Environment and TechnologyChapter 33 Section 4

1. Protecting the Environmenta. Resource Use

i. As population has increased, industrialization and development have placed great strain on the world’s resources and environment.

ii. Sustainable development is one way a country or person can help ease this strain.

1. Sustainable development is economic development that does not permanently damage resources.

2. People try to balance the need for development with protection of the environment.

a. Examples:i. Limiting the use of resourcesii. Set aside areas where no development is allowed.

iii. In other parts of the world the environment receives little protection.1. Example:

a. Africa, Asia and Latin America deforestation is taking place at a rapid rate.i. Deforestation is the clearing of trees

b. Result of deforestation is that some species of animals and plants that leave in the forest have become extinct.

c. Desertification is also a problem in places like West Africa.i. Desertification is the spread of desert-like land

conditions.

b. Pollutioni. Human beings have always polluted their

environment, but this has not been a big issue until the Industrial Revolution.

ii. Countries around the world find it hard to agree on how best to fight pollution.

1. Debate on Global Warminga. Defined: Global warming is the rise of

surface temperature of the earth over time.

b. Scientist agree the earth’s temperature has risen but disagree over the cause.

c. Although some countries have put laws in place to address this issue, many nations do not have strict pollution controls in place.

d. Even when environmental laws are in place, pollution and toxic waste can be released because of accidents at industrial facilities.

2. Science and Technology

a. Space Explorationi. Some of the greatest discoveries and

scientific advances have come from space exploration.

1. New information about the origins and development of stars, galaxies and planets.

2. helping scientists understanding climate change on the earth.

ii. It has also lead to the development of technologies that are widely used today.1. Scratch-resistant eyeglass lenses2. Farther flying golf balls

b. Information Agei. The exchange of information is such an

important part of modern life that some people say we are living in the Information Age.

ii. Types of Communication1. Personal computers and internet2. Educational institutions.3. Cell phones

iii. Not all areas of the world have joined the Information Age.1. Digital divide define: is the difference in

access to the Internet and other information and communications technologies.

2. This is an obstacle that many are trying to overcome.

c. Medicine and Genetic Engineering i. Developments in genetics.

1. Biotechnology: the use of biological research in industry.

a. Some biotechnology companies manufacture vaccines to treat diseases.

b. It has also lead to the development of genetic engineering.

i. Genetic engineering is altering the genetic makeup of a plant or animal.

2. Green Revolutiona. Definition: is an ongoing attempt by

agricultural scientists to increase the world’s food production by developing new types of wheat, rice, and other food crops.

i. Advocates believe that genetically modified crops can reduce pesticide use and bring higher profits for farmers.

ii. Others are concerned about the crops’ unknown effects on humans and the environment as well as possible reduction of genetic diversity.

3. Cloninga. Defined: is the process of creating

identical organism from a cell of an original organism.