ENV FINAL Flashcards
Sources of air pollution
Stationary source, mobile, agricultural source and natural source
Sick building syndrome
when building occupants have health
symptoms associated with spending time in that building. Causes
include inadequate ventilation, indoor air pollution, and biological
contaminants.
Common air pollutants
ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and lead
Indoor air pollution
Can be worse than outdoor air pollution. Biological contaminants,
burning fuels in the home, building materials and furnishings,
household product,
Acid rain sources
Combustion of fossil fuels, which forms SO2 and NOx
Ozone protection?
Protects us from UV radiation
Acid rain impacts
Causes acidification of waterbodies and soils, can be toxic, erodes stone and corrodes metals
Factors influencing climate
Solar radiation from the sun, earths rotation, global patterns of air and water circulation, gases in the atmosphere, earths surface features (topography)
How does greenhouse effect work?
Some solar radiation is reflected by the Earth and the atmosphere. some of the infrared radiation passes through the atmosphere and is absorbed and re-emitted in all directions by greenhouse gas molecules. The effect warms Earths surface.
Scientific consensus on climate change
Overwhelming scientific evidence suggests that humans, not
natural factors, are causing climate change
○ Primarily through the burning of fossil fuels, which creates
greenhouse gases
Nonrenewable
Fossil fuels, petroleum, coal, natural gas, nuclear power, hydropower,
Renewable
Municipal solid waste, biofuel, geothermal energy, solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy,
US most use of energy
From oil, electricity, rejected energy.
Mining direct impacts
Ecosystem destruction, species displacement and disturbance, release of heavy metals/toxins,
Mining indirect impacts
destruction of watershed through acidification, risk of waste storage sites and potential leak over time.
