Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Environmental Science > Chapter 17 > Flashcards

Chapter 17 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

waste

A

any unwanted material that results from a human activity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

waste management

A

decision making to minimize the amount of waste generated and to dispose of waste safely

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

municipal solid waste

A

is nonliquid waste that comes from homes, institutions, and small businesses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

industrial solid waste

A

from production of goods, mining, agriculture, petroleum extraction and refining.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

hazardous waste

A

solid or liquid waste that is toxic, chemically reactive, flammable, or corrosive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

wastewater

A

from a household, business, or industry, or polluted runoff from streets and storm drains

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

waste stream

A

the flow of waste as it moves from its sources to its disposal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

how many lbs of trash do US citizens generate per day?

A

1,500 lbs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

leachate

A

liquid from trash dissolved by rainwater

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

how long must leachate systems be maintained?

A

30 years

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the 3 criteria for a landfill?

A

They must be located away from wetlands, earthquake-prone faults, and 20 feet above the water table.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Incineration

A

A controlled process that burns garbage at very high temperatures

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

scrubbers

A

chemically treat emissions to remove hazardous chemicals and neutralize acidic gases

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

fly ash

A

particulate matter that can be very toxic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

baghouse

A

huge filters that physically remove fly ash

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

NIMBY

A

Not In My Backyard

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

drawbacks to landfills

A

liners can be punctured, leachate collection systems aren’t always kept up, and it takes decades for waste to decay.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

waste-to-energy facilities

A

use the heat produced by waste combustion to create electricity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

landfill gas

A

bacterial decomposition that creates a mix of gases that consists of 50% methane

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

composting

A

the conversion of organic waste into mulch or humus through natural decomposition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

municipal composting programs

A

divert food and yard waste from the waste stream to central composting facilities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

recycling

A

1, collection of recyclable materials through curbside recycling. 2, using recyclables to produce new goods. 3, consumers buy goods made from recycled materials

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

materials recovery facilities

A

workers and machines sort, clean, shred, and prepare items

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

pay as you throw

A

residents are charged with how much trash they put out

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

bottle bills

A

consumers receive a refund for returning used bottles and cans to stores

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

industrial ecology

A

reducing resource inputs while maximizing physical and economic efficiency.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

life-cycle analysis

A

examines the life cycle of a product to make the process more ecologically efficient

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

what are 4 categories of hazardous material?

A

ignitable(natural gas) , corrosive, reactive (explosive), and toxic.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

what is the largest source of unregulated hazardous waste?

A

Households

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

What are synthetic organic compounds?

A

they resist bacterial, fungal, and insect activity like plastics, tires, pesticides, and solvents.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

examples of heavy metals

A

lead, chromium, mercury, and arsenic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Why are heavy metals a concern?

A

they enter the environment when they are disposed of improperly, and they bioaccumulate because they are fat soluble

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

e-waste

A

electronic waste like computers, printers, and cell phones.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

why should we recycle e-waste?

A

67% of them that are discarded still work, and they should be treated as hazardous waste, valuable trace minerals can be recovered

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

RCRA

A

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and is the law that creates the framework for the proper management of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

surface impoundment

A

shallow depressions lined with plastic and clay that store hazardous waste, liquid evaporates, solid is transported for disposal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

deep-well injection

A

a well is drilled deep beneath the water table and waste is injected into it (can corrode and leak)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

CERCLA aka Superfund

A

Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act. This law established a federal program to clean up US sites polluted with hazardous waste aka superfund

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Brownfields

A

lands whose reuse or development is complicated by the presence of hazardous materials

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Which two events spurred creation of the Superfund legislation?

A

Love Canal, Times Beach, and Louisville Kentucky.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

the superfund process

A

EPA scientists note how close the site is to human habitation, if wastes are currently confined or likely to spread, and if the site threatens drinking water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

Who pays for cleanup?

A

CERCLA charges polluting parties for cleanup, and a trust fund was established by a federal tax on petroleum but this fund is not bankrupt so taxpayers pay for cost of cleanup

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

How long does a cleanup take, and how much does it cost?

A

15 years and 25 million

44
Q

environment

A

the combination of physical, chemical, and biological factors that affect the individual

45
Q

hazard

A

anything that can cause injury, death, disease, or deterioration

46
Q

vulnerability

A

a measure of susceptibility

47
Q

risk

A

probability of suffering a loss as a result of exposure to a hazard. Risk = Hazard x Vulnerability

48
Q

morbidity

A

incidence of disease in a population

49
Q

mortality

A

incidence of death in a population

50
Q

epidemiology

A

study of presence, distribution, and control of disease in a population

51
Q

health

A

“a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” - World Health Organization

52
Q

mutagen

A

any substance that can mutate DNA

53
Q

carcinogen

A

any mutagenic substance that tends to cause cancer

54
Q

teratogen

A

anything that can cause birth defects like radiation, drugs, or certain viruses

55
Q

toxic

A

generally refers to anything poisonous

56
Q

toxicology

A

the study of how poisonous chemicals affect the health of humans and other organisms

57
Q

2 ways to consider risk

A

the probability of something going wrong and the negative consequences if it does

58
Q

top 3 causes of mortality in developed countries

A

cancer, cardiovascular, other/unknown

59
Q

top 3 causes of mortality in least developed countries

A

communicable diseases, cardiovascular, other/unknown

60
Q

top 3 causes of mortality worldwide

A

cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, and cancers.

61
Q

top 5 global risk factors

A

underweight, unsafe sex, blood pressure, tobacco, and alcohol

62
Q

4 main types of environmental hazards

A

physical hazards (natural disasters), biological hazards (viruses), chemical hazards, and cultural hazards (smoking)

63
Q

Leading causes of mortality from major infectious diseases

A

respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrheal diseases

64
Q

urbanization

A

the movement of people from rural to urban areas

65
Q

industrialization

A

the development of industries in a region on a wide scale

66
Q

what factors help a city succeed?

A

climate, topography, and waterways influence the location of urban areas

67
Q

why did people of US move away from cities and out to suburbs?

A

more space, economic opportunities, and less crime.

68
Q

urban sprawl

A

the spread of low-density development outward from an urban center

69
Q

two major components of urban sprawl

A

population growth and per capita land consumption, and more people want space and privacy

70
Q

5 main problems with sprawl

A

transportation, pollution, sprawl promotes physical inactivity, land use, and economics

71
Q

what is urban planning and why is it important?

A

designing cities to maximize their efficiency, functionality, and beauty. City planning helped plan our nations capitol.

72
Q

zoning

A

classifies areas for different types of development and land use

73
Q

urban growth boundary (ugb)

A

they limit sprawl, keep growth in urbanized areas, and reduce infrastructure costs.

74
Q

3 major components of waste management

A

1 minimizing the amount of waste we generate, 2 recovering discarded materials and recycling them, and 3 disposing of waste safely

75
Q

how many ingredients in cigarettes are known to be carcinogenic?

A

74 chemicals are known to be carcinogenic and cigarettes contain 43 of those chemicals

76
Q

two main approaches to how new substances are brought to the market

A

innocent until proven guilty approach and the precautionary principle; bringing substances to the market after extensive testing

77
Q

endocrine disruptor

A

chemicals that mimic hormone molecules by binding to a cellular receptor for the hormone

78
Q

top 3 cultural hazards in the US

A

tobacco, blood pressure, and alcohol.

79
Q

“the risk of being poor?”

A

one major pathway to hazards is poverty, no money for health insurance, higher probability of exposure to environmental hazards

80
Q

what is risk assessment?

A

the process of evaluating the risk associated with a hazard

81
Q

The 4 parts of risk assessment

A

hazard assessment (what chemicals cause cancer?), dose-responses (how much?), exposure assessment (how long?), risk characterization (how many will die?)

82
Q

What happened at Love Canal? How is it connected to CERCLA? Who was responsible?

A

Families were evacuated after buried chemicals rose to the surface, CERCLA charges polluting parties for cleanup, and Occidental Chemical Corp is responsible.

83
Q

precautionary principle

A

lack of certainty should not be used as a reason for preventing environmental degredation/hazards

84
Q

regional planning

A

is like city planning but with broader geographic scales, also coordinate with multiple municipal governments

85
Q

smart growth

A

rejuvenates existing developed areas, building up, not out, multistory shops and high rises

86
Q

greenways

A

along rivers, streams, or canals, and protect water quality

87
Q

parklands

A

natural lands, public parks, regulate climate

88
Q

green buildings

A

minimize their ecological footprint and are built from sustainable materials

89
Q

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

A

a certification program where new or existing buildings can be granted silver, gold, or platinum status.

90
Q

urban sustainability

A

minimizes impacts on natural systems and functions over long term

91
Q

Cons of large urban centers

A

they export waste through pollution and trade, and residents are exposed to chemicals and smog.

92
Q

Pros of large urban centers

A

cities allow quick delivery of goods and services, water and sewer systems, and waste disposal

93
Q

urban heat island effect

A

cities are hotter than surrounding areas. dark paved surfaces absorb daytime heat and then release it slowly at night

94
Q

urban ecology

A

cities should mimic ecosystems, recycle, and offer incentives for sustainable practice.

95
Q

what is released when trash is burned?

A

hazardous chemicals like dioxins, heavy metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls.

96
Q

how much energy does trash generate compared to coal, when burned?

A

About 35%

97
Q

Who regulates msw, and who regulates isw?

A

the federal government regulates msw, and state and local governments regulate isw

98
Q

The Swiss Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives Foundation (ZERI)

A

sponsors dozens of innovative projects worldwide that attempt to create goods and services without generating waste

99
Q

what are the 3 primary means of hazardous waste disposal?

A

Landfills, surface impoundments, and injection wells

100
Q

gentrification

A

the transformation of a neighborhood to conditions that cater to wealthier people

101
Q

chemical elements

A

substances that contain one kind of atom and cannot be separated into simpler substances

102
Q

chemical compounds

A

formed by the combination of two or more elements

103
Q

organic chemicals

A

chemicals that contain carbon

104
Q

half-life

A

the rate at which a chemical degrades

105
Q

inorganic chemicals

A

contain salt, asbestos, silicates, and minerals like iron, aluminum, and phosphorus.

106
Q

natural chemicals

A

chemicals that are found occurring in the environment which are not introduced by humans

107
Q

synthetic chemicals

A

those which are developed by humans

Environmental Science (11 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions