Social 10-1: Chapter 11 Notes
Globalization and Sustainability
WHAT DOES SUSTAINABILTY MEAN? (P260-265)
• People cannot live without having some impact on the environment.
• We need:
o Materials for homes, clothes, tools, etc.
o Fuel for heat, transportation and electricity.
o Water for drinking, cooking, cleaning and health.
• Scientists call human impact on nature their ecological footprint.
• An ecological footprint represents the area of the Earth’s surface necessary to
sustain the level of resources used and waste created.
• A person’s ecological footprint is measured by how much biologically productive
land and water resources are needed to keep them alive.
• See figure 11-2 on page 260 of your text.
• It has been calculated that the earth is capable of supplying 1.89 hectares of
productive land for each person.
Canada’s Ecological Footprint (p260)
• Unfortunately, the earth’s resources are not shared equally, and Canada, for
example, is one of the greatest consumers of the earth’s resources in the world.
• On average, Canadians use 7.25 hectares per person.
• See Figure 11-4 on pg. 260 to see how Edmontonians impact the earth.
Bangladesh’s Environmental Impact (p261)
• In contrast to Canada, Bangladesh is one of the world’s poorest nations, thus has
a very small impact on the environment.
• On average, people in Bangladesh only use 0.6 hectares of productive
land/person.
• Little money is spent on consumer goods, large houses, and so on.
• In fact, only 33% of the population have access to electricity.
HOW ARE GLOBALIZATION AND SUSTAINABILITY RELATED?
(P266-271)
Environmental Issues Related to Shipbuilding (p266)
• Use 3% of fossil fuels consumed globally, but emit 15% of the world’s nitrogen
and sulphur dioxide
• Ballast water pumped out of ships contain as many as 12 392 marine creatures
per cubic meter
o E.g. Zebra Mussels (a non-native species) are now in the Great Lakes,
causing environmental damage
Flags of Convenience (p267)
• Flags of convenience – often called Flagging Out – occurs when a ship is
registered in one country other than that of its owner.
• Lower cost for registration fees and other charges
• Little paperwork to ensure ease of registration
• Weaker environmental and labor laws (only have to obey the laws of the country
in which they are registered)
The Death of a Ship (p268)
Ship Breaking – ship breaking or ship demolition is a type of ship disposal involving
the breaking up of ships for scrap recycling.
• When ships are broken apart, hazardous materials are released
• beaches become littered with scrap materials from the ship-
breaking process (fishing & farming cannot occur in these areas)
• Dangerous job - many workers ignite trapped gasses from the ship
causing explosions
• Exposed to cancer-causing chemicals and asbestos, or risk being
crushed to death by falling steel beams and plates.
HAVE EFFORTS TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABILTY BEEN
SUCCESSFUL? (P272-274)
• Kyoto Protocol – Read pg. 272 in your text
• Summarize the issue.
• Have Canada’s emissions increased since 1990? By what percentage?
• What percentage of Canadians AGREE with the targets set out?
• Is Canada supportive of developing alternative energy sources?
• Have efforts to promote sustainability been successful?
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• Alberta Tar Sands
• Read pg.273 in your text.
• Summarize the issue.
• Discuss: Should Alberta encourage more tar sands development, or focus more
on sustainability and stewardship?
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• Alternative Energy Sources
o Read pg.274 in your text
o Summarize the issue.
o List 3 barriers to developing alternative energy sources
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Individual Initiatives - The Green Belt Movement (p275)
• Wangari Maathai is the founder of the Green Belt Movement
• Awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2004
• Operates in Africa, tree planting to offset deforestation
• Over 30 million trees have been planted since 1977.