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Enviroment and society
environment
76
Geology
Undergraduate 1
12/14/2011

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Cards

Term
Potato famine in ireland. Cause?
Definition
the lumper, the country was too dependent on not only one crop but one variety causing. Victim of a potato blight that destroyed crops 1845,47,48
Term
Potato famine in ireland. Impacts?
Definition
1 million irish diead and thousands ill
Term
Potato famine in ireland. Main lesson?
Definition
the lumper provides evidence of the importance of diversity
Term
How did the russet potato become the dominant in the U.S.?
Definition
it is ideal for making french fries
Term
Why is the Russet potato difficult to cultivate?
Definition
Not easy to grow bc it requires increasing amount of inputs including pesticides, fertilizer, water and energy. Generating high economic social and environmental cost
Term
What is biotechnolgy andy why is it controversial- what are some of the problems with genetically modified crops?
Definition

Genetically modified crop; 

-Farmers are then forced to buy new seeds each year, rather than plantingthose produced by the new crop.


-Farmers therefore keep paying to use the seeds, patent holders keep making money, and the small farmers who cannot afford the patented seeds have more difficulty competing

Term
Describe the Monsanto and seed saving situation.
Definition
Subsidizes certain commodity crops, famers are paid to grow. Farmers sell crops at artifically low prices+still make profit. Food companies use to make processes food
Term
What is the purpose of U.S. farm bill?
Definition
Subsidizes certain commodity crops, famers are paid to grow. Farmers sell crops at artifically low prices+still make profit. Food companies use to make processes food
Term
What are some of the impacts of the farm bill?
Definition
these commodities are everything, corn is processed food and animal feed, drives down the price of food with these commodities
Term
What are the environmental impacts of idustrial agriculture?
Definition
reguires lots of water and chemical input like pesticides and fertilizer and run offs could cause dead zones
-Corn is dispensed in feedlots, so cows are in close proximity to one another
- breeds problems with Ecoli. Grass-fed animals have less problem with
Ecoli.
-Corn-fed cows emit more methane gas than grass-fed cows, and therefore
contribute more to climate change.
Term
who suffers most from the health impacts of industriall produced food any why?
Definition
Those who cannot afford healthier food
Term
What are the health impacts of industraill produced food like corn?
Definition
obesity, diabetes, heart disease
Term
How are workers affected by industrial agriculture?
Definition
-exposed to pesticides
-illegal immigrants=little power to demand change
-free trade agreement destroyed corn economy and forces workers to move to u.s. from mexico
Term
What are some alt. to industrial agriculture?
Definition
-sustainable agricultre
-organic agriculture
-community agriculture
Term
Can organic agriculture feed the world?
Definition
Yes, it produce 3x more food than conventional
Term
environmental benefits of organic agr.?
Definition
-25% less energy
-reduces carbon emissions
-relies on saved seeds so poor nations can always produce food
Term
What can be done to shift industrial production of food to sustainable agriculture?
Definition
gov. regulate/give proft to organic agr., communities agreen on community agr.
Term
domestication
Definition
to change a plant or animal from its wild characterics to better fit human needs
Term
genetically modified crops
Definition
have had foreign genes instered into their genetic code
Term
NAFTA
Definition
North American Free Trade Agreement
(between U.S., Mexico, Canada)
Term
Sustainable agriculture
Definition
agricultural practices based on ecological principles
Term
Organic agriculture
Definition
agriculture that excludes chemical input(fertilizer+pesticides) relying on crop rotation etc to maintain nutrients in the soil and control pest
Term
Community Supported Agriculture
Definition
locally produced-growers + consumers share the benefits and risk of food production
Term
Is freshwater scarce?
Definition
Yes, only 3% of earth's water is fresh (2.99 galicers)
Term
Whay did companies like Coca Cola decide to market and sell bottled water?
Definition
-$46 billion industry
-cost more than gas
-cheap to produce
Term
What are the main sources of bottle water?
Definition
75% underground sources
25% municipal tap sources
Term
Is bottoled water better for you than tap?
Definition
No, most bottled water is packaged tap water, tap water has stricter regulations and plastic poses health threats
Term
Tap what is regulated under? bottled?
Definition
EPA-environmental protection agency
FDA- food+drug adm.-bottled
Term
What are the social impacts of bottled water?
Definition
tap water is percieved hazardous-false commodity!
Term
What are environmental impacts of bottled water?
Definition
-1.5 million tons of plastic used
-plastic production burns barrels of oil
-75-90% aren't recycled
-harmful chemicals in water lead to marine/human health issues
Term
What are the 3 scarcity associated with freshwater resources?
Definition
1.hydrological scarcity
2.techno-economic scarcity
3.perceptual scarcity
Term
Define desalinization and describe drawbacks?
Definition
procesing of water to remove salt and other minerals
drawbacks-expensive, energy intense, cost 3x more for consumers
Term
How would a political economy approach perceive the case of bottled water?
Definition
around the world a common prop., recently privatized(False commodity!), capitalist "manufactured demand"
Term
Within a political economy approach how is water an example of primitive accumulation
Definition
watter is appropriated+turned from a common resource into a commodity then sold back to ppl 4 profit
Term
What can we do to solve the freshwater scarcity problem?
Definition
-clean water for everyone(1.7 bil)
-improve water sanitation(9.3 bil)
combined less than 4th of global spending on bottled water
Term
Groundwater
Definition
freshwater found beneath the earths surface in aquifers
Term
surface water
Definition
water that flows over or is found on the surface of earth like rivers streams lakes ponds
Term
hydrological scarcity
Definition
lack of water due to climatological or hydrolocial reasons(U.Arabia Emirates+Saudi Arabia)
Term
Techno-economic scarcity
Definition
lack of water due to lack of infrastructure or treatment due to underdevelopment(often in underdeveloped areas Thailand+Mexico)
Term
Perceptual scarcity
Definition
water is perceived to be scarce or potential hazardous-even when widely available-mostly in developed countires-franch italy U.S.
Term
manufactured demad
Definition
capitalist manufacture demand through marketing+packaging
Term
Qhat is the difference betwen GNP and GP? Indicate?
Definition
GNP – measures income to country’s enterprises globally
GDP – measures income generated within the country
Term
What is GPI and benefits over GNP?
Definition
Measures social, environment + health. Crime, pollution, GHE, sickness count as cost not gains to the economy
Term
What does using GPI as a measure of progress over GNP tell us about the progress over the last 50 years?
Definition
GPI includes social+enviromental cost shows we have not progressed while GNP shows we did
Term
Define ecological footprint? Country with highest?
Definition
-an index of environmental impact used to estimate of the total area of productive land+water necessary to produce the resources+assimilate the wast from a give population
-America
Term
Define HPI and 3 key components?
Definition
-measure of ecological efficiency w/ which human well being is created and health is maintained(showing high consumption does not produce high levels of well being)
components- health, well-being, resouce consumption
Term
What does HPI show? highest/lowest country?
Definition
Shows us that high levels of resources consumption does not produce high levels of well being
highest- Mexico/Central America
lowest- U.S. and Africa
Term
Greater impact population or consumption
Definition
Income/consumption pop. occus in developing world but carbon emissions of one American is 4 chinese, 20 indians, 30 paks., 40 nigerians, 25 ethlopians
Term
impact of extraction
Definition
destroying the planet, cutting down trees
Term
impact of production
Definition
use energy to make toxic materials that get in air/water make ppl sick
Term
impact of distribution
Definition
externalized cost; we dont pay for things kids in african factories do
Term
impact of consumption
Definition
we consume+contribute to arrow
Term
disposal of consumption
Definition
4.5/lbs day per person; dumped in landfills or burned
Term
3 international conference on Sustainable development which first?
Definition
1. unconference on the human environment-1972(first)
2. world commision on envi+devel-1987
3. UN conference on Envi+devel-1992
Term
what is the approach at the foundation of limits to growth?
Definition
population+scarcity
Term
Rio declartion def. of sustainable development?
Definition
developing that meets the needs of the present without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet our own needs
Term
3 pillars of sustainable development?
Definition
1. social equity
2. environment
3. economy
Term
5/27 principles of rio declaration
Definition
-right to develoment+healthy envir
-eradicate poverty and decrease the disparities in standards of living
-conserve, protect, restore Earth's ecosystem
-develped countries have responsibilty to act
-internalize enviromental cost and conduct environmentl impacts assesments
Term
what is agenda 21?
Definition
UNITED NATIONS blueprint from implementin sustainable development
Term
Critiques of sustainable development concept?
Definition
-whos in favor of "sustainablity"
-ambigious term
-being "green" can have intended side effects
-do local autorities have capacity to implement SD practive
-new way to maintain exisiting power relations
Term
what did E.F. schumacher argue in his book small is beautiful
Definition
-quality of life vs quanity of growth
-work should be fullfilling, not drudgery
-rather than technology to improve efficiency+growth, use "intermediate technology" to improve quality of life
-decentralization
Term
What can we do to solve environmental problems on individual level?
Definition
reduce, reuse, recycle
Term
Sustainable practives implemented at cities
Definition
green space, urban garden, renewable energy
Term
green economy
Definition
based on social equity and environmentl sustainablity
-renewable energy, green buildings, clean transportation, water management, waste management, land management
Term
population and scaricty:
environmental approaches-causes
Definition
population mainly, but also affluence+technology interact in some combo to drive eclological degradation
Term
population and scaricty:
environmental approaches-solution
Definition
slow population growth or reduce population
Term
population and scaricty:
environmental approaches-critiques
Definition
it puts blame on woman and poor without looking at structural issues like politial economy
Term
Market environmentalism:
environmental apporaches-causes
Definition
environmental problems are the result of market failure that do not internalize the cost of pollution and environmental degradation into the price of goods and services
Term
Market environmentalism:
environmental apporaches-solution
Definition
to use market based intruments(cap+trade, taxes, green consumption) to internalize environmental costs
Term
Market environmentalism:
environmental apporaches-critiques
Definition
Market approaches pay more attention to economic indicators than ecological or social indicators. Therefore if ofthen fails to solve the problem the most fair or equitable way
Term
Political economy:
environmental approaches-problem
Definition
environmental problems are an integrat part of capital cost
1st contradiction-in order to survive the system most keep expanding
2nd contradiction-capitalism undervalues nature+therefore deteriorates the environment which is an important source of production
Capitalism solves the problem through the spatial fix-finding new places to buy commodities and extract resources
Term
Political economy:
environmental approaches-solution
Definition
find a new economic system such as socialism-controlled by workers control production+profit
Term
Political economy:
environmental approaches-critiques
Definition
defers environmental action until after economic problems are solved
Term
Insitution and the commons:
environmental approaches-causes
Definition
ecological degradation is the result of inappropiate rules+laws governing commons management
Term
Insitution and the commons:
environmental approaches-solution
Definition
stronger rules, laws, institution will better protect environment
Term
Insitution and the commons:
environmental approaches-critiques
Definition
uneven power relations-some have greater power in negotiating rules
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