Human Impacts on the ENV: Human Impacts on the ENV: Global Warming, Ozone Depletion, & Acid Rain

A. A. ““First WorldFirst World”” Pollution Pollution

1. people have always transformed the Earth’s land, water, & air

2. Human industrial actions the past 250 years, though, have accelerated the process

3. U.S. disproportionately consumes 1/4th of world’s energy & generates 1/4th of the pollutants

Industry creates a landscape, not for beauty, Industry creates a landscape, not for beauty, but for profit and utilitybut for profit and utility

B. B. ““Third WorldThird World”” Issues Issues

1. In the periphery, over 2 billion people live without clean water or sewers

2. 1 billion live in cities with unsafe sulfur dioxide levels

3. What about the growing economies of the “BRIC” countries (Brazil, Russia, India & China)?

Industrial Landscape, Lanzhou,

China

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/16/beijing-air-pollution_n_4607200.html

“Asian Brown Haze” Over Northern

India

C. Resource DepletionC. Resource Depletion1. Energy resources

– Nonrenewable fossil fuels:petroleum, natural gas, coal

2. Mineral & metal resources– gemstones, copper, iron,

bauxite, diamonds, gold– “3 T’s”: tin, tantalum,

tungsten

D. Energy ResourcesD. Energy Resources1. 1800’s: coal supplanted wood as leading

energy source

– U.S.: main energy resource is coal-burning power plants

2. Petroleum became important with diffusion of automobiles

– almost all transportation systems operate on petroleum products

3. Natural gas heats millions of homes today

Coal Reserves

The U.S., Russia, China, & India have the largest reserves of coal

Petroleum Reserves

2/3 of the world’s known petroleum reserves are in the Middle East…Saudi Arabia has over 1/4th of world reserves

Natural Gas Reserves

Russia has the world’s largest natural gas reserves. Iran & other Mid-Eastern countries have large reserves, but the U.S. has relatively little.

E. Uneven Distribution of Fossil FuelsE. Uneven Distribution of Fossil Fuels1. The global distribution of fossil fuels:

– some regions have abundant reserves– Core countries consumption majority of fossil fuels– major cause of global instability in the world

The U.S., with about 5% of world population, consumes about 25% of world energy.

F. PollutionF. Pollution1. Air pollution

– global, regional, & local

2. Water pollution– sources– wastewater

3. Land pollution– solid waste– toxic pollutants

G. Air PollutionG. Air Pollution1. concentration of particulate matter in the air: human or natural

events

2. most common air pollutants: burning of fossil fuels like carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons

3. 3 human activities generate most air pollution: motor vehicles, industry, & power plants

4. The 4. The ““Greenhouse EffectGreenhouse Effect””– caused by burning of fossil fuels– chemical composition of the air is

being altered– leads to Global Warming

A vast blanket of pollution being called the "Asian Brown Haze"

S.E. Asia (left)

E. Russia (right)

Global Temperatures, 1880–2000

Annual mean temperatures have increased more than 0.5 C since 1880

5. Ozone Depletion5. Ozone Depletion– The stratosphere contains a

concentration of ozone gas – absorbs UV rays from the Sun…– chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s)

destroy ozone layer

6. Effects of Acid Rain6. Effects of Acid Rain– Industrialized, densely

populated regions in Europe & eastern U.S. are especially affected by acid rain

– caused by burning fossil fuels mixing w/ oxygen & rain

– Acid precipitation damages lakes: killing fish & plants

(Over 90 lakes in Adirondack Mts. of New York devoid of fish life by 1980...In E. Canada, 50,000 lakes impacted…)

Effects of Acid Rain

Acid Deposition

Due to prevailing winds, the highest sulfate deposit levels in North America lie east of the emission sources.

Deposit levels in Germany are higher than in the U.S.