Lecture 4-A short history of Environmental Disaster

Question 1

environmental disaster def

Answer 1

is a catastrophic event regarding the environment due to human activity.

Question 2

what are Examples of Environmental Disasters

Answer 2

• Ecological – e.g. introduction of invasive
  species (biodiversity disasters) – ecosystem
  collapse
• Soil
• Chemical Release/industrial pollution
• Nuclear incidents

Question 3

what is The Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone about

Answer 3

the “dead zone” is a hypoxic zone which the diaster started in MIssissppi river and drains into the Gulf. Scientists measure it each year and in 2021 it was 6,334 square miles or 4 million acres

Question 4

what is The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Answer 4

it was caused by human waste. It was a mass amount debris of small plastics brought together by the North Pacific Gyre which is a whirlpool (vortex). Four ocean currents were used California, North Equatorial, Kuroshio, and North Pacific.

Question 5

The Dust Bowl

Answer 5

Due to the earth being dry and barren. 19 US states were covered in dust. Spanned over a 10 milion acres- 400,000 people migrated from their homes

Question 6

The Love Canal Disaster

Answer 6

William T. Love decided to build a channel and abonded it. Hooker chemical company dumped 21,000 of toxic chemicals. 1970s heavy rain and it all washed up from the landfills.

Question 7

The BP Oil Spill

Answer 7

April 20,2010. BP oil ring leaked, 60 million barrels of oil released over 4 months. 11 employess died, 72 dolphins, 34,000 birds died.

Question 8

Seveso

Answer 8

July 10, 1976 a valvue broke at the ICMESIA chemical company. Chemical cloud was released containing TCDD.

Question 9

Bhopal Disaster

Answer 9

December 3, 1984 released chemcial fog. More than 5000 people died

Question 10

Minamata Incident

Answer 10

in 1956, companies wastewater containing methyl mercury was released.

Question 11

The Drying of the Aral Sea

Answer 11

Human and natural misuse resulted in the drying of the river