Environment Flashcards
How has the tragedy of the commons reflective of the modern environmentalist movement?
With the tragedy of the commons, people didn’t want their neighbor to get more than themselves, so if their neighbor had four cows grazing , he would have five. This pattern continued, with everyone obsessed about making sure no one got more than them, untill they destroyed the system. The same pattern is obvious in the problems we are having with the environment. We overuse resources, and if we continue to do this, we will completely destroy the environment. If we continue in this cycle, we will have fewer and fewer resources available. This pattern is obvious in populatio–we keep having more and more children which means we will use more resources. We keep buying newer cars, and bigger houses which will use up more resources.
Clearly describe one way electricity is produced?
Solar panels take and convert the suns rays into electricity by exciting electrons in the silicon cells of solar panels using the photons of light from the sun.
Name, or be able to tell, some of the negative impacts of nuclear power on the environment?
1) Impact on acquative life: eutrophication
2) Non-Renewable: Uranium is a scant resource
3) Nuclear Radiation- Harmful if released into nature
4) Radioactive Waste- This waste emits radiotion for ten to hundreds of years. Radioactive isotopes stay in the atmosphere.
Name some of the positive environmental impacts of solar power on the environment?
1) Reduces pollution
2) Requires small amounts of landspace
3) Reduce climate change
4) Renewable
5) No greenhouse gases
6) Sun is free
Be able to tell several ways that the automovile impacts the environment.
1) Automovile exhaust has caused pollution
2) Altered the landscape (roads, gas stations, oil rigs)
3) Cities and towns have to be built to support vehicles
4) Loss of natural habitat
5) Loss of biodiversity
6) Invasive species (as they get pushed out of their natural habitat. Forced into other habitats)
Explain the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy?
Non-Renewable- Available in limited supply. Takes a long time to be replenished–if able to be replenished at all.
Renewable- Replenished naturally–usually over a short period of time.
Explain the theory of global warming as well as the causes.
THe gradual increase of the Earth’s temperature (atmosphere and oceans)
- carbon dioxide, and other global warming causing pollutants, are being trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere, trapping the sun’s heat, causing the climate to heat up
- burning of fossil fuels; releases CO2 into the atmosphere
- driving & flying
- electricity (coal burning power plants)
Tell one problem associated with burning garbage.
Creates dioxins which:
- release into the groundwater, air, and soil
- endagers us and animals
- tumors, cancer, learning dissabilities, infertility, immune sustem problems, asthma, other diseases.
Know one problem with burying garbage.
Toxins could leech into soil. Pollute soil and water. Release methane, a greenhouse gas.
Ways that I can realisticaly reduce waste
- buy used
- by products that can be reused
- buy things that can be recycled
- buy only what I need
- buy bulk
Know how much plastic is floating around in the Earth’s ocean.
Over five trillion pieces. Roughly the size of Texas.
Know the name of some of the most dangerous chemicals released when garbage and waste is incinerated?
-Dioxins and Furans: form as part of combustion processes, highly toxin, enter food chain, man-made hallogen
Have a good idea of what plastic is made out of?
Synthetic polymers (coal and oil)
Have an understanding of what would happen to the Earth if the polar ice-capps melted?
- Sea levels would rise about 70 meters
- Water would cover all coastal cities
- Land area would shrink significantly
Have an understanding of what happens to pollutants that are in the air?
- Form acid rain
- Ground level ozone
- Plants cannot absorb nutrients from acidic soil
- Acquatic life have specific pH levels they can tolerate
- Pollutants can fall into the ocean
