Geology Flashcards
Geo (Ge) = ?
Earth
Logos = ?
Discourse
The science of the Earth
Geology
i. the _______, of which it is made
ii. the _______ that act on these materials
iii. the _______ formed
materials, process, products
History of the planet Earth and its life forms since its origin
Geology
Total set of circumstances that surrounds an individual or a community
Environment
Two conditions of the environment
Physical conditions
Social and cultural conditions
Air, water, gases, landforms
Physical conditions
Ethics, economics, aesthetics
Social and cultural conditions
The application of geologic principles and knowledge to problems created by man’s occupancy and exploitation of the natural environment
Environmental Geology
Environmental Geology considers:
i. Earth processes, resources, and structures
ii. Society and culture
Includes the study of natural hazards, landscape evaluation, earth materials, hydrologic processes, geological processes
Environmental Geology
Application of Environmental Geology:
i. help solve ________ in land use
ii. minimize environment ________
iii. maximize the beneficial results of using our ________ and ________ environment
conflicts, degradation, natural and modified
True or False: Environmental Geology uses the scientific method
True
The way we perceive and respond to our natural environment
Environmental Awareness
Assumes that we are the land’s
citizens and protectors, not its conquerors (Aldo Leopold)
Land ethics
We have a moral obligation to the present and future Earth community to preserve and protect the environment
Environmental Ethics
Two types of Environmental Ethics
Ecological and Land
Produced because of the demands made on the diminishing resources by a growing human population and the ever-increasing production of waste
Environmental Crisis
4 Causes of Environmental Crisis (OUII)
i. Overpopulation
ii. Urbanization and little regard for the land
iii. Industrialization
iv. Inadequate institutions to cope with environmental stress
Talked about the threats of synthetic pesticide use, played a significant role in pesticide policy in the US and
the world, inspired environmental movements and emerging awareness of environmental health
The Silent Spring by Rachel Carson (1962)
Reiterates the environmental crisis is quiet but urgent
*Why is the crisis quiet in the 1960s? Is it still quiet at present?
The Quiet Crisis by Stewart Udall (1963)
Fundamental Concepts of Environmental Geology
- Population Growth
- Sustainability
- Systems
- Limitation of Resources
- Uniformitarianism
- Hazardous Earth Processes
- Aesthetic Considerations
- Our Obligation to the Future
- Geology as a basic environmental science
Number one environmental problem
Excessive population growth
Human population is growing at an exponential rate
Population Bomb
The population increases by ~__ million per year
~________ people are added each hour
94 million
10,000
“The impact per person multiplied by the population.” is according to?
Garret Hardin
Formula for Total environmental impact (population)
Total environmental impact (population) = impact (person) x population
Implications of Population Growth (SCPG)
i. Shortages (food supplies, mineral resources)
ii. Changes in global environment (deforestation, desertification)
iii. Pollution
iv. Global warming and ozone depletion
Current world population as of 2025
8,205,125,224
Country with the highest population
India
Region in the Philippines with the highest population
Region IV-A (Calabarzon)
Rank of the Philippines in the world population
14
Philippine region with the highest population
Region IV-A (Calabarzon)
Stages of the Growth of the Human Population
- Hunters and gatherers
- Early, preindustrial agriculture
- Early industrial age
- The modern era
Global pandemic that lasted from 1346 to 1353 in Europe and Asia.
The Black Death (bubonic plague)
Cause of The Black Death: bacteria called _______ _______ that live in some animals - mainly rodents and their fleas.
Yersinia pestis
Symptoms of The Black Death: painful, swollen lymph nodes or ______ in the groin or armpit.
buboes
An environmental objective: Sustainable Development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (UN, 1987).
Sustainability
1990’s slogan of sustainability
“SAVE OUR PLANET”
Careful management and wise use of the planet and its resources
Sustainable global economy
Identify the years:
The ____ Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United
Nations Member States in ____, provides a shared blueprint for peace
and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.
2030; 2015
SDG #12
Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG #13
Climate Action
SDG #14
Life Below Water
SDG #15
Life on Land
SDG #16
Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
Any defined part of the universe selected for study
Systems
Most contain component parts that mutually adjust
Systems
What are the Earth’s systems? (AHBL)
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
Lithosphere
Exchanges energy or material into or out of the system
Open System
Only energy move into or out of the system
Closed System
Principle of Environmental Unity
“Everything affects everything else”
A system response in which the output is an input causing changes to the system
Feedback
A system response in which the output is an input causing changes to the system
Feedback
The outcome of a change amplifies the initiating event and the outcome
Positive Feedback
The outcome moderates or decreases the process inducing the system to a steady state (self-regulating)
Negative Feedback
The Earth is the only suitable habitat we have, and its resources are limited
Limitation of Resources
True or False:
i. Earth is the only place that is now accessible to us
ii. Resources are limited
True! Those are the fundamental truths.
Two major views on resources
Finite & Infinite Resources
Finding resources is not so much a problem as is finding ways to use them
Infinite Resources
Cannot support an exponential increase of people forever
Finite Resources
Magnitude and frequency of geologic processes are subject to natural and artificially induced change
Uniformitarianism
“The present is the key to the past”
“The present is the key to the future”
Uniformitarianism
Geologic events = ________ + ________
Geologic events = natural EP (Earth Processes) + effects of HA (Human Activities)
Vertical sediments cross-cut by an erosion surface called an unconformity (James Hulton, 1726-1797)
Siccar Point
There has always been Earth processes that are hazardous to people, they must be recognized and avoided when possible and their threat to human life and property minimized
Hazardous Earth Processes
To recognize natural processes and predict their effects, we must consider the c______, b______, and g______ conditions we have
climatic, biologic, and geologic
Earth processes that cause life and property loss
Geohazards
Examples of Geohazards
Flooding
Earthquake
Volcanic Activity
Mass Wasting
Both land- and water-use planning should strive to obtain a balance between economic considerations and the less tangible variables such as aesthetics
Aesthetic Considerations
Scenery is now considered as a _______ _______
natural resource
The effects of land use tend to be cumulative
Our obligation to the future
The entire surface of the Earth has been altered by ______ ______
Human Activity (HA)
True or False: HA (agriculture, urbanization, mining) moves more soil and rock per year than any other natural processes (40-45 billion tons)
True
Conservation practices that provide soil for the future generations
Our obligation to the future
Developed countries: __% live in urban area
Developing countries: __%
75%
40%
Urban area with at least 10 million inhabitants
Megacity
Fundamental component of every person’s environment is the geologic component
Geology as a basic environmental science
True or False: All geologic disciplines are considered environmental
True
Environmental geology = _____________
interdisciplinary
