Global Environmental Global Environmental ConcernsConcerns

GallowayGalloway

June 2005June 2005

Deforestation Deforestation

Process of cutting down, burning or damaging Process of cutting down, burning or damaging of forestsof forests

This has been going on on a large scale basis This has been going on on a large scale basis for centuriesfor centuries

WhyWhy Farmers do this to create land for growthFarmers do this to create land for growth Ranchers do it to make room for livestockRanchers do it to make room for livestock

RainforestRainforest

At the current rate, the world’s rainforest will At the current rate, the world’s rainforest will dissappear in appx. 100 years. dissappear in appx. 100 years.

A tropical area the size of North Carolina is A tropical area the size of North Carolina is deforested each year.deforested each year.

Rainforests contain the majority of their Rainforests contain the majority of their nutrients in the plants – not the soilnutrients in the plants – not the soil

Rainforests (II)Rainforests (II)

When farmers cut the forests for farm land, When farmers cut the forests for farm land, they usually burn the trees to transfer the they usually burn the trees to transfer the nutrients to the soilnutrients to the soil

These nutrients are usually washed away in 3 These nutrients are usually washed away in 3 years, and the soil becomes unusable. They years, and the soil becomes unusable. They then need to move on to more fertile land then need to move on to more fertile land again.again.

Nuclear WasteNuclear Waste

There is short term and long term waste There is short term and long term waste disposaldisposal

Short term needs to wait appx. 10 – 50 years to Short term needs to wait appx. 10 – 50 years to break down so it can be disposed of in a break down so it can be disposed of in a ‘regular’ manner.‘regular’ manner.

Long term waste has a half-life of as long as Long term waste has a half-life of as long as 100,000 years, and need different disposal 100,000 years, and need different disposal techniquestechniques

Nuclear Waste-Long Term (II)Nuclear Waste-Long Term (II)

SpaceSpace Ideally, we could send it to space and not have to Ideally, we could send it to space and not have to

worry about it again. Problem: How do we get it worry about it again. Problem: How do we get it there? What happens if there is a problem?there? What happens if there is a problem?

SeaSea It would be burried deep under the sea bed where It would be burried deep under the sea bed where

there are little geographic changes. Once again: there are little geographic changes. Once again: What if? Comes to mind.What if? Comes to mind.

Nuclear Waste-Long Term (III)Nuclear Waste-Long Term (III)

LandLand It would be buried in large underground caverns It would be buried in large underground caverns

and then would be sealed in with stone.and then would be sealed in with stone. This is very expensive, but technologically This is very expensive, but technologically

possible for us today. possible for us today. The Yucca Mountain site in the US todayThe Yucca Mountain site in the US today

Yucca MountainYucca Mountain

Why Yucca?Why Yucca?

No close population No close population (appx. 100 mi NW of (appx. 100 mi NW of Las Vegas)Las Vegas)

Dry climateDry climate Low rain fallLow rain fall Deep water tableDeep water table Stable geologyStable geology Previous nuclear testing Previous nuclear testing

in the areain the area NIMBYNIMBY

Water PollutionWater Pollution

There are many different typesThere are many different types Natural – too much of a bacteria caused by Natural – too much of a bacteria caused by

man or nature changes can cause all the fish to man or nature changes can cause all the fish to diedie

Chemical – run off from local factories, Chemical – run off from local factories, streets, businesses, etcstreets, businesses, etc

Oil – pipeline cracks, ship spills, run off, etc.Oil – pipeline cracks, ship spills, run off, etc.

Oil clean-upOil clean-up

Natural GroundwaterNatural Groundwater

Aquifers are naturally occurring groundwaterAquifers are naturally occurring groundwater This is caused by the overdrawing of the This is caused by the overdrawing of the

groundwater w/o replacing it through groundwater w/o replacing it through rainwaterrainwater

Replacement becomes near to impossible as Replacement becomes near to impossible as we cement over more and more of the earth – we cement over more and more of the earth – the dirt cannot absorb as much water as it the dirt cannot absorb as much water as it should and it becomes runoffshould and it becomes runoff

Aquifer (II)Aquifer (II)

The Ogallala aquifer is The Ogallala aquifer is one of the US’ oldest one of the US’ oldest water supplieswater supplies

This area does not get This area does not get enough rain to sustain enough rain to sustain the farming.the farming.

Should they deplete the Should they deplete the aquifer now, or aquifer now, or conserve it for the conserve it for the future? It is already future? It is already happening. happening.

Mono LakeMono Lake

Los Angeles purchased large amounts of land Los Angeles purchased large amounts of land bordering the lake to gain rights to the water. bordering the lake to gain rights to the water.

The lake was diverted to bring water to Los The lake was diverted to bring water to Los Angeles by William Mulholland who built the Angeles by William Mulholland who built the world’s longest aqueduct at 233 miles which world’s longest aqueduct at 233 miles which opened up in 1913. (opened up in 1913. (Cadillac Desert)Cadillac Desert)

The draining of the lake has created an The draining of the lake has created an ecological emergency in the region.ecological emergency in the region.

Mono Lake (II)Mono Lake (II)

The lake is diverted faster than it fillsThe lake is diverted faster than it fills The salt level of the lake as risen so much that The salt level of the lake as risen so much that

the fish cannot survive. the fish cannot survive. With the level of the lake so low, it is With the level of the lake so low, it is

endangering seagulls (they fly there to lay endangering seagulls (they fly there to lay their eggs on formations in the middle of the their eggs on formations in the middle of the lake) because predators can reach the eggs for lake) because predators can reach the eggs for lunch.lunch.

OzoneOzone

This is the thin layer in the atmosphere that This is the thin layer in the atmosphere that protects the earth from UV rays.protects the earth from UV rays.

Each year the ‘hole’ fluxuates in size. We Each year the ‘hole’ fluxuates in size. We know it to be over the south pole, but recently know it to be over the south pole, but recently it has appeared in the northern hemisphere as it has appeared in the northern hemisphere as well. well.

This depletion has been attributed to CFC’s This depletion has been attributed to CFC’s which interact with the natural ozone, breaking which interact with the natural ozone, breaking it apart and causing it to break down.it apart and causing it to break down.

Ozone (II)Ozone (II)

A Global ProblemA Global Problem

The environment doesn’t know international The environment doesn’t know international borders. What happens in one country borders. What happens in one country eventually happens to us all.eventually happens to us all.

Air pollution crosses borders, radiation seeps Air pollution crosses borders, radiation seeps into ground water across borders, etc.into ground water across borders, etc.

The world needs to work together to fight this. The world needs to work together to fight this.

KYOTOKYOTO

The nations of the world met and signed the The nations of the world met and signed the KYOTO protocal. This is supposed to reduce KYOTO protocal. This is supposed to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses that are the amount of greenhouse gasses that are produced by each country, and institute produced by each country, and institute international legislation to protect our earthinternational legislation to protect our earth

But, countries have found a way to get around But, countries have found a way to get around the protocol by ‘trading’ emissions. the protocol by ‘trading’ emissions.

KYOTO (II)KYOTO (II)

The US is seen internationally as snubbing its The US is seen internationally as snubbing its nose at the protocal. Many international nose at the protocal. Many international figures think this is because of intense figures think this is because of intense lobbying from groups within the US. I will lobbying from groups within the US. I will post an interesting article from India regarding post an interesting article from India regarding this. (I always recommend reading this. (I always recommend reading international news articles. It provides a better international news articles. It provides a better view of the world)view of the world)

Your homework:Your homework:

The shrinking global community: technology.The shrinking global community: technology.

CitedCited

Earth Observatory: Earth Observatory: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Deforhttp://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Deforestation/estation/

Univ. Rochester: Univ. Rochester: http://www.history.rochester.edu/class/EZRA/http://www.history.rochester.edu/class/EZRA/

OCRWM: OCRWM: http://www.ocrwm.doe.gov/http://www.ocrwm.doe.gov/ Univ. Michigan: Univ. Michigan:

http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/waterpohttp://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/waterpollution.htmllution.htm

Cited (II)Cited (II)

http://www.aquifers.net/http://www.aquifers.net/ Beyond Discovery Beyond Discovery

http://www.beyonddiscovery.org/content/viewhttp://www.beyonddiscovery.org/content/view.page.asp?I=90.page.asp?I=90

http://www.livinglakes.org/mono/diversions.hthttp://www.livinglakes.org/mono/diversions.htmm

http://geog.ucsb.edu/~joel/g148_f04/http://geog.ucsb.edu/~joel/g148_f04/lecture_notes/urban_water/la_aqueduct.jpglecture_notes/urban_water/la_aqueduct.jpg