Module 3 (1st year) + Environmental values

Question 1

What are values?

Answer 1

Values are intangible qualities and beliefs
The word “value” comes from the latin word “valere”
Values define a person’s behaviour and civlization

Question 2

What is happening to the environment and give an example to show that the environment is suffering from humane actions.

Answer 2

Climate change which is caused by human duties
Pollution
Loss of biodiversity

Ex: the extreme summer weather of 2023

Question 3

Give 2 examples of climate change happening in the world.

Answer 3

1) All cities in Itatly were placed under red alert. Rome had a temp of 40 degrees celscius
2) Temperatures in Algeria and Tunisia climbed to 48 degrees celscius

Question 4

What was the Great Acceleration which happened between the 1900s-1950s?

Answer 4

This was a period where there was a severe increase in human activities which caused negative environmental impacts. For example : population growth,the rise of energy consumption using fossil fuels and environmental degradation.

Question 5

How does the environment work?

Answer 5

The environment works interdependantly,(eerything is dependant upon each other for survival)

Question 6

Define ecology

Answer 6

According to David Attenborough,ecology is the realtionship between different organisms and their envioronment.

Question 7

Quote that you can use in an essay:

Answer 7

David Attenborough: “we are wrecking our world the place we call home”

Question 8

Therefore we need to stablize the Earth’s natural cycles: carbon,nitrogen,water

Answer 8

For example Nitrogen is important for life but not in excess. For example if Nitrogen is present in excess amoounts it damages the environment for example fertilizers.

Question 9

What are ecosystems?

Answer 9

A complex and dynamic combination of plants,animals,and micro-organisms and the natural environment existing together as a unit and depending on one another.

Question 9

What is the carbon cycle?

Answer 9

the flow of chemical elements between living organisms and the environment

Question 10

mention some examples of harmful effects upon the enviornment

Answer 10

fossil fuels
deforestattion
environmental degradation
global warming

Question 11

Intrinisc value

Answer 11

The environment should not be harmed because it simply exists. It has intirnsic value.

Question 12

Anthropocentrism

Answer 12

The belief that humans have a higher value than animals

Question 13

Why do developing countries experience deaths the most when it comes to environmental diasaters

Answer 13

Because they have a lack of resources.

They are not fully equipped yet.

Question 14

Mention some natural disasters

Answer 14

Typhoons,hurricanes,tsunamis,droughts,floods are increasing due to unsustainability.

Question 15

Give some examples egarding Malta when it comes to the affects of environmental degradation

Answer 15

Denser urbanzation
The temperature in cities are usually 2 dgrees higher.

Higher temperatures

Question 16

What are 5 major challenges that the Meditarranean is facing

Answer 16

1)Heat waves : due to climate change due to urbanization and fossil fuels
2)Rising of sea levels : melting of glaciers
3)The introduction of alien species ex:hornets or bghajtar tax-xewk
4)Drop in Meditarranean products ex: wheat or olives
5)Water and politics : water shortages

Question 17

Some other examples.

Answer 17

Every year 60000 fires are reported
The sea is becoming polluted : 600000 tones of crude oil are spilled.

Question 18

Mention some environmental problems .

Answer 18

Air pollution:

Toxic gases accumulate like sulphur dioxide or nitrous oxide. in the atmosphere, for example the London killer smog.

Ozone layer depletion

The temperature in cities is slightly higher than that in the countryside.

Biodiversity depletion:

Deforestation + soil erosion
Land degradation
Habitat destruction and degraadation: example loss of sand
Extinction
Introduction of alien species.

Question 19

Define pollution

Answer 19

The presence of substances or energy in quantities that endanger human health, harm living organsims,diminish the value of the environment and interfering with the natural functioning of ecosystems.

Question 20

Mention some examples of water pollution

Answer 20

Eutrophication

Acid rain

Oil spills

Overfishing

Excess use of fertilizers

Question 21

Who was the person who published the book Silent Spring and started the environmental movement?

Answer 21

Rachel Carson (Scientist)

Question 22

Mention some sources of air pollution

Answer 22

Natural sources: volcanoes
Transport

Ex: Air pollution in India killed 100000 children under 5 years.

Question 23

How can we prevent air pollution

Answer 23

Dust collectors like artificial trees or electrostatic precipitators

Question 24

Land pollution. What causes it

Answer 24

This is caused by unsustainble human activites in areas that have been made fragile.

Question 25

Mention some examples of land pollution

Answer 25

Soil erosion
Desertification
Deforestation which leads to biodiversity loss

Question 26

Mention some sustainable practises

Answer 26

Grow locally
Avoid ready made meals (To educe the amount of energy we produce)
Alternative sources of energy