Earth and The Human Denominator

Human Population Growth Figure 21.3

Human Population Growth

1. Species Extinction All the creatures we share the Earth with are important in some way, however unprepossessing or insignificant they may appear. They and we are all part of the web of life. One quarter of all mammals face the risk of extinction. ~ World Conservation Union, 2004

2. Water Crisis The amount of water in the world is finite. The number of us is growing fast and our water use is growing even faster.

3. Soaring Energy Demand The first problem with energy is that we are running short of traditional sources of supply. We depend on oil for 90% of our transportation.

4. Can we feed the planet? World cereal consumption has more than doubled since 1970, and meat consumption has tripled since 1961.

5. Facing Climate Change Climate change is our biggest environmental challenge. How the Earth is Changing

6. Pollution: A Life and Death Issue We do not have the option of growing food, or finding enough water, on a squeaky-clean planet, but on one increasingly tarnished and trashed by the way we have used it so far 3m people a year are killed by outdoor air pollution. Chemical pollution was blamed for killing fish in Kankaria Lake in Ahmadabad, India Pollution Around the World

What can you do? Stay and continue to be educated Educate your family and friends Get involved Reduce your own carbon and ecological footprint REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

One More Plug about GIS and Geography: Interesting Fall Courses: Geog. 206: Introduction to GIS (this is a GE course) Geog. 444: Conservation Geog. 351: Urban Geography (this is a GE Course) Geog. 366: Environmental Hazards (this is a GE Course)