CHAPTER 3: The Impact of Population Growth on the Environment

T his chapter emphasizes the impact of population growth on the environment; how
human activities affect agriculture, engineering and medicine; it also identifies the uses
and sources of energy; the energy crisis and conservation; alternative sources of energy
and the environmental effects of energy production and utilization.

3.1 Human’s Intervention with Nature

 Adverse Effects of People’s Activities

To survive and support the growing numbers of people, we have greatly increased the
number and area of the earth’s natural systems that we have modified, cultivated, built on, or degraded.
To survive and prosper we have used technology to severely alter much of the rest of nature by (Miller,
227-228):

a. Simplifying Ecosystems
Eliminating some wildlife habitats by plowing grasslands, clearing forests, and
filling in wetlands, often replacing their thousands of interrelated plant and
animal species with one crop or one kind of tree called monoculture.
b. Eliminating Predators
c. Deliberately or accidentally introducing new species-some beneficial and some are
harmful to us and other species
d. Overharvesting
e. Interfering with the normal chemical cycling and energy flow in the ecosystem

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3.2 Energy and Environment

 Uses and Sources of Energy

Uses of Energy

1. For generating electricity

2. For residential and commercial lighting
3. For cooling and heating
4. For industrial purposes (mining, smelting)
5. For use as raw material (coal, petroleum, and natural gas are used in making chemicals, plastics,
etc.)

Sources of Energy

1. Primary Energy Sources-energy is created directly from the actual resource. Classified in two
groups:
a. Non-renewable Energy Sources (also called a finite resource)
-energy from the ground that has limited supplies, either in the form of
gas, liquid, or solid
-cannot be replenished, or made again, in a short period of time

EX. Oil (petroleum), natural gas, coal, fossil fuels, earth minerals, metal ores

b. Renewable Energy Sources

-energy that comes from a source that’s constantly renewed, such as the
sun and wind, can be replenished naturally in a short period of time

EX. Solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, geothermal

EX. Solar,
Based on REN21's wind,
2016 biomass
report, and hydropower
renewables contributed 19.2% to humans' global energy
consumption and 23.7% to their generation of electricity in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

2. Secondary Energy Sources-energy that is converted from primary sources and can be generated by
a number of different primary sources
EX. Electricity, hydrogen

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 Energy Crisis and Conservation

Energy Crisis

There is an Energy Crisis when we are unable to extract sufficient fuel from the earth to satisfy our
needs; or because we are not producing enough electricity

Causes of Energy Crisis:

1. Overconsumption
2. Overpopulation
3. Poor infrastructure
4. Unexplored renewable energy options
5. Delay in commissioning of power plants
6. Wastage of energy
7. Poor distribution system
8. Major accidents and natural calamities
9. Wars and attacks
10. Miscellaneous factors : Tax hikes, strikes, military coup, political events, severe hot
summers or cold winters

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Energy Conservation

- using less energy for constant service

- refers to the reducing of energy consumption through using less of an energy service

Adverse Environmental and Social Impacts Associated with Energy Production and Consumption

1. Air pollution-a mixture of solid particles and gases in the air

2. Acid rain-or acid deposition, is a broad term that includes any form of precipitation with
acidic components
3. Global warming-a gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth's
atmosphere and its oceans
4. Oil spill-release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially
marine areas, due to human activity
5. Water pollution-the contamination of water bodies
6. Loss of wilderness areas
7. Construction of new power plants
8. Foreign energy dependence
9. International conflict over energy supplies

 Alternative Sources of Energy

1. Solar Energy- generation of electricity from the sun (solar panels, solar power plant)
Two Types:
a. Photovoltaic/Electric Energy- directly converts sunlight into electricity
using panels made of semiconductor cells
b. Thermal Energy- captures the sun’s heat. This heat is used directly or
converted into mechanical energy and in turn electricity
2. Wind Energy- generation of electricity from the wind (wind turbines)
3. Geothermal Energy- using hot water or steam from Earth’s interior for heating buildings
or electricity generation (volcanoes, lava, magma, hot springs)
4. Biofuel and Ethanol- are plant-derived substitutes of gasoline for powering vehicles
5. Nuclear binding energy- uses nuclear fission to create energy
6. Hydrogen- used as clean fuel for spaceships, and some cars
Sources:

http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/?page=secondary_home
http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/WhyConserveEnergy.php.
http://www.energy4me.org/energy-facts/energy-sources/
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