Humans and Environmental Interaction Chapter Notes | AP Human Geography - Grade 9 PDF Download

Introduction

This chapter notes explores the various types of resources on Earth, categorized as renewable and nonrenewable, and their significance to human life and environmental sustainability. It examines how humans interact with Earth's abiotic systems—atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere—and the biosphere to sustain societies. The chapter also discusses sustainability principles, emphasizing the balance between environmental, economic, and social factors to ensure resources remain available for future generations.

Types of Resources on Earth

Renewable Resource

• Renewable resources are those that nature produces rapidly, offering an essentially limitless supply.
• Examples of renewable resources include:
  • Solar Energy: Solar energy is renewable because it derives from the sun, an almost inexhaustible energy source.
  • Wind Energy: Wind energy is renewable as it is generated by wind, driven by solar energy, making it a sustainable resource.
  • Hydroelectric Energy: Hydroelectric energy is produced by capturing the energy of flowing water, such as rivers or tides, and is renewable due to the continuous replenishment of water through the water cycle.
  • Geothermal Energy: Geothermal energy is derived from the Earth’s internal heat, produced by the decay of radioactive elements, and is renewable because this heat is constantly available.
  • Biomass Energy: Biomass energy comes from burning organic materials like wood or plants and is renewable since these materials can be regrown or replanted after harvesting.

Nonrenewable Resource

• Nonrenewable resources are formed slowly in nature, and their supply is finite, meaning humans can deplete them.
• Examples of nonrenewable resources include:
  • Fossil Fuels: Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, are nonrenewable because they form over millions of years from ancient plant and animal remains, and once consumed, they cannot be replaced.
  • Nuclear Energy: Nuclear energy is produced by splitting atoms, releasing significant energy, but it is nonrenewable due to the limited availability of uranium and other radioactive materials.
  • Minerals: Minerals like gold and diamonds are nonrenewable as they form over geological timescales and cannot be replenished once extracted.
  • Water: Although water is generally renewable through the water cycle, it can be considered nonrenewable in regions where it is scarce and not replenished fast enough to meet demand.

Sustainability

• To prevent the depletion of critical resources, humans practice sustainability, which is the capacity to maintain or preserve resources over time. 
• In environmental terms, sustainability involves using natural resources in ways that avoid depletion or harm, ensuring their availability for future generations. Practices such as recycling, reducing pollution, and planting trees contribute to sustainability.
• The United Nations outlined three pillars of sustainability in the 1987 Brundtland Commission’s report, “Our Common Future.” These pillars are:
  • Environmental Sustainability: This involves using natural resources responsibly to avoid depletion or damage, preserving them for future use.
  • Economic Sustainability: This focuses on meeting current economic needs without jeopardizing future generations’ ability to meet theirs, balancing economic growth with environmental protection.
  • Social Sustainability: This aims to foster a healthy, inclusive, and equitable society by promoting social well-being and addressing issues like poverty, inequality, and discrimination.
• These three pillars, often called the “triple bottom line,” provide a comprehensive framework for sustainability, considering the environmental, economic, and social consequences of human actions.

Humans and the Environment

• Humans are integral to the natural environment, and their actions can have both beneficial and detrimental effects on it.
• Positively, humans have developed technologies, practices, and systems that enhance life expectancy, health, and living standards globally, often through the utilization of natural resources like oil, gas, and minerals.
• However, human activities can also negatively impact the environment. Extracting and using natural resources can lead to pollution, habitat loss, and other ecological issues. Additionally, growing populations and resource consumption strain Earth’s natural systems, contributing to climate change.
• To mitigate these challenges, humans must adopt sustainable resource use and minimize environmental harm. This includes using efficient technologies, conserving resources, reducing waste and pollution, and protecting natural habitats and biodiversity.

The Environment

• Early German geographers proposed that the natural environment influences societal development, a concept known as environmental determinism. 
• Understanding this human-environment relationship requires knowledge of Earth’s scientific systems.
• An abiotic system consists of nonliving or inorganic components. 
• Earth has four abiotic systems that interact with humans: The atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.
  • Atmosphere: This is the gaseous layer surrounding Earth, composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and trace gases like carbon dioxide and water vapor. It regulates climate and weather and shields Earth from harmful solar ultraviolet radiation.
  • Lithosphere: The solid outer layer of Earth, including the crust and upper mantle, consists of rocks and minerals and provides resources like minerals, oil, and natural gas.
  • Hydrosphere: This encompasses all of Earth’s water, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater, playing a key role in the water cycle and climate regulation.
  • Geosphere: The solid inner layer of Earth, including the mantle and core, consists of rocks and minerals and drives natural processes like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
• In a metaphorical sense, long ago, the four “nations” (representing these systems) coexisted harmoniously, but disruptions, like those caused by human activities, altered this balance. While fire is not included, the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere (the living component) interact to support life and organisms.

The Humans

Humans have manipulated Earth’s abiotic systems to sustain themselves. 
Here’s how:

Hydrosphere: Provides all water needed by humans and other organisms.
Examples include:

• Constructing dams to regulate river and stream flow, used for electricity generation, crop irrigation, and flood prevention.
• Redirecting water through canals, pipelines, and aqueducts to supply water-scarce regions.
• Extracting groundwater via wells for drinking, irrigation, and other uses.
• Treating and purifying water to ensure it is safe for consumption and other purposes.
• Monitoring and managing water quality to ensure suitability for various uses.
• Developing technologies and infrastructure for efficient water storage, distribution, and use.

Lithosphere: Supports most plants and animals, providing food and shelter.
Examples include:

• Quarrying, mining, and drilling to extract minerals, metals, and other resources from Earth’s crust.
• Building roads, bridges, and infrastructure using materials like concrete and asphalt derived from the lithosphere.
• Using the Earth’s surface as a foundation for buildings, homes, and other structures.
• Modifying land and soil for agriculture by creating fields and pastures for crops and livestock.
• Altering land shapes through activities like deforestation, clear-cutting, and urbanization.
• Harnessing geothermal energy from the Earth’s crust by drilling geothermal wells.
• Protecting and conserving natural resources through sustainable land use practices.

Atmosphere: Supplies oxygen and protects against harmful solar radiation.
Examples include:

• Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, releasing carbon dioxide and other gases, contributing to climate change.
• Planting trees and vegetation to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide, mitigating climate change effects.
• Using technology to monitor atmospheric conditions, such as weather forecasting and air quality assessment.
• Developing technologies like air conditioning and heating to protect against environmental elements.
• Utilizing the atmosphere for transportation, such as air travel.
• Using the atmosphere for communication through radio and television signal broadcasting.
• Releasing pollutants into the atmosphere as a waste disposal method.

Biosphere: An interconnected environment where humans consume and rely on byproducts from other organisms.
Examples include:

• Domesticating plants and animals for food, clothing, and other needs.
• Modifying plant and animal genetics through selective breeding and genetic engineering to produce desired traits.
• Using chemicals to control pests, weeds, and diseases in agriculture, forestry, and other sectors.
• Developing technologies to monitor and protect biodiversity, such as conservation programs and protected areas.
• Using biotechnology and bioremediation to address environmental pollution and restore ecosystems.
• Deriving medicines from living organisms, such as plants in traditional medicine and microorganisms in pharmaceuticals.
• Using organisms for industrial products, like microorganisms in biofuel and enzyme production.

Key Terms

• Abiotic System: Nonliving components of an ecosystem, such as water, air, soil, and minerals, interacting with living organisms and influencing life-sustaining conditions.
• Atmosphere: The gaseous layer surrounding a planet, held by gravity, supporting life, regulating temperature, and shielding against harmful solar radiation, impacting weather and air quality.
• Biosphere: The global sum of ecosystems, encompassing all areas where life exists, supporting biodiversity, nutrient cycling, and resources essential for human survival.
• Biomass Energy: Renewable energy from organic materials like plant and animal waste, used for heat, electricity, and fuel, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and aiding climate change mitigation.
• Brundtland Commission’s Report: The 1987 “Our Common Future” report, introducing sustainable development, emphasizing balanced economic, environmental, and social growth to protect future generations.
• Economic Sustainability: The ability to sustain economic production without harming social, environmental, or cultural systems, ensuring future generations can meet their needs through responsible resource management.
• Environmental Sustainability: Responsible interaction with the planet to preserve natural resources for future generations, balancing human needs with ecosystem health.
• Environmental Determinism: The theory that human behaviors, cultures, and societal development are shaped by the physical environment, such as climate and geography.
• Fossil Fuels: Nonrenewable resources like coal, oil, and natural gas, formed from ancient organic remains, impacting air quality, climate change, and resource management.
• Geosphere: The solid parts of Earth, including the crust, mantle, and core, interacting with other Earth systems and influencing human activities and environmental conditions.
• Geothermal Energy: Renewable heat energy from Earth’s core, used for electricity and heating, showcasing sustainable resource use with minimal environmental impact.
• Hydroelectric Energy: Renewable power from flowing water, such as rivers or dams, offering a clean alternative to fossil fuels and supporting sustainable economic growth.
• Hydrosphere: All water on Earth, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and groundwater, shaping climate, ecosystems, and human activities through the water cycle.
• Lithosphere: Earth’s rigid outer layer, including the crust and upper mantle, providing resources like minerals and supporting life through interactions with other Earth systems.
• Minerals: Naturally occurring inorganic solids with a specific chemical composition, essential for geological processes and human activities like construction and technology.
• Nonrenewable Resource: Finite natural resources, like fossil fuels and minerals, formed over geological timescales, impacting environmental interactions through depletion and pollution.
• Nuclear Energy: Energy from nuclear reactions, producing significant electricity with low emissions, influencing human-environment interactions through sustainability considerations.
• Renewable Resource: Naturally replenishing resources like sunlight, wind, and biomass, sustainable for long-term use, supporting environmental conservation and human needs.
• Social Sustainability: Maintaining societal well-being through equitable resource access, social justice, and community engagement, balancing social needs with environmental and economic goals.
• Solar Energy: Renewable energy from sunlight, harnessed through technologies like solar panels, reducing environmental impact and supporting sustainable energy solutions.
• Sustainability: Meeting present needs without compromising future generations’ ability to meet theirs, balancing economic, environmental, and social factors for responsible resource use.
• Types of Resources on Earth: Resources categorized as renewable, nonrenewable, or flow, influencing human development, environmental interactions, and ecosystem sustainability.
• Wind Energy: Renewable energy from wind, converted into electricity via turbines, reducing emissions and supporting environmental and economic sustainability.