GEOGRAPHY – ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS OF ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT
 POLLUTION
What is it?
"The contamination of air, water, or soil by substances that are harmful to living organi
sms. Pollution can occur naturally, for example

through volcanic eruptions, or as the result of human activities, such as the spilling of
oil or disposal of industrial waste."

The main types of pollution are:

 Water Pollution.
 Air Pollution.
 Land Pollution.
 Thermal Pollution.
 Radioactive Pollution.
 Noise Pollution.
 Light Pollution.

Pollution can be categorized into 2 different types:

 Incidental Pollution - this is one off pollution typically caused by a one off
disaster or even e.g. Chernobyl nuclear meltdown.
 Sustained Pollution - This is persistent long term pollution typically caused by
factories or industry.

TYPES OF POLLUTION

AIR

According to the dictionary, air pollution is the contamination of air by smoke and
harmful gases, mainly oxides of carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen. Some examples of air
pollution include:

 Exhaust fumes from vehicles

 The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, or gas
 Harmful off-gassing from things such as paint, plastic production, and so on
 Radiation spills or nuclear accidents

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 WATER

Water pollution is the contamination of any body of water (lakes, groundwater,

oceans, etc). Some examples of water pollution:

 Raw sewage running into lake or streams

 Industrial waste spills contaminating groundwater
 Radiation spills or nuclear accidents
 Illegal dumping of substances or items within bodies of water
 Biological contamination, such as bacteria growth
 Farm runoff into nearby bodies of water

LAND

Land pollution is the degradation of the Earth's surface caused by a misuse of

resources and improper disposal of waste. Some examples of land pollution include:

 Litter found on the side of the road

 Illegal dumping in natural habitats
 Oil spills that happen inland
 The use of pesticides and other farming chemicals
 Damage and debris caused from unsustainable mining and logging practices
 Radiation spills or nuclear accidents

Land pollution is responsible for damage done to natural habitat of animals,

deforestation and damage done to natural resources, and the general ugly-ing up of
our communities.
THERMAL

Thermal pollution is the increase of temperature caused by human activity. A few

examples of this include:

 Warmer lake water from nearby manufacturing (using cool water to cool the
plant and then pump it back into the lake)
 Included in thermal pollution should also be the increase in temperatures in
areas with lots of concrete or vehicles, generally in cities

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These kinds of environmental pollution can cause aquatic life to suffer or die due to
the increased temperature, can cause discomfort to communities dealing with higher
temperatures, and will affect plant-life in and around the area.

RADIOACTIVE

Radioactive pollution is rare but extremely detrimental, and even deadly, when it
occurs. Because of its intensity and the difficulty of reversing damage, there are strict
government regulations to control radioactive pollution.
Sources of radioactive contamination include:

 Nuclear power plant accidents or leakage

 Improper nuclear waste disposal
 Uranium mining operations

Radiation pollution can cause birth defects, cancer, sterilization, and other health
problems for human and wildlife populations. It can also sterilize the soil and
contribute to water and air pollution.

NOISE

Noise pollution is any loud sounds that are either harmful or annoying to humans
and animals. Some exmaples of noise pollution:

 Airplanes, helicopters, and motor vehicles

 Construction or demolition noise
 Human activities such as sporting events or concerts

Noise pollution can be disruptive to humans' stress levels, may be harmful to unborn
babies, and drives animals away by causing nervousness and decreasing their ability
to hear prey or predators. It can even disrupt breeding patterns.

LIGHT

Light pollution is the brightening of the night sky inhibiting the visibility of stars and
planets by the use of improper lighting of communities. Some examples of what
causes light pollution:

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  Street lamps that shine light in all directions, instead of with a hood to point
light downward toward the street.
 Extra, unnecessary lights around the home
 Cities that run lights all night long

Light pollution uses more energy, may affect human health and our sleep cycles. It
can also affect animal behaviour.

THE GREEN HOUSE EFFECT

The Green House effect: an atmospheric heating phenomenon, caused by short-wave solar
radiation being readily transmitted inward through the earth's atmosphere but longer-
wavelength heat radiation less readily transmitted outward, owing to its absorption by
atmospheric carbon dioxide, water vapour, methane, and other gases; thus, the rising level of
carbon dioxide is viewed with concern.

Global warming: a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere
generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide,
CFCs, and other pollutants. This is caused by human activity.

Climate change: a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change

apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased
levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.

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 SOIL EROSION AND DESERTIFICATION
1. Soil erosion is a naturally occurring process that affects all landforms. In
agriculture, soil erosion refers to the wearing away of a field's topsoil by the
natural physical forces of water and wind or through forces associated with
farming activities such as tillage.
2. Soil degradation is the decline in soil quality caused by its improper use,
usually for agricultural, pastural, industrial or urban purposes. Soil
degradation is a serious global environmental problem and may be
exacerbated by climate change.
3. Desertification can result from poorly managed human intervention in the
savannah. Areas of desert are created by the destruction of natural vegetation.
Causes of desertification include:

o Removal of vegetation cover.

o Overgrazing.
o Uncontrolled fuel wood collection.
o Unsustainable farming practice and loss in fertility of soil.
o Excessive tree felling.

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CASE STUDY: PEARL RIVER, CHINA