The Environment

Environmental challenges facing Canadians

• assess environmental challenges facing Canadians, including

− global warming − ozone layer depletion − fresh water quality and supply• Pages 420-433 of Counterpoints

Today’s Objectives

• How does industrial and technological development affect the environment (e.g., global warming)?

• What are some possible responses to global warming (e.g., Kyoto protocol)?

Global Warming

After watching An Inconvenient Truth, do you remember what gas contributes the most to global warming? CO2!

What is global warming? The overall warming trend of our

atmosphere What is the greenhouse effect?

Gases in our atmosphere trap the heat energy from the sun, causing our atmosphere to warm up

Things are warming up…

Natural Factors: Volcanic Eruptions Meteor Impacts

Human Factors: Since the Industrial Revolution,

humans have been the largest contributor to global warming Burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil,

natural gas) emits CO2 What are some things we use

fossil fuels for? Deforestation (trees convert

CO2 into O2) Agriculture contributes to

methane (CH4) emissions

What causes global warming?

The emission of all these gases traps heat energy from the sun in our atmosphere

What effect does this have on our environment? Rising global temperatures (Fig. 17-15, pg. 432) Rising incidence of violent storms Extended range of tropical diseases Rising sea levels caused by melting ice caps Destruction of aquatic and terrestrial habitats

The Greenhouse Effect

Greenhouse Gases contributing to Global Warming

Arctic regions: ice sheets shrinking, loss of habitat

British Columbia: warmer water in the Ocean is killing Salmon food supply, reducing the number of Salmon Salmon are a keystone

species Winter recreation: less

snow means less skiing! Increasing droughts:

can destroy agriculture, lead to more forest fires

The effect on Canada?

1997: Kyoto Protocol An agreement among countries promising to reduce

greenhouse gas emissions by 6% of our 1990 level by 2012

Countries not meeting their target can buy credits from other countries below their allotted levels

Fossil fuel industry against Kyoto, claim impossible standards, potential loss of jobs

Sustainable energy sources Can be used to lessen dependence on fossil fuels

Wind turbines, solar panels, tidal power, geothermal power

Wind power alone could account for 10% of the world`s electricity demands

Hybrid cars, hydrogen or methanol fuelled power cells

Possible solutions?

Sustainable Energy

Tidal Power

Geothermal Power

Kyoto Protocol

Green: ratified agreement, Grey: Undecided, Brown: will not ratify

1) China1 – 17%, 5.8 2) United States3 – 16%, 24.1 3) European Union-273 – 11%, 10.6 4) Indonesia2 - 6%, 12.9 5) India – 5%, 2.1 6) Russia3 – 5%, 14.9 7) Brazil – 4%, 10.0 8) Japan3 – 3%, 10.6 9) Canada3 – 2%, 23.2 10) Mexico – 2%, 6.4

World Contributors of GHG emissions

(2005 Rank, Country, % of world GHG emissions, tons GHG per capita)

• How does industrial and technological development affect the environment (e.g., ozone layer depletion)?

• What are some possible responses to ozone layer depletion (e.g., Kyoto protocol)?

Ozone layer depletion

The ozone layer is a thin layer of ozone (O3), 15-50 km`s above the surface of the earth (Fig. 17-11, pg. 430) Ozone is the only gas in the

atmosphere that can block Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun

UV radiation can cause skin cancer, damage plants and animals, and destroy habitats such as coral reefs

1980s: discovery that ozone layer was thinning Holes developed at the poles, up to

60% disappeared over Antarctica

Change is in the Air

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have done 80% of the damage (CFC emissions chart, Figure 17-12, pg. 430) CFCs used for cooling refrigerators and air

conditioners as well as in aerosol spray cans United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP)

began phasing out the use of CFCs in 1987 All industrialized (developed) nations cut their use

CFCs; called the Montreal Protocol Developing countries would phase out CFCs by

2000 Even after being phased out, could take a century

for the ozone layer to return to pre 1980s levels

Causes? Solutions?

With a partner, answer the Activity questions on pg. 433 (1-5)

Assignment

• What are some threats to water quality and supply in Canada and the world? (e.g., contamination, misuse) and what are some possible solutions (e.g., treatment technologies, conservation)

Fresh water quality and supply

People simply cannot survive without clean drinking water Each person requires AT LEAST 5

litres of fresh water every day for good health (how much do you drink?)

Water is also needed for many other uses: Agriculture, industry, bathing,

washing, etc.

Yet, humans, particularly in the developed world, waste or pollute massive amounts of water everyday

Water: The Indispensable Resource

World Fresh Water Storage: 3% of the water on Earth is fresh

water Nearly 78% of that is frozen in

glaciers and ice caps Most of the remaining fresh water is

underground, called groundwater Water deficits:

A measure of how much more groundwater is being used than is being returned into the ground (Fig. 17-4, pg. 423)

What does this mean for the future? What are the main threats to

global water supply? Increased population, pollution

Threats to groundwater supply

Increasing population strains the water supply Falling water tables and diversion of surface

water lead to shortages of fresh water Many large rivers are almost dry by the time the

reach the sea due to human demand (Nile, Ganges, Yellow) Threatens agriculture 40% of worlds harvest comes from irrigated* cropland USA, China, India facing water shortages and they

produce half the worlds food

Threats to groundwater supply

Farmer are able to pump groundwater from aquifers (underground layer of rock that water can pass through) using wells

Water is being pumped out of aquifers much faster than it is replenished from rain

When this occurs, the water table lowers, and wells run dry (Fig. 17-5, pg. 425)

*In northern China, water table drops 1.5 meters each year!

How do we get groundwater?

Surface water: lakes, rivers, coastal waters Has been used for disposal of sewage,

agricultural and industrial waste (chemicals, pesticides, oil, etc.)

This damages water quality, and animal habitat

Some lakes and rivers are so badly polluted, can no longer support life and certainly cannot be used for drinking water!

Threats to surface water supply and quality

Education: conservation of our water is very important…do not waste it!

New technologies: Rainwater harvesting Reclaimed or recycled water for

agriculture Desalinated seawater Low flow sprinklers, toilets,

showers Low flow toilets can reduce by

70% the amount of water needed to flush!

Drip irrigation (reduced evaporation)

Taxation on groundwater use

Solutions

With a partner, answer the activity questions on page 430 (1,2,4,5)

Of the environmental problems we talked about in this chapter, which one do you consider most likely to affect your lifestyle if it is not addressed? Explain your answer

Assignment