Deck 24: Geology in Perspective

Question 1

What will the effects of an additional 3 billion people by the end of the 21st century be on environmental issues? How will these people secure the things that they need?

Answer 1

There are a variety of answers to this question and no one really knows what the right one is.Some ideas are that people will be forced to live in even more marginal environments.Even more people will experience food insecurity and will be unable to obtain clean water for drinking and bathing.People will want and need more goods,including cars,and unless alternatives are developed,fossil fuel use will continue to increase.With that will be an increase in pollution and in the emission of greenhouse gases.That,of course,will increase global warming.

Question 2

What activities do humans engage in that make them geologic agents,and how effective are human activities at being geologic agents?

Answer 2

Human activities like agriculture,construction,deforestation,and resource extraction cause a great deal of erosion.Humans are more effective than any other geologic agent with erosions rates in some locations well over ten times the natural rate.

Question 3

Ask the students: Has learning the scientific basis of many issues caused you to change your mind or formulate an opinion on a topic? For example,do you now have a better sense about issues such as evolution,global warming,ozone depletion,etc.?

Answer 3

Answers will vary.