Human Geo. - Unit 4 Test Concepts

Fossil Fuel Use

in history coal was primary fuel source, but that went to electricity & gas engines - 60% of electricity today is from gas or coal-generated power

Common Feature of Alternative Fuel Sources

uses natural existing force to absorb heat or push a turbine

Energy Consumption Trends

the ecological footprint for gas and electricity is highest amongst developed nations, for example the U.S. consumes 22% of global energy market

Variables that go into Ecological Footprint Calculation

food production, housing, transportation, consumption of energy/goods

Connection of Natural Resources & Industry

local economy develops industries based on close proximity to abundant natural resources (ex. iron & coal resources: steel manufacturing)

Meaning of Cost v. Benefits in Resource Use

costs are impacts like labor to extract resources or depletion of a resource; benefits are positive outcomes like new technologies or economic growth

Types of Agricultural Land Use

land use varies based on region and development, can vary between horticulture (produce), agronomy (crops), and livestock (meats)

Types of Agricultural Zones in the VTM

nearest the city is horticulture, then a ring of forestry & fuel production, then crops, and finally livestock

Reasons For Locations in the VTM

certain products need more land, certain products need to be closer to market, valuable land is near the city because it limits the transportation cost

Problems or Limits of the VTM

his theories were from the early 1800s so they were before industrialization, assumes consistency of the land and labor, assumes we don't import much from other places

Benefit of the VTM

emphasizes relationship of production to market and the inverse relationship of transportation costs and profits (one goes up, the other goes down)

Arrangement of Smaller Towns in CPT

the hexagons for the smaller towns are just beyond the immediate range of the larger city, can be anywhere from 30 miles to 60 miles depending on the area

Importance of Range in CPT

some items make more sense to travel into a regional small town but other items are specialties that are still within range to drive into the large city

Importance of Threshold in CPT

cities with a larger threshold will have more types of businesses to provide goods and services, but will also have more competition with other businesses

Benefit of the CPT

practical in the 21st century, goes beyond agriculture into businesses and residences, shows the pattern of development of regions considering range of travel

5 Categories of Land Use Challenges

agriculture, energy, urbanization, land/air issues, water issues

Sustainable Development: Agriculture

challenges for global food needs, investment in precision agriculture and new generations of farmers

Sustainable Development: Urbanization

challenges for increased resource needs, conversion of land must be focused on long term and not make sacrifices for immediate profits

Sustainable Development: Land/Air Issues

challenges for soil degradation and emission pollution, incentivize the largest companies and organizations to find a middle-ground and hold "bad actors" accountable

Population Trends as Reported by United Nations

most populated cities will be located in Africa and Asia (not Europe & Latin America), 80-90% of humans will be urban dwellers, nearly half of all children will be African

Environmental Trends of 3 Exploding Cities

greatly reduced watersheds and natural habitat, degradation of land from rapid increase of makeshift dwellings

Main Source of Emissions

personal vehicles in aggregate do not have as much impact as the sources of energy plants and manufacturing facilities

Science Behind Global Warming Theory

many scientists say increased CO2 traps surface heat in lower atmosphere and alters typical climate conditions

Skeptics of Global Warming Theory

some scientists say CO2 is not an abundant gas in the atmosphere or has a cycle it goes in (correlation, but not causation)

Key Examples of Chemical Pollutants

pesticides sprayed, mercury pollution in fish, extreme examples like Agent Orange

Dioxins in the Blood Stream

absorbed through consumption of plants & animals exposed to chemicals, incinerated waste, microplastics in water & food sources

The Prevalence of PFAs

exposure to chemicals that stay in the blood stream means almost everyone has trace amounts in them (97%)

Issues with Recycling Plastics

not all plastic objects are accepted to be reused, many trash companies or cities only take 2 of the 7 types

Myths of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

its not a trash island - its scattered debris, its not the only garbage patch - most ocean gyres have currents that cycle garbage, its not a small collection - its 2x the size of Texas

Microplastic Consumption

plastics are non-biodegradeable so they will just break or dissolve into smaller parts, studies show the average human consumes 50 credit cards of microplastics each year