Ch 25 A Sustainable World Flashcards
what is deforestation
when large areas of forest are destroyed to make way for non forest use e.g. housing
what are the negative effects of deforestation
overgrazing leads to increased rate of soil erosion
after trees are removed there are less products to produce oxygen and remove carbon dioxide
the opportunity to research many natural raw materials are lost
what does extinct mean
there are no members of the species left alive e.g. otters, cornflowers
name three methods of preventing species extinctions
nature reserves
zoo breeding programmes
seed banks
what is conservation
the careful management of the Earth’s natural resources to prevent species from becoming extinct
what is pollution
pollution happens when harmful substances are added to the environment
what are the three main sources of pollution
- Agricultural
- Industrial
- Domestic
what is desertification
the land becomes more arid and the species that once lived there are lost
what is enrichment
when fertilizers are spread, the burritos can be washed off the soil and into rivers and lakeshore
explain industrial pollution
the burning of fossil fuels releases smoke and dust, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and lead which pollute the air. if fossil fuels aren’t fully burned, smoke particles are released into the air. these particles can combine with fog to form smog over cities
what is littering
the careless disposal of rubbish
what problems does littering cause
it can be a health hazard
animals can get caught in it and die
it is unsightly
what is the greenhouse effect
when greenhouse gases act like a blanket trapping the heat from the sun near the earths surface
what is global warming
the increased greenhouse effect is causing the earth to become warmer
what are the effects of global warming
earths weather patterns will change
sea levels will rise
loss of polar ice caps
range of disease carrying insects may increase
what is acid rain
rainwater with a ph less than 5.5
how is acid rain formed
the burning of fossil fuels releases sulfur dioxide and the burning for fuels in cars releases nitrogen oxides. these gases dissolve in the side moisture to form a sulfuric acid and nitric acid. this falls back to the earth as acid rain
what are the effects of acid rain
it washes minerals out the soil and into the lakes
it damages buildings
it harms leaves
how can we reduce global warming and acid rain
use less fossil fuels
reduce sulfur in fuels
drive hybrid vehicles
plant more trees
what is sustainability
living in a way that meets the needs of our society without threatening the needs of future generations
what is waste
any material that has no further use of commercial value
what is waste management
the way that society deals with waste
what are the three ways of dealing with waste
- landfill sites
- incineration
- waste minimization
what are landfill sites
big holes in the ground where waste is buried
what problems do landfill sites cause
they are gross and smelly
poisonous substances from waste can leak into the soil and pollute water supplies
the rotting rubbish produces methane gas and if pockets of this gas form underground it can cause an explosion
what is incineration
the burning of waste
what is waste minimizations
waste minimisation involves reducing waste at the source. it is often describes as the three rs: reduce, reuse, recycle
what is bioremediation
how bacteria is used to break down harmful substances in damaged habitats
what habits can we change to live sustainably
having laws and governments in place to protect the environment
raising awareness of environmental issues
research alternatives
what is sustainable agriculture
meeting the demand for goods while making sure that habitats aren’t destroyed
name three sustainable agricultural methods
crop rotation
the use of organic fertilizers
deforestation
what is fair trade
local producers are paid a fair price for their products
