Activity 3.2.1 – Natural Resources Review

 

Energy resources can be associated with many things when you first hear it most tend to think of gas and oil, and it consists of both of those but one of the larger contributors is the sun.(Brian A. Jerome, 2007) energy resources can be separated into two categories, renewable and non-renewable. Renewable sources include solar power, biomass, wind energy, hydroelectric energy, and geothermal energy. These renewable sources are easier to replace, as they are mainly derived from what earth has a large abundance of that can be easily replaced. So the disadvantages to these renewable sources is that they can be expensive to build and to destroy, and if used incorrectly can cause even more pollution, then non-renewable sources do. Non-renewable sources include oil and coal and these sources disadvantages are that they create a large amount of air pollution, and contribute heavily to climate change. This is without mentioning that these sources once they are gone, will not be around for millions of years as coal is made up of decomposed animals and plants from millions of years ago. Once these sources have been depleted, we will never see them nor are these sources something that will progress us in the future.

Work cited

Brian A. Jerome, & Visual Learning Systems (Producers), & . (2007). Energy Resources. [Video/DVD] Visual Learning Systems. Retrieved from https://video.alexanderstreet.com/watch/energy-3 

Activity 3.1 – Human Population

• South Korea

• 5 births per 1000 people

• 6 deaths per 1000 people

• -0.1 %Population growth rate 

• Life expectancy for 80 males and 86 females

• 1990 :1.6  2020: 0.8 Fertility rate

• 43,480 (GNI)

  
  

  (Population Ref., 2021)

  
  

South Korea was one of the more developed countries I found. South Korea has a birth rate of 5 per thousand people (Population Ref., 2021). An interesting fact about Korea’s childbirth is that Korea reached 0.95% birth rate in 2019, which is the lowest among OECD countries (Childbirth in South Korea, 2022). The birth rate in South Korea is one of the lowest compared to other countries in East Asia and even to its neighboring county North Korea which is 14 per thousand people. The low birth rate can also be attributed to the lower fertility rate because in 1990 there was a fertility rate of 1.6, and as of 2020 the fertility rate drop down to 0.8 making South Korea the lowest fertility rate in the world. The death rate is 6 deaths per thousand people which is the second lowest in East Asia.The population growth rate though is at -0.1% this can be attributed to the births per thousand people being lower that the death rate. With their population growth rate being in the negative. It is one of the lowest population growth rate, especially compared to that of Afghanistan, which is 2.6. Granted the life expectancy of males in South Korea is 80 and the females live to an average of 86 years old which is one of the high life expectancies. With the average life expectancy in South Korea being 83 years it is one of the higher life expectancy’s, and also at least an extra 20 years compared to Afghanistan were the average 65 years old. Finally the Gross National Income in South Korea is 43,480.

• Afghanistan

• 32 births per 1000 people

• 6 Deaths per 1000 people 

• 2.6 Population growth rate 

• Life expectancy for 64 males and 67 females

• 1990 7.5 , 2020 4.3 Fertility rate 

• 2,110 (GNI)

  
  

  (Population Ref., 2021)

  
  

 Afghanistan is one of the least developed country I have found. As their Gross National Income is only 2,110, this one of the lowest GNI in South Asia and only is only about 5% of what South Koreans make. With a birth rate of 32 per thousand people there are a lot of mouths to feed and barely any money. With a death rate of 6 per thousand people Afghanistan is easily one of the more overpopulated countries for its size. An with an average of 2.6 in the population growth rate it will only get more crowded. Though the life expectancy for mean is 64 years and women 67 years they do not necessarily live as long of a life as those in South Korea. The large birthrate can be attributed to the fertility rate that in 1990 was 7.5, but has since 2020 drop down to 4.3 (Population Ref., 2021). Afghanistan versus South Korea even though they are both in Asia the differences could be more, but they do have one similarity and that is there death rate of 6 per thousand people that doesn’t seem like many but when you compare it to the amount of people being born it can very heavily impact a country no matter the size.

Works cited

Population Reference Bureau. (2021). 2021 world population data sheet. 2021-World-Pop Data-Sheet.pdf

Childbirth in South Korea. (2022, June 19). Wikipedia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childbirth_in_South_Korea

Activity 2.3 – Biosphere and Interconnections

This concept map links the connection of energy and the forms that it undergoes and how it is controlled by the laws of thermodynamics.

This concept map depicts how biodiversity is intertwined with the needs and welfare of humans and the stability and integrity of our ecosystems, and how biodiversity can help progresses in the medical and food industries through the study of it.

This concept map shows the complexity of biomes, and what each one of them entitles.

Everything in our world connects to it it is a complex system of organisms, plants, and animals that all inevitably lead back to each other. For instance, bio diversity allows there to be a a large variety of life in the world, and within the habitats and ecosystems around us. Through biodiversity we are able to progress within medical field by studying the complexities of nature, as well as make revelations in the food industry. Biodiversity itself can be separated into utilitarian value, and Intrinsic value.(Freedman, 2018) Utilitarian value is the food, bio materials and energy that is created through biodiversity which inevitably comes back to humans. Energy in itself cannot be created nor destroyed. Therefore, it is a true constant. Energy has many different forms which undergo different processes, where it can become more concentrated or less concentrated, which then cycles back into the atmosphere as heat. (Freedman, 2018) 

Biomes are large habitats that are divided up into five major types. The five major types of biomes are aquatic, grassland, Forest, desert, and tundra. Biomes are characterized by the vegetation soil, climate and wildlife that are present in these ecosystems for example, aquatic biomes include freshwater and marine. (Freedman, 2018) Freshwater, being lakes, ponds and rivers; Marine being oceans, call reef, and estuaries. The forest biome contains much of the worlds biodiversity, therefore, biomes are a large collection of the variety of biodiversity that surrounds us. The most basic connection between biomes energy and bio diversity are that biome is the collection of different ecosystems, which contain biodiversity and biodiversity is the collection of different species of animals and plants and other organisms that surround us that contain energy which is constantly being recycled and reused by humanity, and the earth itself through heat. 

References 

Freedman, B. (2018). Environmental Science [Review of Environmental Science]. Environmental Science [Review of Environmental Science]. edge://external-file/FREEDMAN_Environmental-Science.pdf

Activity 2.2.1 – My daily water use

Water calculator name	Url	Per person per day usage
My San Antonio water bill	N/A	62 gallons
Home Water Works	https://home-water-works.org/calculator	35 gallons
Water Filter Portal	https://waterfilterportal.com/water-use-calculator/	107 gallons

Water usage per person per day from my bills

November Usage : 5,557

           +

December Usage : 5,237

           +

January Usage : 5,985

Total = 16,779 gallons in total

16,779 divided by 3 months = 5,593 gallons average a month

5,592 divided by number of people in the house 3 = 1,864 gallons per person per month

1,864 divided by 30 days = 62 gal per day per person

Reflection

I have found in my review of my water bill that my household uses the same average as others in my community. I have also seen the amount used per month pass the what I used for this project and saw that the months that we had a family member living with us the our water usage practically doubled from about 5,500 gallons to about 12,000 gallons. In my usage of the water usage calculations I realized the sheer amount we use everyday washing dishes and doing laundry; the sites also provide me with useful ways to reduce my water usage and plan to implement them in my everyday life from now on. Even though I plan to work towards reducing my water usage from my calculations from the past three months, we are actually below the average usage of water for people in San Antonio, Texas. What I have found though is that the water usage calculator seems to overestimate my water usage and are all over the place with their calculations depending on the site I used. Some ways I plan to lessen our water usage is by setting up a rainwater collection tank and having that water be specifically for watering plants, trees, and grass. Another way is looking into getting the low flow toilets, faucets, and looking into the more eco-friendly water, saving dishwashers and washing machines although I am simply just looking. I plan to also cut down on shower time and avoid baths as they are a large contributor to water usage waste.