FINAL Flashcards
Agricultural past vs present
Before: Steady state with stable environment, population, and wealth.
After: Increased population and wealth due to better food supply.
Industrial Revolution Impact:
energy sources and machines led to more population and wealth.
GDP consistently increased
Issues with Growth:
Economists support growth, even if harmful to the environment.
Continuous growth may be unsustainable, leading to societal collapse.
Sustainability Definition:
economic growth plus protecting the environment.
Eco-efficiency aims for resource efficiency and pollution reduction through technology.
Limits to Tech Solutions:
Energy and material efficiency have limits.
No industrial process is impact-free.
can’t solve sustainability.
Sustainable changes need political and ideological factors.
Challenges of Efficiency:
gains not keeping up with growth= environmental impact
Continuous growth, even with efficiency, challenges sustainability.
Unsustainability of Industry:
85% of energy from non-renewables.
Raw materials are non-renewable, and industry generates too much waste.
Impact on Agriculture:
Industrialization made agriculture energy-inefficient.
Modern agriculture, reliant on fossil fuels, is unsustainable.
Conditions for Sustainability:
Energy from renewables.
Materials from renewable sources, recycling.
Waste discharge sustainable for the environment.
Challenges to Sustainability:
Environmental impacts of large-scale renewable energy.
Switching to renewables at current rates is damaging.
Recycling non-renewables is inefficient.
Alternatives in Renewables:
Biomass has land use and environmental issues.
Hydroelectricity has limited sites, solar and wind face land and public resistance.
Challenges to Growth:
Rapid resource use and pollution.
Limited resources and waste capacity.
Slow political responses to environmental limits.
Shifting Perspectives in Canada:
in the 19th-century European settlers in Canada transitioned from simply taking resources to carefully managing them for their own farms.
Water became vital for mining, agriculture, and industry in western British North America.
Formation of Water Rights:
The rules about land and water rights were crucial during the colonial period in Canada
Water rights shaped by input from lawyers, judges, elders, anthropologists, and historians.
Revision of Native History:
Old narratives portrayed Natives as victims with limited agency.
emphasize interdependency, contesting victim narratives.
Colonial Ideals and Indigenous Views:
Christianity shaped European colonial perspectives on how indigenous lands should be utilized.
Indigenous land use deemed “inefficient” in industrial terms.
Complexity of Indigenous Water Rights:
Indigenous water rights face challenges due to conflicts between federal and provincial governments, disputes over water use, and interactions with settlers. Complicated water use for everyone
Matsui recommends examining case studies for a better understanding.
Case Study: The Stoney Nakoda
Traditional Stoney Nakoda territories focused on animal grazing and hunting.
Stoney Nakoda had a say in water rights due to undefined hydroelectric technology.
Hydroelectric Development Challenges:
Late 19th-century innovations enabled hydroelectric power.
Development locations differed in the US and Canada; confusion around water use laws.
Case Study: The Horseshoe Falls Development
Initial surveys at Horseshoe Falls disregarded indigenous groups.
Stoney Nakoda negotiated for fair compensation, facing delays and changes.
Case Study: Kananaskis Falls
Calgary Power attempted to build on Stoney Nakoda land without permission.
Negotiations involved land demands, payments, and water rental rights.
Case Study: The Ghost Development
Dominion Water Power Act (1919) gave federal control over water power.
Stoney Nakoda negotiated a deal for land and rights, facing administrative delays.
Conclusion: Stoney Nakoda’s Situation
Stoney Nakoda faced challenges but had a say in negotiations.
Using riparian rights language set a precedent for indigenous ownership.
The government acknowledged the importance of hydropower, leading to its development on reserves.
Matsui emphasized active participation, not just accepting things..
Agricultural Advances:
Tractors replaced horses, boosting crop growth.
Electrification enhanced efficiency in the 1930s.
Crossbreeding led to resilient plants but raised biodiversity concerns.
Pesticide Overview:
Global use: 2.5 million tons, $20 billion.
Despite pesticides, 37% crop loss persists.
Pesticide use spiked tenfold from 1945-1989.
Pesticide Costs: Human Health:
1 million poisonings, 20,000 deaths yearly.
Developing countries face higher risks.
Chronic effects uncertain but significant.
Pesticide Costs: Non-Pest Impact:
Harm to non-target species and ecosystems.
Bees vulnerable, impacting pollination.
Soil harm affecting crop rotation.
Pesticide Resistance:
Insects develop immunity, spreading resistance.
potential for increased transmission of infectious diseases through organisms
Other Contamination:
Pesticides linger, leech into water.
Soil erosion harms aquatic life.
Millions of fish and bird deaths.
Costs & Controls of pesticides:
Regulatory costs: hundreds of millions.
Pesticides save $16 billion but incur $8 billion in indirect costs.
Industry costs: $3 billion; $5 billion in public health costs.
Suggested solution: reduce pesticide use, balance with natural control.
Critical Considerations about pesticides:
Nature control can lead to unintended consequences.
Holistic approach needed for health and environmental impact.
Biodiversity loss weakens crops; farming practices need reevaluation.