Visualizing Environmental Science

© Kurt Rogers/San Francisco Chronicle/Corbis

In November 2007, a container ship called the Cosco Busan

struck a bridge tower in the San Francisco Bay, spilling about

200,000 L (54,000 gal) of heavy fuel oil. While this is a much

smaller amount than was spilled by the Exxon Valdez or

Deepwater Horizon, it occurred near a densely populated and

environmentally productive area.

Research this spill—what were the impacts, and how was it

managed?

What are the lessons from this spill about the relative

importance of the size of the spill and its location?

Key Terms

acid mine drainage 422

enrichment 431

fission 431

fluidized-bed combustion 423

high-level radioactive wastes 436

hydraulic fracturing 428

low-level radioactive wastes 436

nuclear energy 430

nuclear reactor 432

spent fuel 434

subsurface mining 422

surface mining 422

What is happening in

this picture?

Critical and Creative Thinking Questions

1. Distinguish among coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy,
   and compare the environmental impacts of each.


2. What economic priorities and environmental concerns might
   be shared by coal-mining regions in West Virginia and in
   China?


3. Some environmental analysts think that the latest war in
   Iraq was related in part to gaining control over the supply
   of Iraqi oil. Do you think this is plausible? Explain why or
   why not.


4. Do you think oil drilling should be permitted in the Arctic
   National Wildlife Refuge? Why or why not?


5. Which major consumer of oil is most vulnerable to disruption
   in the event of another energy crisis: electric power
   generation, motor vehicles, heating and air conditioning, or
   industry? Why?


6. Which of the following produces the most CO 2 per unit of
   energy produced: oil, natural gas, or coal?


7. India, China, and the United States all have large coal
   reserves. Do you think any or all of them should build
   more coal-fired power plants over the next 20 years? If so,
   what technologies will help them minimize environmental
   impacts?


8. Describe the major impacts of the accidents at Three Mile
   Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima Daiichi. Do additional
   research if necessary.


9. Some scholars think the Industrial Revolution may have been
   concentrated in Europe and North America because coal is
   located there. Explain the connection between coal and the
   Industrial Revolution.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Percentage of world natural gas reserves,

2008

Russia Iran Qatar Saudi

Arabia

United

Arab

Emirates

United

States Based on data from the Energy Information Administration(EIA).

✓✓THE PLANNER

GLOBAL

LOCAL

11. When major oil spills like the Exxon Valdez and the
    Deepwater Horizon occur, many people place the
    blame on the owners or operators. Consider whether
    people who benefit from petroleum products (gasoline-
    powered automobiles, plastic water bottles, diesel farm
    equipment) are also to blame. Should knowing that oil
    spills will occur matter as we make consumer choices?
    Provide some arguments on both sides of this issue.

Sustainable Citizen Question

10. Examine the bar graph, which shows the six countries with
    the greatest natural gas deposits. Is most of the world’s
    natural gas located in North and South America, or in Europe
    and the Persian Gulf countries?