Working Towards Sustainability: Mine Reclamation and Biodiversity

1. If you were on a committee asked to determine if a mine reclamation project had been successful, what three measures or conditions would you want to consider in your evaluation?

If I was on such a committee, I would want to consider whether or not the original physical, chemical, and biological properties of the land had been recreated by the mine reclamation project. This is because, in order for a reclamation project to be considered successful, it must restore land back to the condition it was in before mining took place.

2. Identify two environmental problems that might occur in the area where you live if a mining site was not reclaimed.

Two environmental problems that might occur in the area where I live if a mining site was not reclaimed are runoff water containing high concentrations of toxic metals and acids and erosion from the displacement of topsoil.

Water Diversions: Costs and Benefits

Compare the benefits and costs of (at least 3 each) of the water diversions projects that we presented in the Chapter 9 opening case study.

Reclaiming the Aral Sea Summary

Provide a 2 sentence summary for each orange heading.

COLLAPSE
The sea level of the Aral Sea has gradually been dropping over the past several decades. In fact, it has decreased so much that the water has been separated into two separate bodies: the Small Aral and the Large Aral.

ROCK BOTTOM
This loss of water has led to many dire consequences, including an end to spring floods, increased salinity, a decrease in species diversity, and fewer jobs in the commercial fishery business. The lack of water also intensifies desertification and drastically alters the climate.

TOXIC SUBSTANCES
Salt, dust, and contaminants left by the receding coastline are spread by winds, which can have a negative impact on the environment and the health of the people living in it. Another major issue lies in the former Vozrozhdeniya Island, whose unification with the mainland in 2001 threatens the spread of weaponized organisms.

HOPE FOR THE NORTH
The only way to fix this problem is to curtail irrigation, but all of the Soviet republics in the Aral Basin except for Kazakstan intend to do the exact opposite. Kazakstan built a sturdy dam in 2005 to raise water levels, which has helped lessen the consequences of issue.

PROSPERITY RISING
Because it is predicted that salt levels in the Small Aral are to settle, the return of more indigenous species is likely. In addition, irrigation improvements could reconnect cities and restart shipping, although such a large change may be unrealistic for Kazakstan.

LONG SHOT FOR THE SOUTH
If no changes are made, the fate of the Large Aral is very dismal, with future of the western basin being relatively uncertain. Efforts by the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan, and national donors have created only temporary results, and an real long-term solution will require international cooperation.

GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS
The crisis in the Aral Sea proves the destructive capability of modern innovations as well as the a great potential to restore the environment. Major lessons to be learned from this are that the environment is easy to destroy but hard to rebuild, ignoring problems will only make them worse, sustainable solutions must be innovative and practical, and that human must never give up on the environment.