1. Land Use and Pollution

2. Agriculture
Green Revolution – new strains of wheat, rice and other crops have been developed to produce more food on the land we use.
Requires more fertilizers, pesticides, and water
Often not available in neediest countries
Malnutrition – the lack of a specific type of nutrient in the diet
People may eat enough calories
but if they do not have the right balanced
diet with all the nutrients they need, they
can still die.
Agriculture
Malnutrition

3. Which statement best describes the results of the Green Revolution
There was plenty of food for everyone in the world.
Overuse of pesticides and fertilizers caused the soil to be degraded.
New strains of crops were quickly destroyed by pests.

4. Sustainable Agriculture – based on crop rotation, reduced soil erosion, integrated pest management, and minimal use of soil additives.
Rotate Crops
Prevent nutrient depletion in soil
Farming to reduce erosion
Strip farming, contour farming, terracing, windbreaks
Minimal tilling
Limit Pesticide use
Use natural predators of pests
Prevent overgrazing
Livestock must be moved to prevent long-term damage
Sustainable development ethic
Review soil conservation
overgrazing
Dust bowl

5. Dust Bowl Read Page 313 Contributing factors Effects Fixes
Natural grasses were replaced or weakened
Overgrazing and deforestation
Drought
Effects
Dust Storms
Soil erosion
Poverty
Fixes
Soil conservation techniques!!
Dust bowl

6. Which of the following could result in another Dust Bowl?
a. Replacing crops with natural ground cover.
b. Contour farming
c. Deforestation and decreased rains.
d. Reforestation of Virginia farmlands.

7. Mining Surface Mining Subsurface or underground mining Dredging
Remove topsoil
Piles of leftovers (tailings) become point source pollution for many toxic substances
Subsurface or underground mining
Less environmental damage
More safety concerns for workers (short and long term)
Can cave in affecting surface property
Dredging
Scraping material from stream, ocean, and lake bottoms.
Alters food webs
Mining types

8. What we mine for and its effects
We can get several resources from mining
Minerals –inorganic, naturally occurring soil material with a definite chemical composition and with its atoms arranged in a specific pattern
Metals, compounds such as quartz, trona, gyspum
Fuels such as coal and natural gas
Effects
Top soil erosion (surface mining especially)
Pollution from waste piles
Fires (coal seams, read page 294)
Disruption of food webs
Reclamation– the process of restoring land to the condition it was before mining (or other use) operations began.

9. A mining company decided to move to a new location in order to increase profits. Before leaving
their current location they must clean up their area to its original condition, or as close as possible.
This is called:
a. Dredging c. Reforestation
b. Soil Conservation d. Réclamation.

10. Forests Forests are an important natural resource
Timber products - Textiles, toothbrushes, diapers, paper products, food thickeners, building material like frames and flooring . . .
Non-wood or non-timber forest products -fruits, nuts, mushrooms, spices, rubber, resins, gums, medicinal or cosmetic product
Deforestation – destruction of forest due to human activity
Reforestation– replanting of forests to restore natural habitat.
Forests
Deforestation
reforestion

11. Preservation
“Preservation is about deciding what's important, figuring out how to protect it, and passing along an appreciation for what was saved to the next generation. Preservation is hands on.” – National Parks Service
In many areas, National Park System units represent the last vestiges of once vast undisturbed ecosystems.
Disturbances by abandoned roads, buildings, etc.
Non-native plants and animals
Overuse and poor use by human active
National parks

12. Land Pollution and Soil Degradation
Examples of land mismanagement and pollution include
Overgrazing
Deforestation
Desertification
Land fills
Pollution from mining and other uses
Pollution and soil degradation
Examples
deforestation
overgrazing
desertification
land fills

13. Land Fills
Solid Wastes – all garbage, refuse, and sludge products from agriculture, forestry, mining and municipalities.
Landfill – a site where wastes are disposed of by burying them.
Paper makes up ~ 50% of land fill volume! 13% organic, 10% plastic
Hazardous Wastes – solid, liquid, or gaseous wastes, that are potentially harmful to humans and the environment, even in low concentrations.
Biodegradable– substances that decompose easily and enrich the soil.
Land fills

14. Landfills now and then Then: Open Dumping Now: Sanitary Landfills
Designated area far from city
Dump it all!!
Results: foul odors, large populations of rats and insects, became point source of pollution carried away by water from rainfalls.
Now: Sanitary Landfills
Wastes spread in layers, compacted, and covered with soil.
Pipes for methane release
Lined to prevent leaching
Eventually land can be used for other purposes.
New land fill design

15. Which of the following is a characteristic of sanitary land fills?
Land permanently designated for waste storage.
Foul odors from bacteria decomposing organic materials.
Area becomes a source for point pollution.
Lined with pipes to allow gases to be collected or escape.

16. Land Use Philosophy
Sustainable Development Ethic - a development plan that meets the current needs of society without limiting the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Many land-use practices cause damage to the land, reducing its value as a supplier of food and materials.
Management and conservation plans should include ideas such as reduce, reuse, recycle, and recycle.

17. Recycling which product would reduce a landfill’s volume the most?
Plastic
Metal
Paper
Organic materials

18. How is a food Calorie related to a calorie in science
They are the same.
A food Calorie measures how much energy is in food only.
A food Calorie is 1000 science calories.
A science calorie is a measure of heat released by burning an object.