EARTHSC 2GG3 MIDTERM #1
● September 4th
○ Hazards and Disasters
■ Hazard: phenomenon that causes problems for ppl - if no ppl involved, no hazard
■ Disaster: significant number of ppl involved
○ Disaster Aid in Canada
■ Based on cost of damage
■ We qualify for federal disaster aid when >$500,000 worth of damage
■ But yearly impact of many small events exceeds losses from fewer, larger events
○ “Natural”
■ Many natural disasters are encouraged by human activities
■ Geological hazards - entirely natural causes
■ Hydrometerological hazards - combo
■ Biologically related hazards - combo
○ Are Disasters Getting Worse?
■ 1964-1968: 1 person in 10,000 killed by natural disaster
■ 2000-2004: 1 person in 100,000 killed by natural disaster
■ 1964-2004
● Most deaths occurred in 15 countries
● 87% below median Democracy Index
● 73% below median Gross Domestic Product
○ Case I: Popocatepetl, the Smoking Mountain
■ In the year 822, eruption buried nearby cities
■ Today, 100,000 ppl live at the base
■ Mexico City and Puebla are close by
○ Frequency and Magnitude
■ Magnitude: size, Frequency: how often
■ Return period: number of yrs between same-size events
■ As magnitude increases, frequency decreases; e.g., 100-yr-floods
○ Case 2: Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
■ Polynesian explorers settled on Easter Island (Rapa Nui) ~1,000yrs ago
■ Trees felled to use rollers, canoes, firewood
■ As forests disappeared, social system collapsed
■ Why? No trees = collapse?
● No fuel and no material for boat-building or houses
● Soil erosion led to crop failure
■ Carrying Capacity: how ppl can be supported by a given environment
● Related to availability of food, water, energy
● Affected by pollution, disease, weather conditions
○ Case 3: Ireland
■ In 1841, almost ½ population living wholly/mostly on potatoes (one strain)
■ Fungal blight wiped out entire crop; ppl starved, poor most vulnerable
○ World Pop. Growth
■ As pop. grows, greater # of ppl at risk from natural disasters
○ Enviro. and Pop.
■ Pop. rise and fall in response to resources and events
○ Slowing Down Pop. Growth
■ 1. Increasing age of 1st childbearing
■ 2. Birth control education
■ 3. Natural birth rate reduction programs
● September 4th
○ Hazards and Disasters
■ Hazard: phenomenon that causes problems for ppl - if no ppl involved, no hazard
■ Disaster: significant number of ppl involved
○ Disaster Aid in Canada
■ Based on cost of damage
■ We qualify for federal disaster aid when >$500,000 worth of damage
■ But yearly impact of many small events exceeds losses from fewer, larger events
○ “Natural”
■ Many natural disasters are encouraged by human activities
■ Geological hazards - entirely natural causes
■ Hydrometerological hazards - combo
■ Biologically related hazards - combo
○ Are Disasters Getting Worse?
■ 1964-1968: 1 person in 10,000 killed by natural disaster
■ 2000-2004: 1 person in 100,000 killed by natural disaster
■ 1964-2004
● Most deaths occurred in 15 countries
● 87% below median Democracy Index
● 73% below median Gross Domestic Product
○ Case I: Popocatepetl, the Smoking Mountain
■ In the year 822, eruption buried nearby cities
■ Today, 100,000 ppl live at the base
■ Mexico City and Puebla are close by
○ Frequency and Magnitude
■ Magnitude: size, Frequency: how often
■ Return period: number of yrs between same-size events
■ As magnitude increases, frequency decreases; e.g., 100-yr-floods
○ Case 2: Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
■ Polynesian explorers settled on Easter Island (Rapa Nui) ~1,000yrs ago
■ Trees felled to use rollers, canoes, firewood
■ As forests disappeared, social system collapsed
■ Why? No trees = collapse?
● No fuel and no material for boat-building or houses
● Soil erosion led to crop failure
■ Carrying Capacity: how ppl can be supported by a given environment
● Related to availability of food, water, energy
● Affected by pollution, disease, weather conditions
○ Case 3: Ireland
■ In 1841, almost ½ population living wholly/mostly on potatoes (one strain)
■ Fungal blight wiped out entire crop; ppl starved, poor most vulnerable
○ World Pop. Growth
■ As pop. grows, greater # of ppl at risk from natural disasters
○ Enviro. and Pop.
■ Pop. rise and fall in response to resources and events
○ Slowing Down Pop. Growth
■ 1. Increasing age of 1st childbearing
■ 2. Birth control education
■ 3. Natural birth rate reduction programs
