SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE FUTURE After studying this chapter, you should be able to: Explain why the balance of nature was altered only recently Relate how humans were able to control nature Enumerate the consequences of controlling nature Comprehend the pressure on the environment, resulting from rapid increase population Understand the problem of uneven distribution of wealth Distinguish the problem of solutions offered to problem impacts in the world 5.1 THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION Scientists have estimated that the Earth is more than four billion years old, and it will continue to exist for around the same period of time Life on Earth as we know it today came into being around three billion years ago Based on fossils found around the world, human beings have inhabited the Earth for more than two million years All this time, nature and life on Earth lived in equilibrium There was no major disturbance which could alter the balance of nature This was true up to around 2000 years ago At around that time, people began to disturb the environment in such a manner as to effect the global environment The rampant and reckless cuttings of trees in virgin forests have resulted in soil erosion, flooding, expansion of deserts, and destruction of lakes Overexploitation of other natural resources, like fish and other aquatic resources, has resulted in alarming decrease of catch worldwide Too much use of fossil fuels, like oil and other minerals, has depleted these natural resources to much an extent that the supply may not last for another one hundred years It takes millions of years to form oil from the fossils of plants The industrial revolution has produced all kinds of hazardous materials that harmed the environmentpollution of the air, water, land, and the atmosphere Many of these hazardous substances are also toxic to humans as well as to other animals To be fair to those concerned, all these were the unwanted effects of a desire to improve the quality of life - a very noble intention In fact, as direct consequences of scientific breakthroughs in many fields of human endeavor, people have in many ways succeeded in this worthy ambition People were, to a certain extent, able to control nature By applying what they have discovered about the laws of nature, they were able to conquer darkness though electric bulbs and fluorescent lamps, hot weather conditions through electric fans and air conditioners, and cold weather through heaters Through modern medicines and sanitation, they were able to control the spread of diseases; through modern agriculture, they were able to produce more food containing better nutrients The overall result of better living conditions, better sanitation, and better nutrition includes rise in life expectancy and low infant mortality The net effect is rapid increase in population Insightfulness The luxurious life-style of the rich and famous contributes to environmental degradation According to the United Nations Statistical Yearbook (1988), the doubling of the population between 1950 and 1986 was accompanied by grain consumption of 2.6 times, energy use of 3.7 fold, and quadruple economic output and sevenfold increase in the production of manufactured goods All these were accompanied by more than ninefold increase in water, air, and land pollution Insightfulness Most developed countries have zero or very, very low population growth rate But the irony is, situation differ from region to region and country to country Because of the wide gap between the rich and the poor nations, the benefits of these increases not apply equally among people of the world For instance, despite overall rise in food production in the world, nearly a billion people (1/5 of the world’s population) not consume enough calories for an active working life And because of less scientific agricultural practices combined with a high population growth, the grain production per person is declining in Africa, India, and Latin America In the less-developed countries, it is estimated that only half of the people have access to safe drinking water Because of this, around 10 million people worldwide die due to water-borne diseases In the industrialized countries, agriculture and industry are rapidly using up groundwater Deforestation in many areas aggravates the situation It prevents the staring of groundwater The main sources of energy in the world are fossil fuels (oil and charcoal) and natural gas At the beginning of their use, many people thought that the supply is practically inexhaustible But since Would War II, energy consumption has increased more than four times Scientists have since then changed their predictions They now predict that oil reserves will be used up in less than 50 years, and natural gas by around 60 years Since the introduction of polluting materials by humans, the quality of air, soil, and water has deteriorated Humans, animals, and plants have been affected Toxic pollutants cause many kinds of illnesses in humans and animals Oxides of nitrogen and sulfur, the ozone, and other pollutants are causing acid rain that lower crop yield and damage millions of hectares of forests, especially among the industrialized countries Increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide is casing the so-called greenhouse effect This is predicted to alter the earth’s climate and raise ocean levels, with disastrous consequences to coastal towns and cities Most of the time, nature is friendly It seldom shows its fury When it does, it is uncontrollable Table 5.1: Global problem impacts and problem causes Problem causes Problem Impacts UnsustainUnsustainPoverty Unsustain- Unsustainable able and able food able population industrial Inequality production energy use growth production Unmet basic human needs for safe water, food, shelter, health care, education, employment, etc ■ ■ ☼ ► ► Species depletion (extinction of plants and animals, habitat degradation) ■ ■ ♣ ☼ ☼ Land degradation: soil erosion, desertification, loss of fertility ■ ♣ ■ ♣ ► Depletion of nonrenewable energy and minerals ♣ ► ♣ ■ ♣ Depletion of fresh water (groundwater and surface water) ♣ ► ■ ► ♣ Water pollution: chemical and bacterial contamination of groundwater and surface water ♣ ☼ ♣ ☼ ■ Air pollution: urban air pollution, acid deposition, ozone layer depletion, greenhouse gas buildup ♣ ☼ ☼ ■ ■ Conflict and war: domestic and international ♣ ♣ ☼ ☼ ☼ Source: W Lorson, ed., The Global Ecology handbook, 1990 ■: Very important cause ♣: Moderately important cause ☼: Less important but insignificant cause ►: Unimportant or insignificant cause It can be seen from above table that unsustainable population growth is a very important cause of three problem impacts and a moderately important cause for the five other problem impacts It is very difficult to meet the basic human needs for food, safe water, shelter, health care, education, and others by too rapid increase in population without straining the environment And an unrestrained exploitation of our natural resource results in the loss of virgin forests and soil fertility, soil erosion of deserts These in turn deprive many animals and plants of their natural habitat Extinction of many animal and plant species is a direct consequence In order to support an ever - increasing population, more and more factories must be put up Industry must be expanded and of course pollution follows, the consequences of which are already enumerated above The probability of conflict between ethnic groups and nations is increased with unsustainable population growth They may fight over needs resources, like oil and water Or, they may fight for territories needed by their increasing number The resulting misery and human sufferings brought about by war are too well known The possibility of poverty and unequal distribution of wealth becomes greater with unsustained population growth Food production may not be able to keep up with the increase in the number of consumers Geographically, the earth is divided into nations with varying resources and with varying population densities and varying degrees of industrialization In short, some countries are wealthier than others And even in the same country, the structure of society varies; there is a very wide gap between the rich and the poor Cutting more trees and over fishing in order to survive are likely examples of this Guide questions Explain the main reasons why humans drastically alter the global environment Explain some of the consequences of altering the balance of nature Enumerate more beneficial effects of humankind’s being able to control nature Why is the increase in food consumption, energy use, and economic output much greater than the increase in population? Cite policies by some governments around the world to address the problem of inequality of life among peoples of the world 5.2 SUISTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT The past 20 years have seen a growing realisation that the current model of development is unsustainable In other words we are living beyond our means From the loss of biodiversity with the felling of rainforests or over fishing to the negative effect our consumption patterns are having on the environment and the climate Our way of life is placing an increasing burden on the planet - this cannot be sustained The increasing stress we put on resources and environmental systems such as water, land and air cannot go on for ever Especially as the world's population continues to increase and we already see a world where over a billion people live on less than a dollar a day, more than 800 million are malnourished, and over two and a half billion lack access to adequate sanitation Some people started realizing the development and environmental protection are inequality; such as: - Successful economic development and environmental protection go hand in You cannot - have one without the other (Former U S President George Bush) Achieving sustainable economic growth will require the remodeling of agriculture, energy - use, and industrial production after nature’s example (JessicaTuckma Mathews, World Resource Institute) Our global future depends upon sustainable development It depends upon our willingness and ability to duplicate our intelligence, ingenuity, and adaptability - and our energy - to our common future This is a choice we can make (the Report of the world commission on environment and development) Some countries are more developed than others in terms of agriculture, industry, education, health services, and other aspects of development Most of the countries in Western Europe are more developed than those of Eastern Europe Similarly, the countries in North America are more developed than those of Central and South America Likewise most countries in Africa are less developed Some countries in Asia like Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore are more developed than others like the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India and Vietnam The People’s standard of living also varies from one country to another Needless to say, those from the developed countries, on the average, have higher standard of living Some researches show that the less developed countries, as measured by their per capita income, have higher birth rates, lower life expectancy, poorer dwellings, lower birth weights, lower literacy, less number of doctor and nurses per unit population, and consume less energy and fewer calories A widely-used and accepted international definition of sustainable development is “development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” This means development without permanent damage to the ecological system Sustainable development means using the natural resources only to a certain extent so that they will be able to recover It further means that population should either be help to a minimum or be stopped altogether This is the same as saying that sustainable development must not endanger the atmosphere, water, soil, and ecosystem that support life on earth Moreover, sustainable development requires societies to meet human needs by increasing productive potential and by ensuing equitable economic, social, and political opportunities for all To accomplish such an objective might curtail some kind of upheaval in some societies around the world Instance, in a country where the economy and the means of production are controlled by a few rich families, where the middle class in weak and a great majority of the people are poor, a restructuring of society might be needed In order that the definition of sustainable development is fully understood and the proposed solutions to the problem impacts, as mentioned earlier, be adequately addressed Some solutions for achieving sustainable development as Reducing poverty: Reducing poverty implies better health, better nutrition, longer life expectancy, and improved literacy Reducing inequalities suggests better employment prospects and broadening of opportunities for those who have less in life These are important sollutions to the problems of basic human needs and habitat degradation Making agriculture: Making agriculture sustainable requires drastic reduction in soil erosion, maintenance of arable lands, and a drastic decrease in harmful farming practices like the use of toxic chemicals Systems for reducing soil erosion should be devised There should be strict policy in the conversion of arable lands into roads and subdivisions, and for industrial development Maintaining soil fertility though intercropping and the trees and the use of nontoxic fertilizers will go a long way toward solving the problem of pollution Forest protection: Forest protection is not easy for a country where there are so many poor people They need the trees and the land for survival Government must have a viable program for reforestation Success in this degradation will effectively reduce freshwater depletion, slow down land degradation, and prevent periodic flooding Wise use of energy: Wise use of energy includes changing the life style of well-to-do people like using smaller car, less use of air conditioners, and less light in the homes It also includes energy saving measures from the government: regulating speed limits, requiring the installation of energy saving devices in offices, and developing more renewable energy source like hydro electronic power plants The net effect of the measures would be energy conservation and less pollution Supply of fresh water: The supply of fresh water in the world is critical With very high demand from industry and people, aggravated by deforestation, the supply has greatly diminished In addition, because of pollution, the quality of the water has deteriorated The need to conserve fresh water is of utmost importance to support a growing population and to provide irrigation to agricultural crops GLOSSARY Abiotic factor: Nonliving components of the ecosystem including physical and chemical factors such as pH of soil, temperature, and relative humidity Acid precipitation: Rain or snow that has lower pH than precipitation from unpolluted skies Acid rain: Moisture in the atmosphere which has been contaminated by oxides of sulfur and nitrogen Active solar: Process of capturing and storing energy from the sun though solar panels Adaptation: Ability of an organism to adjust to the constantly changing conditions of the environment Advanced industrial society: Post - World War II industrial society characterized by great rise in production and consumption and increase energy demand Agricultural period: Period when people that lived in towns or villages rely on domestic animals and fields Algae bloom: Very rapid growth of algae in surface waters due to increase in inorganic nutrients, especially phosphorus and nitrogen Alien species: (Also called foreign species) Species introduced in new habitats Aquifer: Groundwater for human use Asthma: Lung disorder characterized by the constriction and mucus production and deposition in the bronchioles Atmosphere of the Earth: Layer of air surrounding the Earth Autotroph: Organism that is self-nourishing; one that can produce its own food Bacteria: Group of single-celled organisms responsible for functions like that decay of organic materials and nutrient recycling Biodegradable: Object that can be acted upon by microorganisms, like bacteria and fungi Biogas: Gas produced by the decay of organic matter, especially manure and crop residues Biological control: Use of natural parasites, predators, bacteria, and others to control pests Biological magnification: Accumulation or increase of chemical substances on organisms in succeeding higher trophic levels Biological oxygen demand (BOD): Measure of the depletion of oxygen in water due to bacteria decay Biomass: Amount of organic materials in plants or animals from which energy can be derived Biomass pyramid: Amount of organic materials available at each trophic level Biome: Large geographical area with characteristic life forms; a stable community Biosphere: Portion of the earth and its environment within which life in any of its form is manifested Biotic factor: Living component of the ecosystem which includes plants, animals, and bacteria Biotic potential: Reproductive capacity of the living components of the ecosystem Birthrate: Average number of living births per year per 1000 inhabitants in the certain place Bottom - up approach: Change in attitudes and values which can influence a change in life - style in order to solve environmental problems Cancer: Uncontrolled growth of body cells Canopy: Uppermost leafy covering of the forest Carbon cycle: Cycling of carbon between organisms and the environment Carcinogen: Chemical that causes cancer Catalyst: Substance that accelerates reaction of chemicals Cell: Basic unit of life Chlorophyll: Green pigment in plants involved in the process of photosynthesis Clear cutting: Removal of all trees in an area like a forest Climate: Average weather condition Climax community: Mature and stable community Cogeneration: Production of two and more forms of useful energy from one process Community: Population of plants, animal, and microorganisms living and interacting in a given locality Composting: Process of decaying plants and animals, and other organic matter in the presence of air to obtain humus Coniferous biome: Forest abundant in cone - bearing trees, called conifers, which have needlelike leaves Conservation: Process of reducing the use of resources through recycling, decreased demand, and increased efficiency use Consumer: Organism that feeds on other organisms Crop rotation: Alternating crops in the fields Curie: Unit of radioactivity equivalent to 3.70×1010 disintegration per second of any radioactive nuclides DDT: Organochlorine insecticide used to control pets It is now banned due to its harmful effects in the environment Death rate: Average number of deaths per year 1000 population in the certain place Deciduous forest: Forest consisting of plants that shed off their leaves annually Decomposer (also known as microconsumer): Organism which breaks down nonliving organic material; example are bacteria and fungi Deforestation: Destruction of forest Denitrifying bacteria: Bacteria that convert nitrates into nitrogen gas Desert: Type of biome characterized by low humidity, high temperature, and plants, and animals adapted to lack of water Desertification: Formation of deserts in arid and semi - arid regions due to change in climate and overgrazing Detritus: Any organic waste from plants and animals Dinoflagellate: Small organism floating near the surface of the ocean that cause red tides Diversity: Number of different species in an ecosystem Dominants: Most numerous organisms in a community; they are usually the plants Ecological habitat: Place where the organisms live in the ecosystem Ecological niche: Specific function performed by an organism Ecology: Division of biology that treats the relation between organisms and their environment Ecosystem: Interaction between an organism and its environment Ecosystem stability: State of balance or equilibrium in an ecosystem Ecotone: Community of transition zone between two adjacent communities Endangered species: Organism that is in danger of becoming extinct Energy: Capacity to work: Environment: Sun of all external forces and conditions acting on an organism or a community of organisms Eutrophication: Accumulation of nutrients in a lake or pond due to human intervention or nature causes Exclusion principle: Idea that no two species can occupy exactly the same niche Fecundity: Ability of the population to bear children Fission: splitting of heavy nuclei when struck by neutrons or other subatomic particles Fluorocarbon: Organic molecule consisting of chlorine and fluorine covalently bonded to carbon Food chain: Energy pathway which proceeds from the producer to the consumer Food web: Series of interrelated food chains in an ecosystem Fossil fuel: that which is composed of coal, gas, and soil which are derived from the decomposition of dead organisms after along time Frontier mentality: Kind of attitude among people to effects that the environment can be abused and misused Fusion: See nuclear fusion Geothermal energy: Energy derived from magma Grassland biome: Community where grass is abundant while trees are scarce and where mostly herbivores and rodents dwell Greenhouse effect: Rising of the average global temperature caused by the accumulation of the carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere These gases trap radiant heat and prevent its escape into space Groundwater: Water below the earth’s surface Habitat: Place where the organism lives Halophyte: Plant that grows in saline or salty environment, like seaweeds and algae Hazardous substance: Substance that poses a threat to human heath and the environment Herbivore: Organisms that feeds directly on plants Hetertrop: Organisms that feeds on others and cannot manufacture its own food Humus: Material which consist of decaying matter and inorganic substances that result from the decomposition of dead plants and animal Hydroelectric power: Power produced in turbines powered by running water Hydrophytes: Plant that grows in water and permanently water - logged soil Insecticide: From of pesticide used to control insect population Life expectancy: Average age at which a person is calculated to live Limnetic zone: Open water zone of lakes through which sunlight penetrates Littoral zone: Shallow waters along a lakeshore where rooted vegetation grows Magma: Molten rock beneath the earth’s crust Maximum temperature: Highest limit of temperature by which an organism can still function Mesophyte: plant of grows in moderate conditions between the environmental extremes Microconsumer: Bacterium of fungus that carries out decomposition Minimum temperature: Lower limit of temperature by which an organism can still function or survive Mutation: Any damage done to the DNA or chromosomes Natural gas: Fuel containing about 50 to 90 percent methane Niche: Place where organisms live Nitrate: Inorganic anion containing three oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom Nitrite: Inorganic anion containing two oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom Nitrogen cycle: Cycling of nitrogen between the organisms and the environment Noise pollution: Unwanted sound that have harmful effects on the body Nuclear fission: Splitting of an atomic nucleus when struck by neutrons Nuclear fusion: Joining of two small atomic nuclei to from a new and large nucleus Nuclear power: Energy derived from nuclear fission or fusion Oil: See petroleum Oil shale: Sedimentary rock which is finely grained and contains an inorganic substance called kerogen Omnivore: Organism that consumes both plants animals Optimum temperature: Temperature at which the organism can function best Ozone: Molecule that contains three molecules of oxygen found in the atmosphere and which screens ultraviolet rays Ozone layer (or the ozonosphere): Thin layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere which absorbs ultraviolet light and converts it to infrared radiation Paralytic shellfish poisoning: Effect to red tide poisoning Particulate radiation: That which consists of parts of atoms that are radiated either by natural radioactive disintegration or by artificial means like the explosion of atomic bombs Passive solar: Capture and retention of the sun’s energy within a building though windows and some from of heat storage in the building pH: Measure of the acidity on a scale of to 14 Photosynthesis: Process of manufacturing food by green plants in the presence of sunlight Physiological drought: The result when the roots of plants become les permeable at low temperatures Pioneer community: First group of organisms that becomes established in an environment that was not previously occupied by any life form Pollution: That which occurs when there is a change in the physical, chemical, or biological conditions in the environment which harmfully effects the quality of life, including effects on other animals and plants Population: Group of organisms that belong to the same species and can interbreed freely Population growth rate: Natural increase in population represented by the different between birth and death rates Predator: Organism that kills and eats another organism Prey: Organism that is killed and eaten by a predator Primary consumer: First organisms that eats the plants in the tropic level Primary succession: Development of communities where no organisms previously existed Principle of least effort: phenomenon when the population of the herbivores increases Producer (autotroph): Green plant or organism that, performs photosynthesis Profundal zone: Deeper part of the lake water into which sunlight does not penetrate Pyramid of energy: Representation of the organic content in each trophic level Radiation dose absorbed in the human or animal tissue equivalent to 100 grs/gram of tissue Reactor core: That which consists of fuel rods in a reactor vessel Recycling: Processing of material into new products that may or may not resemble the original material Red tide: Phenomenon that occurs when the population of the dinoflagellates increases tremendously Relative humidity: Amount of moisture in a give quantity of air divided by the amount the air could hold at that temperature Rem (or roentgen equivalent man): dose from any radiation that produces biological effects in man equivalent to one rad or X ray Resilience: Ability of an organism to return to its normal state after a disturbance Roentgen unit(R): Quantity of radiation(gamma or X ray) that will produce electrostatic unit of positive or negative electricity in 1cm3 of air at normal temperature and pressure Secondary consumer: Organism that belongs to the third trophic level in a food chain Secondary succession: Sequential development of biotic communities occurring after the complete or partial destruction of an existing community Sediment: Soil particles, sand, and other mineral mater eroded from land and carried to surface waters Shale oil Thick heavy oil formed when shale is heated Slash-and-burn agriculture: Practice in farming in which the forests are cleared by cutting and burning Sludge: Solid organic material produced during sewage treatment Solar aqua cell Waste water treatment, using solar heat Solar collector Derived from the sun and natural phenomena driven by the sun Species: Kind of organism Species diversity: Different kinds of plants and animals in a community Succession: Natural replacement of one community by another community Sustainable ethics: Set of views in which man and nature are one and that the earth’s resources are limited Taiga: Biome found south of North America, Asia, and Europe and characterized by coniferous forests Temperate deciduous forest: Biome characterized by deciduous tress and abundant rainfall Teratogen: Agent or chemical that causes birth defects Top-down approach: Approach in solving environmental problems which involves the creation of laws and regulations that will regulate behavior Toxic substance: substance poisonous to human beings and animals Transpiration: Evaporation of water from the leaves Trophic level: Position occupied by lack of trees and low temperature Weathering: Process of breaking down rocks into small particles Wetland: Land area along freshwater and salt water Xerophytes: Plant that grows in dry or arid conditions METRIC UNIT CONVERSION TABLES THE METRIC SYSTEM Standard metric Units Units Standard unit of mass Gram g Standard unit of length Meter m Standard unit of volume Liter l Common Prefix Unit Abbreviations Examples Kilo 1,000 A kilogam is 1,000 grams Centi 0.01 A centimeter is 0.01 meter Milli 0.001 A milliter is 0.001 liter Micro (µ) One-millionth A micrometer is0.000001 (onemillionth) of a meter Nano (n) One-billionth A nanogram is10-9 (onebillionth) of a gram Pico (p) One-trillionth A pictogram is10-12 (onebillionth) of a gram UNITS OF LENGTH Unit Abbreviations Equivalent Meter m Approximately 39 in Centimeter cm 10-2m Millimeter mm 10-3m Micrometer µm 10-6m Nanometer nm 10-9m Angstrom Ǻ 10-10m Length conversions ... There should be strict policy in the conversion of arable lands into roads and subdivisions, and for industrial development Maintaining soil fertility though intercropping and the trees and the. .. countries are wealthier than others And even in the same country, the structure of society varies; there is a very wide gap between the rich and the poor Cutting more trees and over fishing in order... realizing the development and environmental protection are inequality; such as: - Successful economic development and environmental protection go hand in You cannot - have one without the other (Former