Environment

Question 1

What is climate change?

Answer 1

• Long-term significant change in average weather that a region experiences
• Includes temperature and humidity of air, rainfall, strength of winds and clouds, solar radiation, Earth’s orbit, greenhouse gas concentrations

Question 2

What is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 2

• CO2 acts like glass, allowing small amount through and trapping it while the rest bounce back into space
• Without it the average temperature would be 18 C
• Primary sources of greenhouse gases are transportation, oil and gas production, distribution of fossil fuels, and mining

Question 3

What are climate forcings?

Answer 3

Physical factors that force net increase (positive forcing) or net decrease (negative forcing) of heat in climate system as a whole

Question 4

What is global warming?

Answer 4

• Defined as sustained increase in average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere
• Experts predict severe drought and rise in ocean levels of 2-20 feet
• Warmer world provides more flooding and droughts, jeopardizes natural resources, water supply
• Warmer weather worsens urban air pollution and if moist, increases
  concentration of allergenic pollens and fungal spores
• Hurricanes are increasing, linked to increase in ocean temperature, as well as heat waves

Question 5

What are the 4 Rs?

Answer 5

1. Reduce
2. Reuse
3. Recycle
4. Recover (salvage parts of things)

Question 6

What are the 4 laws of ecology?

Answer 6

1. Everything is connected to everything else (things are recycled)
2. Everything must go somewhere
3. Mother knows best (non-biodegradable and unnatural materials cause problems)
4. There is no such thing as a free lunch (always ecological price tag for modern
   habits)

Question 7

How does environment impact our health?

Answer 7

• ¼ of all deaths can be linked to environment
• Factors include exposure to harmful elements in air, water, soil, and food that have been found to cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases
• Improving indoor and outdoor air quality, water, sanitation, and hygiene can reduce child mortality in low-income countries
• Elevated sea levels, drought, flooding, and extreme weather events result in people being displaced from home, deaths, economic hardships, and feelings of uncertainty
• Pollution has been linked to dizziness, headaches, eye irritation, coughing, constricted airways, increased risk of heart disease, chest pains, birth defects, nausea, vomiting, and cancer
• Ozone is a type of smog that impairs body’s immune system and causes long-term lung damage
• Mould may trigger health problems including dizziness, breathing problems, nausea, and asthma attacks (usually only if sensitive)
• Pesticides are linked to chronic diseases
• Endocrine disrupters interfere with hormones
• 80% of cosmetic and personal-care products in Canada contain at least 1/12 chemicals linked to health concerns
• BHA, BHT, coal tar dyes, DEA-related ingredients, dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, parabens, parfum, PEG compounds, petrolatum, siloxanes, sodium laureth sulphate, triclosan