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EEn.2.2 – How Humans Impact the Lithosphere
Sustainability EEn.2.2 – How Humans Impact the Lithosphere EEn.2.8 – How Human Behaviors Impact the Ability to Have Sustainable Life on Earth
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EEn2.2.1 – Explain the consequences of human activities on the lithosphere (such as mining, deforestation, agriculture, overgrazing, urbanization and land use) past and present EEn2.2.2 – Compare the various methods humans use to acquire traditional energy sources (such as peat, coal, oil, natural gas, wood and nuclear fission)
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EEn2.8.1 – Evaluate alternative energy technologies for use in North Carolina EEn2.8.2 – Critique conventional and sustainable agriculture and aquaculture practices in terms of their environmental impacts EEn2.8.4 – Evaluate the concept of “reduce- reuse-recycle” in terms of impact on natural resources
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Human Influences on the Lithosphere
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Types of Land Use Mining Drilling & Fracking Deforestation & Land Use
Agriculture/Aquiculture Overgrazing Urbanization Shoreline Development/Stabilization Mountain Development/Stabilization
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Environmental Impacts
Human Impact What It Is Why It’s Important Environmental Impacts What Can Be Done Mining Fracking/Drilling Deforestation Land Use Agriculture Overgrazing Urbanization Shorelines Mountainsides
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Mining What is it Why is it important
Digging resources out of the Earth Why is it important Provides minerals (diamonds), metals (gold), fossil fuels (coal, natural gas) Jobs What does it do to the environment Acidic runoff destroys habitats Air and water pollution Severe changes to the landscape Sinkholes
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What Can Be Done Reduce consumption Improve efficiency of processing
Recycle materials Improve efficiency of processing Legislation to control mining and impacts Better clean-up of active and abandoned mines Renewable energy
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Drilling/Fracking What it is…
Using heavy machinery that allows for the Earth to be cut to obtain materials. A fast way to get gas (oil) to fill the need for humans. Fracking - injects liquid (water) into the ground at high speeds to get material released from shale rock.
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Drilling/Fracking Why is it important
Provides fossil fuels (oil, natural gas) Jobs What does it do to the environment Contamination of groundwater supplies Air and water pollution Sinkholes Increased seismic activity Damage to wildlife and habitats
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What Can Be Done Reduce consumption Improve efficiency of processing
Recycle materials Improve efficiency of processing Legislation to control drilling/fracking and impacts Better clean-up of active and abandoned wells Renewable energy
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Deforestation & Land Use
What it is Removal of trees/vegetation so land can be used Why is it important Wood for homes, paper, farmland, charcoal, roads Jobs What does it do to the environment Sharp decline in biodiversity Poor air quality Land erosion Affects water cycle
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What Can Be Done Legislation to protect forests Reforestation
Education Fallowing Contour and/or terraced planting Land use policies ‘Plant a Tree’ campaigns
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Agriculture/Aquiculture
What it is Use of land/water to produce food/seafood Why is it important Food Jobs What does it do to the environment Deforestation Soil erosion Nutrient depletion Affects the water cycle Fertilizer and animal waste runoff
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What Can Be Done Crop rotation Contour farming Planting wind breaks
Using nitrogen-fixing crops – peanuts, legumes Contour farming Planting wind breaks Tree or shrub lines Organic farming Recycling of water and animal waste Better containment of waste ponds Legislation controlling farming practices
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Overgrazing What it is Why is it important
Allowing animals to remain in one area too long to graze Why is it important Food Raw materials for clothing Jobs What does it do to the environment Soil erosion Affects the water cycle Allows for invasion of non-native species
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What Can Be Done Rotational grazing
Legislation to better control grazing practices Soil protections Using alternate feed Raising the right animal for the location
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Urbanization What it is Why is it important
Turning rural land into built-up areas Why is it important Provides a place to live for growing populations What does it do to the environment Overcrowding Increased strain on resources (clean water, etc) Affects the water cycle Loss of green areas Erosion
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What Can Be Done Better city planning
Use of resources Creating urban zones that group housing, schools, shopping, etc. together Legislation to limit sprawl and enforce building codes Inclusion of green spaces Recycling of resources
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Shoreline Development & Stabilization
What it is Building on and maintaining urban areas near water Why is it important Provides housing for coastal/waterfront populations Jobs What does it do to the environment Disrupts natural ebb and flow of coastal sediments Increased erosion, need for beach replenishment impacts biodiversity Possible issues with debris after storms
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What Can Be Done Legislation to enact and enforce building zones and codes Require structures to be storm and flood proof Prohibit construction in known flood zones Set aside protected areas for wildlife and do not develop sensitive habitat Limit building berms and breaks
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Mountainside Development & Stabilization
What it is Building on and maintaining urban areas in mountainous regions Why is it important Provide housing to growing populations Jobs What does it do to the environment Can destabilize mountain areas Erosion Decreases biodiversity Can affect sensitive habitat
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What Can Be Done Legislation to enact and enforce building zones and codes Require structures to be able to withstand heavy snow/ice Prohibit construction in known avalanche or land slide zones Set aside protected areas for wildlife and do not develop sensitive habitat Take extra precautions to protect quality of streams and lakes
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Alternative & Traditional Energy
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What is energy? Energy is the ability to cause change.
Law of Conservation of Energy - Energy cannot be created or destroyed – it can only change from one form to another
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What is energy? Potential energy is energy stored in an object due to its position. Kinetic energy is energy from motion. Kinetic energy increases as an object moves faster. Kinetic energy increases as the mass of an object increases.
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Energy Transformations
A turbine’s kinetic energy is converted to electrical energy by a generator at a power plant.
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Sources of Energy Energy comes from either the Sun or from radioactive atoms in the Earth. Most traditional energy sources have been used by humans for thousands of years and are usually non-renewable Alternative energy sources are somewhat newer technologies and are usually considered renewable. Traditional vs Alternative Energy Sources Future of Alternative Energy
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Traditional Energy Sources HARVESTING
Peat Youngest of the fossil fuels Relatively cheap to obtain Found in wetlands Used for burning and insulation Still used in many areas world-wide Can damage the environment when obtained How peat is formed Harvesting peat – tradtional Harvesting peat - by machine Peat fires Wood Relatively cheap, found around the world Used world-wide, but especially in underdeveloped nations Can cause serious environmental damage and can pose risks to human health Making charcoal – traditional Health Issues
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Traditional Energy Sources MINING
Coal A fossil fuel formed from peat that has been chemically changed Mined from either underground vein or above ground pits Provides around 40% of the world’s energy needs BIG contributions to greenhouse gases How coal is mined Uranium/Plutonium Radioactive ores mined from deep underground Requires special equipment to avoid contamination of the environment Provides around 11% of the world’s energy needs Mining Uranium - Part 1 Mining Uranium - Part 2
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Traditional Energy Sources DRILLING/FRACKING
Oil Formed from the remains of ancient plants that were compacted and heated over time 75% is used for oil/diesel fuel and jet fuel Oil spills cause massive amounts of environmental damage Deep Sea Drilling On Land Drilling 2010 BP Blowout Environmental Damage Natural gas Contains large amounts of methane Forms at the same time as oil (but at higher temps) Often transported by pipes Cleanest of all fossil fuels Leaks can lead to massive explosions How Fracking is Done Water on Fire Gas Explosion in PA Pipeline Explosion - Mexico
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Alternative Energy Sources
Solar Hydro Tidal/Wave Wind Geothermal Biomass PROS Extremely abundant, widespread, will never run out Most widely used source; does not pollute and is renewable Water covers about 70% of Earth’s surface; renewable; no pollution Nonpolluting; widespread; can be used on farms Uses heat from deep inside the Earth; doesn’t pollute; renewable Good way to get rid of wastes CONS Panels are expensive and require a lot of space; require storage options for cloudy days Limited suitable sites for dams; can cause environmental damage Not very common; must be able to withstand storms and corrosion Wind doesn’t blow all the time; expensive; ugly Not all locations have magma close enough to the surface to be practical Burning can release gases into the atmosphere
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How hydroelectric works How wind works How biomass works
SOLAR TIDAL/WAVE GEOTHERMAL How it works How tidal works How geothermal works HYDRO WIND BIOMASS How hydroelectric works How wind works How biomass works
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Alternative energy for NC
NC has a wide mix of alternative energy sources – the largest growing is solar Alternative Energy in NC NC Energy Rankings Alternative Energy Law in NC
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Traditional vs Sustainable Agriculture & Aquiculture
Large scale farms Usually only one crop farmed continuously over many seasons Extensive use of pesticides, fertilizers, water resources and energy Dependency on supply chains and transportation of goods (increased use of fossil fuels) Animals produced in confined spaces Potential destruction of the environment by soil depletion, runoff, erosion and over-fishing 1930s Dust Bowl Commercial Fishing Sustainable Small to medium sized farms Diversified crop rotation system Reduced to no use of pesticides and fertilizers; use of natural cycles Emphasis on local, direct marketing which reduces the need for transportation (reduces fossil fuel use) Animals produced in more open systems Contour plowing, right crop/animal for the area, crop/pasture rotation, careful use of fertilizers/pesticides, careful use of water resources Vertical Farming Sustainable Fish Farming
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Future of Sustainability
Algae Biofuels Closed Loop Farming Green Cities New Technologies New Windmill Designs
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Reduce-Reuse-Recycle
Conservation - the careful use of resources to reduce damage to the environment Composting - making your own fertilizer Reducing - using less material Reusing - finding another use for an object Recycling – making new stuff from old stuff Aluminum Paper Glass Plastics Zero Waste City Reducing Garbage
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