environmental impacts of globalisation

Question 1

Pacific Garbage Patch and containerisation impacts

Answer 1

• midway islands where largest population of albatrosses are dying from ingesting pollution
• mass production of products made from plastic
• microplastics eg- in shampoos
• Not just loss of biodiversity but threat to marine ecosystems like corals
• container ship spills

Question 2

Agriculture impacts

Answer 2

• 70% water used to produce crops
• soya plantations and livestock causing deforestation in places like borneo and the amazon
• increases emissions of greenhouse gases
• depletion of groundwater sources eg. Colorado river basin being drained because of the increased population
• pesticides and environmental contamination
  can cause eutrophication

Question 3

Exxon Valdez impacts

Answer 3

• canada 1989
• 11 mil gallons of crude oil spilt that took them days to respond
• Area was very biodiverse
• still finding oil washing up on beaches
• Lead to improvement in transportation and oil shipping
• Had to fly equipment from texas and england
• Less than 15% of oil captured
• Exxon spent more than 2 billion dollars