Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

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


See full index

Environmental Management > Environmental Degradation > Flashcards

Environmental Degradation Flashcards

1
Q

POLLUTION DEFINITION

A
  • the introduction of substances into natural environment that cause adverse change and which damage he natural environment
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

WHAT ARE THE 2 DIFFERENT PARTS OF POLLUTION

A
  1. Point source
    • occurs when pollutant is issues at 1 point
    • eg pipe Purim untreated sewage into river
  2. Non- point source
    • emerges from an area
    • eg exhaust emissions from all vehicles in a city
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

WHAT OTHER 2 WAYS CAN YOU CLASSIFY POLLUTION

A
  1. Incidental pollution
    • is a 1 off event
    • eg Chernobyl radiation leak
    • eg Exxon Valdez oil spill
  2. Sustained pollution
    - long-term caused by ongoing human activities
    • eg release of CO2 into atmosphere from burning fossil fuels
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

DOES INCIDENTAL OR SUSTAINED POLLUTION HAVE WORSE IMPACTS

A
  • sustained pollution has has much worse impacts in the long-run
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

FACT THAT THE ‘WHO’ SAID ABOUT POLLUTION DEATHS IN 2014

A
  • suggested that air pollution alone kills 7 million people per year
  • linked to 1 in 8 deaths worldwide
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

4 BIG POLLUTION CHALLENGES THAT LONDON FACES

A
  1. Air pollution generated by London traffic
  2. Waste pollution in River Thames
  3. Issues of waste disposal/landfill
  4. Associated reliance on fossil fuels as a supplier of energy
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

4 FACTS ABOUT WATER POLLUTION IN RIVER THAMES

A
  • drinking water provided by Thames is free from contaminants
  • issue is coping with rising groundwater levels
  • rate of rise is 2m per year
  • Thames is polluted by:
    • rapid runoff from impermeable city streets
    • flow volume reduced by abstraction which harms wildlife
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

RECYCLING ISSUE IN LONDON

A
  • need to recycle more
  • production of solid waster is increasing at 3-4% per year but ONLY 70% of it is disposed of more than 80 miles for, it’s source
  • recycling/ composting is at 13%. BUT in Paris/Amsterdam its 50%>
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

LAND POLLUTION DEFINITION

A
  • waster products + by-products are dumped onto ground/buried in landfill sites
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

WHAT ARE THE 4 SOURCES/ CAUSES OF LAND POLLUTION

A
  1. Mining + quarrying
  2. Industry
  3. Energy production
  4. Dumping of domestic waste
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

MINING AND QUARRYING

A
  • is an eg of land pollution
  • waste tips from coal mines ruin landscape in former mining areas
  • vegetation won’t grow on them
  • quarries + strip mines produce dust + noise. Can lead to severe degradation of environment. Esp in fragile rainforest areas
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

INDUSTRY

A
  • is an eg of land pollution
  • lots of them produce solid waster that is dumped onto land
  • some produce toxic by-products that are allowed to drain away into land around factory
  • can make reclamation of land expensive when factory shuts + site is used for something else such as housing
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

ENERGY PRODUCTION

A
  • is an eg of land pollution
  • leaks from oil pipelines contaminate land
  • ash from coal-fired power stations is dumped into large holes in ground. Ash is loose + sterile
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

DUMPING OF DOMESTIC WASTE

A
  • is an eg of land pollution
  • normally this kind of waster is burned outside + small scale
  • in developed urban places people are richer + have more to throw away
  • domestic waste is organised by local authorities + waste is buried outside in landfill sites
  • rubbish in these sites contain organic food waste. This breaks down to produce methane. This methane escapes + contributes to air pollution
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

4 SOLUTIONS TO LAND POLLUTION

A
  1. MAGNITUDE. limit amount that companies + industries are allowed to dump/ release with a cap. Fines issued if countries don’t follow this
  2. AWARENESS. raise this by using advertising + media
  3. ENCOURAGEMENT OF ALTERNATIVE METHODS. encourage others to use renewable energy resources by raising awareness through media
  4. MANAGEMENT IN THE LONG TERM. upkeep of pipelines
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

WHAT 4 WAYS CAN THE PRODUCTION + USE OF ENERGY POLLUTE THE AIR

A
  1. Acid rain
  2. CO2 from fossil fuels
  3. Dust from strip mining of coal
  4. Burning fuelwood in homes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

HOW MANY PEOPLE DIE FROM AIR POLLUTION

A
  • responsible for 3.3 million premature deaths each year

- is more than HIV/AIDS combined

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

4 CAUSES OF AIR POLLUTION

A
  1. Agriculture
  2. Deforestation
  3. Industry
  4. Traffic
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

AGRICULTURE

A
  • is a cause of air pollution
  • storing + spreading farmyard manure causes bad smell
  • burning straw after grain harvest produces smoke + soot
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

DEFORESTATION

A
  • is a cause of air pollution
  • burning rainforest in SE Asia has led to serious air pollution across whole region
  • 1997 SE Asian Haze was a large scale air quality disaster. Caused health issues + smog. Cost was $ 9 billion
  • large scale cutting down of trees has serious impacts
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

INDUSTRY

A
  • is a cause of air pollution
  • heavy industry produces a range of atmosphere pollutants
  • iron, steel, chemicals are really bad
  • accidents can contaminate large areas with toxic materials
  • accidents are eg of incidental pollution
  • eg explosion at Union Carbide chemical factory in Bhopal, India, 1984: released methyl isocyanate gas into city. People were blinded + choked
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

TRAFFIC

A
  • is a cause of air pollution
  • exhaust fumes that vehicles produce is v.bad
  • traffic congestion makes things worse
  • pollution is sometimes worse in MICs as vehicles are poorly maintained
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF CARBON MONOXIDE

A
  • exhaust fumes from vehicles that aren’t burning their fuel efficiently
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

PROBLEM CAUSED BY CARBON MONOXIDE

A
  • reduces supply of oxygen to heart
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF CARBON DIOXIDE

A
  • exhaust fumes from efficient vehicles engines
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

PROBLEM CAUSED BY CARBON DIOXIDE

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

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF OXIDES OF NITROGEN

A
  • petrol engine exhausts where no catalytic converter has been fitted
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

PROBLEM CAUSED BY OXIDES OF NITROGEN

A
  • irritates throat + lungs
  • leads to ozone formation
  • contributes to acid rain
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF GROUND LEVEL OZONE

A
  • chemicals in vehicle exhausts react with sunlight
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

PROBLEM CAUSED BY GROUND LEVEL OZONE

A
  • photochemical smog
  • leads to irritation of eyes, nose, throat + lungs
  • dangerous for people suffering with asthma
31
Q

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF PARTICULATES

A
  • produced by diesel engine exhausts

- where no filter has been fitted

32
Q

PROBLEM CAUSED BY PARTICULATES

A
  • is black smoke + soot
  • leads to smog + respiratory issues
  • particles cause cancer if breathed into lungs for a sustained time
33
Q

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF HYDROCARBONS

A
  • petrol engine exhausts

- where no catalytic converter has been fitted

34
Q

PROBLEM CAUSED BY HYDROCARBONS

A
  • contribute to formation of ground level ozone

- benzene can cause cancer

35
Q

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF LEAD

A
  • old petrol vehicles which burn leaded petrol

- mainly an issue in MICs

36
Q

PROBLEMS CAUSES BY LEAD

A
  • causes brain damage

- damages kidney, liver + nervous system

37
Q

ANOTHER TERM FOR LAND POLLUTION

A
  • soil contamination
38
Q

WHO ARE THE NUCLEAR DECOMMISSIONING AUTHORITY

A
  • are based in UK
  • currently spends £117 billion to clean up 17 former nuclear sites
  • figure is rising
39
Q

US PROGRAMME TO DECONTAMINATE POLLUTED SITES

A
  • ‘Superfund’

- has been doing this since 1980

40
Q

EXAMPLE OF AIR POLLUTION IN AN LEDC

A

Delhi, India

41
Q

WHAT IS THE POLLUTANT IN AIR POLLUTION IN AN LEDC ( DELHI, INDIA)

A
  • sulphur dioxide
  • particulates
  • carbon monoxide
42
Q

WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF AIR POLLUTION IN AN LEDC ( DELHI, INDIA)

A
  • emissions from automobiles, power plants + other local industrial + urban sources
43
Q

WHAT IS THE HEALTH IMPACT OF AIR POLLUTION IN AN LEDC ( DELHI, INDIA)

A
  • long term exposure to low levels of pollutants causes health issues
  • eg cancer, respiratory + cardiovascular diseases, asthma
  • infants, children + elderly are most affected by this
44
Q

WHAT WAS DONE WITH THE AMOUNT OF AIR POLLUTION IN AN LEDC ( DELHI, INDIA)

A
  • India’s Ministry of Environment + Forests tried their best to rescue vehicle emissions in late 1990s
  • introduction of fleet buses powered by compressed natural gas + maintenance requirements + a pollution tax
45
Q

WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME OF AIR POLLUTION IN AN LEDC ( DELHI, INDIA)

A
  • 1993-2000: carbon monoxide decreased by nearly 50%
  • lead concentrations fell by 75%
  • sulphur dioxide levels decreased by 34.8% + particulate matter levels by 7%
46
Q

EXAMPLE OF WATER POLLUTION IN AN LEDC

A
  • Shanghai, China
47
Q

WHAT IS THE POLLUTANT IN WATER POLLUTION IN AN LEDC ( SHANGHAI, CHINA)

A
  • residential + industrial waste
48
Q

WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF WATER POLLUTION IN AN LEDC ( SHANGHAI, CHINA)

A
  • dumping of raw sewage in waterway

- compounded by flooding

49
Q

WHAT IS THE HEALTH IMPACT OF WATER POLLUTION IN AN LEDC ( SHANGHAI, CHINA)

A
  • untreated sewage spreads cholera, typhoid + dysentery among urban people
50
Q

WHAT WAS DONE WITH THE AMOUNT OF WATER POLLUTION IN AN LEDC ( SHANGHAI, CHINA)

A
  • Shanghai Gov + Asian Development Bank teamed up to design + implement a 12 year project
  • included sewage treatment, injection of oxygen into waterway + flood controls to bring water quality to acceptable levels for household use
51
Q

WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME OF WATER POLLUTION IN AN LEDC ( SHANGHAI, CHINA)

A
  • first phase of project improved water quality

- second phase aimed to maintain water quality + have sustainable urban design elements in rehabilitation system

52
Q

WHAT WAS THE RESULT OF WATER POLLUTION IN AN LEDC ( SHANGHAI, CHINA)

A
  • rehabilitation project showed success in restoring contaminated water bodies in an urban setting
  • were also other benefits such as more green space and higher property values in that area
53
Q

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF WATER POLLUTION IN AN LEDC ( SHANGHAI, CHINA)

A
  • upstream pollution continues to threaten Yangtze River
54
Q

WHAT ARE THE 2 WAYS OF MEASURING WATER QUALITY

A
  1. Biological indicators
    • examine fish, insects + invertebrates
    • if many different types of these can survive in river, there’s good water quality
  2. Chemical indicators
    • take samples of water + measure concentration of different chemicals that it contains
55
Q

HOW CAN WATER POLLUTION SPREAD

A
  • polluted rivers take their pollution to sea

- ocean currents spread pollution around globe

56
Q

WHAT IS THE NORTH PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH

A
  • currents in N.Pacific move in a circular way

- have concentrated the plastic into this area known as the N.Pacific Garbage Patch

57
Q

WHERE DOES WATER POLLUTION DERIVE FROM

A
  • point source pollution
  • non point source pollution
  • transboundary pollution
58
Q

TRANSBOUNDARY POLLUTION DEFINTION

A
  • when pollution that enters environment has an effect hundreds/ thousands of miles away
  • eg. Way that radioactive waste travels through oceans from nuclear reprocessing plants in England + France to nearby countries such as Norway + Ireland
59
Q

4 CAUSES OF WATER POLLUTION

A
  1. Sewage
  2. Nutrients
  3. Oil pollution
  4. Plastics
60
Q

4 MAIN SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION

A
  1. Agriculture
  2. Industry
  3. Domestic rubbish
  4. Energy production + transport
61
Q

SEWAGE

A
  • is a cause of water pollution
  • contains lots of chemicals
  • estimated that water related diseases will kill 135 million people by 2020
  • 2012 Guernsey: dumped 16,000 tons of raw sewage into sea each day
62
Q

NUTRIENTS

A
  • is a cause of water pollution
  • chemical fertilisers add nutrients to soil. This drains into rivers + seas
  • sewage + fertilisers leads to harmful algal bloom. This removes oxygen from water. Kills other forms of life. Leads to a DEAD ZONE
  • eg of dead zone is Gulf of Mexico
63
Q

OIL POLLUTION

A
  • is a cause of water pollution
  • 70%> of this at sea comes from routine shipping + oil
  • when tanker accidents happen, it’s v. destructive as lots of oil is released at once
  • biggest oil spill: Tanker Exxon Valdez, 1989, Alaska: killed 7000 sea otters + 12 million gallons of oil was released
64
Q

PLASTICS

A
  • is a cause of water pollution
  • about half of all world’s seabird species are known to have eaten plastic residues
  • it’s light, floats easily + isn’t biodegradable
  • is the most common material
65
Q

AGRICULTURE

A
  • is a main source of water pollution
  • related to increased use of chemicals in farming
  • chemicals are washed down through leaching + ends up in rivers
  • increase in nitrates from fertilisers leads to growth of algae
  • when algae die, eutrophication happens. This kills fish + other organisms in river
66
Q

INDUSTRY

A
  • is a main source of water pollution
  • liquid wastes from this are dumped into sea/rivers
  • chemicals used to turn wood- wood pulp is v.toxic + kills wildlife
  • rivers can be polluted with organo-chlorine compounds. This bleaches wood pulp
67
Q

ENERGY PRODUCTION + TRANSPORT

A
  • is a main source of water pollution
  • main impacts are:
    • pollution from oil spills
    • low level radioactive waster from nuclear power production
    • air pollution from energy production contributes to acid rain which can pollute lakes + rivers
68
Q

DOMESTIC RUBBISH

A
  • is a main source of water pollution
  • is dumped into nearest river
  • old bikes + trolleys are commonly found in rivers in HIC cities
  • BUT: main issue is in MICs + NICs- isn’t an efficient rubbish collection system
69
Q

EXAMPLE OF WHERE DOMESTIC RUBBISH HAPPENS

A
  • River Ganges, Varanasi, India
70
Q

3 WAYS THAT WE CAN STOP WATER POLLUTION

A
  1. Education
  2. Laws
  3. Economics
71
Q

EDUCATION

A
  • is a way that we can stop water pollution
  • raise AWARENESS
  • early 1990s: surfers in Britain carried on catching illnesses from water polluted with sewage. So: they formed ‘ Surfers Against Sewage.’ Tried to force gov + water companies to clean up
72
Q

LAWS

A
  • are a way to try + stop water pollution
  • only really effective when they operate across national + international borders
  • eg 1972: London Dumping Convention
  • eg 1982: UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
  • eg 1972: USA Clean Water Act
  • most countries have their own individual water pollution laws
73
Q

WHAT IS THE POLLUTER PAYS PRINCIPLE

A
  • agreed by environmental experts
  • best way to tackle pollution
  • means whoever causes pollution should have to pay to clean it up

Environmental Management (4 decks)

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