Phosphorus: A Looming.

A: List the major ideas, concepts or key points- point by point

We obtain nitrogen from the air, but we must mine phosphorus and potassium.
The world has enough potassium to last several centuries.
Reserves of phosphorus are even less evenly distributed than oils, raising additional supply
concerns.
The U.S. is the worlds second-largest producer of phosphorus (after China).
Phosphorus has become one of the most significant sustainability issues of our time.
Weathering releases phosphorus from rocks into soil.
It enters the food chain and makes its way through every living being.
Harvesting breaks up the cycle because it re- moves phosphorus from the land.
Human and animal waste served as fertilizers, nutrients went back into the soil at roughly the
rate they had been with- drawn.
Agriculture also accelerates land erosion because plowing and tilling disturb and expose the
soil.
Phosphorus reserves are also concentrated geographically.
Harvesting breaks up the natural cycle because it removes phosphorus from the land.
Sheldon also suggested that tropical regions with deep soils had been inadequately explored.
Religions cover 22 percent of Earth.
2 percent of the known phosphorus reserves.
Phosphorus discovery has occurred in just two places: Morocco/Western Sahara and North
Carolina.
Half the phosphorus we excrete is in our urine, from which it would be relatively easy to
recover.


B: Summarize the AUTHORs main point or idea- at LEAST 1-2 paragraphs
The world has enough potassium to last several centuries. Reserves of phosphorus are even less
evenly distributed than oils, raising additional supply concerns. The U.S. is the worlds second-
largest producer of phosphorus (after China). Phosphorus has become one of the most significant
sustainability issues of our time. weathering releases phosphorus from rocks into soil. Taken up
by plants, it enters the food chain and makes its way through every living being. Harvesting
breaks up the cycle because it re- moves phosphorus from the land. In prescientific agriculture,
when human and animal waste served as fertilizers, nutrients went back into the soil at roughly
the rate they had been with- drawn. Most U.S. imports come from Morocco. Even more than
with oil, the U.S. and much of the globe may come to depend on a single country for a critical
resource. We are running out of phosphorus deposits that are relatively easily and cheaply
exploit- able.

C: Write a reaction paragraph to the article stating your own thoughts on the topic, using
specific citations from the article to support your views.



I was confused at first, I didnt understand what this article was trying to say. But them
my reaction changed. We are running out of phosphorus deposits, I was shocking to know that.
What people are asking is for more and more, and the Earth cant give. They should do
something in order to help the environment, we shouldnt depend on other countries. I dont like
the idea that we take things from other countries as if they were our, and we dont care about the
people that live there. We need the phosphorus for agriculture, things need to change or we stop
eating too much or we are going to have to change our diets.



What?

Phosphorus has become one of the most
significant sustainability issues of our time.
Says who?

David A. Vaccari is associate professor and
director of the department of civil,
environmental and ocean engineering at the
Stevens Institute of Technology.
What if?

Theres some other resource that we need. We
are increasing our needs, and we want more.
What does it reminds you of?

The article about cigarettes, phosphorus are
need it as if we were addictive to it.