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ecological footprint
the impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources
links between globalisation and consumerism, and ecosystem destruction in tropical rainforests
- globalisation and changes in taste means we want products to be available all year
- fruits and other exotic foods can be readily grown in the warm and wet rainforest, and improved technology means products can be kept fresh for long periods of time, allowing them to be shipped large distances across the world
- rising middle classes mean people have more money and so can afford a meat-based diet, leading to more demand
- to keep up with increased demand, cattle ranching has to increase, leading to deforestation
- the demand for soy beans is also increasing, as they are becoming more and more prevalent in our lives, found in food products like tofu and soy sauce, and found in soybean oil and meal
- as the demand increases, the supply has to keep up, leading to more deforestation in order to plant more soy beans
- the impacts of deforestation range from damaged nutrient and water cycles to loss of indigenous communities
links between globalisation and consumerism, and ecosystem destruction in desert environments (avocado production)
- in recent years, avocadoes have become a large trend
- as people become richer, they can afford to spend money on the latest food trends
- avocado farming has appeared in many desert environments, and has both positive and negative effects, but the overall effect on the environment is negative
- avocadoes require a huge amount of water to sustain them, and in desert environments this water can be hard to come by
- this has led to the increased use of irrigation, which can damage the ecosystem
- over abstraction of groundwater, a common source of water for irrigation in deserts where there is little surface water, can cause the land to sink
- salinisation can occur, where salts accumulate in the soil after salt-rich water is used to irrigate
- the sun readily evaporates the water, but leaves the salts accumulated on the surface
- high levels of salt can be toxic to plants, reducing the fertility of the area
economic impacts of avocado farming
- economic boost to the area
- it is a multi-million pound industry
social impacts of avocado farming
- better resources and facilities provided
- 17000 people employed on a single farm
- population growth in the area
environmental impacts of avocado farming
- 600 litres of water needed to produce 1kg of avocadoes
- pesticides can leach into waterways
- each tree takes 3+ years to start producing fruit
- salinisation of soil
links between globalisation and consumerism, and ecosystem destruction in desert environments (mineral extraction)
- mining in australia is a significant primary industry and contributor to the australian economy
- many different ores and minerals are mined throughout the country, with 70% of global opals coming from australia
- these mined ores and minerals are used in a variety of products, including mobile phones, tablets, and computers
- as consumerism increases, the demand for these products rises, meaning that more minerals have to be extracted
environmental impacts of mineral extraction
- large open-cast mines are being abandoned and the landscape is not being returned to its natural state, leaving scars on the landscape
- to extract a tonne of metals, 54.5kWh is needed
- energy is needed to create infrastructure that goes alongside the industry, e.g., road and rail connections
- energy is also need to transport goods and make and run machinery associated with the mining industry
how have agri-businesses changed due to consumerism?
- field sizes have increased to facilitate the use of larger machinery, leading to the loss of hedges and ditches as well as reducing the visual integrity of the landscape and the range of wildlife habitats
- hedgerows have declined in length and the botanical diversity of many field margins has also declined through nutrient enrichment and/or herbicide drift
- wetlands have been drained and water formerly in ditches and streams has been piped underground
- woodlands have been felled, and moorlands and heathlands have been ploughed up
- the introduction of monoculture has reduced biodiversity and the variety of landscape patterns
- deeper ploughing has increased the potential for soil erosion and nutrient loss
- leaching of nitrates from fertilisers has caused eutrophication of lakes, ponds, and streams, and the creation of algal bloom
food miles definition
the distance food has travelled to get from where it was produced to where it is sold
why does globalisation mean food travels further?
- technological innovation means that food can be kept in refrigerated containers to travel across the world
- consumer choice means that people have more knowledge of global foods and demand for them has increased
- trade liberalisation and increased links between countries makes trade of goods easier
- migration results in more people travelling across the world, which increases knowledge of and demand for exotic goods
environmental impact of food miles
- food miles takes up 2-4% of a food’s carbon footprint
- production of food contributes to carbon footprint, as heating, polyethene tunnels, etc., may have to be used if the food is not native to the country
- it may be more sustainable to import food from places that are naturally suited to growing them
- large container ships are the most sustainable mode of transport, with 3g per tonne/km of carbon emitted
- air freight is the least sustainable, with 435g per tonne/km
environmental impact of seasonal food
- seasonal food may be seen as more sustainable because it grows in the natural environment without the need for heated greenhouses
- only eating seasonal food also results in less imports, and therefore less carbon emissions
- however, the volume of food may not be enough to support a population, especially in winter months when the number of available foods is lower
- some months may have very limited choice, which could lead to health issues such as vitamin deficiency
how does consumerism impact the environment through waste disposal?
- households throw away food and packaging every week, and industries such as construction generate huge amounts of waste
- in the past, most of this was collected and burnt or dumped in a landfill site
- however, we create so much waste that we are running out of space to dump it
- the combustion of waste can release toxic chemicals, leaving waste in a landfill can cause chemicals to leach into the ground, and recycling is expensive
- this creates an issue of how to sustainably dispose of waste
- consumerism negatively affects our waste generation, if more products are bought, more waste will be generated
e-waste
- when broken or unwanted electronics are dumped in landfills, toxic substances like mercury, lead, and cadmium can leach into soil or water
- electronics also contain valuable non-renewable resources, including gold, silver, copper, platinum, aluminium, and cobalt
- this means that when we dispose of them without recycling, we are throwing away precious materials
positive social impacts of e-waste
valuable metals can be extracted and sold
negative social impacts of e-waste
food can become contaminated by toxic chemicals
negative environmental impacts of e-waste
- toxic chemicals and substances run into waterways, polluting them
- the ground and soil can become poisoned, reducing fertility of the area
short term effects of climate change on people and the environment
- extreme weather will become more frequent
- increased global temperatures means warmer summer days and the reduction of precipitation in some areas
- this may lead to more frequent and longer occurrences of drought
- increased global temperatures leads to an increase in sea surface temperatures
- sea surface temperatures must be above 26°C for hurricanes to form
- if temperatures are above 26°C for longer, hurricanes will be stronger and more frequent
- more water will be evaporated from warmer seas
- more evaporation leads to heavier rainfall, which causes flooding
- increased global temperatures leads to melting glacier and ice sheets
- causes sea level to rise
- vulnerable areas along the coast are at a higher risk of flooding
long term effects of climate change on people and the environment
- sea levels will continue to rise past 2100
- low lying areas will be at risk of coastal flooding
- hotter weather and higher levels of CO2 may make growing some crops easier, or even allow us to produce new ones
- however, with more droughts expected, water may not be as easy to access, making it harder for farmers to plan the growing season
- floods, storms, and extreme heat can all cause damage to buildings, disrupt transport, and affect health
- buildings and infrastructure need to be adapted to cope with the new conditions
negative impacts of climate change on the uk
- sea defences will need to be upgraded or replaced, which would be expensive
- species moving north to areas with lower temperatures may upset natural ecosystems, leading to species extinction
- increased evaporation could lead to water shortages
- coastal erosion would increase, leading to cliff collapse, affecting properties
- wildfires could become more common, affecting settlements and destroying habitats
- by the 2080s, over one million properties could be at risk from flash flooding
- roads and railways may need more maintenance with extreme hot temperatures causing tarmac to melt and railways to buckle
positive impacts of climate change on the uk
- managed rivers may be encouraged to revert back to their natural form and new wetlands may be created, boosting wildlife
- a longer growing season could be beneficial for producing some crops, including asparagus, onions, courgettes, wheat, sugar, beet, potatoes, peas and beans
- manufacturing and construction industry will be boosted by need for flood defence construction and new building design features
economic impacts of climate change on tuvalu
- cyclones damage infrastructure
- airport runway is submerged for several months of the year
- main export of dried coconut meat is threatend
- fish patterns are changing, making food supply unpredictable
environmental impacts of climate change on tuvalu
- salt water intrusion kills crops
- increased coastal erosion due to sea level rise
- inundation of low-lying areas
- atolls are shrinking and disappearing
- increased coral bleaching
spatial changes in tuvalu's geographical future
- will shrink significantly
- coral bleaching
- low lying areas flooded
spatial changes in the uk's geographical future
- some coastline will be lost
- low lying areas flooded
temporal changes in tuvalu's geographical future
- change in wet and dry seasons
- more droughts
temporal changes in the uk's geographical future
more flooding and droughts
social changes in tuvalu's geographical future
- environmental refugees
- will be uninhabitable in 50-100 years
- houses and buildings built on stilts
social changes in the uk's geographical future
migration further inland
the role of individuals in adopting new technologies and lifestyle changes
- use 100% renewable energy
- recycle more and consume less
- use energy saving lightbulbs
- insulate your home so you don't have to use your thermostat as much
- reduce meat consumption (animal agriculture is responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions)
- encourage tree planting
- invest in electric cars
the role of governments in adopting new technologies and lifestyle changes
- the uk government has signed up to a number of global protocols (glasgow climate pact, paris agreement)
- the uk government pledged to make the uk carbon neutral by 2050
- diesel vehicles tax and ultra low emission zones
- councils must publish a policy statement on climate change
- invest in building sustainable homes and smart buildings
- invest in carbon capture technologies
- make legislation that protects the environment
arguments in favour of changing lifestyles due to climate change
- many people acknowledge that changes have to be made
- morally good and benefits everyone
- may save people money as they can spend less on heating and electricity
- changing diets can have health benefits
- some people are already plant-based
arguments against changing lifestyles due to climate change
- climate change deniers
- some changes are expensive (electric cars, insulating homes)
- not all technologies are proven yet and some have issues (recycling electric batteries)
- not enough money in government to invest in new technologies
- taxes or fines won't affect those who pollute the most
local responses to climate change
- council can enforce changes in a local area, e.g., ultra low emissions
- councils can plan how to respond, in collaboration with local residents
- individuals can recycle or make lifestyle changes that benefit the environment
- car clubs that offer shared cars
national responses to climate change
- government could subsidise new technologies or offer incentives to switch
- tax on polluting vehicles, or restricting production
- install electric charging points so accessibility is increased
- improve public transport to attract more users
international responses to climate change
- annual COP meeting
- pledge to meet net zero
- paris agreement (signed by nearly all countries)
economic impacts of sanjiang wetlands
- costs around $55 million
- greenhouse farming can earn 40 times the returns of traditional farming
- attracted foreign funds of over $30 million
social impacts of sanjiang wetlands
- aims to improve well-being of local communities in 13 of 23 counties of the sanjiang plan
- people affected were provided with good compensation and resettlement
- financial resources allocated for education, including training programs for educating teachers and students, and increasing participation in and awareness of nature conservation
environmental impacts of sanjiang wetlands
- supports 37 ecosystems, 1,000 plant species, 528 vertebrate fauna species, including 23 threatened species
- 17.95 million hectares of natural wetland protected, accounting for 49.6% of the total area of wetlands
- over 2.7 trillion tons of fresh water protected
negative environmental impacts of tourism in the maldives
- luxury tourism makes heavy demands on fresh water and energy resources and creates high levels of waste
- lack of environmental monitoring during and after construction of resorts, with regulations flouted
- high carbon emissions, most tourists are on medium to long haul flights
- lack of separation of wastes by resorts, undesirable materials leaching into the ocean
how is the maldives managing tourism?
- protected areas designated to ensure the conservation of specific ecosystems, wetlands, mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass beds
- protection and rehabilitation of sea turtles
- regular beach and reef clean up programs
- visitors advised to carry back their own non-biodegradable waste
- each tree that is cut down must be replaced
- 12% of the beach has to be left as open space
- all buildings have to have vegetation between them
- water desalination facilities introduced
- improved rainwater collection facilities combined with groundwater protection
- roof space is utilised for solar panels to create renewable energy to eliminate reliance on diesel powered electricity
- the marine discovery centre is a conservation and education hub
- all resorts are required to have incinerators, bottle crushers and compactors
- some resorts use organic waste as fertiliser
- 3d printing artificial reefs to take the pressure off real reefs
negative environmental impacts of tourism in studland bay
- large amounts of rubbish produced by tourists
- BBQs can cause fires and destroy dunes
- foot traffic erodes beaches and fragile dune ecosystem
- traffic and pollution caused by lots of cars
how is studland bay managing tourism?
- zoning prevents risk of fires
- boardwalks prevent trampling of plants and erosion of dunes
- roping and replanting protects the plants
- litter is collected by the national trust
- education centre to raise awareness of negative environmental impacts of tourism
how to increase sustainability of the global tourist industry
- implement management strategies
- use renewable energy (e.g., solar, wind, tidal)
- encourage less waste
- protect local ecosystems
- offset long haul flights
how can tourism contribute to conservation of habitats?
- while tourism can cause negative environmental impacts, it can be harnessed as a tool to conserve habitats
- multiple schemes exist already, for tourists to travel to countries and help preserve wildlife and habitats
- money earned through tourism can be invested into habitat conservation, as well as into the local community
- awareness of issues can be raised through tourism, increasing the chance of these issues being fixed
ethical tourism
a way of thinking about the consequences of your actions as a tourist on the environment, local people, and local economy
principles of ecotourism
- minimize impact
- build environmental and cultural awareness and respect
- provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts
- provide direct financial benefits for conservation
- provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people
- raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, mental, and social climate
responsible travel
- it is about making better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit
- responsible tourism requires that operators, hoteliers, governments, local people, and tourists take responsibility, take action to make tourism more sustainable
