geog lecture 10

Introduction

• Acknowledgements of traditional lands and stewards.

• Recording of the session.

Course Updates

• Midterm Exam Feedback: Expected by Friday.

• Second Essay: Due in less than four weeks, details discussed.

• Feedback on First Essay: General remarks on performance, average score was 78%. Emphasis on reflective voice for both essays.

Essay Guidance

• Reflective Voice: Use personal pronouns (I, me) to discuss experiences and learning.

• Concept Deployment: Actively define and employ concepts from the course in essays.

• Difference Between Summary and Reflection: Focus on personal learning, not mere summarization of class content.

Second Essay Instructions

• Prompt: Discuss claim about geographical perspectives providing understanding of differences across peoples and places.

• Structure Options: Flexibility in how to present reflections and case studies.

• Word Limit: Aim for 1,500 words (± 50 can be acceptable), less than 1,000 words indicates underdevelopment.

• Topics of Difference: Economic, social, environmental, cultural differences.

  • Examples include:

    • Economic: Global inequality, food insecurity

    • Social: Homelessness, health disparities

    • Environmental: Climate change impacts

    • Cultural: Language and religious practices

• Essay Weight: Constitutes 20% of total marks.

Tutorial Updates

• Upcoming Tutorial: Introduction to "This Changes Everything" video by Naomi Klein.

• Discussion Questions for Video:

  • Key thoughts or ideas?

  • Main story/narrative in the video?

  • Possibility to change climate narrative?

  • Insights on human dependence on the environment?

  • Discussion on the Anthropocene concept?

Learning Outcomes

• Understand human dependence and impact on the environment.

• Discuss concepts of ecosystems, energy, technology, resources, and sustainability.

• Outline different energy sources and their characteristics.

• Discuss history and present environmental concerns.

Human-Environment Interaction

• Changes in environment observed across various phenomena (temperature changes, climatic events).

• Evidence of rapid environmental changes linked to human impacts.

• Human dependence on the environment is compromised by environmental degradation.

Planetary Boundaries and Anthropocene

• Planetary Boundaries: Framework to understand human impact on Earth systems (as of 2023, six out of nine boundaries have been transgressed).

• Anthropocene Era: Designates significant human impact that can be geologically observed. Acknowledgement of debates on the era's start (1945, 1640, or 12,000 years ago).

• Debate on Terminology: Discussion of "Anthropocene" vs "Capitalocene" to describe current environmental challenges.

Pathways of Human Environmental Change

• Small repeated changes in rural areas can accumulate significant impacts.

• Technology, especially related to energy demands, significantly shapes environmental changes.

• Lifestyles influenced by technological advances also affect resource consumption.

• Increased human population leads to heightened resource demands.

• Interconnectedness leads to global environmental impacts from localized actions.

Resource Management

• Differentiation of resources (renewable, nonrenewable).

• Importance of sustainable management practices to ensure resource availability.

• Consumption levels among wealthy and impoverished populations, highlighting disparities in resource use.

• Application of Kaya Identity to understand emissions and impacts on the environment based on population, income, and technology.

Conclusion

• Final Thoughts: Emphasis on the need to balance development and sustainability concerning environmental health.

• Suggested homework to explore characteristics and impacts of renewable energy types.