Geog 5 Week 1 Lecture 2 01 20 2012 Characteristics of Rich Countries Highly Developed Countries HDC Built with an infrastructure Characteristics of population low birth rate high income Sanitation food electricity etc Majority of people are in the wealthy section of the population Characteristics of Moderately Developed Countries Moderately Developed Countries MDC China considered a MDC Why Population issue affecting environment high intense population concentration in small areas creates air pollution China s wealth is concentrated around the coast creates a trade economy Special Economic Zones Example of China s minimum wage 241 00 month Other characteristics o Subsistence farming agriculturally based o If they could would have large families o Needs to consume more Why Economic growth so that they can become a HDC Are you the country exploiting the resources Types of Resources Nonrenewable one that cannot be used again o Examples Fossil fuels coal rare earth metals food kill the last fish Species extinction rainforest not renewable Can regrow into a forest but not like a rainforest Renewable one that is virtually unlimited can be reused in a relatively short period of time o Examples Water lumber wind solar energy bamboo Over Population and Consumption and Environmental Impact Consumption necessary for good economy Then how can it be bad Underconsumption and overconsumption Planned obsolescence overconsumption 20 of world s population consumes a majority of stuff I PxAxT o I environmental impact o P population o A affluence o T technology used Sustainability Determined by our repercussions impacts on the world Has to be shared responsibility Global Environmental Issues Climate change weather will be more dramatic not global warming Deforestation o Trees provide moisture Fewer trees higher temperatures less rain therefore drought Threatened oceans Ozone depletion started with CFC s Handling Environmental Problems Five Stages page 21 Scientific assessment Risk analysis Public engagement Political considerations Long term environmental management Case Study Hurricane Katrina New Orleans Netherlands both below sea level Flooded because we re trying to control nature Wet lands suck away slow down the ferocity of the storm They removed these natural barriers Water is the universal solvent constantly erodes Water sucks out draws away and then surges onto a city 01 20 2012 01 20 2012