Content

Humans and the Environment

Water Management Projects

Water Management Projects Interactivity

For thousands of years, humans have altered the environment through water management and diversion. This includes the use of irrigation, dams, reservoirs, and canals. In this interactivity, you will learn about specific water management projects. You will also explore their impact on the local environment. Click the player to begin.

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Physical and Environmental Changes

Physical and Environmental Changes Interactivity

By using agricultural and industrial practices, societies have altered physical and environmental landscapes. In this interactivity, you will examine how humans have caused physical and environmental changes. Click the player to begin.

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Technology and the Environment

Technological advancements have greatly influenced how humans live and interact with their environment. People can change their surroundings. They can also adapt to their surroundings better than ever. Technology has influenced agriculture, energy usage, and transportation.

Agriculture

Advancements in agriculture have allowed people to efficiently grow greater quantities of food. The use of fertilizer is one of the ways farming has adapted to feed a growing population. Fertilizers are chemicals added to soil that help crops grow. Typically, they supplement nutrients that are missing from the soil. Crops benefit from these added nutrients. However, when fertilizer get washed into waterways, they cause contamination and oxygen depletion.

Another technological shift in agriculture is the rise of mechanization. Machines, rather than humans and animals, increasingly perform work on farms. This allows more land to be cleared, farmed, and maintained with less physical labor.

Energy Usage

The way humans produce and consume energy has a major impact on the environment. Take fossil fuels as an example. Fossil fuels are an energy source created by decayed organic matter. This includes coal, natural gas, and oil. Found deep in the Earth, fossil fuels get extracted through drilling and mining. This process can devastate the surrounding environment. Burning fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide, a major contributor to climate change.

Nuclear energy lacks the carbon emissions of fossil fuels, but it also impacts the environment. Nuclear power plants produce radioactive waste. The waste requires long-term storage over a few decades to millions of years. Land required to store the waste risks contamination due to spills or leakage. There is also a risk of meltdown at a nuclear power plant. Although this risk is low, radioactive contamination from a meltdown would devastate the surrounding region.

Risks associated with carbon emissions and radioactive waste has prompted a push for renewable energy. Renewable resources include water, wind, and sunlight. Technology to harness this energy continues to advance. This has made alternatives to fossil fuels and nuclear power possible. For example, viable sources include hydroelectric power, wind power, and solar power.

Transportation

Technology has revolutionized the way humans move from one point to another. Traveling around the world is easier than ever, but it requires infrastructure. Land and resources are necessary to build these roads, railways, and airports that connect towns and cities.

In addition, a commuter culture has arisen. Large numbers of people commute daily from homes in suburbs to jobs in cities. Thus, a greater demand to expand mass rapid transit systems exists. This includes subways, metros, and light rails. Many vehicles used for transportation burn fossil fuels, increasing pollution and carbon emissions. Due to this, it is necessary to examine alternative energy sources.

Environmental Impact on Humans

Environmental Impact on Humans Interactivity

You have already studied various ways humans influence their environment. However, the environment also influences humans. In this interactivity, you will learn the how the environment impacts the way people live. Click the player to begin.

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Humans and the Environment Review

Humans and the Environment Review Interactivity

Now that you have learned about humans and the environment, review your knowledge in this interactivity. Click the player button to get started.