People and the Earth: Basic Issues in the Sustainability of Resources and Environment

by John James William Rogers , P. Geoffrey Feiss

• ISBN13: 9780521560283
• ISBN10: 0521560284
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-03-13
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

People and the Earth examines the numerous ways in which this planet enhances and limits our lifestyles. Written with wit and remarkable insight, and illustrated with numerous case histories, it provides a balanced view of the complex environmental issues facing our civilization. The authors look at the geologic restrictions on our ability to withdraw resources--food, water, energy, and minerals--from the earth, the effect human activity has on the earth, and the lingering damage caused by natural disasters. People and the Earth examines the basic components of our interaction with this planet, provides a lucid, scientific discussion of each issue, and speculates on what the future may hold. It provides the fundamental concepts that will enable us to make wise and conscientious choices on how to live our day-to-day lives. People and the Earth is an ideal introductory textbook and will also appeal to anyone concerned with our evolving relationship to the earth.

Table of Contents

List of boxes	xi	(2)
List of figures and tables	xiii	(6)
Preface	xix	(2)
Units	xxi
1 PEOPLE AND LAND	1	(32)
1.0 Introduction	1	(1)
1.1 Population densities and land use	1	(4)
Variations in population densities	3	(1)
Land use	4	(1)
1.2 History of world population and growth rates	5	(6)
1.3 Variation in population characteristics in the modern world	11	(4)
Birth, fertility, and growth rates	11	(3)
Life expectancy and age distributions	14	(1)
Policy questions	15	(1)
1.4 Population and wealth	15	(2)
Policy questions	17	(2)
1.5 Too many people? A comparison of lesser-developed countries with industrial countries	17	(4)
Education and employment	17	(3)
Income and wealth	20	(1)
Women	20	(1)
Policy questions	21	(1)
1.6 Too many people? A discussion of the population of the United States	21	(5)
Population in the 20th century	21	(1)
Occupations and life-styles	22	(3)
Income and race	25	(1)
Policy questions	26	(1)
1.7 Population control	26	(5)
Carrying capacity	26	(1)
Quality of life	27	(1)
Population control	28	(1)
Policy questions	29	(2)
Problems	31	(1)
References	32	(1)
2 FOOD	33	(38)
2.0 Introduction	33	(1)
2.1 Human dietary requirements	34	(6)
Water	34	(1)
Carbohydrates	34	(1)
Fats (lipids)	34	(3)
Proteins	37	(1)
Specific elements -- minerals	37	(1)
Special chemicals	38	(2)
Policy questions	40	(1)
2.2 Crop production	40	(12)
Energy and plant food	40	(2)
Requirements for crop production	42	(3)
Grain production	45	(4)
Nongrain plants	49	(3)
Policy questions	52	(1)
2.3 Animal production	52	(3)
The commons	52	(1)
Animal raising	53	(2)
Policy questions	55	(1)
2.4 Fishing	55	(8)
The nurture of fish	55	(4)
The fishing industry	59	(2)
Animals and fish in human nutrition	61	(2)
Policy questions	63	(1)
2.5 Money and agriculture	63	(6)
Environmental issues	63	(2)
Money	65	(3)
The future	68	(1)
Policy questions	69	(1)
Problems	69	(1)
References	70	(1)
3 NATURAL HAZARDS	71	(54)
3.0 Introduction	71	(2)
3.1 Earth's engines of change and their consequences	73	(5)
The consequences of change and the recognition of hazards	76	(2)
3.2 Thinking about risk	78	(4)
Natural hazards as a societal risk	79	(2)
Policy questions	81	(1)
3.3 Earthquakes	82	(7)
Causes and kinds of earthquakes	83	(1)
Destruction associated with earthquakes	83	(4)
Risk analysis and prevention of earthquake destruction	87	(2)
Policy questions	89	(1)
3.4 Volcanic eruptions	89	(7)
The nature of volcanic eruptions	89	(2)
Volcanic hazards	91	(2)
Risk and prediction	93	(3)
Policy questions	96	(1)
3.5 Tsunamis	96	(2)
Policy questions	97	(1)
3.6 River floods	98	(6)
Seasonal floods	98	(1)
Randomly occurring floods	99	(5)
Floods induced by human activity	104	(1)
Policy questions	104	(1)
3.7 Coastal flooding and erosion	104	(9)
Coastlines at risk	106	(6)
Human activity and the coastline	112	(1)
Policy questions	113	(1)
3.8 Landslides and related processes	113	(6)
Causes of rapid downslope movement of earth materials	116	(2)
Human influences on downslope movement	118	(1)
Policy questions	119	(1)
3.9 Who pays for natural disasters?	119	(2)
Policy questions	121	(1)
3.10 Conclusion	121	(1)
Problems	122	(1)
References	123	(2)
4 WATER	125	(43)
4.0 Introduction	125	(1)
4.1 Abundance of water	126	(5)
Global considerations	126	(1)
The (mostly) freshwater budget	127	(3)
Regional considerations of freshwater availability	130	(1)
4.2 Human uses of water	131	(7)
Where do we get water?	132	(3)
What do we do with water?	135	(2)
Choices versus necessities in water use	137	(1)
Policy questions	138	(1)
4.3 The surface water resource	138	(7)
Amount of surface runoff	138	(1)
Drainage basins and watersheds	139	(2)
Extraction of water for human use and the construction of dams	141	(2)
The Colorado: A parable of a river	143	(2)
Policy questions	145	(1)
4.4 The groundwater resource	145	(10)
The geology of groundwater	147	(3)
Extraction of groundwater	150	(1)
A case study of groundwater use: The High Plains aquifer	151	(4)
Policy questions	155	(1)
4.5 Water quality	155	(5)
Drinking water	155	(4)
Other uses	159	(1)
Policy questions	160	(1)
4.6 What do societies do to control and apportion water?	160	(5)
Who owns the water?	161	(4)
Policy questions	165	(1)
Problems	165	(2)
References	167	(1)
5 ENERGY	168	(46)
5.0 Introduction	168	(1)
5.1 Temperature, energy, heat, and power	169	(2)
5.2 Types of energy sources	171	(9)
Direct energy	171	(2)
Electricity	173	(4)
Stored energy	177	(2)
Policy questions	179	(1)
5.3 Fossil fuels	180	(20)
Products of decay of organic matter	180	(1)
Combustion	180	(2)
Geology of oil and natural gas	182	(5)
Distribution and reserves of oil and gas	187	(2)
Production, consumption, and transportation of oil	189	(4)
Oil shale and tar sand	193	(4)
Geology and distribution of coal	197	(2)
Policy questions	199	(1)
5.4 Nuclear power	200	(6)
Radioactive decay	200	(1)
Fission	201	(1)
Fusion	202	(1)
Nuclear reactors and bombs	202	(3)
Fuel supplies for reactors	205	(1)
Policy questions	206	(1)
5.5 Present and future energy use	206	(5)
Energy and the economy	206	(1)
Present energy use	207	(2)
Future energy use	209	(2)
Policy questions	211	(1)
Problems	211	(1)
References	212	(2)
6 MINERAL RESOURCES	214	(33)
6.0 Introduction	214	(1)
6.1 Definition and characteristics of mineral resources	215	(8)
Sustainable versus nonsustainable resources	215	(2)
Scarcity of resources	217	(1)
Resource and reserve inventories	218	(3)
Fixed location of mineral resources	221	(1)
Discovery risk	221	(2)
Policy questions	223	(1)
6.2 Classification and formation of mineral deposits	223	(10)
Classification	223	(2)
Geological ore-forming processes	225	(8)
6.3 Location of nonfuel mineral resources	233	(2)
Policy questions	235	(1)
6.4 Methods of mining ore and preparing it for market	235	(5)
Policy questions	239	(1)
6.5 Legal and property issues	240	(5)
Regalian versus accessory rights to minerals	240	(1)
The problem of the public lands in the United States	241	(4)
Policy questions	245	(1)
6.6 Thoughts on minerals and the future	245	(1)
Problems	245	(1)
References	246	(1)
7 WASTE AND POLLUTION	247	(40)
7.0 Introduction	247	(1)
7.1 Dispersal of waste in soil, surface water, groundwater, and air	248	(1)
7.2 Bulk waste	249	(5)
Policy questions	254	(1)
7.3 Hazardous chemicals	254	(13)
Industrial chemicals	255	(2)
Pesticides and herbicides	257	(4)
Disposal of hazardous waste	261	(4)
Policy questions	265	(2)
7.4 Radioactive waste	267	(7)
Dangers of radioactive waste	267	(2)
High-level nuclear waste	269	(4)
Low-level waste	273	(1)
Policy questions	274	(1)
7.5 Biologically active waste	274	(5)
Sewage	274	(3)
Excess nutrients (eutrophication)	277	(2)
Policy questions	279	(1)
7.6 Air pollution	279	(5)
Acid rain	280	(1)
Smog	280	(4)
Policy questions	284	(1)
7.7 Summary and conclusions	284	(1)
Bulk waste	284	(1)
Hazardous chemicals	284	(1)
Radioactive waste	284	(1)
Biologically active waste	284	(1)
Air pollution	285	(1)
Problems	285	(1)
References	286	(1)
8 GLOBAL CHANGE	287	(40)
8.0 Introduction	287	(1)
8.1 History and controls of climate and atmosphere	288	(9)
Control of atmospheric composition	291	(2)
Control of climate	293	(4)
8.2 Human activity and the recent history of atmosphere and climate	297	(8)
Recent history of the atmosphere and climate	297	(4)
Possible effects of human activity	301	(1)
Possible consequences of global warming	302	(2)
Policy questions	304	(1)
8.3 Extinctions and species diversity	305	(12)
Extinction of the megafauna	305	(2)
Modern species diversity	307	(1)
Extinctions and endangered species	308	(5)
Deforestation	313	(3)
Policy questions	316	(1)
8.4 Chemical modification of the earth's surface	317	(6)
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and the ozone layer	318	(3)
Lead	321	(2)
Policy questions	323	(1)
8.5 Summary and conclusions	323	(1)
Problems	324	(1)
References	325	(2)
9 A FINAL WORD	327	(4)
People and land	327	(1)
Food	327	(1)
Natural hazards	328	(1)
Water	328	(1)
Energy	328	(1)
Mineral resources	328	(1)
Waste and pollution	329	(1)
Global change	329	(1)
A final word	329	(2)
Author index	331	(4)
Subject index	335