Lecture 12

Question 1

describe nature & society

Answer 1

nature: social creation as well as the physical universe that includes human beings

society: sum of the inventions, institutions & relationships created & reproduced by human beings across particular places & times

Question 2

the relationship between nature and society is ______

Answer 2

2-way
society shapes nature and nature shapes society

Question 3

technology can be defined as (3)

Answer 3

• physical objects or artifacts
• activities or processes
• knowledge or know how

Question 4

the two important methods of quantifying human impact on the environment

Answer 4

• ecological footprint
• I = PAT formula

Question 5

what is ecological footprint

Answer 5

biologically productive land required to support a given population by providing for its needs & absorbing its wastes
*includes crop and and natural resources consumed wherever on planet they’re from

Question 6

the global population currently uses ____ % more resources than is sustainable

Answer 6

50%

Question 7

the two countries using high amount of global bio capacity

Answer 7

• China
• US

Question 8

describe the I = PAT formula

Answer 8

relates human pop pressures on enviro resources to the level of affluence and access to technology in a society

I = impact on earths resources
P = population
A = affluence measured by per capita income
T = technology factor

Question 9

what is cultural ecology

Answer 9

study of how human society has adapted to enviro challenges (fertility/ steep slopes)

*also resulted in pollution (industrial revolution started this)

Question 10

describe Inca civilization

Answer 10

adapted to extremely steep slopes in the Andes by making agricultural terraces

Question 11

current global transformation

Answer 11

climate change
- rising sea levels
- rising temps
- extreme weather

hurricane Katrina in New Orleans worst “natural” disaster ever (drainage in city was bad before)

Question 12

describe how people suffered disproportionately in hurricane Katrina

Answer 12

poor, disabled, uninformed people were in harms way/ couldn’t leave

• vulnerability depended more on social, economic & political factors (out of control)

Question 13

describe earthquake in Haiti

Answer 13

• a natural disaster worsened by poverty & political systems
• had inadequate building codes & poor emergency response increased impact
• still many live in poverty from this event

Question 14

describe roles of core vs periphery in climate change

Answer 14

core - carbon dioxide emissions
periphery - degrade/ destroy environment