IR-34: Human-Environment Interaction Political Cartoon

Transcription

1 IR-34: Human-Environment Interaction Political Cartoon 2013 Region 4 Education Service Center Page 1 of 2 Geography by Design, Volume 2

2 IR-34: Human-Environment Interaction Political Cartoon Level 1 Visuals 1. List the objects or people you see in the cartoon. Words (not all cartoons include words) 1. Identify the cartoon caption and/or title. 2. Locate three words or phrases used by the cartoonist to identify objects or people within the cartoon. 3. Record any important dates or numbers that appear in the cartoon. Level 2 Visuals 1. Which of the objects on your list are symbols? Words 1. Which words or phrases in the cartoon appear to be the most significant? Why do you think so? 2. What do you think each symbol means? 2. List adjectives that describe the emotions portrayed in the cartoon. Level 3 1. Describe the action taking place in the cartoon. 2. Explain how the words in the cartoon clarify the symbols. 3. Explain the message of the cartoon. 4. What special interest groups would agree/disagree with the cartoon s message? Why? Adapted from the National Archives and Records Administration 2013 Region 4 Education Service Center Page 2 of 2 Geography by Design, Volume 2

3 IR-35: Two Sides Drilling Side A Drilling for oil is safe for the environment and a great economic benefit. Current technology makes it easy and safe to extract oil from Earth with minimal environmental trouble. For example, Norway has been drilling safely in the North Sea for decades with no significant problem. Since the 1969 oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, the United States has carefully regulated oil drilling and has built a very good record of preventing any appreciable damage to the environment. The BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 notwithstanding, the environmental impact of oil spills is negligible. For example, natural seepage accounts for 47% of oil spilled into water around the world; drilling contributes only 2% of the contamination. Whether the oil is located in your backyard or several miles off a coastline, it is a valuable resource that must be obtained. Oil is still the main source of fuel for developed countries. Drilling for oil has a positive effect on a country s economy. Revenues from the oil industry provide jobs as well as tax sources that pay for things from public roads to education. For instance, the shale oil industry in the United States is expected to lead the country to account for one-third of new oil supplies over the next couple of years and will cause the United States to move from the world s leading oil importer to a net exporter. Building up oil reserves is important to the security of a country. With large supplies of oil on hand, the dependency on foreign oil goes down, allowing the United States to become more self-reliant on its own energy resources. Additionally, the price of oil goes down, helping those who struggle financially to afford gasoline for their automobiles and natural gas to help heat their homes. The positive economic aspects of the oil industry far outweigh any potential environmental issues. Side B Drilling for oil is a dangerous environmental and economic activity for any country. Oil drilling is unsafe and environmentally unsound. For example, the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill off the California coast spewed more than 3 million gallons of crude oil to the surface, killing wildlife and endangering the natural habitat. The worst oil spill in the history of the United States occurred in The BP Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico had close to 200 million gallons (4.8 million barrels) of oil that flooded the Gulf waters. The infrastructure created as a result of extracting, shipping, and refining oil from Earth has devastating effects on wildlife and ecosystems. But human error continues to have the biggest potential negative impact. The 1989 accidental oil spill of the Exxon Valdez released about 35 million gallons of oil in the Gulf of Alaska; the oil fires set by Saddam Hussein in the early 1990s released nearly 340 million gallons of oil into the Persian Gulf; and the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon blowout disaster, during which nearly 200 million gallons of oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico, damaged hundreds of miles of coastline and affected thousands of birds, fish, sea turtles, and marine mammals. Continued dependence on fossil fuels discourages development of alternative fuel sources. New technologies created from developing new energy ideas create jobs to replace those currently in oil-related fields. Governments must clean up the environment after oil drilling s impacts, negating any economic benefits gained from the oil industry. Cleaning up after the oil industry costs taxpayers billions of dollars annually. National security would not be affected by limited amounts of domestic oil reserves if oil was not the main resource for fuel. Drilling for domestic oil makes a country more dependent on this nonrenewable fuel source. The volatility of world oil availability and its negative effects on a country s security were illustrated by the oil crisis of the late 1970s. Oil drilling should be discouraged and replaced with efforts to develop new ways to fuel a developed country Region 4 Education Service Center Geography by Design, Volume 2

4 IR-36: Human-Environment Interaction Reading to Learn Part A: Use the right column to record notes from the text that support the conclusions listed in the left column. Conclusion Oil drilling should continue. Support Oil drilling should stop. Part B: Record notes from the text about coal mining in the table below. Coal Mining Underground Mining Surface Mining 2013 Region 4 Education Service Center Page 1 of 2 Geography by Design, Volume 2

5 IR-36: Human-Environment Interaction Reading to Learn Answer Key Sample answers are shown below. Accept all reasonable responses. Part A: Use the right column to record notes from the text that support the conclusions listed in the left column. Conclusion Oil drilling should continue. Oil drilling should stop. Support Growing demand for supply Safe technology 1998 study by US Geological Survey showing potential for ANWR Affects only 8% of ANWR land Low incidence of plants and animals in ANWR Realize large profits from lease rentals, royalties, and tax revenues Lessen dependence on foreign oil Impact on ecosystem Damage to pristine environment Potential for catastrophic and irreversible damage Takes focus away from search for alternative energy resources Increases demand for fossil fuels Loss of farmland, drinking water in Nigeria No benefit to indigenous people in Nigeria, who suffer food shortages, unemployment, and health hazards Danger from transportation of oil and gas Hazards of eco-terrorism Land and water pollution Choke points Part B: Record notes from the text about coal mining in the table below. Coal Mining Underground Mining Dangerous Death by collapsing walls or floods Black lung disease Expensive, but decreased costs with new technology Surface Mining More damage to environment Seepage of minerals into surface and ground water Erosion Strict enforcement in US through Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of Region 4 Education Service Center Page 2 of 2 Geography by Design, Volume 2

6 IR-37: Human-Environment Interaction Human-Environment Interaction As there is growing demand on energy resources, there is increased demand for securing oil reserves around the globe. Most experts believe that by using technology that is readily available for oil exploration and drilling, the actual extraction of the oil from underground or underwater is generally safe. However, environmentalists express concerns about potential damage to the land and water where drilling takes place. Concerns have been raised about the impact to plants and animals on land and under the water if there should be a human or natural disaster, such as leaking pipes, sabotage, warfare, earthquakes, or hurricanes. One region that has received quite a bit of attention is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in northeastern Alaska. Proponents of drilling for oil in this region are encouraged by a 1998 study by the United States Geological Survey that suggested that this region of North America has the highest potential for discovery of a large oil field. Additionally, proponents say that only 8% of ANWR total land area would be affected by human exploration for potential oil fields. Relatively speaking, the potential payoff would far outweigh any possible environmental damages. The amount of plants and animals in this region is minimal compared with other locations, thus minimizing any potential environmental impact. Billions of dollars acquired from lease rentals, royalties, and tax revenues is the most immediate benefit. The United States would benefit from the creation of new jobs and less dependency on foreign oil. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska contains oil reserves. It also is home to many plants and animals but not humans. At what point do human needs outweigh the need to protect the environment? The strongest argument against expanding drilling and oil exploration in northern Alaska is the potential damage to the pristine environment and the wildlife that live there. Those who oppose drilling and exploration in ANWR believe that any damage would be catastrophic and avoidable. Instead of continuing the search for more fossil fuels, some scientists, politicians, and environmentalists believe that humans should focus more on developing alternative fuel sources, especially those that they believe have less harmful effects on the environment. The debate over ANWR focuses on the environment, whereas the debate over oil drilling in Nigeria has had an effect on humans as well as the environment. In the coastal areas of Nigeria, communities have lost farmland, and some sources of drinking water have been polluted as a result of leaking oil pipelines. More significant, though, is that the revenue generated by the oil industry in the delta of the Niger River has been controlled by the government and Royal Dutch Shell, the oil company that has done the majority of the drilling and refining in this area. The Ognis, the indigenous people who live there, have not received any monetary compensation or assistance. As a result of political instability within Nigeria s 2013 Region 4 Education Service Center Page 1 of 3 Geography by Design, Volume 2

7 IR-37: Human-Environment Interaction government and the lack of government regulation on multinational corporations, the Ognis have suffered food shortages due to farmland that cannot produce crops because of the pollution from drilling. They have suffered unemployment and health hazards as well. The gravest danger to the environment has come from the transportation of oil and natural gas once they have been extracted from underground wells. The potential hazards of eco-terrorism on oil pipelines in places like Azerbaijan in the Caucasus region of Southwest Asia are very real. There is conflict throughout this region involving Armenians, Georgians, and Chechens in southern Russia. Invading Iraqi troops were driven out of Kuwait in 1991, but they set fire to numerous oil wells before leaving the country. There is potential for economic and environmental conflict wherever there are choke points. A choke point is usually referred to as a narrow waterway between two larger bodies of water. The country that controls the choke point can influence or dictate trading patterns. When you study the flow of oil and global trading patterns, the Strait of Hormuz becomes one of the most critical choke points. Other important choke points include the Strait of Gibraltar, the Strait of Malacca, Bab el-mandab, the English Channel, Bosporus and Dardanelles Strait, and the Panama Canal. These choke points are critical shipping lanes for a variety of goods, not just oil. Coal is another natural resource that must be mined or extracted from the ground. Coal is mined in two ways: underground mining and surface mining. What might some of the environmental concerns be if an oil tanker started to leak crude oil? The largest human hazard concerning oil occurred in Kuwait in Toward the conclusion of the Persian Gulf War, the President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, had the military sabotage more than 600 oil wells in Kuwait. The result was the loss of more than 240 million gallons of crude oil that polluted both the land and water. If the US does not own any land or have oil rights in or around the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, why is there such a strong American military presence in the region? Underground mining is dangerous. The two leading causes of death in underground mining are when the walls collapse or when water floods in the mine. A long-term health risk is contracting black lung disease, the result of inhaling coal dust over long periods of time. Underground mining also is more expensive because of the 2013 Region 4 Education Service Center Page 2 of 3 Geography by Design, Volume 2

8 IR-37: Human-Environment Interaction technical aspects of drilling through the ground to get to the location of the coal. However, technological advances in the past 30 years have helped to decrease the cost as well as the safety hazards of underground mining. The second method of coal mining is called surface mining. When the coal seam, the location of the coal deposit, is relatively close to the surface of Earth, the topsoil and the entire accompanying habitat are removed and set aside. The bedrock of Earth is then broken up in order to get to the coal deposits. Surface mining has historically been much more damaging to the environment than underground mining. The overburden, or the surface that has been cleared in order to reach the coal deposits, was dumped at a nearby low-lying location, typically a wetland. The heavy metals found in the discarded land Surface mining strips the top layers of soil. US mining companies are required to replace these layers after mining is completed. environmental consequence of surface mining includes erosion. If the topsoil is cleared away and not properly restored, the nutrients in the soil could disappear and lead to the inability to replant trees in the area. With the lack of topsoil and fauna, the area could become barren very quickly. Once the coal has been removed, the land should be restored to its original form as much as possible. Countries have varying laws that outline these requirements. In the United States, this is fairly straightforward and has been strictly enforced since the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act in lead to the development of sulfuric acid and iron hydroxide, which seeped into surface and ground water. Unhealthy amounts of these pollutants in a community s drinking water can lead to serious health issues. Another Underground mining can be dangerous to workers who extract coal deposits from unstable pockets deep within Earth Region 4 Education Service Center Page 3 of 3 Geography by Design, Volume 2

9 IR-38: Letter to US Senator Rubric The following rubric will be used to evaluate your letter to your US senator. 4 The student fully describes either the pros or cons of oil production and presents a compelling case for the side taken. 3 The student describes either the pros or cons of oil production and presents a somewhat compelling case for the side taken. 2 The student somewhat describes either the pros or cons of oil production and presents a brief case for the side taken. 1 The student does not describe either the pros or cons of oil production and presents a weak case for the side taken. 0 The student does not provide enough information to make a judgment. IR-38: Letter to US Senator Rubric The following rubric will be used to evaluate your letter to your US senator. 4 The student fully describes either the pros or cons of oil production and presents a compelling case for the side taken. 3 The student describes either the pros or cons of oil production and presents a somewhat compelling case for the side taken. 2 The student somewhat describes either the pros or cons of oil production and presents a brief case for the side taken. 1 The student does not describe either the pros or cons of oil production and presents a weak case for the side taken. 0 The student does not provide enough information to make a judgment Region 4 Education Service Center Geography by Design, Volume 2

10 IR-39: Human-Environment Interaction Assessment Items 1. Surface mining for coal has become more environmentally friendly recently because A. displaced land is required to be put back intact after the coal is removed B. the technology used in extracting the coal from the surface is less damaging to the landscape C. there is less coal dust created underground; therefore, there is less air pollution generated D. not as much water is contaminated on the surface due to the type of machines that are used Damage to coastal ecosystems Increase need for money to repair harm to environment Continue dependence on nonrenewable energy sources 2. Which of the following is the best title for the text above? A. Arguments for Underground Coal Mining B. Rationale for Building Wind Farms C. Motivation for Oil Embargo D. Reasons against Increased Offshore Oil Drilling 3. Which of the following statements would best support drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)? A. Dependence on foreign oil would be decreased by 90%. B. The oil field is located directly below Earth s surface and would be easy to extract. C. Only 8% of ANWR total land area would be affected by exploration. D. The US would be able to export the same amount of oil as Middle Eastern countries Region 4 Education Service Center Geography by Design, Volume 2