Sugar Production Environmental Impact
🌱 Part 1: Environmental Impact Knowledge
1. Which of these are environmental impacts of sugar production? (Check all that apply)
Deforestation
Water usage
Loss of animal habitats
Soil erosion
Making more jobs
2. Where are the two main sugar-producing areas we studied?
Brazil and Sydney
Brazil and Mackay, Queensland
China and Mackay, Queensland
Brazil and Perth
3. What happens to native animals when forests are cleared for sugar plantations?
💧 Part 2: Water and Land Use
4. Fill in the blanks about sugar production's environmental effects:
Sugar cane needs lots of __________ to grow. When farmers clear __________ to plant sugar cane, many native __________ and __________ lose their homes. This is called __________ loss.
5. Draw a picture showing how a forest area might look before and after it becomes a sugar plantation:
6. Which uses more water per hectare?
Sugar cane farming
Natural forest
They use the same amount
🌍 Part 3: Comparing Brazil and Mackay
7. Match the environmental impacts with the correct region:
1. Large-scale deforestation
2. Smaller farms with some environmental controls
3. Affects rainforest animals
4. Affects Great Barrier Reef water quality
A. Mackay, Queensland
B. Brazil
C. Brazil
D. Mackay, Queensland
8. Explain one similarity and one difference between sugar farming impacts in Brazil and Mackay:
Similarity:
Difference:
♻️ Part 4: Sustainable Solutions
9. What are some ways farmers could reduce environmental damage while still growing sugar? (Check all good ideas)
Use water-saving irrigation systems
Clear all forests for more farmland
Leave strips of native forest between fields
Use crop rotation
Plant native trees around farm boundaries
Use unlimited amounts of water
10. If you were a sugar farmer, what is the most important action you would take to protect the environment? Explain why:
11. Design a sustainable sugar farm. Draw and label features that would help protect the environment:
📊 Part 5: Data Interpretation
12. Look at this information: "In Brazil, 2.5 million hectares of forest were cleared for agriculture in 2020. In Queensland, 400,000 hectares were cleared." What does this data tell us?
13. Complete this environmental impact checklist for sugar production:
Environmental Impact Checklist:
Trees cut down (deforestation)
Animals lose homes (habitat loss)
Lots of water used
Soil can be damaged
Rivers and streams affected
Native plants removed
14. What is one thing you learned today about sugar production's impact on the environment?
