Humans and the Environment

Sustainability of Earth’s Resources Humans use renewable and non-renewable resources. Give examples of each Las Vegas – only gets 4 inches of rain a year! ~ Water from Lake Mead. ~ Not enough water to sustain city.

Distribution and Use of Natural Resources Resources are not evenly distributed across earth. Saudi Arabia has 24% of oil reserves. Uneven consumption of resources US has 5% of world pop. but uses 24% of energy resources. India has 17% of world pop. and uses only 2% of energy resources ** Why is this a problem for the future?**

Sustainability The ability to achieve continuing economic prosperity while protecting the natural systems of the planet and providing a high quality of life for its people. Everything we do needs energy. (turning on faucets, lights etc.). ~85% of the energy we get comes from burning fossil fuels ~ Could run out before the end of the century.

Conservation Careful use of resources to make the supply last longer. Examples Source reduction Reuse of products Recycling Use of energy efficient appliances Purchasing cars with better gas mileage Soil conservation Forest conservation

Human Impact on Environment Acid deposition- acids or acid forming substances fall to the ground as rain or snow. Smog- combination of smoke and fog. Forms when NO2 combines with sunlight. Causes eye, throat irritation and difficulty breathing. Ozone depletion- Chloroflourocarbons (CFC) breaks down the ozone in the atmosphere.

Global Warming Greenhouse effect- natural process in which heat is trapped near the earth’s surface by the atmosphere. Green house gases: CO2, O3, methane, H2O vapor, NO2, and CFCs. Most greenhouse gases are released by burning fossil fuels.