A Sustainable World Flashcards
Deforestation
When large areas of forest are destroyed to make way for non-forest use, such as farmland, housing and roads.
Conservation
The careful management of the Earth’s natural resources to prevent species from becoming extinct.
Pollution
When harmful substances are added to the environment. Sources are agricultural, industrial or domestic.
Desertification
When too many crops are grown on the soil, causing the land to become arid and the species that once lived there to be lost.
Enrichment
When nutrients from fertilisers are washed off the soil and into nearby rivers, causing a rise in algae.
The algae stop light entering the water killing aquatic plants. When the algae die , decomposing bacteria uses up the oxygen in the water killing fish.
Littering
The careless disposal of rubbish.
Greenhouse Effect
When greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, act like a blanket, trapping heat from the Sun near the Earth’s surface.
Global Warming
The increased greenhouse effect is causing th Earth to become warmer. There is a 0.2-0.5 °C rise in temperatureeach decade.
Effects of Global Warming
Earth’s weather patterns will change (climate change).
Sea levels will rise
The loss of polar ice-caps will threaten species.
The range of disease-carrying insects may increase, e.g: mosquito.
Acid Rain
Rainwater with a pH less than 5.5 is called acid rain.
The burning of fossil fuels releases sulfur dioxide and the burning of fuels in cars releases nitrogen oxides. These gases dissolve in the air’s moisture to form sulphuric acid and nitric acid. This falls as acid rain.
Effects of Acid Rain
It washes minerals out of the soil and into streams and lakes killing fish.
It damages buildings amd statues.
Sustainability
Living in a way that meets the needs of our society without threatening the needs of future societies.
3 Ways of Dealing With Waste
Landfill sites are big holes in the ground where waste is buried.
Incineration is the burning of waste.
Waste minimisation involves reducing waste at the source. It is often described by the three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle.
Bioremediation
When bacteria is used to break down harmful substances in damaged habitats, e.g: oil spill sites.
Sustainable Agriculture
Meeting the demand for food, fibres and crops while making sure that habitats are not destroyed, e.g: crop rotation, the use of organic fertilisers, reforestation.
