RESOURCE EXTRACTION

1. What is one result of widespread crop irrigation in desert regions in the western United States?

A. spread of disease

B. lower rainfall amounts

C. increased salt levels in soil

D. rising groundwater tables

2. What is a significant problem with using nuclear fission as a domestic energy resource?

A. The waste produced is generally long lived and harmful to living things.

B. Nuclear fission releases large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

C. Nuclear fission only produces a small amount of energy per mass of material used.

D. There are no natural sources of fissionable material to be found in the United States.

STARTER

OBTAINING RESOURCES• In order to obtain resources humans must utilize one of the following

methods

• Harvesting – Wood, Peat

• Mining – Coal, Uranium/Plutonium

• Drilling – Oil, Natural Gas

• Each method has an impact on the lithosphere and the environment

• Trees are harvested and cut down in order to provide:

• Paper

• Lumber

• Plywood

• Furniture

• Provides resources for humans however it destroys ecosystems

• Oxygen will decrease, Carbon Dioxide will increase

WOOD HARVESTING

PEAT HARVESTING

• Peat is harvested and used to add nutrients and other chemicals to soils to make them more fertile

• Peat is renewable however does disrupt ecosystems

COAL MINING• There are 2 major methods of coal mining:

• Surface Mining

• Underground mining

• Coal mining is harmful to the environment because:

• It disrupts the landscape of the lithosphere Causes erosion

• Leaves behind toxic substances Pollute air and water

URANIUM/PLUTONIUM MINING• There are 3 methods for mining Uranium and Plutonium:

• Open Pit Mining

• Underground Mining

• In-Situ Leaching

• All of these methods create health risks for workers

OIL DRILLING

• Oil is contained inside of rocks that prevent it from escaping (Oil Traps)

• Oil rigs are used to drill inside of the rocks and pump the oil out

• Concerns about oil drilling:

• Oil spills – Could destroy ecosystems and affect wildlife

• Natural gas is obtained from hydrofracking

• Rock near the bottom of a well is broken up

• Used in order to increase the flow of natural gas from the well

• Environmental Effects:

• Accidents can cause hazardous chemicals to escape

• Produces waste that must be disposed of

NATURAL GAS DRILLING