Warm-Up Human Impact on Resources

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Warm-Up Human Impact on Resources

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Words to Know

Fill in this table as you work through the lesson. You may also use the glossary to help you.

acid rain rain that has been made acidic by certain in the air

deforestation the clearing or cutting down of

desertification the process by which land becomes desert

habitat restoration

the practice of degraded or destroyed

ecosystems and habitats

nonpoint sourcea source of pollution that is difficult to link to a

particular

point source a source of pollution that can be

Lesson Goals

Identify the negative impacts that human activity has had on Earth’s resources.

Identify the positive

that human activity has had on Earth’s resources.

Compare the costs and benefits of

policies.

Lesson Question

WK2


Warm-Up Human Impact on Resources

Words to Know

reforestation the process of an area with trees

smog fog or haze combined with and other

pollutants in the atmosphere

urbanization the movement of people from areas toward cities

WK2

Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources

Renewable Resources

• Can be used repeatedly because

they renew

• Include:

• Solar

• Wind

• Biomass

• Geothermal energy

Nonrenewable Resources

• Are used more than

they are naturally replaced

• Include:

• Water

• Minerals

• fuels—coal, oil,

and natural gas


Human Impact on Resources

Negative Impact on Land Resources

Deforestation Desertification

Human-madeerosion

Negative Impact on Land

Resources

Deforestation

Deforestation is the clearing or of forests.

• Caused by , mining, and cattle ranching

• Contributes to , air and water pollution, and

climate change

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Instruction



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Desertification

Desertification is the process of land slowly turning into

.

• Caused by global climate change, , and overgrazing

• Limits food

• Removes from soil

Urbanization

Urbanization is the movement of people from areas toward

.

• People in urban areas consume more , food, and water.

• Urban areas create more pollution and impact patterns.

Erosion

Erosion occurs when water, wind, or ice removes and rock and

it in a new area.

• Occurs , but is also impacted by human activity

• Caused by farming, , and building roads and cities

Instruction

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Industry and Land

is the process of removing minerals and metals from the ground.

• Mining is destructive to the land.

• Leads to deforestation and increased

• Requires the use of dangerous to separate

metals and from the soil

Positive Impacts of Human Activity

Humans can also have positive impacts on land.

• is the process of restoring trees to areas where

forest once existed.

• Habitat restoration is the practice of renewing habitats.

Instruction

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Impacts of Human Activity

The construction of dams can have positive impacts on natural resources.

• Helps prevent

• Creates

• Provides water for irrigation

• Generates

Dams also can have a negative impact on natural resources.

• Disrupts surrounding

Instruction

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Preventive Measures for Land Conservation

Humans can protect land in a variety of ways.

• Farming techniques like farming and tree belts

• and regulations limiting land use

• regulations

• Green spaces

• boundaries


Instruction Human Impact on Resources

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Human Impacts on Air Pollution

Although some air pollution occurs naturally, many types of air pollution result from human activities.

• Farming and construction send soil and into the air.

• However, most air pollution is caused by the burning of fuels.

• Motor vehicles

• Factories and power plants

Motor Vehicles and Air Pollution

Motor vehicles are responsible for nearly half of the pollution from burning fossil fuels.

• Burning of fossil fuels releases particles and into the air.

• Soot

• Hydrocarbons

• Carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur oxide



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Smog and Acid Rain

The burning of fuels can cause

smog and acid rain.

• Smog forms when

and react with gases in

the atmosphere.

• Acid rain is created when dangerous

get high into the

atmosphere and mix with rain.

Positive Impacts on the Air

In the United States, federal and state governments have passed laws and

to reduce air .

The Environmental Protection Agency monitors pollutants and passes regulations

to pollutants from factories and cars.

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Air quality has greatly improved over the last 30 years.



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Improvement of Air Quality

• These two images show nitrogen dioxide levels in the air.

• Blue corresponds to levels, and red corresponds

to levels.

• dioxide is a chemical that is released by the burning of fossil

fuels, and it is an extremely dangerous .

• In 2005 there was a of nitrogen dioxide.

• In 2011 most of the red areas have been replaced, meaning the levels of

nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere have been .



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Water Pollution

Sources of water pollution are classified by how they enter a body of water.

• sources can be easily identified.

• Example—factory waste dumped directly into a river

• sources are difficult to link to a particular origin.

• Example—storm water runoff

Protecting Water Resources

In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates

water .

The United Nations (UN) has also established treaties for keeping cleaner.

Water Use

Water is essential for , but it is a limited resource.

• Only 3% of Earth’s water is freshwater.

• resources are being used much more rapidly than

in the past.

• Highly areas overuse freshwater.

• Some areas have access to freshwater.



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Cost-Benefit Analysis

Regulations in the United States seek to reduce air pollution by using clean

sources such as wind, , and water instead of

burning fossil fuels.

Costs

• Money to build that

harvest energy from clean sources

Benefits

• Improved air quality

• Better human

Cost and Benefits of Conservation Policies

When passing policies, must weigh the costs versus the benefits.

• How much will it ?

• How will it affect the ?

• How will it affect people?

• Is the benefit worth the cost?


Summary Human Impact on Resources

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Review: Key Concepts

Human activity impacts natural resources in both and

ways.

• Negative: deforestation, urbanization, desertification, erosion, industry

• Positive: reforestation, habitat restoration

• Negative: burning fossil fuels

• Positive: air quality monitoring, public transportation, stricter regulations

• Negative: water pollution

• Positive: water quality regulations

Answer

Lesson Question How does human activity impact Earth’s resources?


Summary Human Impact on Resources

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Warm-Up Human Impact on Resources