Full text of Chapter 20 and the corresponding text sections are available on the other blog under this section.
Monday, July 31, 2017
3.4.1-3.4.4 - Water Pollution (PPT Notes)
Below, find links to PDFs of the notes of the PowerPoint presentation slides I present in class from Key Question 4 from the Hydrosphere dealing with water pollution, which accompany Chapter 20 of Living in the Environment by Miller and Spoolman. You may want to print them (or put them in OneNote!) to annotate during class.
Full text of Chapter 20 and the corresponding text sections are available on the other blog under this section.
Full text of Chapter 20 and the corresponding text sections are available on the other blog under this section.
3.4.1-3.4.4 - Water Pollution (Text)
Use this link to access a PDF of Chapter 20 of Living in the Environment by Miller and Spoolman
Read the following pages to correspond with the parts of Key Question 4 from the Hydrosphere dealing with water pollution.
3.4.1 - Industrial/Chemical Water Pollution
3.4.2 - Nutrient Enrichment and Sewage Disposal
3.4.3 - Marine Pollution
3.4.4 - Water Pollution Management Strategies
PowerPoint slide notes of the different sections that I will present in class are available on the other blog under this section.
Read the following pages to correspond with the parts of Key Question 4 from the Hydrosphere dealing with water pollution.
3.4.1 - Industrial/Chemical Water Pollution
- 20-1 (pp. 532-535)
- 20-2A (pp. 535-538)
- 20.3A (pp. 542-544 stop at 'Pollution Prevention')
3.4.2 - Nutrient Enrichment and Sewage Disposal
- Core Case Study (p. 532)
- 20-2B (pp. 539-541)
- 20.5B (pp. 553 'Sewage Treatment' - 557)
3.4.3 - Marine Pollution
- 20-4 (pp. 547-551)
3.4.4 - Water Pollution Management Strategies
- 20.3B (pp. 544 'Pollution Prevention' - 547)
- 20.5A (pp. 551 - 553 stop at 'Sewage Treatment')
PowerPoint slide notes of the different sections that I will present in class are available on the other blog under this section.
3.3.2 - The Hydrosphere (KQ3): Large-Scale Storage - Dams & Reservoirs
How do Dams Store Water?
When standing lakes, springs, or aquifers are not available, people must look for other options to get their water. Rivers are supplies of freshwater, but they are fast moving and do not contain enough water in a single location to draw for the most part. The get freshwater, places around rivers will often times build dams in order to create man-made reservoirs, sometimes big enough to be lakes. So how does a dam work? This video gives a great illustration how dams work to create not only the source of freshwater, but flood control and hydroelectric power as well. It also goes over the use of levees for flood control that were introduced in 3.1.3. Along with the great benefits, there are some major environmental drawbacks to using a dam as well, such as silt building up behind the dam (silting), destruction of the habitats of animals/people in the reservoir area, and more. Pay attention to both the advantages and disadvantages in the video.
When standing lakes, springs, or aquifers are not available, people must look for other options to get their water. Rivers are supplies of freshwater, but they are fast moving and do not contain enough water in a single location to draw for the most part. The get freshwater, places around rivers will often times build dams in order to create man-made reservoirs, sometimes big enough to be lakes. So how does a dam work? This video gives a great illustration how dams work to create not only the source of freshwater, but flood control and hydroelectric power as well. It also goes over the use of levees for flood control that were introduced in 3.1.3. Along with the great benefits, there are some major environmental drawbacks to using a dam as well, such as silt building up behind the dam (silting), destruction of the habitats of animals/people in the reservoir area, and more. Pay attention to both the advantages and disadvantages in the video.
Here's a diagram of a dam with labels.
Here's a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of large-scale water storage:
ENOUGH WITH ALL THESE DAM CASE STUDIES!
Haha. I made a funny meme thing.com. Anyway, it is important to look as specific cases of dam/river diversion implementation to see examples of both the positive and negative impacts. We will look at 2 from different economic regions: Colorado River Basin (MEDC - USA) and The Three Gorges Dam (LEDC/Transitional - China). These and others should also be covered in the case study project in class.
Read about the 2 cases and take notes from the followings sites:
Because of the disruption of the hydrologic cycle, dams have contributed to the following rivers running dry at different parts of the year:
- Colorado and Rio Grande, U.S.
- Yangtze and Yellow, China
- Indus, India
- Danube, Europe
- Nile River-Lake Victoria, Egypt
Also, like the Aral Sea you watched a video on earlier dealing with water diversion, Lake Chad in Africa is disappearing due to dam construction. Many of those cases will be covered in detail in the project as well.
Sunday, July 30, 2017
3.3.1 - The Hydrosphere (KQ3): Local/Regional Water Supply Management
Water Disparities and Disagreements
So far, we've looked at a most world/country view of water supply issues. As in everything we will deal with, regional and local municipalities deal with the direct distribution and storage to the actual people. While countries may fight over who owns or has access to water bodies, this comes into play between cities, towns, and states as well. We will be doing a case study project to look at different examples of these disparities, but it's not as easy as 'who has the water, gets it.' Rivers may run through multiple areas, and if areas upstream draw too much water, the areas downstream will lack. Also, an area upstream may decide to dam a river, drastically reducing the flow downstream. As we will see in the case studies, this has happened locally between Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, and between countries along the Nile. Who has rights to what water is a huge political issue, and when between countries, has even been a factor in war.
Local Water Distribution
Once a municipality knows the demand for water and the size and location of their supply, they need to figure out how to distribute it. The United States and the States themselves have regulations on the cleanliness of the water distributed to people. Whether it needs to be pumped from an aquifer, like Florida, Australia, etc.) or taken from a river or lake, the municipalities have jobs to make sure it is clean for consumption and that it does not overdraw the source. If there is overdraw or a drought, they will have to place regulations on how much water can be used and when, such as different watering days for lawns and cars, and penalties for those who exceed the limit. They then may have to pay other cities for connection to their systems, provided there is enough to distribute.
Most cities will have holding reservoirs that house large amounts of treated water in storage to be distributed to the citizens. Water treatment facilities will pump the freshwater from under or above ground, settle out any solids in large tanks called clarifiers and then contact with chlorine to disinfect. Other treatments may be required depending on the initial quality of the water. Water may be pumped into water towers above the ground, which act as emergency stores/pressure if systems go down or during peak times. Most of the water pressure in paper is currently supplied by pumps run at water treatment facilities and along water main lines. Below is a diagram of a specific treatment and distribution scenario. A little more detail than we need, but it shows you what happens from source to tap.
So far, we've looked at a most world/country view of water supply issues. As in everything we will deal with, regional and local municipalities deal with the direct distribution and storage to the actual people. While countries may fight over who owns or has access to water bodies, this comes into play between cities, towns, and states as well. We will be doing a case study project to look at different examples of these disparities, but it's not as easy as 'who has the water, gets it.' Rivers may run through multiple areas, and if areas upstream draw too much water, the areas downstream will lack. Also, an area upstream may decide to dam a river, drastically reducing the flow downstream. As we will see in the case studies, this has happened locally between Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, and between countries along the Nile. Who has rights to what water is a huge political issue, and when between countries, has even been a factor in war.
Local Water Distribution
Once a municipality knows the demand for water and the size and location of their supply, they need to figure out how to distribute it. The United States and the States themselves have regulations on the cleanliness of the water distributed to people. Whether it needs to be pumped from an aquifer, like Florida, Australia, etc.) or taken from a river or lake, the municipalities have jobs to make sure it is clean for consumption and that it does not overdraw the source. If there is overdraw or a drought, they will have to place regulations on how much water can be used and when, such as different watering days for lawns and cars, and penalties for those who exceed the limit. They then may have to pay other cities for connection to their systems, provided there is enough to distribute.
Most cities will have holding reservoirs that house large amounts of treated water in storage to be distributed to the citizens. Water treatment facilities will pump the freshwater from under or above ground, settle out any solids in large tanks called clarifiers and then contact with chlorine to disinfect. Other treatments may be required depending on the initial quality of the water. Water may be pumped into water towers above the ground, which act as emergency stores/pressure if systems go down or during peak times. Most of the water pressure in paper is currently supplied by pumps run at water treatment facilities and along water main lines. Below is a diagram of a specific treatment and distribution scenario. A little more detail than we need, but it shows you what happens from source to tap.
3.2.3 - The Hydrosphere (KQ2): Human Population vs. Water Supply
Human population growth is one of the biggest concerns for all environmental issues. In fact, we will devote A LOT of time to it in the Biosphere Unit. It is important, however, to take a look at how increased populations around the world impacts water supplies. Most MEDCs have achieved somewhat stable populations, while LEDCs, which are typically in more arid (dry) areas, are experiencing huge population growth. The reasons for this will be discussed later, but have massive population growth in areas with already limited water presents challenges for the people living there. Read about the challenges of water supply with an increasing population in this article from Population Action International. Again, pay attention to details and take notes to truly understand this issue and the cases where water shortage is worst due to population increase.
While LEDCs have a harder time currently dealing with the consequences of rapid population growth, large cities around the world in MEDCs are dealing with poor previous planning that is causing drought. One case in point is Los Angeles and much of Southern California. While the area of the country is one of the most beautiful in the world, there is not much in terms of fresh water availability. In fact, the city of Los Angeles diverts the Colorado river for their supply of fresh water. Because planners in the 1920s didn't account for changes in weather, LA is very often stricken by drought, and parts of the Colorado River have even dried up. It has led California to become very restrictive in its water use. Here you can see the Colorado River system. The aqueduct leading to LA is man-made, and the major contributor to loss of parts of the river's flow.
While LEDCs have a harder time currently dealing with the consequences of rapid population growth, large cities around the world in MEDCs are dealing with poor previous planning that is causing drought. One case in point is Los Angeles and much of Southern California. While the area of the country is one of the most beautiful in the world, there is not much in terms of fresh water availability. In fact, the city of Los Angeles diverts the Colorado river for their supply of fresh water. Because planners in the 1920s didn't account for changes in weather, LA is very often stricken by drought, and parts of the Colorado River have even dried up. It has led California to become very restrictive in its water use. Here you can see the Colorado River system. The aqueduct leading to LA is man-made, and the major contributor to loss of parts of the river's flow.
3.2.2 - The Hydrosphere (KQ2): Cases of Human Impact on Water Supply
In section 3.1.2,we looked at the ways agriculture, industrial activity, and domestic use impact water supply. Here, we will look at different countries as specific cases where these human activities have caused water shortages, and what solutions (if any) have been successful in remediation or stopping the problem. We will do this through case studies, and you will want to take notes as you view or read to be able to use/study the specific examples. There will be case studies presented from MEDCs and one from a LEDCs. As always, compare and contrast impacts in both.
Agriculture
MEDC- Australian Artesian Basin: Remember in 2.4.2 of the Lithosphere Unit when we discussed soil salinisation using Australia as a case study? Well, much of the same factors come in to play in the decrease of the huge aquifer under Australia, which provides the country/continent with their freshwater as you will see in the video below. If you need a refreshed, go back to that blog to see how the Artesian Basin was formed. The short video here gives a great overview why agriculture has been such a problem leading to water shortages, contributing to a major drought. This article from Scientific American shows how Melbourne has set an example for the rest of the world on how to deal with water shortages.
LEDC- Aral Sea: One of the largest-scale visible examples of agriculture draining a water source, is the almost complete loss of the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan & Uzbekistan. Looks at these parts of a documentary by the BBC to see the full scale of what happened there...the ships in the middle of a new desert are a very strange and sobering image. While the sea has partially come back, it has no where near the resources to rectify the problem as quickly as Australia.
Industrial/Domestic/Urban
Agricultural use of water, as explained previously, is the biggest user of water and cause to water shortage, so I gave that it's own section above. Industrial and Domestic use often go hand in hand with areas of large population (Urban Areas), so we can combine them in the two examples below.
MEDC- London Basin: Like Australia, parts of England are provided water by an aquifer. This page has a great explanation what's happening there, due to domestic, industrial, and commercial withdrawal, alongside some natural conditions. There's some background info on droughts, but about 1/3 of the way down, you really want to start reading/taking notes starting with the heading 'Aquifer Distribution in Britain.' Read from there to the end of the page, where they give great management tools for the population to save on water usage.
LEDC- Mexico City: Mexico City is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. It also gets its water from an aquifer, and it has been drained so much that the city has actually sunk in some places about 10 meters in the past 100 years, damaging and destroying infrastructure, roads, homes, etc. This video explains the problem and a potential solution. While the solution is innovative, think of how different it is than the London suggestions.
Agriculture
MEDC- Australian Artesian Basin: Remember in 2.4.2 of the Lithosphere Unit when we discussed soil salinisation using Australia as a case study? Well, much of the same factors come in to play in the decrease of the huge aquifer under Australia, which provides the country/continent with their freshwater as you will see in the video below. If you need a refreshed, go back to that blog to see how the Artesian Basin was formed. The short video here gives a great overview why agriculture has been such a problem leading to water shortages, contributing to a major drought. This article from Scientific American shows how Melbourne has set an example for the rest of the world on how to deal with water shortages.
LEDC- Aral Sea: One of the largest-scale visible examples of agriculture draining a water source, is the almost complete loss of the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan & Uzbekistan. Looks at these parts of a documentary by the BBC to see the full scale of what happened there...the ships in the middle of a new desert are a very strange and sobering image. While the sea has partially come back, it has no where near the resources to rectify the problem as quickly as Australia.
Industrial/Domestic/Urban
Agricultural use of water, as explained previously, is the biggest user of water and cause to water shortage, so I gave that it's own section above. Industrial and Domestic use often go hand in hand with areas of large population (Urban Areas), so we can combine them in the two examples below.
MEDC- London Basin: Like Australia, parts of England are provided water by an aquifer. This page has a great explanation what's happening there, due to domestic, industrial, and commercial withdrawal, alongside some natural conditions. There's some background info on droughts, but about 1/3 of the way down, you really want to start reading/taking notes starting with the heading 'Aquifer Distribution in Britain.' Read from there to the end of the page, where they give great management tools for the population to save on water usage.
LEDC- Mexico City: Mexico City is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. It also gets its water from an aquifer, and it has been drained so much that the city has actually sunk in some places about 10 meters in the past 100 years, damaging and destroying infrastructure, roads, homes, etc. This video explains the problem and a potential solution. While the solution is innovative, think of how different it is than the London suggestions.
Friday, July 28, 2017
2.5.4 - The Lithosphere (KQ5): Land Use and Conservation
As we have seen throughout the entire lithosphere unit, our land is vital to our survival and houses many resources. We have looked at natural and man-made issues associated and examined management strategies. Our final section will deal with the impact urbanization has on the environment and different ways countries protect and conserve areas of outstanding natural beauty and high levels of biodiversity.
Urban Sprawl
Urban Sprawl is a function of urbanization, in which people move out from city centers into more smaller "suburban" communities. People do this to get away from the hustle and bustle busyness of a large city, to have more room to raise a family, cheaper, and thus larger housing, and other factors. Urban sprawl is seen all around the world and the United States. In fact, our city/County of Sarasota is almost all suburban. The downtown area has some housing, but most people live away from the city. This leads to environmental issues that big, densely populated cities do not have, including:
Urban Sprawl
Urban Sprawl is a function of urbanization, in which people move out from city centers into more smaller "suburban" communities. People do this to get away from the hustle and bustle busyness of a large city, to have more room to raise a family, cheaper, and thus larger housing, and other factors. Urban sprawl is seen all around the world and the United States. In fact, our city/County of Sarasota is almost all suburban. The downtown area has some housing, but most people live away from the city. This leads to environmental issues that big, densely populated cities do not have, including:
- Much larger land development and uses (away from natural areas which leads to habitat loss)
- Not only for housing, but roads, shopping centers, offices, etc.
- Decline in natural resources due to development of land
- Suburban housing often have lawns, which are not diverse and use unnatural fertilizers and pesticides which get into natural areas
- Individual transportation is greatly increased. Instead of using mass transit systems, people drive their own vehicles further distances, increasing pollution and CO2 emissions. This is even increase when there is a major city center, where most of the jobs are, and people residing fairly far from their jobs.
- Flooding increase due to development of land
- Less water entering aquifer, due to the land being developed
Because of these and more issues associated with urban sprawl, modern city planning often will tend to concentrate on larger urban centers for both housing and occupations.
Massive land use and rapid sprawl are wonderfully visualized in the videos on this page from The Atlantic highlighting Paris, Sao Paulo, and Los Angeles. Notice not only how rapidly the expansion increases at certain points, but how that must have put strain on all of the issues listed above. Think about why each country would have experienced the sudden sprawl at the times they did. Both MEDCs and LEDCs are experiencing this. How do you think the issues are handled differently in each?
Here's one example of a MEDC with major sprawl issues, Mexico City. Make sure to pay attention to all the problems mentioned in the video.
Here's one example of a MEDC with major sprawl issues, Mexico City. Make sure to pay attention to all the problems mentioned in the video.
Land Conservation
Once the land has been degraded or deforested, we can put forth efforts to reforest and restore the land. We will go over this much more in the Biosphere unit at the end of the year.
But, what about areas of land with great natural beauty? Those teeming with a large diversity of life which provide invaluable resources and services? What can we do to protect them from development?
The answer many countries come up with are conservation areas and National/State Parks. Conservation areas are locations which receive special protection due to their natural, ecological, and/or cultural values. We will discuss the value of biodiversity in the Biosphere unit, but protecting our natural resources relies heavily on the level of biodiversity in an ecosystem. Thus, protecting lands, saving endangered species, etc., all play a role in ensuring human survival and the ability to thrive as a species. There are different levels of protection, based on what a country deems the most important lands, from areas with just some regulations to areas humans aren't even allowed to enter. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorizes these areas. You can see the classifications here.
National and State Parks in the United States, as well as around the world, have really done some great things in the protection arena. We have brought species from the brink of extinction, but again, that will be covered later. National Parks are many times beautiful areas that attract eco-tourism. The population that may enter is often limited and people may not disturb the areas. They are great places to go and see/experience the best of the natural world in pristine habitats. From Denali in Alaska to Yosemite in California, from Yellowstone in Wyoming to the Biscayne in the Florida Keys, these areas provide a sens of wonder unrivaled, and the money brought in by the tourists goes to the continued conservation. It is a win-win for the land...it gets protected, and more people come to appreciate it and spread the word.
Let's take a look at one example of saving and bring back an actual resource that is close to home: the Everglades National Park. What was once thought of just as a murky swamp, we now realize has great value. Please dredged and filled parts of the Everglades and surrounding areas in the past. That development stopped something humans did not foresee...natural water filtration. As we will explore in the Hydrosphere unit, Florida has a great underground aquifer. It's where we get most of our freshwater. By developing the Everglades, we caused a massive amount of damage to the aquifer levels, putting our population at risk for a lack of water. Now, due to protected status as well a restoration efforts, not only have species been protected there, but our aquifer is being recharged at every increasing rates. The value of this is astronomical...we could not possibly filter and generate that much water. Just one of the many examples of how conservation impacts actual resources.
Another example are rainforest ecosystems. Some rainforests have conservation status, while others are being converted to grazing land and tress cut down for timber. Rainforests are home to the largest amount of land biodiversity in the world. By conserving them, not only are we saving animal species, but plants that may hold the key to disease cures as well as the world's largest sink (consumer) of carbon dioxide.
Just to give an idea, here is a map showing the percentage of different countries' conserved lands. As you can see, many MEDCs have an abundance of protected lands, while LEDCs are lacking. This can be due to unstable governments or the need to exploit resources to generate economic growth.
It is imperative that we continue to protect lands from development and stop urban sprawl by concentrating our cities more. Natural land is more important to our survival than most people know, and it's our job to educate and make a difference.
Once the land has been degraded or deforested, we can put forth efforts to reforest and restore the land. We will go over this much more in the Biosphere unit at the end of the year.
But, what about areas of land with great natural beauty? Those teeming with a large diversity of life which provide invaluable resources and services? What can we do to protect them from development?
The answer many countries come up with are conservation areas and National/State Parks. Conservation areas are locations which receive special protection due to their natural, ecological, and/or cultural values. We will discuss the value of biodiversity in the Biosphere unit, but protecting our natural resources relies heavily on the level of biodiversity in an ecosystem. Thus, protecting lands, saving endangered species, etc., all play a role in ensuring human survival and the ability to thrive as a species. There are different levels of protection, based on what a country deems the most important lands, from areas with just some regulations to areas humans aren't even allowed to enter. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorizes these areas. You can see the classifications here.
National and State Parks in the United States, as well as around the world, have really done some great things in the protection arena. We have brought species from the brink of extinction, but again, that will be covered later. National Parks are many times beautiful areas that attract eco-tourism. The population that may enter is often limited and people may not disturb the areas. They are great places to go and see/experience the best of the natural world in pristine habitats. From Denali in Alaska to Yosemite in California, from Yellowstone in Wyoming to the Biscayne in the Florida Keys, these areas provide a sens of wonder unrivaled, and the money brought in by the tourists goes to the continued conservation. It is a win-win for the land...it gets protected, and more people come to appreciate it and spread the word.
Let's take a look at one example of saving and bring back an actual resource that is close to home: the Everglades National Park. What was once thought of just as a murky swamp, we now realize has great value. Please dredged and filled parts of the Everglades and surrounding areas in the past. That development stopped something humans did not foresee...natural water filtration. As we will explore in the Hydrosphere unit, Florida has a great underground aquifer. It's where we get most of our freshwater. By developing the Everglades, we caused a massive amount of damage to the aquifer levels, putting our population at risk for a lack of water. Now, due to protected status as well a restoration efforts, not only have species been protected there, but our aquifer is being recharged at every increasing rates. The value of this is astronomical...we could not possibly filter and generate that much water. Just one of the many examples of how conservation impacts actual resources.
Another example are rainforest ecosystems. Some rainforests have conservation status, while others are being converted to grazing land and tress cut down for timber. Rainforests are home to the largest amount of land biodiversity in the world. By conserving them, not only are we saving animal species, but plants that may hold the key to disease cures as well as the world's largest sink (consumer) of carbon dioxide.
Just to give an idea, here is a map showing the percentage of different countries' conserved lands. As you can see, many MEDCs have an abundance of protected lands, while LEDCs are lacking. This can be due to unstable governments or the need to exploit resources to generate economic growth.
It is imperative that we continue to protect lands from development and stop urban sprawl by concentrating our cities more. Natural land is more important to our survival than most people know, and it's our job to educate and make a difference.
Thursday, July 27, 2017
2.5.3 - The Lithosphere (KQ5): Energy Resource Strategies and Use around the World
Now that we've looked into different types of energy resources, it's important to look at specific cases of countries around the world to see what works and what doesn't. There are many more examples out there, but view the following three videos to see the differences in a MEDC committed to renewable energy use (Germany), a LEDC who relies heavily on fossil fuels (India), and a country in transition, who is right in the middle of utilizing both (China). Take note of not only which types of energy are being implemented, but why they use the type of energy that they do, and why that may be typical for other countries in similar economic positions.
Germany (MEDC)
This video (I think) was put out to attract businesses to invest and grow in Germany due to it's renewable revolution. It does a great job, however, of showing the amazing innovations they are implementing and relating it to their country's economic investment. Think about how that level of economic investment is not possible in LEDCs and how that restricts what those not in Germany's position can do.
China, which is moving from LEDC to MEDC, is notorious for their coal use. However, as they have gotten more economic and population stability, they have moved into more renewable energy sources and higher emission standards. In fact, they are the home to the largest hydroelectric dam i the world, the Three Gorges Dam. Hopefully citizens in Beijing will not need to wear masks on 'bad days' soon. This video showcases Chin's ambitious future plans, but also shows that they are still investing heavily in coal.
Germany (MEDC)
This video (I think) was put out to attract businesses to invest and grow in Germany due to it's renewable revolution. It does a great job, however, of showing the amazing innovations they are implementing and relating it to their country's economic investment. Think about how that level of economic investment is not possible in LEDCs and how that restricts what those not in Germany's position can do.
India (LEDC)
India has entered into agreements to cut carbon emissions, but will find it hard to do so because of lower economics and a huge population that is ever-growing. This is a short CBS News clip that gives one example of how the transition to renewables is not so doable for this country.
There is a video here that goes into more detail on India's coal use and the dangers of it. It is not required, but if you have time, may strengthen your understanding. If we have time, I may show it in class.
China (Transitional)
China, which is moving from LEDC to MEDC, is notorious for their coal use. However, as they have gotten more economic and population stability, they have moved into more renewable energy sources and higher emission standards. In fact, they are the home to the largest hydroelectric dam i the world, the Three Gorges Dam. Hopefully citizens in Beijing will not need to wear masks on 'bad days' soon. This video showcases Chin's ambitious future plans, but also shows that they are still investing heavily in coal.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
2.5.2 - The Lithosphere (KQ5): Energy Resources
Energy is a major part of our lives. In the past 150 years, as we've gone through the industrial revolution and beyond, our use of energy and energy resources has skyrocketed. We power our homes, technology, schools and businesses, transportation, you name it...things would collapse if we lost our energy. It takes resources to generate the energy we use. We have been very reliant on non-renewables, like coal for our power plants and oil for our transportation, but with the major depletion and pollution issues associated with them, we've been turning our eyes more toward cleaner energy sources that are renewable like solar and hydroelectric power.
In this blog, I will give you information on both renewable and non-renewable energy sources, with pros and cons. You will be getting more information and sharing with the class via a poster project as well.
Before we get started with that, I want to draw your attention to the concept of net energy. Net energy is the amount of high-quality usable energy available from a resource after the amount of energy needed to make it available is subtracted. Basically, take out the amount of energy spent mining, refining, and processing, and the net energy is left over. The following graph shows both non-renewable and renewable net energy. It is shown in terms of net energy ratio, basically anything over 1 gives off that many times more energy than it takes to make it.
Surprised? Coal is #1...by far! Think about it, all you have to do is dig it out and burn it. No fancy equipment, no refining, not a big transportation issue because it's solid. BUT, it is non-renewable, and the dirtiest one up there. Thus, while extremely energy efficient, alternatives need to be found.
Following is a graph showing how energy use varies between the US and the rest of the world. While we have the technology to lead the world, we are lagging behind in a lot of ways. Hopefully this section will help you to understand what we can do better.
We will be going over a lot of types of energy, so here is a graphic that shows how a lot are extracted:
Nonrenewable Energy Resources
Oil
Crude oil, the stuff that's actually drilled out of the ground, is a thick mixture of a bunch of hydrocarbons (Yay Chemistry!). It was made from dead organisms (plants/animals) that decomposed and were put under pressure over time. The energy from the living things condensed and formed the energy-rich oil. Oil, along with coal and natural gas, are referred to as fossil fuels, because they come from once-living organism remains (fossils). These hydrocarbons have different densities and are distilled at different temperatures in a process called fractional distillation. We tend to think about oil as only being for transportation, but look at all the ways it can be used in the following diagram of a fractional distillation tower.
Oil Sands and Oil Shale
Oil can be found in sand and rock (shale) in different places around the globe. It is way more costly to get because of the hardship of extraction, but technology is making it easier. In fact, the massive amount of oil sands in Canada is the source of oil that's planned to be transported in the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.
Natural Gas
Natural gas is in the gaseous state (mostly methane) and is found usually above liquid oil. It's being used more and more, and while it burns cleaner than oil, it still produces carbon dioxide and pollutants. It's an intermediate alternative to oil, but still non-renewable.
Coal
Coal makes up the majority of the fuel used for electricity generation in the US and around the world. Like oil, it is a fossil fuel that forms over time after living things die. Here is a diagram of different types of coal that are extracted based on it's level of formation.
Coal burns very dirty, but the US has implemented much stricter regulations over the years to deal with the emissions. China, on the other hand, uses more coal than the US, Japan, and Europe combined, and has less regulations. This has led to a lot of health problems there.
Before we look at advantages and disadvantages, I wanted to give you a diagram of how we turn coal into electricity...it's pretty simple really. Burn coal, heat water, turn into steam, turn a turbine, generate electricity.
Nuclear Energy
Woah...wait a minute...I thought Nuclear was clean? Why is it a non-renewable resource?
First off, just because something is 'clean' doesn't mean it's renewable. Yes, Nuclear is clan when it generates electricity, but to get the electricity, we have to mine and enrich Uranium. That process is very energy intense, in fact making the net energy of Nuclear extremely low, as shown below.
Plus, nuclear is very susceptible to large scale accidents like those seen in Chernobyl and Fukushima.
Just an FYI...nuclear power plants work just like coal power plants, but instead of burning coal, radioactive uranium starts to decompose, giving off massive amounts of radiation and heat, boiling water, turning the turbines, etc. Here are diagrams of both the nuclear fuel cycle and a reactor, followed by the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power.
Renewable & Alternative Energy Resources
Energy Efficiency Options
We wast massive amount of energy in our normal production and distribution of electricity, in our transportation, and even in our homes. Waste happens during production, transportation, and by machines themselves. Look at the total energy balance for our electricity below, and you can see what I mean.
The first step to reducing fossil fuel and non-renewable energy use is to make those systems more efficient. Some waste is unavoidable (think Newton's 2nd Law), but 43% is what we think we can save. How? Look at a few of the options below.
The Grid - Our current electrical system basically uses a giant connected series of wires to power plants and buildings. It has major energy losses along those lines. Ways to improve would be by installing smart grid systems, which would monitor electricity, regulate when and where power systems went on, and integrate micro power plants that aren't so far away from the destinations.
More efficient buildings and houses - Many buildings and houses were not built with energy efficiency in mind; thus, they waste a lot of heating and cooling costs which could be save by:
Solar
Every energy source starts with the sun. Even fossil fuels originally had their energy provided by the sun to grow themselves or the food that they either before they died. So, getting energy directly from the sun is an obvious solution. There are a few types of ways we harness solar energy:
Passive and Active Solar Systems
Both of these systems involve using direct sunlight for single buildings/houses. Passive systems use special windows/vents to provide heating in the winter and cooling in the summer just from the sun. Really cuts down on electricity use. Active systems use solar collectors on rooftops to heat a fluid to use in water heaters, air conditioners/home heaters, and in Florida many times, pool heaters, saving major amounts of electricity use. Both systems are shown below followed by advantages/disadvantages.
High Temp Solar Collectors
These systems use reflective mirrors to concentrate heat from the sun on a single point, usually a pipe, that then provides the heating power for power plants. Advantages/disadvantages are shown below of these types of systems.
Solar Photovoltaic Cells
Also known as PV cells, this is what most people think of when they think of solar energy. Photons (light) from the sun is absorbed, 'excited' electrons, and provides electricity directly from the cell. They're getting better, but are still pretty inefficient and costly. They can be put on rooftops or in large fields. A couple types and the trade-offs are shown below.
Hydropower
Water is very heavy, and the use of falling or flowing water to turn wheels has been around a very long time. We now use it to turn turbines to generate electricity. We have developed technologies to harness wave power, but of course, this would only work for coastal areas. Same with tidal power (getting the water flowing in and out during tides). The most widely used method is the construction of dams. A dam is basically a wall placed in a river. Upstream, the river floods into a still water reservoir (lake). Water flows downstream at a much slower rate, because it falls through the inside of the wall, turning turbines, generating electricity. It's basically free energy (minus the operating and building costs), but has major environmental impacts on the surrounding ecosystem. We will discuss these more in the hydrosphere unit. For now, from an energy standpoint, take a look at the trade-offs below.
Wind
Predictable high winds aren't a common occurrence everywhere, but where they are, wind energy is a no-brainier. Large windmills do the heavy lifting, with no additional parts needed. They can be noisy and cause harm to birds, but those problems are being addressed with some really cool new technologies. Here is a diagram of different types and the advantages/disadvantages.
Biomass/Biofuels
Biomass is basically anything living. So using biomass for fuels, is burning things like trees and plants for fuel. They burn pretty dirty and are not nearly as efficient or energy-dense as coal. Plus, in order to be used sustainable, they need to be regrown at the rate you use them. Trade-offs are shown below.
Biofuels are liquid fuels made from biomass, like ethanol made from corn and diesel made from used vegetable oil. Trade-offs of biodiesel and bioethanol areshown below.
Geothermal
Geothermal energy is literally 'energy from the ground.' It can be utilized in multiple ways, including in single buildings and large-scale plants.
For sing,e buildings, pipes connected to home heating and cooling units can be run under the ground, where the temperature is always constant. In the winter, the fluid in these pipes is warmer than the outside air and in the summer, the fluid is cooler than the outside air. By running them through the heating/cooling systems, it reduces the amount of energy needed to run. Here's an example of what that looks like.
Large-scale geothermal plants will use pockets of hot water found under the earth. These are typically around geyser locations. This hot water will come out as steam, thus no need for burning. These are great where available, but do run out after time. Places like Greenland with massive potential for large-scale geothermal plants are being considered to produce hydrogen, which is very intensive, and you will learn about in the next area. Below are the advantages/disadvantages of geothermal energy.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is a great source of fuel, because it can be put through a fuel cell along with oxygen from the air and electricity is generated, with the only product being water vapor! The process is shown below.
Hydrogen cars are already on the road, but the reason they haven't been in mass production is that hydrogen is very expensive and energy-intensive to generate (usually electrolysis from water) and it is very had to store, since it is a gas. Technologies are being worked on, and you can see the trade-offs below.
Putting it all together
So, like I said before, there's no one answer to the replacement of non-renewable fossil fuels. It will need to be a gradual shift, with multiple system in place. Much more research is needed, but the answer will be a smart, energy efficient grid, with a combination of different types of energy production and less large-scale plants. A diagram of this kind of idea follows.
That's ideal, but integrating with already existing fossil fuel systems is the first step to a cleaner and sustainable future.
Graphics obtained from Living in the Environment, 2009, Miller & Spooner
In this blog, I will give you information on both renewable and non-renewable energy sources, with pros and cons. You will be getting more information and sharing with the class via a poster project as well.
Before we get started with that, I want to draw your attention to the concept of net energy. Net energy is the amount of high-quality usable energy available from a resource after the amount of energy needed to make it available is subtracted. Basically, take out the amount of energy spent mining, refining, and processing, and the net energy is left over. The following graph shows both non-renewable and renewable net energy. It is shown in terms of net energy ratio, basically anything over 1 gives off that many times more energy than it takes to make it.
Surprised? Coal is #1...by far! Think about it, all you have to do is dig it out and burn it. No fancy equipment, no refining, not a big transportation issue because it's solid. BUT, it is non-renewable, and the dirtiest one up there. Thus, while extremely energy efficient, alternatives need to be found.
Following is a graph showing how energy use varies between the US and the rest of the world. While we have the technology to lead the world, we are lagging behind in a lot of ways. Hopefully this section will help you to understand what we can do better.
We will be going over a lot of types of energy, so here is a graphic that shows how a lot are extracted:
Nonrenewable Energy Resources
Oil
Crude oil, the stuff that's actually drilled out of the ground, is a thick mixture of a bunch of hydrocarbons (Yay Chemistry!). It was made from dead organisms (plants/animals) that decomposed and were put under pressure over time. The energy from the living things condensed and formed the energy-rich oil. Oil, along with coal and natural gas, are referred to as fossil fuels, because they come from once-living organism remains (fossils). These hydrocarbons have different densities and are distilled at different temperatures in a process called fractional distillation. We tend to think about oil as only being for transportation, but look at all the ways it can be used in the following diagram of a fractional distillation tower.
It's crazy the amount of stuff we get from oil. Like I said, we'll be hearing more during the poster presentation. Here are a list of advantages and disadvantages to using oil.
Oil Sands and Oil Shale
Oil can be found in sand and rock (shale) in different places around the globe. It is way more costly to get because of the hardship of extraction, but technology is making it easier. In fact, the massive amount of oil sands in Canada is the source of oil that's planned to be transported in the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.
Natural Gas
Natural gas is in the gaseous state (mostly methane) and is found usually above liquid oil. It's being used more and more, and while it burns cleaner than oil, it still produces carbon dioxide and pollutants. It's an intermediate alternative to oil, but still non-renewable.
Coal
Coal makes up the majority of the fuel used for electricity generation in the US and around the world. Like oil, it is a fossil fuel that forms over time after living things die. Here is a diagram of different types of coal that are extracted based on it's level of formation.
Coal burns very dirty, but the US has implemented much stricter regulations over the years to deal with the emissions. China, on the other hand, uses more coal than the US, Japan, and Europe combined, and has less regulations. This has led to a lot of health problems there.
Before we look at advantages and disadvantages, I wanted to give you a diagram of how we turn coal into electricity...it's pretty simple really. Burn coal, heat water, turn into steam, turn a turbine, generate electricity.
Nuclear Energy
Woah...wait a minute...I thought Nuclear was clean? Why is it a non-renewable resource?
First off, just because something is 'clean' doesn't mean it's renewable. Yes, Nuclear is clan when it generates electricity, but to get the electricity, we have to mine and enrich Uranium. That process is very energy intense, in fact making the net energy of Nuclear extremely low, as shown below.
Plus, nuclear is very susceptible to large scale accidents like those seen in Chernobyl and Fukushima.
Just an FYI...nuclear power plants work just like coal power plants, but instead of burning coal, radioactive uranium starts to decompose, giving off massive amounts of radiation and heat, boiling water, turning the turbines, etc. Here are diagrams of both the nuclear fuel cycle and a reactor, followed by the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power.
Stop Here Day 1
Energy Efficiency Options
We wast massive amount of energy in our normal production and distribution of electricity, in our transportation, and even in our homes. Waste happens during production, transportation, and by machines themselves. Look at the total energy balance for our electricity below, and you can see what I mean.
The first step to reducing fossil fuel and non-renewable energy use is to make those systems more efficient. Some waste is unavoidable (think Newton's 2nd Law), but 43% is what we think we can save. How? Look at a few of the options below.
The Grid - Our current electrical system basically uses a giant connected series of wires to power plants and buildings. It has major energy losses along those lines. Ways to improve would be by installing smart grid systems, which would monitor electricity, regulate when and where power systems went on, and integrate micro power plants that aren't so far away from the destinations.
More efficient buildings and houses - Many buildings and houses were not built with energy efficiency in mind; thus, they waste a lot of heating and cooling costs which could be save by:
- Insulating and plugging leaks
- Using energy-efficient windows
- Stopping other heating and cooling losses
- Heating houses more efficiently
- Heating water more efficiently
- Using energy-efficient appliances
- Using energy-efficient lighting
Green Roofs - Many buildings in big cities are putting vegetation on their roofs. It helps not only with CO2 sequestering, but provides natural insulation to cut down on heating and cooling losses. There is actually a green roof on top of the restrooms in Island Park near Marina Jack. Check it out next time you're there!
Fuel Efficiency in Transportation - While we have made advances here, increasing the efficiency of our transportation still lags behind most other countries. By turning to hybrid, electric, and smaller cars with more efficient engines, we could really cut down on our oil consumption. Remind me to spend a little more time explaining hybrid and electric advantages in class.
Here is a list of advantages of reducing energy waste:
Now, let's take a look at the renewable, alternative energy sources. There is no one answer to replacing non-renewable fuels. All alternatives won't work in all places...and they all have their advantages and disadvantages. It'll be a combination of ideas that is able to fix the problem.
Solar
Every energy source starts with the sun. Even fossil fuels originally had their energy provided by the sun to grow themselves or the food that they either before they died. So, getting energy directly from the sun is an obvious solution. There are a few types of ways we harness solar energy:
Passive and Active Solar Systems
Both of these systems involve using direct sunlight for single buildings/houses. Passive systems use special windows/vents to provide heating in the winter and cooling in the summer just from the sun. Really cuts down on electricity use. Active systems use solar collectors on rooftops to heat a fluid to use in water heaters, air conditioners/home heaters, and in Florida many times, pool heaters, saving major amounts of electricity use. Both systems are shown below followed by advantages/disadvantages.
High Temp Solar Collectors
These systems use reflective mirrors to concentrate heat from the sun on a single point, usually a pipe, that then provides the heating power for power plants. Advantages/disadvantages are shown below of these types of systems.
Solar Photovoltaic Cells
Also known as PV cells, this is what most people think of when they think of solar energy. Photons (light) from the sun is absorbed, 'excited' electrons, and provides electricity directly from the cell. They're getting better, but are still pretty inefficient and costly. They can be put on rooftops or in large fields. A couple types and the trade-offs are shown below.
Hydropower
Water is very heavy, and the use of falling or flowing water to turn wheels has been around a very long time. We now use it to turn turbines to generate electricity. We have developed technologies to harness wave power, but of course, this would only work for coastal areas. Same with tidal power (getting the water flowing in and out during tides). The most widely used method is the construction of dams. A dam is basically a wall placed in a river. Upstream, the river floods into a still water reservoir (lake). Water flows downstream at a much slower rate, because it falls through the inside of the wall, turning turbines, generating electricity. It's basically free energy (minus the operating and building costs), but has major environmental impacts on the surrounding ecosystem. We will discuss these more in the hydrosphere unit. For now, from an energy standpoint, take a look at the trade-offs below.
Wind
Predictable high winds aren't a common occurrence everywhere, but where they are, wind energy is a no-brainier. Large windmills do the heavy lifting, with no additional parts needed. They can be noisy and cause harm to birds, but those problems are being addressed with some really cool new technologies. Here is a diagram of different types and the advantages/disadvantages.
Biomass/Biofuels
Biomass is basically anything living. So using biomass for fuels, is burning things like trees and plants for fuel. They burn pretty dirty and are not nearly as efficient or energy-dense as coal. Plus, in order to be used sustainable, they need to be regrown at the rate you use them. Trade-offs are shown below.
Biofuels are liquid fuels made from biomass, like ethanol made from corn and diesel made from used vegetable oil. Trade-offs of biodiesel and bioethanol areshown below.
Geothermal
Geothermal energy is literally 'energy from the ground.' It can be utilized in multiple ways, including in single buildings and large-scale plants.
For sing,e buildings, pipes connected to home heating and cooling units can be run under the ground, where the temperature is always constant. In the winter, the fluid in these pipes is warmer than the outside air and in the summer, the fluid is cooler than the outside air. By running them through the heating/cooling systems, it reduces the amount of energy needed to run. Here's an example of what that looks like.
Large-scale geothermal plants will use pockets of hot water found under the earth. These are typically around geyser locations. This hot water will come out as steam, thus no need for burning. These are great where available, but do run out after time. Places like Greenland with massive potential for large-scale geothermal plants are being considered to produce hydrogen, which is very intensive, and you will learn about in the next area. Below are the advantages/disadvantages of geothermal energy.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is a great source of fuel, because it can be put through a fuel cell along with oxygen from the air and electricity is generated, with the only product being water vapor! The process is shown below.
Hydrogen cars are already on the road, but the reason they haven't been in mass production is that hydrogen is very expensive and energy-intensive to generate (usually electrolysis from water) and it is very had to store, since it is a gas. Technologies are being worked on, and you can see the trade-offs below.
Putting it all together
So, like I said before, there's no one answer to the replacement of non-renewable fossil fuels. It will need to be a gradual shift, with multiple system in place. Much more research is needed, but the answer will be a smart, energy efficient grid, with a combination of different types of energy production and less large-scale plants. A diagram of this kind of idea follows.
That's ideal, but integrating with already existing fossil fuel systems is the first step to a cleaner and sustainable future.
Graphics obtained from Living in the Environment, 2009, Miller & Spooner
2.5.1 - The Lithosphere (KQ5): Different Types of Resources (Non-Energy)
Resources are anything we, as humans, end up using to our benefit. Any material we use, from iPhones to pencils to plastic dishes, comes from the earth at it's origins and returns upon disposal. We tend to focus on energy resources, and we will for much of this unit, but it is important to look at all of our resources and how they are obtained, used, and disposed of. The life cycle of resources leads to huge environmental implications and has become a big management issue. We will take a look at the different types of non-energy resources and ideas below, before we delve into energy in subsequent sections.
Non-Renewable Resources
Non-renewable resources are any materials that we use that are replenished slower than they are extracted/economically utilized (often thousands-millions of years). So one problem is that while we may have enough of these materials in the short-term, eventually they will run out faster than they will come back. Many of these materials have their base in minerals, which are deposits in the Earth's crust that can be extracted and made into useful products in processes that provide economic benefits and jobs. To get minerals out of the crust, they must be extracted, usually with mining operations. Examples of non-renewable resources include coal, oil (which makes plastics as well as gas), natural gas, and metals (aluminum, copper, iron, etc.).
There are different types of mining, and each carries with it environmental disruptions and hazards, such as scarring and disruption of the land surface (e.g., spoils banks), loss of rivers and streams due to movement of sediment, pollution of water and air due to movement of sediment, equipment and chemicals used, impacts on aquatic life due to runoff, large amounts of solid waste that needs to be stored, and more.
The video below does a great job of explaining the different types of mining as well as the entire process and environmental impacts very well. Pay attention and take notes!
MEDCs often will have strict environmental regulations surrounding mining, that requires restoration following the processes and minimal environmental disturbances. LEDCs may not be able to impose these types of regulations, so many companies based in MEDCs will outsource mining operations to LEDCs to avoid restoration and compliance costs. Thus, even though they use way less of the resources, many LEDCs are affected more harshly in terms of the environment than MEDCs when it comes to mining.
Not only do the mining operations themselves have harmful impacts on the environment, but turning the materials into the products, their use, and disposal also contribute. This is referred to as the life-cycle of a product. You can see an example of a product's life cycle in the image below:
Let's face it...we can't get around using products and products require materials from the Earth. We can, however, minimize the impact on the environment by exploring different types and uses of those resources. We will explore those below:
Renewable Resources
Renewable resources are able to replenish as quickly as they are taken out, or may not even need to be replenished (e.g. sun). We will get in to much more about renewable energy resources in the next section (solar, wind, etc.), but there are renewable resources we can try to utilize to lessen the strain on the non-renewable mentioned above as well. The major advantages of renewables is basically unlimited use if used sustainably, most do not pollute or produce greenhouse gases at near the rate of their non-renewable counterparts, and processing is minimal to none in comparison. Timber (providing wood and paper) is a renewable resource, but if a forest is clear-cut, trees will not grow back. Also, cutting down faster than the growth rate would make it non-renewable. Fresh water is another example of a renewable resource, but again, if we draw it out faster than it is replenished, it becomes unsustainable. Biomass and air are also considered to be renewable.
Recyclable Resources
Recycling is turning products into other products made of the same material instead of disposing. Recycling both renewable and non-renewable resources has major advantages. For any material, not having to extract or cut down saves the amount of transportation and processing energy used. Plus recycling decreases the rate of exploitation (meaning the resource is available longer) and decreases the amount of landfill waste created. Some argue that it uses just as much energy as using the parent product, but this is only one aspect of the advantages of recycling, and it's not even true in most cases. In fact, aluminum recycling saves 95% of the energy used in processing from parent material! The following diagrams really hit home on some of the many recycling advantages.
Alternative Resources/Ideas
There are many ways we look at the environmental problems associated with resources, mainly caused by exploitation. While recycling is great and really does make a difference, reuse and reducing are even better. Why? Well, reuse is simply reusing a substance in it's current state, with minimal to no reprocessing. So, when something is reused or re-purposed, it's truly putting no additional impact on the environment. No landfill waste. No mining. No processing. What are some examples? Things at home, like using an old vegetable can as a flower pot or using the gray water from the shower to flush toilets. And then, there's bigger...using shipping containers as buildings (they do this for some Starbucks). People can get very inventive when it comes to reusing. Reducing is the most simple...finding ways to reduce the amount of resources we use by making our processes more efficient.
One of our big problems is that we've become such a disposable society. Plastics are very cheap, and they break easily, so we tend to consume and throw away much more, especially in MEDCs. Think about plastic ware and plastic water bottles. They're convenient, sure, but how much harder is it to bring a reusable water bottle and to wash off a metal fork and knife? But what do we end up doing? Taking these plastics, using them once, throwing them away. The are taking up so much space in our landfills and a lot are washing into our oceans! We really need to get back to sturdy things that, yes, may cost more up front, but will save both money and the environment in the long term.
Check out this graph that illustrates just how much of an impact reducing, reusing, and recycling can have on the lifespan of resources.
Other than reducing and reuse, some ideas to reduce resource consumption are:
Non-Renewable Resources
Non-renewable resources are any materials that we use that are replenished slower than they are extracted/economically utilized (often thousands-millions of years). So one problem is that while we may have enough of these materials in the short-term, eventually they will run out faster than they will come back. Many of these materials have their base in minerals, which are deposits in the Earth's crust that can be extracted and made into useful products in processes that provide economic benefits and jobs. To get minerals out of the crust, they must be extracted, usually with mining operations. Examples of non-renewable resources include coal, oil (which makes plastics as well as gas), natural gas, and metals (aluminum, copper, iron, etc.).
There are different types of mining, and each carries with it environmental disruptions and hazards, such as scarring and disruption of the land surface (e.g., spoils banks), loss of rivers and streams due to movement of sediment, pollution of water and air due to movement of sediment, equipment and chemicals used, impacts on aquatic life due to runoff, large amounts of solid waste that needs to be stored, and more.
The video below does a great job of explaining the different types of mining as well as the entire process and environmental impacts very well. Pay attention and take notes!
MEDCs often will have strict environmental regulations surrounding mining, that requires restoration following the processes and minimal environmental disturbances. LEDCs may not be able to impose these types of regulations, so many companies based in MEDCs will outsource mining operations to LEDCs to avoid restoration and compliance costs. Thus, even though they use way less of the resources, many LEDCs are affected more harshly in terms of the environment than MEDCs when it comes to mining.
Not only do the mining operations themselves have harmful impacts on the environment, but turning the materials into the products, their use, and disposal also contribute. This is referred to as the life-cycle of a product. You can see an example of a product's life cycle in the image below:
Don't forget...each step in here requires transportation which pollutes and disposal requires land use and will pollute not only land, but water as well.
Let's face it...we can't get around using products and products require materials from the Earth. We can, however, minimize the impact on the environment by exploring different types and uses of those resources. We will explore those below:
Renewable Resources
Renewable resources are able to replenish as quickly as they are taken out, or may not even need to be replenished (e.g. sun). We will get in to much more about renewable energy resources in the next section (solar, wind, etc.), but there are renewable resources we can try to utilize to lessen the strain on the non-renewable mentioned above as well. The major advantages of renewables is basically unlimited use if used sustainably, most do not pollute or produce greenhouse gases at near the rate of their non-renewable counterparts, and processing is minimal to none in comparison. Timber (providing wood and paper) is a renewable resource, but if a forest is clear-cut, trees will not grow back. Also, cutting down faster than the growth rate would make it non-renewable. Fresh water is another example of a renewable resource, but again, if we draw it out faster than it is replenished, it becomes unsustainable. Biomass and air are also considered to be renewable.
Recyclable Resources
Recycling is turning products into other products made of the same material instead of disposing. Recycling both renewable and non-renewable resources has major advantages. For any material, not having to extract or cut down saves the amount of transportation and processing energy used. Plus recycling decreases the rate of exploitation (meaning the resource is available longer) and decreases the amount of landfill waste created. Some argue that it uses just as much energy as using the parent product, but this is only one aspect of the advantages of recycling, and it's not even true in most cases. In fact, aluminum recycling saves 95% of the energy used in processing from parent material! The following diagrams really hit home on some of the many recycling advantages.
Alternative Resources/Ideas
There are many ways we look at the environmental problems associated with resources, mainly caused by exploitation. While recycling is great and really does make a difference, reuse and reducing are even better. Why? Well, reuse is simply reusing a substance in it's current state, with minimal to no reprocessing. So, when something is reused or re-purposed, it's truly putting no additional impact on the environment. No landfill waste. No mining. No processing. What are some examples? Things at home, like using an old vegetable can as a flower pot or using the gray water from the shower to flush toilets. And then, there's bigger...using shipping containers as buildings (they do this for some Starbucks). People can get very inventive when it comes to reusing. Reducing is the most simple...finding ways to reduce the amount of resources we use by making our processes more efficient.
One of our big problems is that we've become such a disposable society. Plastics are very cheap, and they break easily, so we tend to consume and throw away much more, especially in MEDCs. Think about plastic ware and plastic water bottles. They're convenient, sure, but how much harder is it to bring a reusable water bottle and to wash off a metal fork and knife? But what do we end up doing? Taking these plastics, using them once, throwing them away. The are taking up so much space in our landfills and a lot are washing into our oceans! We really need to get back to sturdy things that, yes, may cost more up front, but will save both money and the environment in the long term.
Check out this graph that illustrates just how much of an impact reducing, reusing, and recycling can have on the lifespan of resources.
Other than reducing and reuse, some ideas to reduce resource consumption are:
- Decreasing waste at mining sites
- Increasing environmental standards for mining operations
- Decreasing subsidies (government breaks/payouts) for mining
- Increasing subsidies for reuse/recycling
- More efficient manufacturing processes
- Bio-mimicry (copying nature's processes)
- Recycling waste or energy to use in other processes (Resource Exchanges)
That last bullet point is really great. There's some industries that do that now, and an example of how waste from one process can be used in another is shown below.
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