Human-Environment Interaction in Europe

Ch. 12-3 Notes

Polders: Land from the Sea

• Dikes-earthen banks

• 40% of the Netherlands was once under water

• Polder-land that is reclaimed by diking and draining

Seaworks

• Structures that are used to control the sea’s destructive impact on human life

• Windmills used to power pumps that drained the land

Waterways for Commerce: Venice’s Canals

• Venice, Italy-120 small islands and part of the mainland

• The Grand Canal flows between them

• 150 canals are used

• Transportation: Boat or walk

• Became a port city, trade helped city grow

Problems

• Weight of buildings compressed the land-Venice is gradually sinking

• Flooding-rising sea levels

• Water pollution damages foundations

Flood in Venice December 1, 2008

Deforestation

• Clearing of forest from an area• One cause of tree death is acid rain• Factories produce high amounts of sulfur

dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions• This combines with

water vapor to form acid rain or snow