Environmental Stressors: Population, Atmosphere, and Water Impact
Environmental Stressors
Environmental Stress: Atmosphere, water, oceans, soil, forests, species. Causes: Human population growth, overconsumption, pollution. Environmental Quality Control Concepts: Sustainability, sustainable development, ecological sustainability, ecosystem approach, precautionary principle, environmental stewardship.
Population Growth and Environmental Pressures
Thomas Malthus: Food is necessary for existence but is finite. Exponential reproductive rates affect population growth.
Paul Ehrlich: Population is growing to a point where we won’t be able to feed people.
Population Growth Implications for Recreation
- Benefits: More recreation jobs and leisure opportunities.
- Disadvantages: Hard to manage, green space taken up, higher maintenance.
Is the world facing a crisis of numbers? Once the population gets too big for its “aquarium,” the water will be contaminated, the air won’t have the same quality, and the population will decline as quickly as it grew.
Impact of Technology
Technology allows people to live longer, creating population growth by having a lower death rate rather than a higher birth rate.
Should Population Be Limited?
No, if you can control consumption, you don’t really need to control the growth of population. Educating and motivating is better than penalizing and making more rules.
Earth’s Atmosphere
- Unique
- Provides
- Protects from UV rays
- Regulates temperature
- Transports water
Atmospheric Changes
Climate Change – Greenhouse Gases
Also known as “global warming,” a buildup of human-made gases within the atmosphere causes the sun’s heat to be trapped, which can cause drought, changes in sea level, and habitat loss.
Glacial ice is retreating, the sea has risen about half a foot, Antarctica has risen 3 degrees since 1940, and severe weather is increasing.
Future Effects
Temperature globally could increase 6 degrees, shifting rainfall patterns and causing loss of habitat for some species.
Implications for Recreation
Loss of recreational activities involving winter sports, creation of new activities, and less access to beaches.
Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
The ozone layer is a protective layer that shields us from the sun’s UV rays and is being destroyed by human-made chemicals.
Implications for Recreation
Changes in attitude toward the sun, affect the design of recreation facilities, and decrease the temperature at recreation locations.
Air Quality
- Bad Ozone: When the ozone is closer to ground level (lower atmosphere), it is bad for humans.
- Haze: The visual range is reduced from human-related pollution.
- Smog: Smoke + fog = smog, seen in large metropolitan regions.
Acid Deposition
When emissions of sulfur and nitrogen form acid compounds, it affects:
- Raises the acid levels in the soil.
- Raises acid levels of lakes.
- Higher elevations: strips trees.
Water
Solutions to water shortages: Slowing population growth, conservation, storage.
Water Stressors: Growth of urban centers, industrial activity, chemicals.
Human Water Uses: Instream (fisheries), withdrawal.
Pressure on Water Quality: Municipal use, agriculture, mining.
Instream Uses: Discharging waste, navigation, hydroelectricity.
Water Implication for Recreation
Less water parks, fishing drought, skating rinks.