Natural Enviornment Case Studies
Monserrat Volcano
Tambura Eruoption
South Asia and Carlisle Floods
Happisburgh, Norfolk
Camden and Germany Recycling
Tar/Oil Sands (Canada)
Offshore Wind Farms (UK)
River Nene
Walton-on-the-Naze
- Created by: HannahGoodwin
- Created on: 18-04-14 16:16
Monserrat Volcano
Volcanic Eruptions
Monserrat is a small island in the Caribbean Sea
Eruption: June 25th 1997
- 70mph pyroclastic flow (Destroyed 20 villages and two thirds of homes)
- Half of the island became an exclusion zone
- Ash cloud spread 10 miles into the air and 100 metres into the sea
- Beat the cooling affect of the sea water for 100 metres
- 19 killed and 7 injured
- Destructive Plate Margin (Atlantic and Caribbean Plates)
- 8000 of the 12000 inhabitants left the island
- Schools, Hospitals, the Airport and Port have been destroyed ruining the tourism industry
Tambora Eruption
Global Climate Change Impacts
Tambora is an active stratovolcano on the island of Sumbawa, Indonesia.
- 92000 died
- Europe became cold and rainy with floods, and Ash fell in the snow
- Africa experienced heavy monsoons and cold weather causing rice production to fall
- China suffered famine
- 200000 Europeans died from typhus and famine
South Asia and Carlisle Floods (LIC - HIC)
Flooding
How chances of flooding are increased:
- More rainfall, Urbanisation (Impermeable Materials), Saturated Grounds, Melting Snow
Flooding Effects and how they differ from LIC to HIC:
- South Asia (River Brahmaputra and Ganhes): 2000+ deaths, 25 million made homeless, factories closed and livestock killed, 112000 homes destroyed, 100000 caught water bourne diseases (eg, Diarrhoea) , Many farmers became unemployed
- Carlisle (River Eden): 3 deaths, 3000 made homeless, 350 business shut down, Roads damanged, Rivers polluted, Stress related illnesses increased, 3000 jobs became at risk
Responses:
- South Asia: Many didnt escape and transport links were blocked, Other governments and charities sent food, water and medical aid.
- Carlisle: People evacuated, Reception area open for evacuees, Temp Acommodation provided.
Happisburgh, Norfolk
Coastal Management Strategies
- Village population of 850
- Cliffs defended in 1958 which reduced errosion by 50cm per year
- Houses worth £80000 have decreased to just £1
- Sea defences would cost £4 million for 500 metres of protection
- 26 houses have already been washed away
- Defences would cost more than the village so isn't worth it
Camden and Germany Recycling
Camden (London) and Germany have incredibly good recycling systems that have been put in place.
Camden:
- 3 Refuse collections per week
- Regis Road Centre recycle bigger items for free (Upgraded in 2007)
- Bulky Items and white goods can be left on the road side and are collected by the council 3 times a year
- Recycling Advisors go around local schools and communities
- 27% of waste recycled in 2007 compared with 17% in 2003
Germany:
- Green Dot Scheme introduced - bottles and cans are taken back to shops to be reused
- 75% of waste recycled, with only 1% of waste going to lanfill (only 160 landfill sites now, in 1970 there were about 50000)
- Two thirds of recycling is shipped abroad as so much is collected £2.5 million is spent per year in recycling (Including Nucelar and Toxic Waste)
- 68 incincerators which are all clean. Electricity is generated by burning waste.
Tar/Oil Sands in Canada
Effects of Non-renewable energy sources on local and national environments
Oil is mixed up with sands or clay and has to be mined. Found in Northern Alberta, Canada.
Disadvantages:
- Expensive
- Energy Intensive (Large trucks used to mine the sands)
- Large amounts of greenhouse gases produced
- 2 tonnes of mined tar sands only produces one barrel of oil. Leaves huge holes in the ground, scarring the landscape with toxic waste ponds and pipes.
- 470km squared of forest removed in 2010.
Advantages:
- Existing oil fields are running out of oil
- Oil from Canada is more reliable for the USA than the Middle East
- By 2030, 16% of North Americas oil demands could be met by oil sands. Secure source.
- Provides oil until renewable sources can be developed - takes time and money
- Land could eventually recover
- 20% of Canadas exports in 2007 was produced by Oil Sands.
Offshore Wind Farms (UK)
The effects of a renewable energy source on the environment and people
Positives:
- Reduces UK's Carbin Footprint
- Zero emmisons while operating
- Creation of jobs
- No NIMBYs as out at sea
- By 2020 15% of the UKs energy will come from wind power
- Becoming a cheaper way of generating energy
Negatives:
- Migrating sea birds can be affected (Some wind farms have been rejected due to this, eg. Docking Shoal in Lincolnshire)
- Visual Pollution
- Expensive to construct (One large turbine costs £3 million)
- Expensive to transmit the electricity ashore
- Hydraulic hammers which are used to help prepare the offshore platforms are noisy and can harm wildlife
River Nene
Heavy rainfall on the 9th April 1998 caused the river to overflow, requiring a £6.8 million project to protect the most affected parts of Northampton.
Causes and Effects:
- Torrential downfall and thunderstorms prior to flooding causing saturated ground
- 3x the average monthly amount of rainfall
- No effective warning system to predict or warn of flooding
- Two deaths and 1500 evacuees
- £350 million worth of damage
- Sewage caused serious health risk
- 2500 properties affected and 5000 cars written off
Management:
- Flood retention reservoir built to hold excess water
- Embankments built 10m away from river for larger water holding. Tress were added to improve visuals and hold soil together.
- 4m fllood walls built by railway station
- Flood warning sirens and a 2 hour warning system installed by environment agency
Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze has a population of 12000.
- LSD moves sand along the coastline from South to North
- In 1998, £167,000 for 300 tonnes of Leicester Granite Rip-Rap was placed around the Tower breakwater. This slowed down erosion but hasn't stopped it.
- Cliffs suffer from slumping making the defence of the area even more complex.
- Soft rock types are: London Clay and Red Crag. (Easily erroded)
- In 1977, on the Southern Part of the coastline, defences were installed such as: a seawall, breakwaters, groynes and the cliff was regraded,
- In 1999, the northern part of the coastline was replenished with sand and gravel from Harwhich Harbour
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