Five of the World’s Most Critical Environmental Concerns

Source: http://theroadtothehorizon.net/photo/desertification%20in%20China.jpg

Environmental Concern #1: Desertization

The United Nations has defined the term as:“Land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas

resulting from adverse human impact.”

What do they mean by degradation? “Reduction in resource potential by water and wind erosion,

sedimentation and siltation, reduction in the level of diversity in vegetation, crop yields, soil salinization, and sodication.”

Source:(Hellden, 1991)

What is desertization?

• Soil is needed to feed the world. Without it, we would starve!• Soil is important because it is a limited natural resource

which takes about 100 years to produce just one inch of topsoil

• Soil consists of organic and inorganic material• The inorganic material is sand, silt, clay, gravel, and bedrock • Humus is the organic material (dead stuff) which provides the

soil with needed nutrients• The ideal soil is loam which has a proportional amount of

sand, silt, and clay• The soil ecosystem includes bugs and worms. These

creatures are important because they dig tunnels for air and water to reach the root of the plant

Background Information On Soil:

If an apple were the world and you cut it into 32 pieces, the peeling of the 1/32 piece of apple would be equivalent to the

amount of topsoil present on earth.

Background Information On Soil:

• The Sahel of Africa is the most stricken region of the world

• 35% of the world’s land surface is at risk

• Each year, 21 million hectares of soil is turned almost useless or useless

• This is a threat to the world’s economy

Background Information On Desertization:

Human Actions• Population Growth – need for more food• Populations larger than the carrying capacity• Mismanagement of natural resources• Overgrazing• Deforestation and clearing of vegetation for pasture land• Increased number of livestock• Irrigation problems leading to salination of soil• Climatic change causing decrease in rainfall• Wind and water erosion

Source: Le Houerou (1977)

Causes of desertization:

• Droughts• Loss of topsoil – land degradation with desert like

conditions• Decrease in rainfall and water• Dust storms increasing in number• Damaged economy – retail, travel, industry, worker

absenteeism due to illnesses• Damages biodiversity within ecosystems• Destroys crops, trees, vegetation

Source: (Brown)

Effects of desertization:

Establish greenbelts along the boarders of deserts:

• Halts encroachment and affects microclimates of local areas

• Helps with wind and soil erosion• Reduces soil temperature• Reduces run-off• Increases the organic material near the edges of

desert, thus improving the soil’s nutrient content

Cons – evidence does not support a high success rate, it is very expensive, and hard to manage

Source: Le Houerou and Lundholm (1976)

Solutions for desertization:

Water supply through desalinization:• Applicable for mineral and oil-rich countries like Saudi

Arabia

Runoff Farming:• Planting near rain water catchments so irrigation is

not needed

Using agricultural and industrial by-products: • Take part of the herd to feed lot• Feed livestock by-product instead of allowing them to

graze

Source: Le Houerou and Lundholm (1976)

Solutions for desertization:

Agricultural:• Better practices• Crop rotations• Plant legumes – source of protein and alternative to

meat• Drip irrigation• Land use planning• Plant vegetation that minimizes erosion by maximizing

vegetation cover on the land• Organic fertilizers

Livestock:• Limit population size• Rotate graving sites• Move to an animal lower down on the food chain which

uses less water and food

Source: Le Houerou and Lundholm (1976)

Solutions for desertization:

Successful Family Planning:• Decrease or at least stabilize the growth of the population

Planning: • Consider land consolidation and sound land use practices• Inventory humans, cattle, land, water, vegetation, and

natural resources to gather data• Use data to make plans for relief

Source: Le Houerou (1977)

Solutions for desertization:

Source: http://colli239.fts.educ.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/800px-Desertification_map.png

World map of desertization locations

Desertization Video

Source: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3332285257674477144#

Source: http://candobetter.org/files/population.growth.gif

Environmental Concern #2:Population Growth (Overcrowding)

When the number of births for the year is higher than the number of deaths. The result is a net increase of people.

What is population growth and over crowding?

People need a certain amounts of natural resources to live a life that in adequate:

• Land• Fresh water• Food• Energy• Material resources

There is a limited supply of natural resources and problems arise when and where there is a shortage of these

Take a second to review the change in the size of the world’s population

Background Information:

Population Size of the World:

1800 – 900 million

1950 – 2.5 billion1970 – 3.7 billion1990 – 5.3 billion2010 – 6.8 billion2030 – 8.2 billion (est.)2050 – 9.3 billion (est.)

Background Information:

• Death rate decreased while birth rate increased• Better medicine (vaccines, antibiotics, health care,

immunizations) and better nutrition• Clean water available to more people• Increased food productivity• Increase in fertility rate• Better sanitation = less disease• Higher standard of living• Able to supply needs and demands of population

Source: (Kinder, 1998)

Causes of population growth and over crowding:

Land Use:• Increase in food consumption means more land for

crops and cattle• Overgrazing damaging the soil – worst case

scenario would be desertization• Higher crop yields but near the ceiling for

production• Deforestation to create farmland and grazing areas

to feed the growing numbers• Increase in CO2 emissions adding to global

warming which is causing heat waves and droughts which damage the crops and the land

Effects of population growth and over crowding:

Water Use:• Higher demand• 70% of all fresh water is used in irrigation to make

food• Increase in use of water to accommodate the

demand in food production• Aquifers are being drained quicker than they can

refill• Pollution from agriculture has damaged the aquatic

biomes

Effects of population growth and over crowding:

Pollution:• Use of fertilizers and pesticides which runoff and damage

aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems Higher crop yields

• Deforestation to create farmland and grazing areas to feed the growing numbers – takes away oxygen producers

• Increase in CO2 emissions adding to global warming

• Increase in methane from landfills and animals

• CFCs used in refrigerators are more harmful than CO2

Effects of population growth and over crowding:

Increase productivity in agriculture:

• multiple cropping – allows for overlapping so the land doesn’t sit still

• intercropping – grow two crops at the same time with nitrogen rich plants like peanuts and legumes mixed in with nitrogen dependent crops

• Seed bed transplanting – allows for multiple crops to be produced in shorter time

• Land reform – shift cattle ranches into farms• Better irrigation practices – less water to yield same amount• Grow crops that require less water• Genetically modified plants• Move from meat to high protein plants = less water required

Solutions for population growth and over crowding:

Third World Countries

• Equal rights for women – right to choose number of children they have• Economic development – bring them out of poverty where social

status is based on earnings instead of the number of children they gave birth to

• Education – better income and learn about birth control• Education + better economy = lower birth rate

In General

• Legislation or tax incentives for having fewer children• Foreign aid – educate and provide birth control

Source: http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/populationgrowth.htm

Solutions for population growth and over crowding:

Population Growth Video

Source: http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_on_global_population_growth.html

Source: http://westorlandonews.com/wpcontent/uploads/2009/12/global_warming.jpg

Environmental Concern #3: Global Warming/Climate Change

Global warming is the increase in temperature in the earth’s atmosphere and oceans due to the increase in greenhouse gases, caused by pollutants. It should also be noted that the amount of sunlight that reaches the earth from the sun in manipulated.

Climate change is a change in the patterns of temperatures, seasons, humidity, precipitation, and wind.

(Easton, T. 2010)

What is global warming and climate change?

Human Influences:

• Humans – we emit greenhouse causes with our cars, factories, and with the use of electricity.

• Methane – landfills, livestock• Nitrous oxides from fertilizers• Depletion of forests• CFC’s and HCFC’s – used in refrigeration and are

more potent that carbon dioxides

Causes of global warming and climate change:

Because so many systems are tied to climate, a change in climate can affect many related aspects of where and how people, plants and animals live, such as food production, availability and use of water, and health risks.

• Predicted 0.5-1.0 degree increase in temperature over next few decades

• Increased production of ozone (5%-10% by 2050) due to increased temperature, combined with primary emissions, sunlight, and air mass stagnation events

• Increase in wildfires• Water concerns – drought, waterborne diseases, harmful increase in

blue-green algae, melting of the polar ice caps• Increase in sea levels – flooding, damage to city infrastructures• Extreme weather events – more frequent hurricanes, cold weather

fronts, floods, heat waves

(English et al., 2009)

Effects of global warming and climate change:

Because so many systems are tied to climate, a change in climate can affect many related aspects of where and how people, plants and animals live, such as food production, availability and use of water, and health risks.

• More allergies and respiratory illnesses due to increase in production of plant biomass (pollens could show a 320% increase by 2050)

• Disease and premature deaths• Environmental infectious diseases – range of diseases can spread to

larger range (West Nile, Lyme, valley fever, dengue fever and human hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome

• Heat vulnerability – poor, children, elderly, health patients, infants, and the socially isolated are at a higher risk

(English et al., 2009)

Effects of global warming and climate change:

Global Warming Simulation

Video: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-impacts-interactive

Source: Alberni Environmental Coalition, http://www.portaec.net/library/energy/government_solutions_to_global_w.html

Government

• Use less fossil fuels• Switch to technologies that use

fewer harmful emissions• Create legislation for all to follow on

the local, state, national, and world level

• Create more and better technology that is energy efficient

• Develop clean, renewable, and safe energy

• Move from coal, oil and gas by switching to natural gas

• Address population growth• Push towards fewer cattle ranches

and educate people to eat lower down the food chain to reduce methane gas levels

You

• Use energy efficient light bulbs• Replace air filters frequently• Purchase energy efficient

appliances• Use less energy when cooking,

cleaning, etc…• Buy local, fresh, organic, and

farther down the food chain items• Carpool or limit trips• Switch to green power• Plant a tree• Reduce waste• Buy items with the least amount of

packaging

Steps to address global warming and climate change:

Global Warming Video

Video: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/environment/global-warming-environment/global-warming-101.html

Al Gore Video:Causes of global warming and what you can do?

Video: http://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_on_averting_climate_crisis.html

Source: http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/imgLib/20080722_energy_crisis_3.jpg

Environmental Concern #4: Energy Resources

population growth and over crowding

The United States is fossil fuel (oil, coal, and natural gas) dependent.

What are our energy resources?

Source: http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html

Who are the top exporters of oil to the United States?

• Overconsumption – population growth

• Dependency on fossil fuels

• Inability to switch to cleaner renewable energy source

• The incentive to change energy resources is not economically advantageous at this point• Cost of new technologies are high• Cost of fossil fuels are low

• Lobbyist (i.e. oil companies) slow progress within government

• Not acknowledging the problem – irresponsibly avoiding the issue

Causes of our energy crisis:

• Global warming – caused by the use of current fuel source

• Climate change • Dependence on fossil fuels from other countries• Beginning to look into other options – clean fuel• Innovations in science and technology• Some states in the United States are starting to

take the lead in energy reform – California

Effects of our energy crisis:

Who is and isn’t doing their part in trying to help with improving energy efficiency?

The key state-specific rankings in the 2010 ACEEE Scorecard are as follows:The four most-improved states – Utah (tied for #12, up 11 spots from 2009), Arizona (#18, up 11 spots),

New Mexico (#22, up eight spots), and Alaska (#37, up eight spots) – climbed at least eight spots since the

2009 ScorecardIn general, the Southwest region demonstrated considerable progress from 2009 to 2010.

California retained its #1 ranking for the fourth year in a row, outpacing all other states in its level of investment in energy efficiency across all sectors of its economy.

The balance of the top 10 states: Massachusetts (#2, holding steady) ; Oregon (#3, up from #4); New York (#4, up from #5); Vermont (#5, up from #6); Washington (#6, up from #7); Rhode Island (#7, up from #9); Connecticut (tied for #8, down from #3); Minnesota (tied for #8, holding steady); and Maine (#10, holding

steady).

The 10 states with the most room for improvement in the ScorecardLouisiana (#42, down one spot); Missouri (tied for #43, down two spots); Oklahoma (tied for #43, down four spots); West Virginia (tied for #43, up two spots); Kansas (#46, down seven spots); Nebraska (#47, holding steady); Wyoming (#48, up three spots); Alabama (#49, down one spot); Mississippi (#50, down

one spot); and North Dakota (#51, down two spots).

Source: http://www.aceee.org/press/2010/10/state-energy-efficiency-scorecard

• Wind energy – uses wind to create energy• Nuclear energy• Photovoltaic or solar panels – converting light into energy• Geothermal – using energy stored within the earth• Hydrogen fuel cells - automobiles• Hydropower – uses water to produce energy• Biomass – turning garbage, waste, cow manure etc. into

electricity by burning it to heat water which turns a turbine that creates electricity

• Natural gas • Conservation

Solutions for our energy crisis:

Video: News Report on Energy Summit from Abu Dhabi

Video: http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=1004555244

Source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3070/2414908852_ca23fb6afd_m.jpg

Environmental Concern #5: Water

If you look at all of the water on the earth, only 3% in drinkable and the other 97% is salt water. Of the 3%, only 1% is easy to access.

How does the world use water? Agriculture = 70% Industry 20% Domestic use = 10%

Population growth has caused water withdrawals to triple over the last 50 years. We are now consuming water from aquifers quicker than it can replenish itself.

The largest consumers are India, China, US, Pakistan, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Mexico, and Russia.

By 2030, 47% of the world population will live in a high water stress area.

Water is expected to become the next oil crisis.

Source: Stockholm International Water Institute

What is the water crisis about?

• Humans need ½ gallon of water each day for basic survival, yet Australians and Americans consume 100 gallons per day. (Bloch, M. 2010)

• Australia is in its worst drought ever, the population is expecting to jump from 22 million to 36 million people by 2050, and they are spending $13.2 billion on a desalination project. The taxpayers will spend 33% more on water to pay for the costs.

• China and the United States face similar problems in the future and are increasing the number of potential desalination projects.

• Saudi Arabia was the leader but the plant in Tianjin, China will push them ahead of the Saudis.

• Potable water in the US costs about $0.50 per 1,000 liters and in Germany it cost $1.91 per 1,000 liters.

• The cost for treating US sewage so it can be released into rivers and streams ranges from $0.30-$0.55 per 1,000 liters.

• Parts of the world currently facing a crisis: Northern Africa, India, Australia, Pakistan, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East

Sources: (Onishi, N. 2010)

Background Information:

Agriculture = 70% Industry 20% Domestic use = 10%

Food production – draining rivers for irrigation, agriculture, and animals that consume large quantities of water.

Source: Stockholm International Water Institute

Causes of the water crisis:

• Salination of ground water due to poor irrigation where salts are pushed through soil and into aquifers or seawater encroaches into aquifers.

• Fertilizer runoff and chemical pollution from agriculture

• Overconsumption and wasteful use • Population growth• Decrease in rainfall• Rise in temperature• Evaporation rates• Soil quality• Vegetation types• Water runoff

Source: Stockholm International Water Institute(Hun-Dorris, 2004)(Pimentel et al., 2004)

Causes of the water crisis:

• Severely effects the biodiversity of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems• Examples:

• Drainage of more than half of all US wetlands, which is the home of 45% of all federally threatened and endangered species

• In 2002, about 33,000 salmon died due to the increased use of the Klamath River as the water was used for irrigation

• 90% of the infectious diseases are transmitted from polluted water• Under-production of crops = food shortages• One billion people do not have adequate drinking water

Sources:(Pimentel et al., 2004)

Effects of water crisis:

• Develop strategies for food and nutritional security for all countries which are linked to a water resource management system

• Implement a pricing strategy for water that better reflects its value

• Improve, upgrade, and invest in water infrastructure for better efficiency

• Educate by building awareness• More research in water productivity increase in

agriculture

Source: Stockholm International Water Institute

Solutions to the water crisis:

• Pollution treatment and prevention plans• Develop the concept and application of benefit sharing of

water use, including the socio-economic and environmental effects

• Water catchments or artificial recharge where rain water is put back into aquifers

• Desalination plants – does make ocean water accessible but at the cost of emitting more CO2 into the atmosphere

• Desalinizing brackish water costs $0.25-$0.65 per 1,000 liters• Desalinizing sea water costs $0.75-$3.00 per 1,000 liters

Sources: Stockholm International Water Institute

(Hun-Dorris, 2004)

(Pimentel et al., 2004)

Solutions to the water crisis:

Video Clip: Water Crisis

Video: http://vimeo.com/15990816

GE Commercial: Reverse Osmosis Desalinization PlantOpening in Algiers, Africa

Video: http://current.com/green/88710921_water-desalination.htm

Video: Thermal Desalination

Video: http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/convert-salt-water.htm

Is there someone shooting for a creative approach towards addressing several of these issues at once?

Masdar City in Abu Dhabi is!

Goals of Masdar City

Utilize the geology and geography to their advantage

• Geography – takes advantage of features instead of allowing them to be problems

• wind from ocean during the day and wind from the desert at night

• water scarce – use water reclamation system and desalinization technology

• Geology – takes advantage of features for energy uses and structure design

• sand = lower structure height • sun = photovoltaic energy

Vision for city to use energy efficiency practices with a +3% net gain in energy

Geothermal Energy

Wind Movement – Natural Cooling Agent

Naturally Vented Courtyard

Reduce Energy Needed for Lighting

Photovoltaic/Solar Energy

Water Reclamation System

This recycling program will have three streams: 1) Drinking water 2) Grey water 3) Sewage or black water

Wastewater from cooking and bathing will be lightly filtered before being reused for irrigation.

The will also use desalinization technology to provide Masdar City with needed water.

Waste to Energy

Items which cannot be recycled will be incinerated using pryolysis. The end result is carbon, which will be collected and used as energy.

Strategies and How the Energy is Used

103% Energy Efficient

Addressing Transportation – Personal Rapid Transit

Automated taxi service that will replace banned automobiles within the city. These are emissions-free and run on renewable resources.

Addressing Transportation – Metro and high Speed Rail

High speed transportation that will move thousands around the city.

Addressing Transportation – Light Rail Transit

It will travel along a vast track with 6 hubs located along areas with high activity to maximize its use.

Masdar City Video

Source: http://www.masdarcity.ae/en/index.aspx

Resources:

Brown, Lester. Deserts Invading China. The Economic Costs of Ecological Deficits. pp. 7-28

Easton, Thomas. Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Science, Technology, and Society. Are “Space Sunshades” a Possible Answer to Global Warming?. 9th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2010.

Eckholm, Erik. Desertification: A World Problem. Ambio. 4.4 (1975): pp. 137-45.

English, Paul et al. Environmental Health Indicators of Climate Change for the United States: Findings from the State Environmental Health Indicator Collaborative. Environmental Health Perspective. 117.11 (Nov 2009): pp. 1673-81.

Hellden, Ulf. Desertization: Time for an Assessment?. Ambio. 20.8 (Dec 1991): pp. 372-383.

Hun-Dorris, Tara. Groundwater Problems Spring to the Surface. Environmental Health Perspectives. 112.3 (Mar 2004): p. 159.

Resources:

Le Houerou, H.N. Man and the Desertization in the Mediterranean Region. Ambio. 6.6 (1977): pp. 363-5.

Le Houerou, H.N. and Lundholm, B. Complementary Activities for the Improvement of the Economy and the Environment in Marginal Drylands. Ecological Bulletins. No. 24, (1976): pp. 217-229.

Onishi, Norimitsu. Arid Australia Sips Seawater, but at a Cost. New York Times. 10 Jul 2010.

Pimentel, David et al. Water Resources: Agricultural and Environmental Issues. American Institute of Biological Sciences. 54.10 (Oct 2004): pp. 909-18.

Stockholm International Water Institute. Let it Reign: The New Water Paradigm for Global Food Security. Final Report to CSD-13. (2005).

Online Resources:

Alberni Environmental Online Library. Government Solutions to Global Warming. Information obtained on 22 Nov 2010 from http://www.portaec.net/library/energy/government_solutions_to_global_w.html

Bloch, Michael. The Cost of Desalination. Green Living Tips. (2010): Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from http://www.greenlivingtips.com/blogs/138/The-cost-of-desalination.html

Decision News Media. Over-Consumption is Bleeding the Earth Dry. 29 Apr 2005. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Supply-Chain/Over-consumption-is-bleeding-the-earth-dry

Kennedy, K. and Cheng, M. Population Growth and Society. Information obtained on 22 Nov 2010 from http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/populationgrowth.htm

Kinder, Carolyn. The Population Explosion: Causes and Consequences. Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. (1998): Information obtained on 22 Nov 2010 from http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1998/7/98.07.02.x.html#e

Masdar City. Information obtained on 22 Nov 2010 from http://www.masdar.ae/en/home/index.aspx

Stockholm International Water Institute. Statistics. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from http://www.siwi.org/sa/node.asp?node=159

Resources (Videos):CNBC Video. Green Energy Case Still Strong. 19 Jan 2009. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=1004555244

Current TV. Water Desalination., 12 Dec 2007. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from http://current.com/green/88710921_water-desalination.htm

Google Videos. Desertization. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3332285257674477144#

How Stuff Works. G Word: Water Desalinization. Sep 2008. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/convert-salt-water.htm

Masdar City. Information obtained on 23 Nov 2010 from http://www.masdarcity.ae/en/index.aspx

National Geographic. Global Warming 101. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/environment/global-warming-environment/global-warming-101.html

National Geographic. Likely Scenarios if Climate Change Continues: Interactive Simulation. Information obtained on 22 Nov 2010 from http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-impacts-interactive/

Sapiens Productions. Nor Any Drop to Drink – Teaser. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from http://vimeo.com/15990816

TED. Al Gore on Averting Climate Crisis. Jun 2006. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from http://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_on_averting_climate_crisis.html

TED. Hans Rosling Talks on Global Population Growth. Jun 2010. Information obtained on 21 Nov 2010 from http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_on_global_population_growth.html