Geog 5

Garrett Hardin

every life save this year in a poor country diminishes quality of life for subsequent generations.

overdraw

????process of extracting groundwater beyond the safe yield or equilibrium yield of the aquifer.

Resilience

ability of ecosystem to recover from and adapt to disturbances

the homestead act (1862)

accelerated the settlement of the western territory by granting adult heads of families 160 acres of surveyed public land for a minimal filing fee and 5 years of continuous residence on that land.

Man and Nature

book written by George Perkins Marsh in 1864. It is one of the first works to document the effects of human action on the environment and it helped to launch the modern conservation movement. Marsh argued that ancient Mediterranean civilizations collapsed through environmental degradation. Deforestation led to eroded soils that led to decreased soil productivity. Additionally, the same trends could be found occurring in the United States. The book was instrumental in the creation of Adirondack Park in New York and the United States National Forest. Gifford Pinchot, first Chief of the United States Forest Service, called it "epoch making" and Stewart Udall wrote that it was "the beginning of land wisdom in this country."

Greenpeace

campaign against genetically modified organisms. ocuses its campaigning on worldwide issues such as climate change, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling, genetic engineering, and anti-nuclear issues.

nomadic pastoralism

extension of filed on the hoof--grow different things at different levels (example on the mtns & valleys; horse promoted the spread of other domesticated items (Namtso Lake) summer move, winter move; sheep herder

Humboldt

father of geography; anticipated climate change and space exploration. Humboldt's ascent of Chimborazo

food waste

food loss is food that is discarded or lost uneaten. The causes of food waste or loss are numerous, and occur at the stages of production, processing, retailing and consumption.

hydraulic mining

form of mining that uses high-pressure jets of water to dislodge rock material or move sediment.

horticulture

garden cultivation

Vulnerability

how something responds to stress (plant/animal/living thing)

Eschatology

part of theology concerned with the final events of history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity. This concept is commonly referred to as the "end of the world" or "end time".

Three Mile Island

pennsylvania 1979- human error caused leak in reactor; coincided with the movie "China Syndrome"- enviornment became incr anti nuclearist

Five best domesticated animals

1. cattle 2. sheetp 3. goats 4. horses 5. pigs

green capitalism

.. eco-friendly products and slick marketing from companies such as the oil giants BP and ExxonMobil, and the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart. view that capital exists in nature as "natural capital" (ecosystems that have ecological yield) on which all wealth depends, and therefore, market-based government policy instruments (such as cap and trade systems) should be used to resolve environmental problems.[1]

antarctic circumpolar navigation

...Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is an ocean current that flows clockwise from west to east around Antarctica. An alternative name for the ACC is the West Wind Drift. The ACC is the dominant circulation feature of the Southern Ocean

UNCLOS

...The Law of the Sea Convention defines the rights and responsibilities of nations with respect to their use of the world's oceans, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the management of marine natural resources.Aside from its provisions defining ocean boundaries, the convention establishes general obligations for safeguarding the marine environment and protecting freedom of scientific research on the high seas, and also creates an innovative legal regime for controlling mineral resource exploitation in deep seabed areas beyond national jurisdiction, through an International Seabed Authority and the Common heritage of mankind principle.

Trampling

...Tourists using the same trail over and over again trample the vegetation and soil, eventually causing damage that can lead to loss of biodiversity and other impacts. Such damage can be even more extensive when visitors frequently stray off established trails. Trampling impacts on vegetation Trampling impacts on soil Breakage and bruising of stems Loss of organic matter Reduced plant vigour Reduction in soil porosity Reduced regeneration Decrease in air and water permeability Loss of vegetation ground cover Increase in run off Loss of vegetation diversity Accelerated erosion

Naturgemald

...also known as the Chimborazo Map, is his depiction of the volcano in cross section, with detailed information about plant geography

web of life

...biocultural diversity; food chain

John Franzen

...bird watcher

partitions of the landscape

...existing geographical political entity is divided into two or more separate parts

Al Gore

...implementation of a carbon tax to encourage energy efficiency and diversify the choices of fuel better reflecting the true environmental costs of energy use; it was partially implemented in 1993.[18] He helped broker the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty designed to curb greenhouse gas emissions.[19][20] The treaty was not ratified in the United States after a 95 to 0 vote in the Senate. The primary objections stemmed from the exemptions the treaty gave to China and India, whose industrial base and carbon footprint have grown rapidly, and fears that the exemptions would lead to further trade imbalances and offshoring arrangement with those countries.[21][22]

IPCC

...nder the auspices of the United Nations,[1][2] set up at the request of member governments, dedicated to the task of providing the world with an objective, scientific view of climate change and its political and economic impacts.The IPCC produces reports that support the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is the main international treaty on climate change

Wildlife ecologists

...study of animal populations with a special view to understanding their interactions with people.

frontier

..A frontier is the political and geographical area near or beyond a boundary.

Altitude

..Altitude, like elevation, is the distance above sea level. Areas are often considered "high-altitude" if they reach at least 2,400 meters (8,000 feet) into the atmosphere. The most high-altitude point on Earth is Mount Everest, in the Himalayan mountain range

Chimborazo

..Chimborazo is completely covered by glaciers,s the source of water ; Chimborazo glacier's ice mass has decreased over the past decades, which is thought by some to be due to the combined influences of global warmingglacial ice is mined by locals

Terminator gene

..GURT. proposed methods for restricting the use of genetically modified plants by causing second generation seeds to be sterile.

Water temperature

..Global warming caused by human activities that emit heat-trapping carbon dioxide has raised the average global temperature by about 1°F (0.6°C) over the past century. In the oceans, this change has only been about 0.18°F (0.1°C).The surface temperature of the world's oceans varies mainly with latitude, with the warmest waters generally near the equator and the coldest waters in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. As the oceans absorb more heat, sea surface temperature increases and the ocean circulation patterns that transport warm and cold water around the globe change. Changes in sea surface temperature can alter marine ecosystems in several ways.

sublime

..Natural objects or phenomena having qualities of great height or vastness or tremendous power which cause an intense emotional response characterized by feelings of being overwhelmed, somewhat anxious or fearful, though ultimately an experience that feels both exciting and pleasurable

Paris Agreement

..Parties to the UNFCCC reached a historic agreement to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future. The Paris Agreement requires all Parties to put forward their best efforts through "nationally determined contributions" (NDCs) and to strengthen these efforts in the years ahead

purple pipes

..Reclaimed water or recycled water, is former wastewater (sewage) that is treated to remove solids and impurities, and used in sustainable landscaping irrigation, to recharge groundwater aquifers, to meet commercial and industrial water needs, and for drinking.

Sea ice/ Multi-year ice

..Sea ice is simply frozen ocean water. It forms, grows, and melts in the ocean. In contrast, icebergs, glaciers, ice sheets, and ice shelves all originate on land. Sea ice occurs in both the Arctic and Antarctic. provide the inuit with the means to hunt & travel

Microclimate

..The local climate of a small area or of a particular habitat, which is different from the macroclimate of the larger surrounding geographical area.

Annex B

..The maximum amount of emissions (measured as the equivalent in carbon dioxide) that a Party may emit over a commitment period in order to comply with its emissions target is known as a Party's assigned amount. The individual targets for Annex I Parties are listed in the Kyoto Protocol's Annex B.

Myth of the pristine

..The myth persists that in 1492 the Americas were a sparsely populated wilderness, -a world of barely perceptible human disturbance.- There is substantial evidence, however, that the Native American landscape of the early sixteenth century was a humanized landscape almost everywhere. Populations were large. Forest composition had been modified, grasslands had been created, wildlife disrupted, and erosion was severe in places. Earthworks, roads, fields, and settlements were ubiquitous. With Indian depopulation in the wake of Old World disease, the environment recovered in many areas.

Nunavet

..The territory includes part of the mainland, most of the Arctic Archipelago; permafrost there is eroding and drying up; it is getting warmer there by 10 to 12 degrees. hard for herbivores like caribou; vegetation trapped under ice; there is rising and falling temps

wilderness ethic

..Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with roads, pipelines or other industrial infrastructure." Wilderness areas can be found in preserves, estates, farms, conservation preserves, ranches, National Forests, National Parks and even in urban areas along rivers, gulches or otherwise undeveloped areas. These areas are considered important for the survival of certain species, biodiversity, ecological studies, conservation, solitude, and recreation

Yi Fu Tuan on gardening

..Yi-fu tuan investigates landscapes of the natural environment which are threatening, and landscapes filled with the dark images of the mind; fears of drought, flood, famine, and disease, shared by all members of a community,Professor Tuan examines the specific forms fear takes in the mind of the child, among hunters and agriculturalists, inside the walls of a medieval Chinese city, among Navaho Indians and American immigrants. He explores the ways in which authorities create landscapes of terror to instill fear in their own populations; and he proves the most basic of all contradictions between the need for human security and the fear of human nature.

Carbon sinks

..a forest, ocean, or other natural environment viewed in terms of its ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Solar radiation

..adiant energy emitted by the sun, particularly electromagnetic energy. About half of the radiation is in the visible short-wave part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The other half is mostly in the near-infrared part, with some in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum

tailings

..alled mine dumps, culm dumps, slimes, tails, refuse, leach residue or slickens, are the materials left over after the process of separating the valuable fraction from the uneconomic fraction (gangue) of an ore. Tailings are distinct from overburden, which is the waste rock or other material that overlies an ore or mineral body and is displaced during mining without being processed.

Robert Kaplan

..article predicted that disease, corruption, overpopulation, scarce resources and climate change would plunge West Africa into pervasive conflict.- coming anarchy

hydrologic cycle

..begins with the evaporation of water from the surface of the ocean. As moist air is lifted, it cools and water vapor condenses to form clouds. Moisture is transported around the globe until it returns to the surface as precipitation.

arctic five

..concerning the prevention of unregulated high seas fishing in the central Arctic Ocean" in Oslo. The declaration applies to the five signatory countries: Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark (in respect of Greenland), the Kingdom of Norway, the Russian Federation and the United States of America. The three other Arctic countries, Finland, Iceland and Sweden, as well as indigenous groups and global Arctic stakeholders such as Japan, China and the European Union, were not invited, in an official capacity, to participate in framing the declaration. The Arctic Council has grown substantially since 2010; facilitating the negotiating of two legally-binding agreements between all eight Arctic countries for Co-operation on Search and Rescue (2011) and Response to Oil Spills (2013), establishing an permanent secretariat in Tromsø, Norway (2013) and opening its door for new observers such as China, India and Singapore - establishing the council as a global player and the most important forum for Arctic affairs. The question thus remains, why did these five Arctic Council countries decide to negotiate Arctic Ocean fisheries declaration outside the realm of a proven and constructive forum for Arctic cooperation?

big hydropower

..enerally developed to produce electricity for government or electric utility projects. These plants are more than 30 megawatts (MW) in size, and there is more than 80,000 MW of installed generation capacity in the United States today. Most large-scale hydropower projects use a dam and a reservoir to retain water from a river. When the stored water is released, it passes through and rotates turbines, which spin generators to produce electricity. Water stored in a reservoir can be accessed quickly for use during times when the demand for electricity is high.Most large-scale hydropower projects use a dam and a reservoir to retain water from a river. When the stored water is released, it passes through and rotates turbines, which spin generators to produce electricity. Water stored in a reservoir can be accessed quickly for use during times when the demand for electricity is high. Dammed hydropower projects can also be built as power storage facilities. During periods of peak electricity demand, these facilities operate much like a traditional hydropower plant—water released from the upper reservoir passes through turbines, which spins generators to produce electricity. However, during periods of low electricity use, electricity from the grid is used to spin the turbines backward, which causes the turbines to pump water from a river or lower reservoir to an upper reservoir, where the water can be stored until the demand for electricity is high again. A third type of hydropower project, called run of the river, does not require large impoundment dams (although it may require a small, less obtrusive dam). Instead, a portion of a river's water is diverted into a canal or pipe to spin turbines. Many large-scale dam projects have been criticized for altering wildlife habitats, impeding fish migration, and affecting water quality and flow patterns. As a result of increased environmental regulation, the National Hydropower Association forecasts a decline in large-scale hydropower use through 2020. Research and development efforts have succeeded in reducing many of these environmental impacts through the use of fish ladders (to aid fish migration), fish screens, new turbine designs, and reservoir aeration.

food loss

..food that is discarded or lost uneaten. The causes of food waste or loss are numerous, and occur at the stages of production, processing, retailing and consumption.

Latitude

..geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the Earth's surface. Latitude is an angle (defined below) which ranges from 0° at the Equator to 90° (North or South) at the poles.

Kyoto Protocol

..he Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty which extends the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits State Parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, based on the premise that (a) global warming exists and (b) human-made CO2 emissions have caused it..

Cultivar

..plant or grouping of plants selected for desirable characteristics that can be maintained by propagation. Most cultivars have arisen in cultivation but a few are special selections from the wild. Popular ornamental garden plants like roses, camellias, daffodils, rhododendrons, and azaleas are cultivars produced by careful breeding and selection for flower colour and form. Similarly, the world's agricultural food crops are almost exclusively cultivars that have been selected for characteristics such as improved yield, flavour, and resistance to disease: very few wild plants are now used as food sources. Trees used in forestry are also special selections grown for their enhanced quality and yield of timber.

Methane (CH4)

..primary component of natural gas, a common fuel source. If methane is allowed to leak into the air before being used—from a leaky pipe, for instance—it absorbs the sun's heat, warming the atmosphere. For this reason, it's considered a greenhouse gas, like carbon dioxide. While methane doesn't linger as long in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, it is initially far more devastating to the climate because of how effectively it absorbs heat. In the first two decades after its release, methane is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide.While CO2 persists in the atmosphere for centuries, or even millennia, methane warms the planet on steroids for a decade or two before decaying to CO2.In those short decades, methane warms the planet by 86 times as much as CO2,

Acid rain

..rainfall made sufficiently acidic by atmospheric pollution that it causes environmental harm, typically to forests and lakes. The main cause is the industrial burning of coal and other fossil fuels, the waste gases from which contain sulfur and nitrogen oxides, which combine with atmospheric water to form acids.

companion species

..range of human and non-human animal relationships where humans and non-human animals have co-constitutively evolved alongside one another. always shifting(Donna Haraway)

mullholland

..responsible for building the infrastructure to provide a water supply that allowed Los Angeles to grow into one of the largest cities in the world. As the head of a predecessor to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Mulholland designed and supervised the building of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, a 233-mile (375 km)-long system to move water from Owens Valley to the San Fernando Valley. The creation and operation of the aqueduct led to the disputes known as the California Water Wars. In March 1928, Mulholland's career came to an end when the St. Francis Dam failed.

irrigation

..rrigation Circles A circular area that might be between a quarter mile and a mile in diameter that is planted with crops and supplied with water from a well in the center of the circle. The water from the well is distributed across the circle by a long beam the radius of the circle long that is covered with sprinkler heads and supported with wheels and one or more motors that drive the beam around the circle distributing water over the crops. Also called "center pivot irrigation" or "crop circles". The photo is a satellite image of center pivot irrigation sites in Finney County, Kansas.

invasive species

..species that is: 1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and. 2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health

concentrating solar power

..use mirrors to concentrate the energy from the sun to drive traditional steam turbines or engines that create electricity. The thermal energy concentrated in a CSP plant can be stored and used to produce electricity when it is needed, day or night.

climate modeling

..use quantitative methods to simulate the interactions of the important drivers of climate, including atmosphere, oceans, land surface and ice. They are used for a variety of purposes from study of the dynamics of the climate system to projections of future climate.

Anna Tsing

.ethnographic account of the Matsutake mushroom gives the readers a look into this rare, prized and expensive fungi.[5] Originally from Japan, the mushrooms first sprouted in the desolate landscape after the atomic bomb exploded in Hiroshima.[6] Tsing's account of the Matsuke contributes to the field of anthropology in her ability to study multi-species interactions, using the non-human subject to glean more about the human world.[7] Tsing follows Matsutake fungi's international journey in order to give the reader insight into the mushroom's complex commodity chain connecting to meditations on capitalism.[5] She uses the Matsutake to shed light on a broader themes about how ecology is shaped by human interference.Matsutake is the most valuable mushroom in the world—and a weed that grows in human-disturbed forests across the northern hemisphere. Through its ability to nurture trees, matsutake helps forests to grow in daunting places.The Mushroom at the End of the World presents an original examination into the relation between capitalist destruction and collaborative survival within multispecies landscapes, the prerequisite for continuing life on earth..

mwp

= 1000 kw; megawatt peak, a measuring unit for the maximum output of a photovoltaic power plan

Four ingredients of power

1. agriculture 2.technology 3.political views 4. writing Agric the primary ingredient; domesticate crops; invention of permanent villages/settled environments; develop of technology/weapons/better mobility; political, rise of writing, can have surplus grain (hard to go to school if you are a hunt/gatherer

desert

1/5th of earth's surface; most occur at low latitudes; another kind of desert, cold deserts, occur in the basin and range area of Utah and Nevada and in parts of western Asia. Most deserts have a considerable amount of specialized vegetation, as well as specialized vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Soils often have abundant nutrients because they need only water to become very productive and have little or no organic matter. Disturbances are common in the form of occasional fires or cold weather, and sudden, infrequent, but intense rains that cause flooding. Hot and Dry Semiarid Coastal Cold

aquatic

75% of the Earth's surface;water temperatures can vary widely, aquatic areas tend to be more humid and the air temperature on the cooler side. the aquatic biome can be broken down into two basic regions, freshwater (i.e, ponds, streams, lakes,rivers, wetlands) and marine (i.e, oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries)Freshwater is defined as having a low salt concentration—usually less than 1%. Marine regions cover about three-fourths of the Earth's surface and include oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries. Marine algae supply much of the world's oxygen supply and take in a huge amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The evaporation of the seawater provides rainwater for the land.

Keystone Species

A keystone species is a plant or animal that plays a unique and crucial role in the way an ecosystem functions. Without keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. A keystone species is often, but not always, a predator. A few predators can control the distribution and population of large numbers of prey species.

Landrace

A local variety of a domesticated plant or animal species that has developed in the area where it is grown or husbanded. Consequently, it is well adapted to its environment. Landraces are more genetically diverse and often more variable in appearance than formal breeds

Population

A population consists of all individuals of a species that occur at a given place and time. * Populations of organisms can be categorized by the function they serve in an ecosystem: producers make their own food (plants), consumers obtain food by eating other organisms (animals), and decomposers consume waste materials and dead organisms (bacteria and fungi). the demands of rising human populations in many regions are now impacting most of the world's ecosystems.

bituminous coal

A rank of coal that falls between anthracite and semi-bituminous. The most abundant rank of coal. Frequently referred to by the layman as "soft coal." It is most often composed of bright and dull bands. The bright bands generally represent well-preserved woody materials. The dull bands generally represent degraded woody materials and mineral matter.

Rio Summit

AKA: earth summit issues addressed included: systematic scrutiny of patterns of production — particularly the production of toxic components, such as lead in gasoline, or poisonous waste including radioactive chemicals alternative sources of energy to replace the use of fossil fuels which delegates linked to global climate change new reliance on public transportation systems in order to reduce vehicle emissions, congestion in cities and the health problems caused by polluted air and smoke the growing usage and limited supply of water An important achievement of the summit was an agreement on the Climate Change Convention which in turn led to the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Another agreement was to "not to carry out any activities on the lands of indigenous peoples that would cause environmental degradation or that would be culturally inappropriate".

active heating

Active solar heating systems use solar energy to heat a fluid -- either liquid or air -- and then transfer the solar heat directly to the interior space or to a storage system for later use. If the solar system cannot provide adequate space heating, an auxiliary or back-up system provides the additional heat

The worst mistake

Adoption of agriculture = catastrophe that we haven't recovered from--social & sexual inequality & disease & despotismdiseases; dependence on starch, new sorts of inequalities; more work hours (farming-weeding, planting, harvest, dry out, threshing, marketing vs. hunter/gather= kill & rest); shorter; mainly eating just one thing; bent skeletons (from work) spend lots of time bent over; having more kids vs. hunt/gath; people know how to read/write--take advantage of those that don't; gender inequality

Green Revolution

Modern (MVs) or high-yielding varieties (HYVs) • Started in the late 1950s • Rice and wheat in Latin America and Asia • Shorter, stiffer stalks • More energy spent on grain production • Slow to develop MVs for arid conditions

Ice wall

Along the edge of our local area exists a massive 150 foot Ice Wall. The 150 foot Ice Wall is on the coast of Antarctica. The Ice Wall is a massive wall of ice that surrounds Antarctica. The shelf of ice is several hundred meters thick. This nearly vertical ice front to the open sea is more than 50 meters high above the water's surface.

tar sands

Also known as "oil sand." A porous sand or sandstone that contains asphalt or bitumen within its pore spaces. Sometimes the name "oil sand" is used for a deposit in which the hydrocarbon is in a liquid form, and the name "tar sand" is reserved for those deposits in which the hydrocarbon is in the form of solid asphalt or bitumen.

George Perkins Marsh

America's first environmentalist and the precursor to the sustainability concept,In 1864 Marsh published a book, Man and Nature, which emphatically made the case that man was doing great damage to the environment. Marsh's argument was ahead of its time, to say the least. In the mid-1800s most people could not, or would not, grasp the concept that mankind could harm the earth.

The Population Bomb

Among the measures he suggested in that book was population control, to be used in his opinion if voluntary methods were to fail.

Epiphyte

An epiphyte is a plant that grows harmlessly upon another plant (such as a tree) and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, and sometimes from debris accumulating around it. Epiphytes differ from parasites in that epiphytes grow on other plants for physical support and do not necessarily negatively affect the host.

Ice roads/Winter road

An ice road (ice crossing, ice bridge) is a winter road, or part thereof, that runs on a naturally frozen water surface (a river, a lake or an expanse of sea ice) in cold regions. Ice roads allow temporary transport to areas with no permanent road access.

tundra

Artic & Alpine:Extremely cold climate; the coldest of all the biomes. Treeless plain 1. Low biotic diversity 2. Simple vegetation structure 3. Limitation of drainage 4. Short season of growth and reproduction 5. Energy and nutrients in the form of dead organic material 6. Large population oscillations Artic tundra=north pole; cold desertlike conditions; Soil is formed slowly. A layer of permanently frozen subsoil called permafrost exists, consisting mostly of gravel and finer material. When water saturates the upper surface, bogs and ponds may form, providing moisture for plants. There are no deep root systems in the vegetation of the arctic tundra, however, there are still a wide variety of plants that are able to resist the cold climate. Alpine =Alpine tundra is located on mountains throughout the world at high altitude where trees cannot grow. The growing season is approximately 180 days. The nighttime temperature is usually below freezing. Unlike the arctic tundra, the soil in the alpine is well drained. The plants are very similar to those of the arctic ones and include: tussock grasses, dwarf trees, small-leafed shrubs, and heaths

HAWT vs VAWT

As to the Horizontal axis wind turbine, during the process of one circle of rotation of the blades, the blades receive the combined effects of inertial force and gravity, the direction of the inertial force is subject to change, while that of the gravity is stable ever, so that the blades suffer an alternating load, which is very detrimental to the fatigue strength of the blades. Besides, the generator of the Horizontal axis wind turbine is about tens of meters far away from the ground, which brings a lot of troubles to repair and maintain the generator. As to the Vertical axis wind turbine, during the process of rotation of the blades, the condition of receiving effects is better than that of the Horizontal axis wind turbine, because the directions of the inertial force and gravity keep stable ever. Therefore, the blades receive a fixed load, and accordingly the fatigue longevity is longer than the Horizontal axis wind turbine. At the same time, the generator of the Vertical axis wind turbine is often placed under the rotor or on the ground, and so it is easy for repair and maintenance.

Ozone

Atmospheric ozone has two effects on the temperature balance of the Earth. It absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation, which heats the stratosphere.Ozone (O3) high in the atmosphere absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun, thereby protecting living organisms below from this dangerous radiation. The term 'ozone hole' refers to recent depletion of this protective layer over Earth's polar regions. People, plants, and animals living under the ozone hole are harmed by the solar radiation now reaching the Earth's surface—where it causes health problems from eye damage to skin cancer. The ozone hole, however, is not the mechanism of global warming. Ultraviolet radiation represents less than one percent of the energy from the sun—not enough to be the cause of the excess heat from human activities. Global warming is caused primarily from putting too much carbon into the atmosphere when coal, gas, and oil are burned to generate electricity or to run our cars. These gases spread around the planet like a blanket, capturing the solar heat that would otherwise be radiated out into space.

The Demographic Transition Model/Theory

Beginning in the late 1700s, something remarkable happened: death rates declined. With new technologies in agriculture and production, and advancements in health and sanitation, a greater number of people lived through their adolescent years, increasing the average life expectancy and creating a new trajectory for population growth. This sudden change created a shift in understanding the correlation between birth and death rates, which up to that point had both been relatively equal, regardless of location. Over the past 300 years, population demographics have continued to evolve as a result of the relationship between the birth and death rates within a country. The observation and documentation of this global phenomenon has produced a model, the Demographic Transition Model, which helps explain and make sense of changes in population demographics.

Conservation vs. Perservation

Conservation is the sustainable use and management of natural resources including wildlife, water, air, and earth deposits, both -- renewable and non-renewable. Preservation, in contrast to conservation, attempts to maintain in their present condition areas of the Earth that are so far untouched by humans.

conventional oil

Crude oil and natural gas that can be produced by drilling a well into a rock unit and the characteristics of that rock unit allow the oil and gas to naturally flow into the well bore. The rock unit has adequate porosity and permeability to allow the oil and gas to move to the well, and, the oil and gas is not adsorbed to or bound within the grains of the rock. Conventional oil and gas are usually produced from highly porous and permeable rocks, such as sandstones, where the anticlines, faults, or stratigraphy form traps that contain the gas. The oil and gas may have formed a great distance away from the well and migrated into the trap through pore spaces. Their migration was most likely a result of the oil and gas being lighter than the formation water and they moved upwards through the permeable rock until they encountered an impermeable seal that limited their movement. Unconventional oil and gas and conventional oil and gas do not differ in their chemical composition. They differ in the type of rock unit from which they are produced. Techniques like hydraulic fracturing, horizontal drilling, steam flooding, injection of water, injection of carbon dioxide, or pressure reduction - techniques that are intended to liberate the oil and gas from the rock or force it to the well - are not needed to produce conventional gas. Unconventional oil and gas are produced from shale, tight sands, and coal beds, where liberating the oil and gas from the rock and moving it to the well are the challenges. Compare to "unconventional oil and gas.

Fukushima

Daichi plant- large tsuname (2011) disable nucl plant's water cooling system; 3 reactors melted/spilled over into water; how dispose of radioact. water; 100,000 evacuated; rise in thyroid cancer; buildig an ice water - frozen soil/theory prevent radioactive water from leaking into ocean/ not sure if this will work

world axes

Eurasia main axis east to west Africa/America north to south (spread much more slowly bcuz of biome. You can find all cereals there-rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, barley

Jared Diamond

Francisco Pizarro - wearing lots of steel - ran into the Incas - was able to kill quickly. Diamond argues, you can tie back to agricul. "guns, germs, & steel; environmental determinism- critique against Diamond- society is determined by the environment; some doomed to never catch up ;

largest sources of GHGs in America

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are called greenhouse gases. This section provides information on emissions and removals of the main greenhouse gases to and from the atmosphere. For more information on the science of climate change and other climate forcers, such as black carbon, please visit Climate Change Science. Carbon dioxide (CO2): Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil), solid waste, trees and wood products, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement). Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere (or "sequestered") when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle. Methane (CH4): Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emissions also result from livestock and other agricultural practices and by the decay of organic waste in municipal solid waste landfills. Nitrous oxide (N2O): Nitrous oxide is emitted during agricultural and industrial activities, as well as during combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste. Fluorinated gases: Hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride are synthetic, powerful greenhouse gases that are emitted from a variety of industrial processes. Fluorinated gases are sometimes used as substitutes for stratospheric ozone-depleting substances (e.g., chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and halons). These gases are typically emitted in smaller quantities, but because they are potent greenhouse gases, they are sometimes referred to as High Global Warming Potential gases ("High GWP gases").

Golden Rice

Golden rice genetically engineered to increase Vitamin A. created by transforming rice with two beta-carotene biosynthesis genes:research that led to golden rice was conducted with the goal of helping children who suffer from vitamin A deficiency

Vandana Shiva

Industrial globalised agriculture is heavily implicated in climate change. It contributes to the three major greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO2) from the use of fossil fuels, nitrogen oxide (N2O) from the use of chemical fertilizers and methane (CH4) from factory farming.Industrial agriculture is also more vulnerable to climate change which is intensifying droughts and floods. Monocultures lead to more frequent crop failure when rainfall does not come in time, or is too much or too little. Chemically fertilized soils have no capacity to withstand a drought. And cyclones and hurricanes make a food system dependent on long distance transport highly vulnerable to disruption. Genetic engineering is embedded in an industrial model of agriculture based on fossil fuels. It is falsely being offered as a magic bullet for dealing with climate change.

Earth First

Inspired by Rachel Carson's Silent Spring; a radical environmental advocacy group; associated with direct action to prevent logging, building of dams, and other forms of development which Earth First! finds may cause destruction of wildlife habitats or the despoliation of wild places.

Overgrazing

It reduces the usefulness, productivity, and biodiversity of the land and is one cause of desertification and erosion. Overgrazing is also seen as a cause of the spread of invasive species of non-native plants and of weeds.

########Animal & Plant domestication

J.Diamond- most important invention in recent history; prereq to the rise of civilization; it yields agents of conquests;

John Muir

John Muir was one of the earliest advocates of the national park idea, Muir would also champion protection of the Petrified Forest and the Grand Canyon in Arizona. He was the public voice for setting aside the high country around Yosemite Valley as a national park in 1890, as well as for General Grant and Sequoia national parks.

Resource Curse

Kaplan - autocratic leader, people in charge so out of touch with what poor enduring; states fall apart

Biomes

Major biomes include deserts, forests, grasslands, tundra, and several types of aquatic environments.

passive heating

Passive heating uses the energy of the sun to keep occupants comfortable without the use of mechanical systems. These concepts will help you design for passive heating.

permafrost

Permafrost is soil, rock or sediment that is frozen for more than two consecutive years.

Atmo-terrorism

Peter Sloterdijk - target the enemies atmosphere.

Polycropping

Polyculture is agriculture using multiple crops in the same space, providing crop diversity in imitation of the diversity of natural ecosystems, and avoiding large stands of single crops, or monoculture. It includes multi-cropping, intercropping, companion planting, beneficial weeds, and alley cropping.

Precipitation

Precipitation is any type of water that forms in the Earth's atmosphere and then drops onto the surface of the Earth. Water vapor, droplets of water suspended in the air, builds up in the Earth's atmosphere. Water vapor in the atmosphere is visible as clouds and fog.

microtopography

Refers to the contours along the bottom of a shallow wetland system. A complex microtopography creates a great variety of environmental conditions that favor the unique requirements of many different species of marsh plants.

The Coming Anarchy & Robert Kaplan

Robert Kaplan - weak countries will fall apart bcuz of resource stress; poor will overthrow the rich elite; poor will overthrow leaders, cross borders desparate for resources; soil erosion, water scarce resource; efforts to create more productivity of land has caused more

shale rock

Shale A clastic sedimentary rock that is made up of clay-size (less then 1/256 millimeter in diameter) weathering debris. It typically breaks into thin flat piece

small island developing states (SIDS)

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are low-lying coastal countries that tend to share similar sustainable development challenges, including small but growing populations, limited resources, remoteness, susceptibility to natural disasters, vulnerability to external shocks, excessive dependence on international trade,; jamaica, bahamas, belize

cap and trade

The "cap" sets a limit on emissions, which is lowered over time to reduce the amount of pollutants released into the atmosphere. The "trade" creates a market for carbon allowances, helping companies innovate in order to meet, or come in under, their allocated limit. The less they emit, the less they pay, so it is in their economic incentive to pollute less.

Clean Air Act

The Act calls for states and EPA to solve multiple air pollution problems through programs based on the latest science and technology information. amendments addressed acid rain, ozone depletion, and toxic air pollution, established a national permits program for stationary sources, and increased enforcement authority. The amendments also established new auto gasoline reformulation requirements, set Reid vapor pressure (RVP) standards to control evaporative emissions from gasoline, and mandated new gasoline formulations sold from May to September in many states.

artic sea routes

The Arctic Bridge is an internal Arctic route linking Russia to Canada, and the Northern Sea Route trails the Russian coast from the Bering Strait to the East, to the Kara Sea to the West. maritime paths used by vessels to navigate through parts or the entirety of the Arctic. There are three main routes that connect the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans: the Northeast Passage, the Northwest Passage, and the Transpolar Sea Route.[2] In addition, two other significant routes exist: the Northern Sea Route, and the Arctic Bridge.

Copenhagen Summit

The Copenhagen Accord was drafted by the United States, China, India, Brazil and South Africa on 18 December, and judged a "meaningful agreement" by the United States government. It was "taken note of", but not "adopted", in a debate of all the participating countries the next day, and it was not passed unanimously. The document recognised that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of the present day and that actions should be taken to keep any temperature increases to below 2 °C. The document is not legally binding and does not contain any legally binding commitments for reducing CO2 emissions

Hadley Cell

The Hadley cell is an atmospheric circulation pattern in the tropics that produces winds called the tropical easterlies and the trade winds. In the Hadley cell, air rises up into the atmosphere at or near the equator, flows toward the poles above the surface of the Earth, returns to the Earth's surface in the subtropics, and flows back towards the equator.

Antarctica

The West Antarctic Peninsula is one of the fastest warming areas on Earth, with only some areas of the Arctic Circle experiencing faster rising temperatures. However, since Antarctica is a big place, climate change is not having a uniform impact, with some areas experiencing increases in sea ice extent. Yet in others, sea ice is decreasing, with measurable impacts on wildlife.the annual sea ice cover around the continent, which seasonally reaches an area greater than that of the continent itself, modulates exchanges of heat, moisture, and gases between the atmosphere and ocean and, through salt rejection when it freezes, forces the formation of cold oceanic bottom waters that spread out under the world's oceans. Alterations to this system will affect climate all over the planet. -

EPA

The agency conducts environmental assessment, research, and education. It has the responsibility of maintaining and enforcing national standards under a variety of environmental laws,

continental shelf

The continental shelf is defined as the natural prolongation of the land territory to the continental margin's outer edge, or 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the coastal state's baseline, whichever is greater. A state's continental shelf may exceed 200 nautical miles (370 km) until the natural prolongation ends. However, it may never exceed 350 nautical miles (650 kilometres; 400 miles) from the baseline; or it may never exceed 100 nautical miles (190 kilometres; 120 miles) beyond the 2,500-meter isobath (the line connecting the depth of 2,500 meters). Coastal states have the right to harvest mineral and non-living material in the subsoil of its continental shelf, to the exclusion of others. Coastal states also have exclusive control over living resources "attached" to the continental shelf, but not to creatures living in the water column beyond the exclusive economic zone.

anthracite coal

The highest rank of coal. By definition, a coal with a fixed carbon content of over 91% on a dry ash-free basis. Anthracite coals have a bright luster, break with a conchoidal fracture, a semi-metallic luster and are difficult to ignite. Frequently referred to by the layman as "hard coal."

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

The mission of the BLM is "to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations."[5] Originally BLM holdings were described as "land nobody wanted" because homesteaders had passed them by.[4] All the same, ranchers hold nearly 18,000 permits and leases for livestock grazing on 155 million acres (630,000 km2) of BLM public lands.[6] The agency manages 221 wilderness areas, 23 national monuments and some 636 other protected areas

Signatory vs. ratification

The negotiations that precede a treaty are conducted by delegations representing each of the states involved, meeting at a conference or in another setting. Together they agree on the terms that will bind the signatory states. Once they reach agreement, the treaty will be signed, usually by the relevant ministers. By signing a treaty, a state expresses the intention to comply with the treaty. However, this expression of intent in itself is not binding. Once the treaty has been signed, each state will deal with it according to its own national procedures. After approval has been granted under a state's own internal procedures, it will notify the other parties that they consent to be bound by the treaty. This is called ratification. The treaty is now officially binding on the state.

Solar cycles

The solar cycle or solar magnetic activity cycle is the nearly periodic 11-year change in the Sun's activity (including changes in the levels of solar radiation and ejection of solar material) and appearance (changes in the number of sunspots, flares, and other manifestations

sources of methane

There are both natural and human sources of methane emissions. The main natural sources include wetlands, termites and the oceans. Natural sources create 36% of methane emissions. Human sources include landfills and livestock farming. But the most important source being the production, transportation and use of fossil fuels. Human-related sources create the majority of methane emissions, accounting for 64% of the total

EEZ (exclusive economic zone)

These extend from the edge of the territorial sea out to 200 nautical miles (370 kilometres; 230 miles) from the baseline. Within this area, the coastal nation has sole exploitation rights over all natural resources. In casual use, the term may include the territorial sea and even the continental shelf. The EEZs were introduced to halt the increasingly heated clashes over fishing rights, although oil was also becoming important. The success of an offshore oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico in 1947 was soon repeated elsewhere in the world, and by 1970 it was technically feasible to operate in waters 4,000 metres deep. Foreign nations have the freedom of navigation and overflight, subject to the regulation of the coastal states. Foreign states may also lay submarine pipes and cables.

Namsto lake

Tibet; himalayas;

Hyperobjects

Tim Morton; new part of human condition; our anxiety over ecol. "ends of world" we fear it but don't have direct access to its effects; these issues exist/operate at diff temporalitys/times-deep time-time that we can't nderstand; appears relat. invisible for long ranges of time;

water table

Water Table A level beneath the Earth's surface, below which all pore spaces are filled with water and above which the pore spaces are filled with air. The top of the zone of saturation in a subsurface rock, soil or sediment unit.

groundwater

Water that exists below the water table in the zone of saturation. Groundwater generally moves slowly in the same direction that the water table slopes. Today most geologists and hydrologists use "groundwater" in their writings. The term "ground water" appears more frequently in writings that were published in the 1990s and earlier.

NORC countries

While wreaking havoc on the environment, global warming will liberate a treasure trove of oil, gas, water and other natural resources previously locked in the frozen north, enriching residents and attracting newcomers; northern rim countries; north US, Canada, scandinavia, russia

polynyas

a stretch of open water surrounded by ice, especially in Arctic seas.

hydrochloric acid

acid test" means placing a drop of dilute (5% to 10%) hydrochloric acid on a rock or mineral and watching for bubbles of carbon dioxide gas to be released. The bubbles signal the presence of carbonate minerals such as calcite, dolomite, or one of the mineral

colorado river compaact

agreement among seven U.S. states in the basin of the Colorado River in the American Southwest governing the allocation of the water rights to the river's water among the parties of the interstate compact. The compact divides the river basin into two areas, the Upper Division (comprising Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) and the Lower Division (Nevada, Arizona and California). The compact requires the Upper Basin states not to deplete the flow of the river below 7,500,000 acre feet (9.3 km3) during any period of ten consecutive years.

Agriculture vs. Hunting & Gathering

agriculture began about 10,000 years ago with domestication of plants & animals; efficient way to get more food/less work; some credit agric. for art--more time away from work than what hunt/gath had hunt/gath - recent study shows that they have lots of leisure times, sleep alot, work less; better balance of nutrients; more protein-farmers concentrate on high carbs (potato & rice) ; h/g survive off of 75 diff species of wild plants-farmers can experience famine as h/g moved to agric--more malnutrition, iron deficiency, bone lesions, decreased life expectancy farming-clumping of crowded societies trading w/ each other brought the spread of infect. diseases; class division

MVs/Hybrid crops

also known as cross breed, is the result of mixing, through sexual reproduction, two animals or plants of different breeds, varieties, species or genera

the dust bowl

also known as the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the US and Canadian prairies during the 1930s; severe drought and a failure to apply dryland farming methods to prevent wind erosion (the Aeolian processes) caused the phenomenon.

GMOs

any organism that has been genetically altered

enteric fermentation (cow farts)

arge amount of methane being introduced into the atmosphere. generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent - 18 percent - than transport." According to a Danish study, the average cow produces enough methane per year to do the same greenhouse damage as four tons of carbon dioxide...ruminants have four stomach; microbes create methane gas as a byproduct. Methane is twenty one times more potent at trapping heat from the Sun than carbon dioxide. Though it is less prevalent in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, it is, by unit, the most destructive of the greenhouse gases.

Bundy Ranchers Standoff in Oregon

armed confrontation with BLM regarding cattle grazing. Bundy refused to review his permit in 1993

Paths out of town

articles of food that enter our bodies via different routes then back into nature; trade links ecosystems w/ resources in demand; connections between place & rest of the world;

forest

biological communities that are dominated by trees and other woody vegetation; tropical temperate boreal forests (taiga)greatest diversity of species. They occur near the equator,winter is absent, and only two seasons are present (rainy and dry). The length of daylight is 12 hours and varies little.

fertility rate (children per woman)

average number of children born to each woman

Adaptive capacity

how easy it is for people to adapt to environmental change

HFCs

carbon dioxide is society's largest contribution to global warming, but there are some lesser-known gases that also jeopardize the Earth's climate future. This list includes methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and several others. These gases may make up a small percentage of the emissions society generates, but they pack a devastating punch when released. HFCs are commonly used as refrigerants and propellants in aerosols.

High modernist agriculture

characterized by an unfaltering confidence in science and technology as means to reorder the social and natural world.Strong confidence in the potential for scientific and technological progress, including a reliance on the expertise of scientists, engineers, bureaucrats and other intellectuals. Attempts to master nature (including human nature) to meet human needs. An emphasis on rendering complex environments or concepts (such as old cities or social dynamics) legible, most often through spatial ordering (for example, city planning on a grid). Disregard for historical, geographical and social context in developmen

anthropogenic

chiefly of environmental pollution and pollutants) originating in human activity."anthropogenic emissions of sulfur dioxide". Class notes - forest cut down for lumbar, replace w/ fields (things that grow); humans causing change

Silicon Valley

collaboration of businesses, governments, and non-governmental organizations that are identifying and addressing environmental and resource pressures in Silicon Valley. As its first initiative, SSV engaged Valley organizations, who are the SSV Partners, to work towards a goal of reducing regional carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions 20% below 1990 levels by 2010.

Milankovitch cycles

collective effects of changes in the Earth's movements upon its climate,variations in eccentricity, axial tilt, and precession of the Earth's orbit determined climatic patterns on Earth through orbital forcing.

Conifer/Evergreen

cone-bearing or coniferous trees, such as spruces, hemlocks, pines and firs. The leaves of these trees are either small and needle-like or scale-like and most stay green all year around (evergreen). All are softwoods able to survive cold termperatures and acidic soil.

Kennecott Mine

copper mining in Alaska; severe climate ver few people can live there; western settlement boom & bust economy that created and destroyed communities overnight

U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (1940)

dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people."

Anthropocene

denoting the current geological age, viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment; no one agrees when it began

matrilineal

descent passed thru female; commonly found in societies reliant on a kind of food production known as horticulture, which has been described as a female farming system bcuz women do......?

patrilineal

descent thru male line; iron tools;plowing; traditional plow agric & large animal herding

wind turbines

device that converts the wind's kinetic energy into electrical power.rrays of large turbines, known as wind farms, are becoming an increasingly important source of renewable energy and are used by many countries as part of a strategy to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.

Paul Ehrlich

doomsday oriented thinker; overpopulation alarmist; people in devel world bad for environment; world coming to an end when didnt happen people abandoned him; world's human population would soon increase to the point where mass starvation ensued

Tragedy of the commons

economic problem in which every individual tries to reap the greatest benefit from a given resource. As the demand for the resource overwhelms the supply, every individual who consumes an additional unit directly harms others who can no longer enjoy the benefits.

Birth and Death Rate Solution

ehrlich- In summary, the world's population will continue to grow as long as the birth rate exceeds the death rate; it's as simple as that. When it stops growing or starts to shrink, it will mean that either the birth rate has gone down or the death rate has gone up or a combination of the two. Basically, then, there are gnly two kinds of solutions to the population problem. One is a "birth rate solution," in which we find ways to lower the birth rate. The other is a "death rate solution," in which ways to raise the death ratewar, famine, pestilence find us. The problem could have been avoided by population control, in which mankind consciously adjusted the birth rate so that a "death rate solution" did not have to occur.

photovoltaic

employs solar panels, each comprising a number of solar cells, which generate electrical power. conversion of light into electricity

Theodore Roosevelt, Jr

established many national parks

Positive mass balance

glaciers gain size during cold years

Population Pyramids

graphical illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population (typically that of a country or region of the world), which forms the shape of a pyramid when the population is growing. viewed as the most effective way to graphically depict the age and sex distribution of a population, partly because of the very clear image these pyramids present

United States Forest Service (USFS)

he Forest Reserve Act of 1891 authorized withdrawing land from the public domain as "forest reserves, Gifford Pinchot was the first United States Chief Forester;dministers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass 193 million acres

pingo

hydrolaccolith, is a mound of earth-covered ice found in the Arctic and subarctic that can reach up to 70 metres (230 ft) in height and up to 600 m (2,000 ft) in diameter.Pingos can only form in a permafrost environment. pingos result from groundwater flowing from an outside source, i.e. subpermafrost or intrapermafrost aquifers. Hydrostatic pressure initializes the formation of the ice core as water is pushed up and subsequently freezes.

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

important heat-trapping (greenhouse) gas, which is released through human activities such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels, as well as natural processes such as respiration and volcanic eruptions. stays in the atmosphere for thousands of years after plumes of pollution have been released

TCE

industrial solvent

basel convention

international treaty that was designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations, and specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries (LDCs). It does not, however, address the movement of radioactive waste.

Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

is a belt of low pressure which circles the Earth generally near the equator where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres come together. drive climate, trade winds, temp, earth turns get corialis effect- then winds blow horizontal, touch water; sun evaporates water- falls down tropic of capricorn- ITCZ over the tropic = monsoon season; following the global climate models, the ITCZ should get larger--expanded haley cells--deserts grow larger--drought longer, more frequent, more destructive;

Ecosystem

is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment (things like air, water and mineral soil), interacting as a system.

desalinization

is a process that removes minerals from saline water. More generally, desalination refers to the removal of salts and minerals from a target substance, as in soil desalination, which is an issue for agriculture. Saltwater is desalinated to produce water suitable for human consumption or irrigation.

Monocropping

is the agricultural practice of growing a single crop year after year on the same land, in the absence of rotation through other crops or growing multiple crops on the same land (polyculture). Corn, soybeans, and wheat are three common crops often grown using monocropping techniques.

A/F

is the mass ratio of air to fuel present in a combustion process such as in an internal combustion engine or industrial furnace. The AFR is an important measure for anti-pollution and performance-tuning reasons.

Soil salinization

is the salt content in the soil; the process of increasing the salt content is known as salinization. Salts occur naturally within soils and water. Salination can be caused by natural processes such as mineral weathering or by the gradual withdrawal of an ocean.In addition to mineral weathering, salts are also deposited via dust and precipitation. In dry regions salts may accumulate, leading to naturally saline soils. This is the case, for example, in large parts of Australia. Human practices can increase the salinity of soils by the addition of salts in irrigation water.

Gifford Pinchot

known for reforming the management and development of forests in the United States and for advocating the conservation of the nation's reserves by planned use and renewal. He called it "the art of producing from the forest whatever it can yield for the service of man." Pinchot coined the term conservation ethic as applied to natural resources. Pinchot's main contribution was his leadership in promoting scientific forestry and emphasizing the controlled, profitable use of forests and other natural resources so they would be of maximum benefit to mankind. He was the first to demonstrate the practicality and profitability of managing forests for continuous cropping. His leadership put conservation of forests high on America's priority list

Ross ice shelf

largest ice shelf of Antarctica; sled & large melting of the protective layer of snow

Rachael Carson (1907-1964)

merican marine biologist and conservationist whose book Silent Spring and other writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement.second woman the Bureau of Fisheries hired for a full-time professional position, as a junior aquatic biologist

Climate Change

more than simple change in temp. also change drive shifts in air mvmt, water mvmt, and precipitation; has direct impacts on all manners of earth life; affects where we can live, what we can eat; most affected are those who depend on the natrual environment mostly

"Sagebrush Rebellion"

movement during the 1970s and 1980s that sought major changes to federal land control, use and disposal policy in the American West where, in 13 western states, federal land holdings include between 20% and 85% of a state's area.[1][2] Notably, supporters of this movement wanted more state and local control over these lands, if not outright transfer of them to state and local authorities and/or privatization. As much of the land in question is sagebrush steppe, supporters adopted the name Sagebrush Rebellion. The sentiment survives into the 21st century with pressure from some individual citizens, politicians, and organized groups especially with respect to livestock grazing, mineral extraction, and other economic development policy for these lands.

Integrated Pest Management

n ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties.

Geographic inequality produced by Green Revolution

negatively impacted poverty; it has ignored people in certain areas and of a certain socio-economic status; benefits of this increase is often spread unevenly across geographic areas.There are many reasons that larger farms are able to adapt the technologies of the Green Revolution better than a smaller farm is able to. One reason is that credit is limited in certain regions, constraining farmers from being able to obtain the capital necessary to implement the various fertilizers and pesticides. small farmers often avoided these high yielding variations because of the high cost and time that it would take to receive and learn the information about these variations (62). Morris and Doss explain that although modern variations are supposed to be able to be applied to any size farms, wealthier farmers are more likely to afford the cost of fertilizer ; productivity gains are uneven across regions (758). Certain areas were left out of the agricultural development of the Green Revolution; strategy was to increase development in favorable areas, meaning that those on the marginal environments still faced poverty, especially in South Asia where the poorest areas that rely on heavy amounts of rain for agriculture growth face increasing disparities with other nations (Pingali 12303). The modern varieties were only introduced on the land best suited to grow these crops, leading to unevenness and causing only the areas with the best land to be affected (Cleaver 180-181).

Neo-Malthusianism

new version of Malthus' law of population; was a clergyman; overpopulation leads to population suicide, increasing food production w/ incr. population; population consistently doubles compared to food increases; rich exercises moral restraint-not having too many kids=reduced birth rate; poor keep #s down by disease , war, & death; was against poor laws bcuz they help poor incr. in numbers; took a dim view of the potention of the green revolution or underestimated its potential; thought it would artificially incr. human population

Infant mortality rate

number of death s of infants under age 1 per 1000 births

Carrying Capacity

o/g used for animals then transferred idea to human, but is this accurate; is the maximum population size of the species that the environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available in the environment.

Global Warming

observed century-scale rise in the average temperature of the Earth's climate system and its related effects.[2

clean coal technology

ollection of technologies being developed to mitigate the environmental impact of coal energy generation.[1] When coal is used as a fuel source, the gaseous emissions generated by the thermal decomposition of the coal include sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO2), mercury, and other chemical byproducts that vary depending on the type of the coal being used. These emissions have been established to have a negative impact on the environment and human health, contributing to acid rain, lung cancer and cardiovascular disease

Silent Spring (1962)

ook Carson four years to complete. It meticulously described how DDT entered the food chain and accumulated in the fatty tissues of animals, including human beings, and caused cancer and genetic damage. A single application on a crop, she wrote, killed insects for weeks and months—not only the targeted insects but countless more—and remained toxic in the environment even after it was diluted by rainwater. Carson concluded that DDT and other pesticides had irrevocably harmed animals and had contaminated the world's food supply. The book's most haunting and famous chapter, "A Fable for Tomorrow," depicted a nameless American town where all life—from fish to birds to apple blossoms to human children—had been "silenced" by the insidious effects of DDT.

Chipko Movement

orest conservation movement in India that began in 1973 and went on to become a rallying point for many future environmental contrast and movements all over the world; it created a precedent for non-violent protest started in India.[1][2] It occurred at a time when there was hardly any environmental movement in the developing world, and its success meant that the world immediately took notice of this non-violent movement, which was to inspire in time many such eco-groups by helping to slow down the rapid deforestation, expose vested interests, increase ecological awareness, and demonstrate the viability of people power. Above all, it stirred up the existing civil society in India, which began to address the issues of tribal and marginalized people. Today, beyond the eco-socialism hue, it is being seen increasingly as an ecofeminism movement.

Yosemite National Park

osemite is a classic example of a glaciated landscape, where glaciers have carved the smooth domes of Tuolumne Meadows, the jagged high country peaks, and the dramatic walls of Yosemite Valley. This scenery was the basis for Yosemite's preservation as a national park. Granite, because of its durability and strength, preserves these bold forms. While glaciers have retreated from all but the highest peaks, Yosemite's iconic cliffs continue to be shaped today by rockfall and other erosive processes. Winter snowpack is a major driver of the park's hydrologic system, s

Red Herring

overpopulation and economy growth connected to the environmental crisis/advocate for population control; malthusian along with Hardin- giving food is bad give now-let someone die now or many die because of the one we save today---climate change is distracting from other types of problems; john Franzen - bird watcher- imagines distopian future- people are obsessed with climate change when there are other issues- birds at risk; talking abou the Audobon society; many disagreeed said other things kill birds than glass windows on buildings.

property & agriculture

ownership of land, family, slaves; may not be possible w/o state society; land rally matters; drove social structured

Environmental racism

placement of low-income or minority communities in proximity of environmentally hazardous or degraded environments, such as toxic waste, pollution and urban decay.

Water wars

possibility of future wars over water. Middle East, Western USA - historically more cooperation than conflict - fooding cities; poison water goes downstream; countries taking damsl cutting off water supply

strip mining

practice of mining a seam of mineral, by first removing a long strip of overlying soil and rock (the overburden). It is most commonly used to mine coal and lignite (brown coal). Strip mining is only practical when the ore body to be excavated is relatively near the surface.

hydraulic fracturing

process used in nine out of 10 natural gas wells in the United States, where millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are pumped underground to break apart the rock and release the gas

great plains shelter belt

project to create windbreaks in the Great Plains states of the United States, that began in 1934.[1] President Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated the project in response to the severe dust storms of the Dust Bowl, which resulted in significant soil erosion and drought. The United States Forest Service believed that planting trees on the perimeters of farms would reduce wind velocity and lessen evaporation of moisture from the soil. By 1942, 220 million trees had been planted, stretching out 18,600 miles (29,900 km)[2] in a 100-mile-wide zone from Canada to the Brazos River. Even as of 2007, "the federal response to the Dust Bowl, including the PSFP [Prairie States Forestry Program] which planted the Great Plains Shelterbelt and creation of the Soil Erosion Service, represents the largest and most-focused effort of the [U.S.] government to address an environmental problem."[3][4]

Endangered Species Act

provides for the conservation of species that are endangered or threatened throughout all or a significant portion of their range, and the conservation of the ecosystems on which they depend.

Organic Agriculture

relies on fertilizers of organic origin such as compost, manure, green manure, and bone meal and places emphasis on techniques such as crop rotation and companion planting. Biological pest control, mixed cropping and the fostering of insect predators are encouraged. In general, organic standards are designed to allow the use of naturally occurring substances while prohibiting or strictly limiting synthetic substances

Yellowstone National Park

removing Indians; less to do with preserving nature and more about keeping lands away from private interests; yellowstone ware -mismanagement, pvt leases, railroad rights- led to the redining of the purpose and importance of national park; north pacific railroad- aggressive attempts to control tourist concessions and influence park mgmnt; vest disagreed with the railroad co. said giving access would give them monopoly on tourist tradelarge portions of land would have to be cut along with hillside grading; would set dangerous precedent leading to destruction of parks and would not preserve "wildernesss"; model for others; 1st example of removing a native people in order to preserve nature

Owen valley

responsible for building the infrastructure to provide a water supply that allowed Los Angeles to grow into one of the largest cities in the world. As the head of a predecessor to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Mulholland designed and supervised the building of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, a 233-mile (375 km)-long system to move water from Owens Valley to the San Fernando Valley. The creation and operation of the aqueduct led to the disputes known as the California Water Wars. In March 1928, Mulholland's career came to an end when the St. Francis Dam faile

Petrochemical fertilizers

roduced using large quantities of petroleum and other fossil fuels. Some common examples include ammonium nitrate, super phosphate and potassium sulfate. The water-soluble nitrogen is available immediately to plants -- which is a huge advantage of synthetic fertilizers -- and is the reason why there is such a pronounced, visible growth response in plants after fertilizer is applied. The water-insoluble nitrogen, also known as "slow-release" fertilizer, has to be broken down in the soil before it is available to plants. This is also highly beneficial as an ongoing nutrient supply, meaning the fertilizer doesn't have to be applied as frequently.petrochemical fertilizers in the landscape can also be detrimental to the environment, if not applied responsibly. The soluble nutrients that are so effective as a food source for plants leach through the soil very quickly -- especially in sandy soils -- and can become a pollutant in groundwater supplies. Plus, the concentrated nutrients from synthetic fertilizers can enter waterways via surface runoff in heavy rains and disrupt the balance of nutrients and pH level in aquatic ecosystems. Both forms of pollution, however, are avoidable by using synthetic fertilizers in moderation.If compared in terms of cost per pound of nitrogen and other nutrients, petrochemical fertilizers are generally much cheaper than their all-natural counterparts found on the shelves of garden centers.

Soil Erosion

s a naturally occurring process that affects all landforms. In agriculture, soil erosion refers to the wearing away of a field's topsoil by the natural physical forces of water

grasslands

savannah: is grassland with scattered individual trees. Savannas of one sort or another cover almost half the surface of Africa. Temperate grasslands;characterized as having grasses as the dominant vegetation. Trees and large shrubs are absent. Temperatures vary more from summer to winter, and the amount of rainfall is less in temperate grasslands than in savannas. lands dominated by grasses rather than large shrubs or trees.

ogallala aquifer

shallow water table aquifer located beneath the Great Plains in the United States. One of the world's largest aquifers,About 27% of the irrigated land in the United States overlies the aquifer, which yields about 30% of the ground water used for irrigation in the United States.

Glacier

slow moving river of ice formed by compaction of snow on mtns; stores 2% of the worlds freshwater; sensitive to climate change; glaciers hold precip; natural resovior

National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS)

stem is managed as a national system of related lands, waters, and interests for the protection and conservation of our Nation's wildlife resources. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants. Since President Theodore Roosevelt designated Florida's Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge as the first wildlife refuge in 1903, the System has grown to over 562 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts

Sustainable development

sustaining finite resources necessary to provide for the needs of future generations of life on the planet. It is a process that envisions a desirable future state for human societies in which living conditions and resource-use continue to meet human needs without undermining the "integrity, stability and beauty" of natural biotic systems.

Permaculture

system of agricultural and social design principles centered on simulating or directly utilizing the patterns and features observed in natural ecosystems

distributed solar energy

systems typically use renewable energy sources, including small hydro, biomass, biogas, solar power, wind power, and geothermal power, and increasingly play an important role for the electric power distribution system. A grid-connected device for electricity storage can also be classified as a DER system, and is often called a distributed energy storage system (DESS)

Hetch Hetchy Dam

tHetch Hetchy Project, which in 1934 began to deliver water 167 miles (269 km) west to San Francisco and its client municipalities in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. These works have remained contested to the present day on both legal and environmental platforms. In the 21st century, there has been renewed interest in removing the dam and restoring the valley to its natural state.he glacial Hetch Hetchy Valley lies in the northwestern part of Yosemite National Park

Decidious

temporate decidious forest-hot summer, cold winter, rich topsoil, many plants & animals; agriculture use

Eco-Feminism

term that links feminism with ecology. Its advocates say that paternalistic/capitalistic society has led to a harmful split between nature and culture that can only be healed by the feminine instinct for nurture and holistic knowledge of nature's processes.

Albedo

the "whiteness" of a surface. It is a reflection coefficient, and has a value of less than one.

Biofortification

the process by which the nutritional quality of food crops is improved through agronomic practices, conventional plant breeding, or modern biotechnology. the idea of breeding crops to increase their nutritional value. This can be done either through conventional selective breeding, or through genetic engineering. Biofortification differs from ordinary fortification because it focuses on making plant foods more nutritious as the plants are growing, rather than having nutrients added to the foods when they are being processed

Nitrous oxides (N2O)

the third most important (in global warming terms) of the greenhouse gases, after carbon dioxide and methane. As this book describes, although it only comprises 320 parts per billion of the earth's atmosphere, it has a so-called Global Warming Potential nearly 300 times greater than that of carbon dioxide. N2O emissions are difficult to estimate, because they are predominantly biogenic in origin.hawing permafrost in the Northern Hemisphere releases "large amounts" of greenhouse gas nitrous oxide, regulated under the Kyoto Protocols.the gas is 310 times more effective in trapping heat than carbon dioxide. Sixty percent of the nitrous in the atmosphere is produced naturally.Twenty-five percent of the land surface in the Northern Hemisphere is underlain by permafrost, and as it thaws it could create a feedback loop that accelerates global warming, because it releases greenhouse gases, like methane and carbon dioxide, which in turn increase warming, spurring more thawing.

biogeographic luck

those lucky enough to live in an area of the world that were in perfect position to acquired domesticates/ this allowed them advantages over those that didnt have; where the best plants are; haphazard

Greenhouse effect

trees mitigate greenhouse gases

Greening-up

turning green later in the year;

UNFCCC

united nations framework convention on climate change..The Paris Agreement shall enter into force on the 30th day after the date on which at least 55 Parties to the Convention accounting in total for at least an estimated 55 % of the total global greenhouse gas emissions have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the Depositary.

cathedral pines

was a landmark' ; natural conservancy agency said they were going to leave it as it was, natuaral occurence, people disagreed thought eyesore and endangers (fire hazard) for homes in close proximity; largest stand of old-growth white pine and hemlock trees was devastated by three tornadoes in July 1989.cologists seek out this site to better understand the dynamics of forest succession—the slow process of a forest's regrowth and rejuvenationcologists seek out this site to better understand the dynamics of forest succession—the slow process of a forest's regrowth and rejuvenation.

los angeles aquaduct

water conveyance system delivers water from the Owens River in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains to Los Angeles,

The Trouble with Wilderness (Cronin)

wilderness is a social construction which changes at particular moments in history; religion = place for lost souls; removal of indians to create uninhabited wilderness; wilderness dualism casts any use as abuse, no middle ground; remember the wildness in our backyards; any way of looking at nature that encourages us to believe we are separate from it

how is wilderness a social construction

wilderness is often thought of as a place that is separate from humans. A place where you can go to escape the fast pace of 'real life.' But humans should coexist with nature. In The Trouble With Wilderness, William Cronon says that wilderness areas that have been set aside and preserved are 'quite profoundly a human creation." The perception of wilderness has morphed throughout history from a place to be feared, to the sublime and romantic, and now to a place for recreation, escape, and sheer beauty. Wilderness began as "a place to which one came only against one's will, and always in fear and trembling. Whatever value it might have arose solely from the possibility that it could be "reclaimed" and turned toward human ends" (Cronon). As the wilderness was romanticized these "sublime landscapes were those rare places on Earth where one had more chances than others to glimpse the face of God" (Cronon). People viewed the wilderness as "the mountain as cathedral," or "a sacred temple" (Cronon). Eventually the wilderness became America's frontier and the "sublime became domesticated" (Cronon). This domesticated wilderness was tamed "not just by those who were building settlements in its midst but also by those who most celebrated its inhuman beauty" (Cronon). But those landscapes that were "less sublime...simply did not appear worthy of such protection and to this day there is no national park in the grasslands" (Cronon). The only places that were set aside and preserved were those that were beautiful, inspiring and induced emotions. Cronon is not suggesting that wild places should not be preserved, but that the problem lies in what we label as wilderness. By allowing the spiritual and frontier views to persist, the "two converge to remake wilderness in their own image, freighting it with moral values and cultural symbols that it carries to this day" (Cronon). A natural environment that is mandated to be separate from humans, is not natural. Those that fight so hard to protect wilderness areas are often people that do not view nature as a "site for productive labor...[or] a permanent home; rather [as] a place of recreation" (Cronon). Wild places are often classed in terms of human or non-human. We need to think in terms of natural and unnatural. Humans are a part of nature and separating people out of nature is artificial. Places where people live with nature can serve as a model. But preserving the wilderness "too often means protecting it from the people who live there" (Cronon). Instead of remaining apart from wild places, humans should learn to live sustainably with the environment they live in. This can apply to any environment, not just wild places.

Alpine meadow

will be considered to be the upper altitudes of mountains, where cooler climates give rise to communities which resemble (but do not duplicate) the taiga, tundra and ice biomes. open areas may appear for several reasons - fires, avalanches, storms, wetlands, serpentine soils, etc. may all contribute to the development of grassy areas without trees.

Alpine tundra

will be considered to be the upper altitudes of mountains, where cooler climates give rise to communities which resemble (but do not duplicate) the taiga, tundra and ice biomes., harsh/cold winters, above 11,000 ft, little precip; permafrost (never thaws), few species, slow recovery from human impact bc no geochem. cycling

"Shallow Ecology" vs. "Deep Ecology"

wo different forms of environmentalism, not necessarily incompatible with each other. One he called the "long-range deep ecology movement" and the other, the "shallow ecology movement." The word "deep" in part referred to the level of questioning of our purposes and values when arguing in environmental conflicts. The "deep" movement involves deep questioning, right down to fundamental root causes. The short-term, shallow approach stops before the ultimate level of fundamental change, often promoting technological fixes (e.g. recycling, increased automotive efficiency, export-driven monocultural organic agriculture) based on the same consumption-oriented values and methods of the industrial economy. The long-range deep approach involves redesigning our whole systems based on values and methods that truly preserve the ecological and cultural diversity of natural systems.

Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

worst man-made; took 2 days for Russia to announce; a cloud of radioactivity; 350,000 relocated; 1000s died of thyroid cancer and other by suicide; people forced to go in and dump cement on reactor with no protective gear; n ew dome or sarcophagus needed; old one put together hastily; 100 more years f nuclear protection

ZPG

zero population growth; birth rate = death rate; Paul Ehrlich-doomsday oriented thinker; overpopulation alarmist; people in devel world bad for environment; world coming to an end when didnt happen people abandoned him; possibly could have led to 1 child china policy and large sterilization in India. the maintenance of a population at a constant level by limiting the number of live births to only what is needed to replace the existing population.