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Question 1

Growing agreement that the temperatures will continue to rise

Answer 1

High latitudes will warm faster due to melting ice

Land areas will warm faster than the ocean

Question 2

Possible consequences of continued warming include:

Answer 2

Increased rainfall in some areas and drought in others

Increased mortality from heat stress, urban air pollution and tropical diseases

Death from extreme weather events – tornadoes, hurricanes

A poleward shift of 150 – 500km in the location of vegetation zones

Increasing and drastic melting of the polar ice caps

Question 3

Three billion people live in environments that are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change

Answer 3

Felt most acutely by the poorest and underdeveloped nations

Reduced food and water security

Irreversible loss of marine ecosystems

Changes suggest modification of agricultural practices, enhancement of flood protection and diversification of tree species

Question 4

Thinning of the Ozone

Answer 4

The ozone is an invisible layer in the atmosphere

Shields the earth from ultraviolet rays (UV)

Since the mid-1980’s scientists have observed a seasonal appearance and growth of a hole over Antarctica

Question 5

Ozone layer is destroyed by chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) used as coolants in refrigerators, air conditioners and some aerosol sprays

Answer 5

Banned in Canada in the late 1970’s

Use of CFC’s worldwide has declined once the danger to the ozone was recognized

Question 6

When CFC’s rise in the atmosphere winds carry them to the polar regions

Answer 6

The polar vortex in Antarctica keeps air from mixing allowing CFC’s to combine with ice crystals to release chlorine which in turn destroys the ozone
When the vortex weakens in the summer the ozone is replenished

Question 7

Northern hemisphere ozone has depleted by about 10%

Answer 7

Potential effects include increased skin cancer, wrinkling and aging of the skin, cataracts and blindness and a reduced immune response

Question 8

Ozone Layer may interfere with photosynthesis and cause lower crop yields

Answer 8

May also kill phytoplankton and krill
Heat generated may cause changes in the stratospheric winds

Question 9

The ozone layer is not expected to be “repaired” until 2070

Answer 9

2017 NASA reported the hole is the smallest since 1988

Shrinkage due more to natural variability rather than human activity

Question 10

Environmental Threats of Extreme Energy Sources

Answer 10

Extreme energy sources – fossil fuels that are hard to access

Deep water oil rigs, tar sands and fracking are examples

Pipelines across wildlife habitats to shipping terminals on the coast

Fracking uses pressurized mixes of fluids to create cracks in the rock releasing natural gas

Several first nation communities have protested the exploration on native lands

Question 11

Renewable energy

Answer 11

Are sources that are naturally replenished e.g. wind and sunlight, wave and geothermal

Sustainable development means meeting the needs of the society today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs

Question 12

Renewable resources

Answer 12

Wind power – energy of the wind to turn turbine blades

Solar power – photo energy is converted to electrical energy

Geothermal power taps the heat in the earth’s core

Hydroelectricity is produced when flowing water is used to turn the blades of a turbine

Biomasses plant material including trees when burned produce energy.

Plants are produced and harvested sustainably are considered a renewable source of energy

Biofuels are those fuels based on natural materials either alcohol or oil

Canada is recognized as a global leader in the production and use of renewable energy

Question 13

Indoor Air Quality

Answer 13

Your home may harbor potentially dangerous pollutants some of which have been linked to cancer:

1. Environmental tobacco smoke
2. Carbon monoxide and other combustion by-products
3. Volatile organic compounds
4. Biological pollutants
5. Indoor mould

Question 14

Preventing Air Pollution

Answer 14

Cut back on driving
Keep your car tuned up and well maintained
Buy energy efficient appliances and use them only as necessary
Replace incandescent bulbs with LED and compact fluorescent bulbs
Make sure your home is well insulated with ozone safe agents
Plant and care for trees in your own yard and neighborhood

Check with waste haulers or local and government before disposing of refrigerators air conditioners or humidifiers

Keep your house adequately ventilated
Keep paints cleaning agents and other chemical products tightly sealed in their original containers

Don’t smoke and don’t allow others to smoke in your room apartment or home
Clean and inspect chimneys furnaces and other appliances regularly

Question 15

Water Contamination and Treatment

Answer 15

Most cities rely in part by wells that tap local groundwater, but may be necessary to tap lakes and rivers to supplement water demand

Surface water is most likely to be contaminated and therefore must be purified before piped into the community
——The water is subjected to various physical and chemical processes
——Fluoridation has been used to reduce tooth decay by 25% for the last 75 years

Although most areas of Canada have dependable, clean water sources, many Indigenous communities do not
——-As of January 2022, 39 long-term water advisories were in effect in First Nations communities

Question 16

Water Shortages

Answer 16

Shortages are becoming a concern in many areas of the world
—-Less than 1% of the world’s freshwater is readily accessible for direct human use
—-Approximately 2.1 billion people do not have access to safe readily available drinking water
—–4.5 billion do not have access to safe sanitation

Question 17

Sewage

Answer 17

The ancient Romans had been credited for the development of sanitation and sewage

many of their advances were discarded or forgotten during the industrial revolution in Europe.

Cesspits in open sewers were constructed in urban centres but became overrun

Mid 19th century saw an increase in serious diseases such as typhoid, cholera and hepatitis

Question 18

As plumbing moved indoors, sewage disposal became far more complicated

Answer 18

Septic systems in in rural areas: Although usually safe, older septic systems have failed and are contaminating the environment

Question 19

Different approaches became necessary as urban areas developed

Answer 19

Most cities have sewage treatment systems that separate fecal matter from water in huge tanks

Once treated and biologically safe it’s released back to the environment

Sludge is left behind and is often contaminated with heavy metals, so it is treated as hazardous waste

In some cases, was used as fertilizers but the heavy metals got into the environment

In addition to heavy metals, contamination from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have also been linked with long term health consequences
–Removal of heavy metals and PBCs is still developing and is incredibly expensive

Question 20

Protecting the Water Supply

Answer 20

Reducing your own water use you can help preserve the valuable water supply and reduce your water bill:

Take showers not baths
Install faucet aerators and water efficient shower heads
Purchase and use a water saving toilet
Fix any leaky faucets in the home
Don’t pour toxic materials such as cleaning solvents down the drain
Don’t pour old medicines down the drain or flush them down the toilet