Political & Environ Geography Human Geography Answer Key

Key Issue 4 Why Are Some Acons Not Sustainable? I. SUSTAINABILITY AND RESOURCES 1. Define resource: a substance in the environment that is useful to people 2. Define sustainability: the use of Earth’s resources in ways that ensure their availability in the future 3. Differenate between renewable and nonrenewable resources. Renewable resources- produced by naon and doesn’t pollute and consumed by humans Non-renewable resources- pollutes and consumed by humans 4. What are some negave ways humans have impacted the sustainability of resources? polluon of air, water, and soil 5. What are some posive ways humans have impacted the sustainability of resources? recycling, conserved trees, and wildlife, reducing petroleum and coal uses as much as possible 6. Describe the three (3) pillars of sustainability: a. environment- preservaon vs conservaon b. economy- Tourism c. society- consumer choices that affect the environment 7. Differenate between conservaon and preservaon. Conservaon- the sustainable use and management of Earth’s natural resources to meet human needs such as food, medicine, and recreaon Preservaon- the maintenance of resources in the present condion with as lile human impact as possible 8. What are the two main cricisms of sustainability? a. human acvies have no exceeded Earth’s capacity b. earth’s resources have no absolute limit because the definion of resources changes drascally and inevitably over me 9. a. What one thing do both defenders and crics of sustainability agree upon? The gap between the poor and rich should be filled b. Do you think this should actually happen? yes II. SUSTAINABILITY AND EARTH’S PHYSICAL SYSTEMS 10. Differenate between bioc and abioc systems. Bioc- composed of living organisms Abioc- composed of non-living or inorganic maer 11. Describe the three abioc physical systems. a. atmosphere- a thin layer of gases surrounding the Earth b. hydrosphere- all water on or near Earth’s surface c. lithosphere- Earth’s crust and the poron of the upper mantle directly below Earth’s crust 12. Define climate: long term average weather condion at a certain locaon 13. Idenfy Vladimir Kӧppen’s five main climate regions: A. Tropical B. Dry C. Warm mid-latude D. Cold mid-latude E. Polar 14. How does climate affect the distribuon of people on the Earth’s surface? Humans have limited tolerance for extremes so avoid areas that are too hot, cold, wet, or dry. 15. Why would maps of Earth’s hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere be important in the quest for sustainability? Topograph and ecosystem maps can be derived from them III. GEOGRAPHY, SUSTAINABILITY AND ECOLOGY 16. Define ecosystem: Group of living organisms and abioc spheres with which they interact 17. Define ecology: the scienfic study of ecosystems 18. What are some ways humans affect the biosphere? Air polluon, water polluon, exncon of food, wasng of resources, erosion, and soil depleon. 19. Take notes on each of the following terms: a. Cultural Ecology - the study of human-environment relaonships b. Environmental Determinism - Physical environment caused social development. Laws from natural sciences should be applied to understanding relaonships between physical environment and human acons c. Possibilism - (& how it relates to sustainability) Physical environment may limit some acons, but people can adjust environment. Certain crops grow beer in certain environments. IV. SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE 20. Complete the case study which describes human modificaons of and adaptaon to the local environment. To do so, on the le side annotate the blank map by shading and labeling the map with informaon crical to understanding how people in the Netherlands have modified their environment. On the right side, bullet brief notes about each scenario. A) THE NETHERLANDS