People and the Environment Explain how physical features affect human settlement patterns Describe ways that people use the land and affect the environment. How do people adapt to and change the environment? Today, more than 300 million people live in the United States There are approximately 6.7 billion people in the world. People tend to settle and live in, near, or around cities. Factors that encourage settlement: climate, soil, and landforms. 5,000 years ago Native Americans began farming. They settled in areas with rich soil. Later settlers set up communities where there was fresh water. Then people began living near transportation routes, such as rivers. Arid deserts and the cold tundra were difficult places to settle. However, with many inventions it became easier for humans to live in these places. Inventions like irrigation and air conditioning. Desert cities are growing very fast nowadays. Chapter 1, Lesson 5

Why would people need to live near transportation routes? So they may be able to reach the settlement, ship goods to market, and bring supplies. Land use – is how the land is used. FARMING – ½ of the United States is used as farmland – on the Coastal Plain or Interior Plains, and in valleys in the west. Those plains have very fertile l and, and river systems that can help with farming. MINING – most of this takes place in the mountains, where minerals can be found. DRILLING – We dig deep to tap into Earth for natural gas and oil. Natural resource – is something found in nature that people can use: soil, plants, water, minerals. Chapter 1, Lesson 5

Why is it important to conserve nonrenewable resources? Renewable Resources – are resources that can be made again by people or nature. WATER, TREES, LIGHT, and WIND Nonrenewable Resources – are resources that cannot be made again by people, or resources that would take thousands of years for nature to replace. ORES, MINERALS, OIL, and GAS Use of Mineral Resources coal: heating, electricity iron: steel, manufactured items copper: manufactured items, hardware, electronics gold: money, jewelry, electronics silver: jewelry, electronics limestone: cement uranium: nuclear power zinc: coating metals, batteries Why is it important to conserve nonrenewable resources? so they will be available for future generations. you can save money! a major concern our world has is finding an energy source that is renewable. using nonrenewable resources creates pollution and an unbalance in nature. Chapter 1, Lesson 5

Changing the Environment To modify is to change WATER We dig wells We build dams dams form reservoirs reservoirs hold drinking water We use water to make electricity Irrigation – is the use of canals, ditches, or pipes to move water Chapter 1, Lesson 5

Using the Land We change the land constantly, a lot of the good that results from this change is good but it comes at a cost. We There are always consequences to changing Earth. What may be good for today, is not necessarily positive for tomorrow. Chapter 1, Lesson 5

Balancing the Changes Efficiency – is using less energy or time to do the same task. Summary