Topic: Phosphorus A Looming
Author: David A. Vaccari
My Points:
Author: David A. Vaccari
My Points:
- 20th century the three nutrients enabled agriculture to increase its productivity and the world's population to grow more than sixfold.
- The world has enough potassium to last several centuries.
- Readily available global supplies may start running out by the end of this century.
- Year's oil price swings have shown, markets can tighten long before a given resource is anywhere near its end.
- The U.S is the world's second - largest producer of phosphorus after China.
- 19 percent of the total but 65 percent of that amount comes from a single source.
- 40 percent of global reserves are controlled by a single country.
- Modern agricultural practices have tripled the natural rate of phosphorus depletion from the land.
- Excessive runoff into depletion from the land, and excessive runoff into water ways is feeding uncontrolled.
- Our planet is also a spaceship: it has an essentially fixed total amount of each element.
- An average human body contains about 650 grams of phosphorus, most of it in our bones.
- Land ecosystems use and reuse phosphorus in local cycles an average of 46 times.
- Marine organism may recycle it some 800 times before it passes into sediments.
- Over tens of millions of years tectonic uplift may return it to dry land.
- Phosphorus flows now add up to an estimated 37 million metric tons per year.
- About 22 million metric tons come from phosphate mining.
- The U.S. produces about 30 million metric tons of phosphate rock a year.
- U.S. mines no longer supply enough phosphorus to satisfy the country's production of fertilizer, much of which is exported..
- These regions occupy 22 percent of the earth's land surface but contains only 2 percent of the known phosphorus reserves.
Author's Points:
The Author's point mining phosphorus for fertilizer is consuming the mineral faster than geologic cycles can replenish. The U.S. may run out of its accessible domestic sources in a few decades, and few other countries have substantial reserves, which could also be depleted in about a century. Excess phosphorus in water ways helps to feed algal blooms, which starve fish of oxygen, creating dead zone. Reducing soil erosion and recycling phosphorus from farm and human waste could help make food production sustainable and prevent algal blooms. We are running out of phosphorus deposits that are relatively easily and cheaply exploitable. The relative ease of obtaining new sources and that shortages can be averted. But given the stakes, we should not leave our future to chance.
The Author's point mining phosphorus for fertilizer is consuming the mineral faster than geologic cycles can replenish. The U.S. may run out of its accessible domestic sources in a few decades, and few other countries have substantial reserves, which could also be depleted in about a century. Excess phosphorus in water ways helps to feed algal blooms, which starve fish of oxygen, creating dead zone. Reducing soil erosion and recycling phosphorus from farm and human waste could help make food production sustainable and prevent algal blooms. We are running out of phosphorus deposits that are relatively easily and cheaply exploitable. The relative ease of obtaining new sources and that shortages can be averted. But given the stakes, we should not leave our future to chance.
My thought's:
After reading this article, I was really surprise of how much amount of U.S. produces of phosphate rock per year. And following it with the other countries that produces the same amount but even higher. Also, seeing that the U.S. is the world second - largest producer of phosphate is really disturbing because thinking of how much amount of phosphate they occupy and destroying for many other countries. The U.S. is not the only one that are producers of phosphorus they are followed with China, Russia, and other countries that uses phosphate. I know that phosphate is really good for our planet but exploiting all that can really destroy our future to stable the planet.
After reading this article, I was really surprise of how much amount of U.S. produces of phosphate rock per year. And following it with the other countries that produces the same amount but even higher. Also, seeing that the U.S. is the world second - largest producer of phosphate is really disturbing because thinking of how much amount of phosphate they occupy and destroying for many other countries. The U.S. is not the only one that are producers of phosphorus they are followed with China, Russia, and other countries that uses phosphate. I know that phosphate is really good for our planet but exploiting all that can really destroy our future to stable the planet.
So what?
Phosphorus has pro and cons in our planet but it's better to use it when its needed.
What if?
Other countries didn't discover phosphorus? Then the rate of phosphate will decrease. Many countries uses phosphorus for conflict? then the mining will also decrease.
Says who?
James R. Mihelcic and Lauren M. Fry
What this remind me of?
Deforestation because trees are useful for our environment but when people or countries abuses it for money then what would we do if its gone forever.
Phosphorus has pro and cons in our planet but it's better to use it when its needed.
What if?
Other countries didn't discover phosphorus? Then the rate of phosphate will decrease. Many countries uses phosphorus for conflict? then the mining will also decrease.
Says who?
James R. Mihelcic and Lauren M. Fry
What this remind me of?
Deforestation because trees are useful for our environment but when people or countries abuses it for money then what would we do if its gone forever.