Environment and Technology Today’s World Section 4 Preview

• Improved nutrition, medical treatment have led to dramatic increase in world’s population • 1 billion to over 6 billion since 1800 • Industrialization, development have placed great strain on world’s resources, environment • Major challenge: achieving

sustainable development

Sustainable Development

• Economic development that does not permanently damage resources • Try to balance need for development with protection of environment – Limit use of resources – Set aside areas where no development allowed

Today’s World Section 4 Forests

• In areas of Africa, Asia, Latin America, Amazon region of Brazil,

deforestation

—clearing of trees, taking place at rapid rate • Trees burned, cut down to dig mines, clear land for farming, ranching • Some species of animals, plants have become extinct as result

Deserts

• Sahel region of West Africa, people struggling with

desertification

—spread of desert-like land conditions • Caused partly by drought, partly by human activity • Trees cut for firewood, livestock overgraze land • Without plants, wind blows rich soil away; land becomes useless

Today’s World Section 4

Pollution

The global environment has been seriously affected by pollution. Human beings have always polluted their environments, but pollution did not become a serious issue until the Industrial Revolution.

Threat

• Revolution brought new industrial processes • Created waste products that harmed water, air, land • By 1960s, began to be threat to human survival

How To Fight

• Countries cannot agree on how best to fight pollution • One debate, issue of

global warming

• Rise in surface temperature of earth over time

Global Warming

• Could bring disastrous changes in Earth’s climate • Many scientists believe air pollution caused by human activity has caused global warming

Today’s World Section 4

Laws and Problems

Environmental Laws Accidents

• Some governments have taken legal action against pollution, global warming • Many nations do not have strict pollution controls in place • United States has passed many environmental laws but is one of largest polluters • Some fear strict emissions limits could harm economic development • Even with environmental laws in place, pollution, toxic waste can be released due to accidents at industrial facilities • 1984, toxic gas leak at Indian factory killed over 15,000, injured a half-million more • 1986, meltdown of Soviet Union’s Chernobyl nuclear plant sent deadly radiation into air over parts of Europe

Today’s World Section 4

Find the Main Idea

What environmental issues face the world today?

Answer(s):

pollution, global warming, deforestation, desertification

Today’s World

Science and Technology

Section 4 Advances in science, technology have greatly changed world in

• • •

recent years New discoveries brought great benefits, raised new questions, challenges Space Exploration

– Data from satellites, space shuttle missions have given scientists new information about origins, development of stars, galaxies, planets – Other data helping scientists understand earth’s climate change

Development of new technologies from space experiments

– Scratch-resistant eyeglass lenses – Farther-flying golf balls

Today’s World Section 4

The Information Age

More Advances

• Other advances in science, technology have led to great changes in way we transmit, receive information • Exchange of information so important, some say this is Information Age

Instant Communication

• Space satellites transmit signals for cell phone, satellite television • Personal computers, Internet link people, educational institutions, businesses, governments; people work, shop, maintain friendships online

Digital Divide

• Not all areas of world have joined Information Age • Difference in access to Internet and other information and communications technologies called digital divide; obstacle many trying to overcome

Today’s World Section 4

Medicine and Genetic Engineering

• Great medical advances took place in years following World War II • Medicines, vaccines developed to prevent spread of contagious diseases, treat physical, mental illness; techniques developed to transplant organs • Advances in ultrasound, laser, and computer technology allow doctors to more easily treat human body

Genetics

• Developments in study of genes, heredity have led to rapid growth in

biotechnology

, use of biological research in industry • Some biotechnology companies manufacture vaccines to treat diseases

Altering Genetic Makeup

• Other biotechnology companies genetically modify food plants • Altering genetic makeup of plant, animal called

genetic engineering

• Plants can be hardier, more productive than conventional • Grown where other crops struggle

Today’s World

Modified Crops

Green Revolution

• Genetically modified plants part of

green revolution

• Attempt by agricultural scientists to increase world’s food production

Food Production

• Scientists developing new types of wheat, rice, other food crops • With enough water, fertilizer, pesticides, modified crops produce more than unmodified

Advocates

• Believe genetically modified crops can reduce pesticide use • Say farmers will make more money on crops

Section 4

Concerns

• Genetically modified crops might have harmful effects on humans, environment • Could see possible reduction of genetic diversity

Today’s World Section 4

Human Genetics

Cloning

• Another use of genetic engineering being debated,

cloning

• Process of creating identical organisms from a cell of original organism

Possibilities, Questions

• Cloning offers possibilities for improving livestock, medical research • Presents serious moral, ethical, legal questions

Today’s World Section 4

Make Generalizations

How have recent advances in science and technology brought both great benefits and new challenges?

Answer(s):

possible answer —hardier crops, larger yields; debate on the ethics of DNA research and work such as cloning

Today’s World Section 4

Video The Impact of September 11, 2001

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Environment and Technology Today’s World Section 4 Preview

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