Human-Environment Interaction

Cy Woods HS Cy Woods HS

2011-20122011-2012

• Economic Economic activities and activities and management of management of resources resources impacts both impacts both physical and physical and human human geography. geography.

Human-Environment InteractionTwo types?

adapt modify

North AmericaThe Dust Bowl (1930s)

Over-farming and a severe drought.

Hundreds of thousands left their homes in the Great Plains.

Causes?

The Dust Bowl (1930s)

Consequences?

Shift in farming methods on the Great Plains.

Changed the economic structure of California.

North America

Lake Mead

Las VegasLas Vegas

A city in the middle of A city in the middle of the desert.the desert.

Made possible by Made possible by dams and irrigation of dams and irrigation of the Colorado River. the Colorado River.

South America

• DeforestationDeforestation: the removal of forest land for : the removal of forest land for other uses.other uses.

• Often cleared for farm land or urban areas.Often cleared for farm land or urban areas.

South America

•Slash and burn Slash and burn agriculture.agriculture.

Deforestation in the Amazon RainforestDeforestation in the Amazon Rainforest

Causes environmental problems.Causes environmental problems.

Debt for nature swaps.Debt for nature swaps.

South America

• How do you grow How do you grow food on slopes like food on slopes like these?these?

South America

• Terraced farmingTerraced farming

• Used by the Incas Used by the Incas and many others and many others around the world.around the world.

Europe

• Acid rain caused by Acid rain caused by industrialization.industrialization.

• This was where the This was where the Industrial Industrial Revolution began.Revolution began.

• Causes Causes deforestation.deforestation.

Europe

• Polder:Polder: Land Land reclaimed from the reclaimed from the sea.sea.

• Built for a growing Built for a growing population and more population and more agricultural land.agricultural land.

Russia

• Chernobyl power Chernobyl power plant explosion.plant explosion.

• 19861986

• Caused by human Caused by human error.error.

Russia

• Chernobyl power Chernobyl power plant explosion.plant explosion.

• Sent a cloud of Sent a cloud of radioactive material radioactive material into the atmosphere. into the atmosphere.

Aral Sea

                                                                                  The Soviet command economy wanted to grow cotton in the desert of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. To do this, they diverted the rivers that fed the Aral Sea to irrigate the cotton fields. They did grow cotton,

but???

Cotton

Cotton

Why is it shrinking?

The Aral Sea is SHRINKING at The Aral Sea is SHRINKING at an unprecedented rate.an unprecedented rate.

Caused by over irrigation & bad policies of the former Soviet Union

The region still wastes millions of gallons of water using outdated Soviet era equipment.

You can grow cotton almost anywhere when you put enough water on it….even in the desert.

Middle East

• Strategic Strategic commodity:commodity:

• A commodity so A commodity so important, people important, people will go to war over will go to war over it. it.

• Oil and waterOil and water

Middle East

• Desalination:Desalination: the process of the process of removing salt from removing salt from water. water.

• CostlyCostly

South Asia

• Ganges RiverGanges River

• One of the most One of the most polluted rivers in the polluted rivers in the world.world.

• Sewage, industrial Sewage, industrial waste, non-cremated waste, non-cremated bodies, daily washing bodies, daily washing all contribute to all contribute to pollution.pollution.