Env Sci 10-1: Land Use and Urbanization

Lesson 10-1 Land Use and Urbanization

Multiple Choice

If seismic waves are passing through the earth, you are experiencing...

• an earthquake

• a hurricane

• a flood

• a tornado

Multiple Choice

If you live in a tropical area and are blown around by high-speed wind, you may be experiencing....

• an earthquake

• a tornado

• a hurricane

• a tsunami

Multiple Choice

diseases that are new to a population or have moved into a new area

• infectious disease

• emerging disease

• pandemic

• epidemic

Lesson Objectives

• Differentiate between land Cover and Land Use, and describe how people affect both

• Explain how and where urbanization occurs

• Describe the environmental impacts of ubanization

Land Cover

• Land cover: Vegetation and structures that cover land.

• Includes trees, grass, crops, wetlands, etc.

Land Use

• Land use: Human activities that occur on land

• Includes farming, grazing, logging, mining, residential, etc.

• Directly ties to the land cover of the area

Humans and Land

• Humans change land cover, especially in urban areas.

• These changes have environmental and economic effects.

Urban & Rural Areas

• Urban: Land mostly covered with buildings and roads (includes suburbs)

  • human population of 2500+

  • Suburbs: Smaller towns or cities outside of a large city

• Rural: Any other type of land use or land cover (includes forests, cropland, etc.)

Multiple Choice

Which type of area would Miami, Florida, be considered?

• Urban

• Rural

• Country

• Subruban

Multiple Choice

Human activities that occur on land are known as.....

• Land Use

• Land Cover

• Land Livability

• Sprawl

Multiple Choice

Which word describes a smaller city or town outside of a larger city?

• Townlet

• Village

• Suburb

• Capital

Urbanization

• Urbanization: a shift from rural areas to cities

• Started during the Industrial Revolution when improved farming provided more time for other developments, which led to new industry

• Cities are not new, but the enormous size of today’s cities is.

  • More than 20 cities have at least 10 million residents.

  • Number of people in cities has more than quadrupled since 1950

The Rise of Cities

• Factors that contribute to the rise of urbanization include population growth and industrialization.

  • Jobs in a city draw more people to them

• Most cities are located near a transportation route such as a large body of water, railroad, or highway.

Environmental Costs of Urbanization-Pollution

• Both Passive and active

  • Many areas take their waste and transport it somewhere else, masking the problem

• Increased waste

• industrial byproducts

• noise pollution

• light pollution

• Not evenly distributed among residents

  • Not in My Back Yard (NIMBY) Phenomenon

Environmental Costs of Urbanization-Heat

• Heat islands: Cities, several degrees warmer than surrounding areas, affect local weather and trap pollutants.

• Infrastructure: the facilities services, and installations needed for functioning

  • Replaces grass areas and other natural plants with concrete, which traps heat

  • Affects local weather, more storms

Environmental Costs of Urbanization-Resources

• Imported resources: Resources that are transported from one location to another

  • Fossil fuels are burned to import food, water, fuel, and raw materials.

Environmental Benefits of Urbanization

• Efficiency: Once resources arrive in cities, Less fuel and resources are needed to distribute goods and services to residents

• Universities and research centers: Urban areas tend to foster education and innovation.

• Land Preservation: Dense urban centers leave room for agriculture, wilderness, biodiversity, and privacy.

Multiple Choice

True or False: The idea of Cities is a relatively new idea

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What is one of the primary factors that draws people from rural areas to urban areas?

• less pollution

• more jobs

• more open space

• heat islands

Multiple Choice

The effects of urban areas on the environment are...

• only negative

• only positive

• both negative and positive

• nonexistent

Multiple Choice

Cities that are several degrees warmer than surrounding areas are known as

• Heat islands

• Hot Spots

• Temperate Zones

• Urban Roasters