75
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
A. Kerényi, R. W. McIntosh, Sustainable Development in Changing Complex Earth Systems,
Sustainable Development Goals Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21645-0_4
Changes on Earth as a Result
of Interaction Between the Society
and Nature
4.1
Changes in the Outer
Boundary Zone of the Earth’s
Crust
The authors consider the top 5 km of solid rocks
from the surface as the outer boundary zone of
the Earth’s crust. This includes soils formed on
the weathering products of rocks; however, they
are discussed as a separate sphere due to their
special characteristic of fertility and numerous
properties different from ordinary rocks.
Therefore soils are discussed in a separate subchapter. Although 5 km could seem subjective it
was determined bearing in mind that mining
activities have not reached deeper yet. Apparently,
there are deeper boreholes (the record holder one
on Kola Peninsula is deeper than 12 km) but their
feedback on the society can be ignored.
In order to present social effects on the crust
the term social metabolism has to be cleared.
Metabolism is well-known regarding living
beings as all forms of life consume material and
energy in order to keep the organism alive. Black
box model of a mammal’s metabolism can be
seen in Fig. 4.1. The animal takes oxygen, water
and food to build the material forming its body
and to provide energy for its organism. During the
operation of the body heat is produced, with the
control of dissipation, however, nearly constant
body temperature can be provided. Unnecessary
materials are released into the environment by the
excretory system during metabolism.
Fundamentally a similar process takes place
in the interaction of the natural environment
and the society (Fig. 4.2). For the operation of
the society (production, transport, consumption) energy and various raw materials are
required. Most energy resources (coal, crude
oil, natural gas, uranium) are mined from the
crust even today. Humanity turns to the crust
again for ore and building material. Biosphere
is degraded for biogenic raw material exploitation. And all these appear as input for the society as a system (Fig. 4.2) while water and air
are essential for life.
The above listed material and energy resources
go under complex transformation procedures
during the operation of the social-economic system and the end products are returned into nature
in a transformed form. End products are used for
longer or shorter time periods and then returned
into the environment as waste. (In a better case,
the end products could be reused in which case
they would not pollute the environment.)
Unusable solid and liquid waste and sewage in
large amount are also produced in the production
processes that are released as output from the
social-economic system. Waste gases pollute the
environment directly. (Today, however, recycling
is also possible and waste could be treated and
covered in insulated depositories reducing somewhat environmental load.) Significant amount of
waste heat also leaves the system in the course of
energy transformation.
4
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
A. Kerényi, R. W. McIntosh, Sustainable Development in Changing Complex Earth Systems,
Sustainable Development Goals Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21645-0_4
Changes on Earth as a Result
of Interaction Between the Society
and Nature
4.1
Changes in the Outer
Boundary Zone of the Earth’s
Crust
The authors consider the top 5 km of solid rocks
from the surface as the outer boundary zone of
the Earth’s crust. This includes soils formed on
the weathering products of rocks; however, they
are discussed as a separate sphere due to their
special characteristic of fertility and numerous
properties different from ordinary rocks.
Therefore soils are discussed in a separate subchapter. Although 5 km could seem subjective it
was determined bearing in mind that mining
activities have not reached deeper yet. Apparently,
there are deeper boreholes (the record holder one
on Kola Peninsula is deeper than 12 km) but their
feedback on the society can be ignored.
In order to present social effects on the crust
the term social metabolism has to be cleared.
Metabolism is well-known regarding living
beings as all forms of life consume material and
energy in order to keep the organism alive. Black
box model of a mammal’s metabolism can be
seen in Fig. 4.1. The animal takes oxygen, water
and food to build the material forming its body
and to provide energy for its organism. During the
operation of the body heat is produced, with the
control of dissipation, however, nearly constant
body temperature can be provided. Unnecessary
materials are released into the environment by the
excretory system during metabolism.
Fundamentally a similar process takes place
in the interaction of the natural environment
and the society (Fig. 4.2). For the operation of
the society (production, transport, consumption) energy and various raw materials are
required. Most energy resources (coal, crude
oil, natural gas, uranium) are mined from the
crust even today. Humanity turns to the crust
again for ore and building material. Biosphere
is degraded for biogenic raw material exploitation. And all these appear as input for the society as a system (Fig. 4.2) while water and air
are essential for life.
The above listed material and energy resources
go under complex transformation procedures
during the operation of the social-economic system and the end products are returned into nature
in a transformed form. End products are used for
longer or shorter time periods and then returned
into the environment as waste. (In a better case,
the end products could be reused in which case
they would not pollute the environment.)
Unusable solid and liquid waste and sewage in
large amount are also produced in the production
processes that are released as output from the
social-economic system. Waste gases pollute the
environment directly. (Today, however, recycling
is also possible and waste could be treated and
covered in insulated depositories reducing somewhat environmental load.) Significant amount of
waste heat also leaves the system in the course of
energy transformation.
4