Biology 12

534 MHR • Unit 5 Population Dynamics

Figure 15.24Modern farming can produce results quickly,

but it consumes a large amount of energy.

On the waste side of the coin, the richest

20 percent of the population produces 53 percent

of carbon dioxide emissions, while the poorest

20 percent accounts for three percent. Similar

figures exist for garbage production. In Canada,

landfills are overflowing and large cities are forced

to transport their garbage to distant locations. In

developing countries, much less material goes to

waste as people find a way to use or re-use almost

everything — and own much less excess to begin

with (as shown in Figure 15.25). The result of this

is that a typical child born in the industrial world

adds 30 to 50 times more to consumption and

pollution over his or her lifetime than a child born

in a developing country. Which has the bigger

impact on Earth: high fertility in developing

countries or high consumption in industrial

nations? Which nations are making more progress

toward reducing their impact? Difficult questions

perhaps, requiring difficult answers.

Figure 15.25In many parts of the world, farmers still use

manual methods for harvesting. Waste from a harvest is

minimal because all parts of the crop are used.

SECTION REVIEW

1. What are perpetual resources? Give two
   examples of this type of resource.


2. Is oil defined as a renewable or non-renewable
   resource? Why?


3. What is a pollutant? Give three examples of
   pollutants that affect the atmosphere.


4. Design a study that would allow you to determine
   the amount of greenhouse gases contributed by an
   industry of your choice. What would you need to
   know before starting your study and how would you
   collect your data?


5. How does deforestation affect global warming?


6. What causes ozone depletion and why is this
   a problem?


7. What is the current status of the ban on
   chlorofluorocarbons, and which countries are
   complying? What more environmentally friendly
   substances are used in place of chlorofluorocarbons?


8. What is acid precipitation? What causes it?


9. How would you determine whether acid rain
   has had an effect on a certain lake? That is, what
   variables would you measure to decide this?
   10. What causes photochemical smog? What
   effects does it have on human health?
   11. Have government programs like Drive Cleanand
   Smog Patrolhad an effect on the amount of smog or
   acid precipitation produced in Ontario? Explain your
   answer.
   12. What is desertification? Give two examples of
   areas where this is a problem.
   13. What is the difference between extirpation
   and extinction?
   14. Illustrate differences in consumption rates
   between more and less developed countries.
   Provide examples.
   15. How might you compare the quality of life of an
   individual in a developing nation with that of someone
   in a developed country in order to see if the former
   was improving? What aspects of lifestyle would you
   examine and how would you measure them?
   16. List 10 ways your level of resource consumption
   could be decreased. Do any of these also reduce
   your output of pollution? Explain how.

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