Resource Depletion and Sustainability

Resources

Water, Minerals, Agriculture, Forests

Renewable and Non-Renewable

Renewable= replaceable/replenishable freshwater, timber

Nonrenewable= nonreplaceable/nonreplenishable

fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas, uranium)

Freshwater

Access to freshwater depends on site and situation

-Canada-20% of world’s fresh water

Freshwater Sources

Surface water= rivers, streams lakes, snowfields, and glaciers

Aquifer= underground water-bearing rock, sand, or gravel

Surface Water vs. Aquifer

Surface Water• Bacteria• Harder to access

Aquifer• Less bacteria• Easier to access• Recharge slowly

Freshwater Issues

Groundwater depletion= aquifers are being over-pumped water table falls

=farmers dig deeper wells

So what? Digging too deep= Arsenic and fluoride

Solutions?

• Water exports• Desalination

Contributors

• Industrial pollution• Urbanization • Agricultural practices

Mineral Resources

Mining= strips natural vegetation, rock, soil

- Left abandoned and pollutants dumped into environment

Agricultural

• Creating farmland= destroying natural habitats• Maintaining farmland= irrigation and fertilization• Farmland Salination= farmlands turn to

wastelands• Practices:– Chemicals: pesticides and herbicides– Genetically Modified Foods (in Canada: corn, canola,

soybeans, squash, potatoes)

Pesticides

Pesticides= poison to kill insectsHerbicides= poison to kill unwanted plants

- Kill harmless insects- Harm farmworks- Seep into nearby streams***phase-out in Canada

Deforestation

-fewer trees= more carbon & poorer air qualityBrazilian Rainforest Case StudyRainforest exploitation= farming, cattle

ranching, mining, lumbering- Subsistence farming= farmers given rainforest

to develop unsuccessfulDeforestation= dry, arid wastelands- flooding, clogged reservoirs

Deforestation

Canada’s Forests¼ of world’s temperate, deciduous coastal forest1/3 of the world’s boreal coniferous forestAlmost all of the world’s old growth pine- Forest fires, industrial development, loggingEnvironmental stewardship= effective

management of resources, sustainable practices

Government Response

• governments helping to clean-up and protect environment

• Canada- national, provincial, regional laws

SO WHAT??