GEOGRAPHY 378 MIDTERM STUDY GUIDE
WORLD VILLAGE
20 percent of the people control and consume 80 percent of the resources.
Core, Periphery, Semi-Periphery
Implications of this socio-economic situation for the global environment
How people in the “Core” and “Periphery” countries differ in environmental impacts
Different ways that they consume natural resources, generate wastes, pollute the air,
contribute to global warming, degrade the environment in other countries, etc.
Share of U.S. population and pollutants
Differences in land ownership
Access to fresh water, TV, etc.
Countries with ethnic and biological diversity
DAMS
Reasons/ benefits of having dams
What continents lead in each of types of dams
Specific adverse impacts of the dams on human communities
Specific adverse impacts of the dams on the natural environment
Economic costs of large dams
Alternatives to large dams
Case studies of Canada, China, India, Slovakia
NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE
History of nuclear power /association with weapons
Describe each stage in the nuclear fuel cycle.
Purpose of each stage of the cycle,
Environmental problems associated with each stage
New types of nuclear technology
Radioactive waste proposals
Transportation risks
Share of nuclear power in world / leading countries
CHERNOBYL/THREE-MILE ISLAND
Compare nuclear accidents at Three-Mile Island and Chernobyl
Specific impacts of each accident on human health and the environment
Responses of the U.S. and Soviet nuclear industries to each accident
What were the responses of anti-nuclear movements?
How nuclear industries and national politics affected by each accident?
FOSSIL FUELS
Reserves and consumption in the U.S. and the world.
Different types of coal
Means of limiting emissions
Regions rich in oil and coal
Poliitcal/military conflicts over oil
FOSSIL vs. NUCLEAR
Benefits and drawbacks for coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy:
Environmental effects
Human health effects
Cost
Efficiency
Regions rich in uranium
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES vs. COMPANIES
How they develop or appeal to a multinational movement
How successful these strategies have been
Cree Indians vs. Manitoba Hydro in Canada
U’wa Indians vs. Occidental Oil in Colombia
Huaorani, Shuar, other Indians vs. Texaco in Ecuador
Navajo Indians vs. uranium mines
Igorot tribal people vs. dams in Philippines
Ogoni and Ijaw vs. Shell in Nigeria
WARFARE
How warfare and militarization has affected the global environment
How military growth has affected environmental priorities
How military growth has consumed resources
Chemical weapons use and disposal
Agent Orange and Gulf War Syndrome
Military disposal of toxic chemical wastes
Use, testing and disposal of munitions:
Land mines, cluster bombs, Depleted Uranium
Munitions delivery systems, low-level flights, bombing range
Production, use, and disposal of nuclear weapons
Nuclear weapons states and where they have tested weapons
Chemical and nuclear plants as targets
WATER USE
Groundwater/aquifers/water table
Surface water diversions/bulk transfers
Water conflicts in North America
Why the availability and use of “blue gold” should not be taken for granted
Existing or potential shortages of groundwater and surface waters.
Largest private water companies in what countries
Specific consequences if water “withdrawals” exceed the replenishment of water
Global debates around the privatization /commodification of water systems
Growing bottled water industry/Perrier controversy
“Water wars” and shooting wars: Israel/Palestine, Turkey/Iraq