SAC - impacts of technology

Question 1

conservation

Answer 1

Is the preservation, protection, management or restoration of the natural environment.

Question 2

conservation examples

Answer 2

• Revegetation and Rehabilitation
• Establishment of parks and reserves
• Scientific investigation
• Controlled burning
• Community education
• Implementation of management strategies (such as
  creation of walking tracks, designated camping areas)

Question 3

positive impacts - conservation

Answer 3

• Preservation of sensitive vegetation.
• Protection of areas of significant value (creation of State and National
  Parks).
• Reduce erosion - due to creation of walkways, paths
• Rehabilitation of areas - due to track closures
• Reintroduction of species into areas they originally inhabited.

Question 4

negative impacts - conservation

Answer 4

• Vegetation modification - due to controlled fire burning.
• Land clearing due to conservation infrastructure - tracks, walkways,
  toilets, buildings.
• Permanent structures - viewing platforms, information buildings,
  barriers/fences.
• Disruption of habitats.

Question 5

commercial activities

Answer 5

• has a largely negative impact on
  outdoor environments.
• tend to focus on practices such as
  tourism and primary industry
• result in profit or gain - utilising
  the environment.

Question 6

positive commercial activities

Answer 6

tourism practices, such as - surfing, rafting, horse riding, and rock climbing. and through the use of education (of environments) by tourism providers.

Question 7

negative commercial impacts

Answer 7

mining, game hunting, development, natural resource extraction.

These are known as “Primary Industry” interactions.

Question 8

recreational activities

Answer 8

Recreation fills a human desire and need.

Recreational activities can be either:
Nature based
Adventure based

Question 9

positive impacts of recreational activities

Answer 9

the benefits gained from experiential education.

• Inspiration & Creativity
• Aesthetic value - the emotional responses we get from our
  interactions with the outdoors. How we feel from our connections with environments.
• Education - occur through school or group trips. Also include
  the teachings of OES. Learn about the
  environment and ways that we can protect and conserve it.

Question 10

recreational activities examples

Answer 10

• Hiking
• Bush walking
• Rock climbing
• Snow shoeing
• Surfing
• Snorkelling
• Camping
• Four wheel driving

Question 11

urbanisation

Answer 11

Urbanisation refers to the development of towns and
cities, and the increasing number of individuals that live
in urban areas.

An additional component to urbanisation - is the
movement of people from rural to metro areas.

Question 12

urban sprawl

Answer 12

the expansion of human populations away from central urban areas such as cities into low-density rural areas.

Question 13

urban planning

Answer 13

Urban planning ensures municipal development is delivered in
a way which is sustainable and liveable communities

Question 14

20 minute neighbourhoods

Answer 14

• Gives residents access to shops, schools, parks and jobs within 20 minutes of their home.
• Pedestrian friendly and housing close to public transport.

Question 15

positive impacts of urbanisation

Answer 15

Preservation of habitats due to parks and reserves.

Question 16

negative impacts of urbanisation

Answer 16

• habitat damage due to building of roads, etc
• decline in biodiversity
• introduced weeds and feral animals
• soil degradation : compaction and erosion
• pollution of environment: air, water, land,
• soil contamination : detergents, fertilisers,
  insecticides, pesticides.

Question 17

ecological footprint

Answer 17

the impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources.

Question 18

integrated farming

Answer 18

An approach to farming combining tradition methods with modern technology to achieve higher levels of productivity without increasing the environmental impact.

Question 19

technology

Answer 19

Technology refers to a multitude of advancements:
- machinery
- transportation
- infrastructure
- communication devices
- specialised equipment
- materials and clothing

Question 20

what is a direct impact?

Answer 20

Direct impacts are those caused by the action and occur at the same time and place, usually observable.

Question 21

what is an indirect impact?

Answer 21

Indirect or deferred impacts are those that are caused by the action, but not immediately. They happen before an event, or later in time but are still reasonably foreseeable.

Question 22

direct impacts of snow making

Answer 22

• Depletion of water sources in order to make fake snow. This negatively impacts the flora and fauna which depend on the water source.
• Land clearing required for trucks to enter alpine areas.
• The snow season is extended placing extra strain on the environment with little time to regenerate.
• Man made snow is waterproof unlike normal snow which
  results in increased erosion.
• Bird communities are being impacted as their habitat is being altered.

Question 23

indirect impacts of snow making 1

Answer 23

• Large amounts of energy are required to produce artificial snow and fossil fuels are burnt, which results in pollution of air, water and ecosystems.
• Snow machines are large and costly, manufacturing these can alter ecosystems and landscapes.
• Putting in place snow making machinery can alter landscapes, and modify/change surrounding ecosystems.

Question 24

indirect impacts of snow making 2

Answer 24

• Snow making generally occurs when water levels are low, meaning
  water has to be transported to mountains. This transportation uses a lot of energy burning fuel which pollutes the environment.
• Increased energy consumption on the mountain from diesel generators as the snow season is extended (means increase power
  consumption, pollution and other associated impacts).

Question 25

direct impacts of fuel stoves

Answer 25

- Contributes to atmospheric pollution - Reduces the need to burn timber - Fossil fuels are being used to run the stove - Doesn’t cause fire scars - soil is not damaged - There is no need for timber in the bush to be burnt (consume wood resources) - Doesn’t reduce biomass in an area that is needed to support habitats (wood fires do this)

Question 26

indirect impacts of fuel stoves

Answer 26

-Requires fuel that needs to be sourced and refined - Manufacturing requires a lot of energy - Manufacturing requires material from the earths surface to be sourced, in order for the production phase to occur (metals, plastics, paint). - Transportation is another negative to this impact of this product (stove). Products need to be transported (by vehicle) to stores all around the world, and this produces harmful emissions (carbon dioxide). Often products will even be sent from stores via other forms of transport from the store to reach the customer.

Question 27

direct impacts of wetsuits

Answer 27

- Microfibres from the wetsuits - are a key source of microplasticsin our ocean - Internal liners of wetsuits shed fibres while wearing in the ocean - leading to the increased amount of microplastic - Patagonia’s neoprene free wetsuits - are an more environmentally friendly alternative - made from natural materials.

Question 28

indirect impacts of wetsuits 1

Answer 28

- Product is made from a neoprene foam - an unpleasant rubber made from petroleum - The process of producing neoprene requires a lot of energy - Oil based neoprene - is sourced from a vast of oil drilling and transportation (non-renewable) - Limestone based neoprene - involves mining to great depths (non-renewable)

Question 29

indirect impact of wetsuits 2

Answer 29

- Old wetsuits create a cycle and build up of non-biodegradable waste - Producing neoprene contributes to climate change and that the toxic gasses emitted in the chemical processing plants cause cancer - Patagonia creates renewable natural rubber wetsuits from hevea trees

Question 30

direct impacts of tents 1

Answer 30

- Camping on sensitive and fragile ground means that these areas will not recover quickly, such as: native grasses, soft plants, muddy sites, and/or fragile soil layers - Soil erosion can easily occur - so choose durable surfaces to set up tents. Eg. rock, sand, dry grass, or tent platforms. - Using already made tent sites supports the surrounding environment - and follows the “Leave no Trace” principle. Stay within the boundaries too.

Question 31

direct impact of tents 2

Answer 31

- Spreading tents out across sites - widens the impact, and makes it easier for the environment to recover after use (instead of setting up heaps of tents within the same area). - Site alterations have a negative impact on the environment - such as digging trenches

Question 32

indirect impacts of tents

Answer 32

- Manufacturing requires a lot of energy - a 3.5kg tent could emit as much as 25kg of carbon dioxide, and contains approximately 8,750 straws worth of plastic. - Manufacturing requires material from the earths surface to be sourced, in order for the production phase to occur (metals, plastics, paint). - When tents are damaged, instead of being fixed - most end up in landfill. A large amount of waste after festivals is made up of basic tents.

Question 33

indirect impact of tents 2

Answer 33

- Cheap tents are often made out of polyester or nylon with a coating of silicone or acrylic polyurethane, with poles made of carbon fibre and pegs made of aluminium. Synthetic fibres such as nylon and polyester are polymers derived from fossil fuels and generally do not biodegrade. - Synthetic material tents shed microplastics - which can end up in soil, waterways, and impact fauna.

Question 34

equipment manufacture

Answer 34

all equipment manufacture impacts - Air Quality - Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Ozone Depletion - Water Quality - Use of Natural Resources - Noise Pollution. - Manufacturing processes also require the use of non-renewable resources such as metal, petroleum, and fossil fuels. The extraction of these resources also has a high energy demand. - The recycling of any equipment (materials) is important, as it decreases the one-way flow of these resources, and reduces the overall amount of landfill material - and subsequent soil, air and water pollution.

Question 35

direct impacts of transport

Answer 35

- habitat destruction / fragmentation - increased stormwater runoff that pollutes waterways - disruption to fauna - increased noise pollution

Question 36

indirect impacts of transport

Answer 36

- increased motor vehicle exhaust emissions - which can lead to further/future environmental pollution - more land development and urbanisation, as more people are attracted to the area due to improved access.

Question 37

impacts of urbanisation - waterways

Answer 37

- disruption of ecosystems - increased turbidity - rising salt levels - loss of stream side vegetation - erosion of creeks and watercourses - increased storm water runoff - water pollution from litter, garden refuse, soap, petrol, oil, cigarette butts, animal faeces

Question 38

impacts of urbanisation - land

Answer 38

- decrease in biodiversity levels - lack of dead wood and forest litter - introduction of weeds - loss of topsoil - increased water absorption into soil - loss of old hollow trees (growth forests) - habitat loss through timber harvesting, mining excavation, and clearing of vegetation

Question 39

what is urbanisation?

Answer 39

- clearing land - building houses, factories, infrastructure

Question 40

what are the major threats of urbanisation ?

Answer 40

- land degradation - emissions - extinction of species - habitat loss - population increase

Question 41

impacts of our changing lifestyles 1

Answer 41

- 21st Century people spend more time in urbanised areas and less time in natural environments (spaces). - 21st Century people also spend more time engaged with technology. - Can experience footage of the outdoors and experiences without leaving your home

Question 42

impacts of our changing lifestyles 2

Answer 42

- There are less natural spaces - how can we connect (or reconnect with environments) - Tourism operators - often exploit Outdoor Environments - and overuse certain areas.