Waste Management

• Humans are producing increasing waste due to:

  • Increases in the human population.
  • Increases in the standard of living.
• Waste from human activities - AIR POLLUTION


  Burning fossil fuels

  Vehicle use

  Acid rain

  Smoke - particulates - Smog
• Waste from human activities - LAND POLLUTION


  Household waste

  Agricultural waste

  Industrial waste

  Landfill

  Toxic chemicals
• Waste from human activities - WATER POLLUTION


  Agricultural chemicals - eutrophication - extra nutrients change the balance of the aquatic ecosystem

  Sewage

  Industrial compounds

  Oil spills

  Acid rain

  Radioactive waste
• Eutrophication


  Water pollution

  1. Fertilisers run into water sources.
  2. Plant growth increases.
  3. Plants die due to lack of sunlight and decay in the bed.
  4. Microbes take in the oxygen released from decay.
  5. Fish die from suffocation due to lack of oxygen.
• Peat


  Bogs and other areas are important habitats.

  They are important food and fuel resources.
• Ways in which humans use land - FARMING


  Increasing human population means more food is required.

  So, large areas of land are required for farming animals and crops.
• Ways in which humans use land - HOUSING


  Increasing human population means more homes are required.

  This requires large areas of land for building.
• Ways in which humans use land - MINING


  Increasing human population means more resources are required for building and resources.

  This requires large areas of land for mining and quarrying.
• Ways in which humans use land - WASTE


  Increasing human population means more waste is produced.

  This requires large areas of land for landfill and waste disposal.
• Advantages of destroying peat bogs


  Space for building

  Can be used as a fuel

  It is compost - so more food
• Disadvantages of destroying peat bogs


  Destroys habitats - therefore reducing biodiversity

  Releases carbon dioxide (through burning and compost) - so, global warming.

  It is a finite resource
• Biofuel


  Fuels produced from natural products such as plants.
• Deforestation - Reducing/destroying habitats


  Reduces biodiversity as animals/plants have nowhere to live.
• Deforestation - Cattle/rice farming


  Releases methane - a greenhouse gas.

  Waterlogged rice fields = anaerobic respiration - so global warming.
• Deforestation


  Tropical rainforests are being cut down due to the farming of rice, cattle, and crops for fuels.

  Biofuel - sugarcane (bioethanol)

  Grows rice

  Cattle farming
• Deforestation - Burning chopped down trees


  Combustion releases carbon dioxide - global warming.
• Deforestation - Fungi growing


  Decomposes the trees which releases carbon dioxide.
• Deforestation - Less photosynthesis

  So, less absorption of carbon dioxide - because there are less trees/plants to photosynthesise.
• Human activities contributing to global warming


  Burning fossil fuels

  Transport

  Heating

  Deforestation

  Cattle farming - methane

  Rice/crops - methane
• 1. Radiation from the Sun enters Earth's atmosphere.
  2. It is trapped.
  3. Some longer wavelengths are emitted back into space.
  4. Some are reflected into the Earth's surface multiple times.
  5. This warms up the atmosphere by trapping radiation in the thickening layer of carbon dioxide and methane.
• Effects of Global Warming - POLAR ICE CAPS MELTING


  Causes increase in sea levels

  10% reduction of ice caps so far
• Effects of Global Warming - LOW-LYING AREAS OF LAND FLOOD


  As sea levels rise, low-lying areas of land flood

  E.g. Japan, Bangladesh
• Effects of Global Warming - HABITAT LOSS


  Due to changes in local temperatures and rainfall

  2020 Australian bushfires - lost 8000 koalas in NSW.

  Coral bleaching - too hot - increased from 0.6-0.9degrees
• Effects of Global Warming - ANIMAL MIGRATION PATTERNS CHANGE


  Swallows arrive in the UK in April - now coming 2 weeks later - affecting population due to a shorter mating season
• Effects of Global Warming - HURRICANES/STORMS


  Become stronger and more frequent

  Increase in heat waves, floods, and droughts.
• Evidence for global warming is complex/uncertain because:

  Some believe there is a cycle of hot/cold temperatures that increase/decrease repeatedly.

  Average temp. of the Earth has stopped rising, even though carbon/methane emissions still exist.

  Carbon dioxide levels rise approx. 800 years after the temperature rises - indicating that it maybe doesn't cause global warming.

  Atmosphere is not behaving how models expect it to.

  Water vapour is a greater greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

  Thermometers affected by urban areas/human interference - false increase in temp. shown - biased media.
• Maintaining biodiversity - BREEDING PROGRAMMES FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES


  Increase the number of endangered species through captive/artificial programmes in zoos

  However - must avoid inbreeding
• Maintaining biodiversity - PROTECTION OF REGENERATION OF RARE HABITATS


  Coral reefs - bleached

  Mangroves - habitat for birds/fish

  Heathlands - specific plants - heather, bilberry for bees, butterflies, amphibians.

  Deforestation/climate change - habitats lost/home to different species.
• Maintaining biodiversity - REITRODUCTION OF FIELD MARGINS AND HEDGEROWS


  Farmers removed hedgerows for huge fields

  Hedgerows are habitats for living organisms

  Led to soil erosion and infertility
• Maintaining biodiversity - REDUCTION OF DEFORESTATION AND CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS


  Rainforests protected

  E.g. in Costa Rica
• Maintaining biodiversity - RECYCLING RESOURCES

  Landfill = pollution

  Increased recycling initiatives
• Food Security


  The amount of food available for future generations.
• Factors that affect food security


  Climate

  Birth rate

  War

  Farmland

  Pests

  Changing diets
• Factors affecting Food Security - INCREASING WORLD POPULATION


  Not enough food to feed everyone
• Factors affecting Food Security - PESTS


  Colorado beetles infect potatoes

  New pests damage crops

  Less food
• Factors affecting Food Security - CHANGING DIETS


  More people eating meat

  Need more wheat/grain to feed cattle to feed people
• Factors affecting Food Security - CLIMATE CHANGE


  Crops destroyed

  Some depend on monsoon seasons - like rice

  Food shortages
• Factors affecting Food Security - LESS FARMERS


  Costs too much to make a living

  So farmers quit their jobs
• Factors affecting Food Security - WAR/CONFLICT


  Destroys crops

  Overbuying supplies

  Conflict over oil leads to shortages