GEOG 352: Day 7
Chapter 7 of Daly and Farley
The contribution of
greenhouse gases
to climate change.
Source: EPA
Housekeeping Items
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An interesting case study would be Free Geek in
Vancouver, which unfortunately was recently the target
of a cyber-attack.
A reminder about the Mike Lewis talk on Thursday at 5
at the Theatre. I would love to go, but I can’t. If anyone
would like to video it for me and anyone else who can’t
go, I can arrange the equipment and there would be
additional participation marks.
We discussed a bit about ‘cornucopian’ thinking. I was
reading in the latest Alternatives about how a recent
Federal Appeals Court decision ruled that Imperial Oil
could proceed with destroying ecologically valuable
peatlands for their Kearl Lake mine even though they
agree that the process of reclaiming peatlands “is not
even known in general terms.”
Housekeeping Items
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Today we will cover Chapter 7 of the text, and we have
Colin presenting on carrying capacity.
More
on
EROIs
http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/energysolutions/energy-return-investment; lighter colour
indicates range of EROIs
From Empty World to Full World
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Total material output of human economy increased
36-fold in the 20th century.
Despite dramatically declining discoveries of new
oil reserves, we have used twice as much oil since
1973 than in the whole of human history.
We can approach energy issues from a supply
management approach or a demand management
approach. At current rates of consumption, solar
energy could only meet 25-50% of the U.S.’s energy
needs without disrupting agriculture, forestry, or
the environment. What does that suggest?
In the U.S., they used to rely on hematite ore (60%
iron); now it’s taconite ore (25% iron).
From Empty World to Full World
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In the U.S. topsoil is being depleted at 100 times
the rate of formation, and 40% of all agricultural
land on the planet is seriously degraded.
From Empty World to Full World
Agriculture uses 70% of the
water humans consume.
There are major water
deficits (ratio of extraction
vs. recharge) developing in
north China, the Ogllala
region, and elsewhere.
 The Aral Sea is falling at the
rate of 2 to 8 metres per
year.
 One billion people lack
access to potable drinking
water, less than 1/3 have
water in abundance, and 50%
could be living in water
shortage areas by 2025.
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From Empty World to Full World
Per capita, Canadians are the
planet's second-biggest water
consumers, behind the U.S.
The average Canadian uses
335 litres per day – more than
double Europeans' usage.
 Will water become the oil of
the 21st century?
 What about the impact of
water shortages on
geopolitical conflict? Where
are the potential hot spots?
 What are some economic
measures for addressing water
as an increasingly scarce
commodity?
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From Empty World to Full World
15 major fishing areas and 69% of major fish stocks are in decline
and needing serious attention. Some predict a total collapse of the
fishery by 2048.
 Cod catches between 1968 and 1992 dropped by 69%, and West
Altantic bluefin tuna catches have dropped by 80%+ between 1970
and 1993 (and more since). We are now shifting our attention to
fish that are on lower on food chain, that are young (and hence
are capable of contributing to longer-term stocks) and/or that
take a long time to reach sexual maturity.
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From Empty World to Full World
We are losing 140,000 sq. km. of forest per year in
developing nations. 84% of all the wetlands
‘protected’ under the RAMSAR treaty are
threatened.
 We are seeing a growth in hazardous wastes and
climate disruptors.
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Gas
Preindustrial
level
Current level
Increase since
1750
Carbon dioxide
280 ppm
388 ppm
108 ppm
Methane
700 ppb
1745 ppb
1045 ppb
Nitrous oxide
270 ppb
314 ppb
44 ppb
CFC-12
0
533 ppt
533 ppt
Source: Wikipedia.
From Empty World to Full World
Source:
Wikipedia.
From Full World to Empty World
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While CFCs are now banned, HCFCs still have
ozone depleting potential and their use is increasing
by about 35% per year in China and India.
Natural capital is being compromised in terms of 1)
depleted sources, 2) disrupted ecosystem services,
and 3) overtaxed sinks.
Are we living in a “full world”?
SOURCES
SINKS
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES