question whether it
will work for several reasons:





Some major countries have not signed the treaty - (like the U.S., Australia)
Emissions will be cut only 5.12% over a 7 year period (2005 – 2012)
Some major polluters have no targets to meet - (China, India, Brazil)
Some countries have no clear plan to meet goals – (Canada)
There are no “real” penalties for not meeting goals
Following Kyoto, a conference was held in 2009 in Copenhagen (COP15) to
further combat global warming, and extend the priorities of Kyoto.
Positives:
 Major countries like China, Brazil, India, and the US were part of the deal
 Acknowledgement that climate change is real and must be dealt with
 Committed to reduce emissions and hold temperature increases below 2o C
Negatives:

Countries will state plans to reduce emissions, but it’s not legally binding

No global targets were set, and uncertainty remains on how goals such as
funding for assistance to developing nations will be accomplished.6
What can you do?
Read the Twelve Tips to reduce your carbon footprint .
List three (3) actions you could realistically take at your home to help lower
carbon emissions.
1)
2)
3)
“What changed in the U.S. with Hurricane Katrina was a feeling that we
have entered a period of consequences...”
Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth
From what you’ve seen and investigated from the last 2 websites, what do you
think Mr. Gore meant by this statement?
References
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
http://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2010/finalwebsite/background/globalwarming/definition.html
http://www.climatechange.gov.au/en/climate-change/understanding-climate-change/greenhouseeffect.aspx
http://www.nationmaster.com (for all data on resource consumption)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/jan/31/world-carbon-dioxide-emissions-countrydata-co2 (for CO2 emissions chart)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4267245.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8278973.stm
http://www.climatecrisis.net/take_action/12_tips.php