Environmental degradation Flashcards
What is the definition of pollution?
the introduction of substances into the natural environment that cause adverse changes and which damage the natural environment.
Are pollutants caused by just Human causes
No they can be natural as well
What is point source pollution?
when the pollutant is issued at one point eg. pipe pouring sewage into a river
what is non-point source pollution
when pollution emanates from a general area eg. exhaust fumes from cars in a city
what is incidental pollution
when the pollution is a one off mistake/event eg. oil spill
what is sustained pollution?
Long term pollution caused by ongoing human activities
How many people does pollution kill each year
7 million
how many deaths are linked to pollution
1 in 8
what are the sources of land pollution?
- Mining and quarrying
- Industry
- Energy Production
- Dumping of domestic waste
How does mining and quarrying damage the land?
- waste tips scar the land in former mining areas and are visually unsightly and vegetation wont grow on them.
- Quarries and strip mines produce a lot of dust and noise when operating and can lead to severe degradation of the environment
How does industry damage the land?
- can produce solid waste which dumped on the land
- toxic by products which are also dumped in the surrounding area
How does energy production damage the land?
- Leaks from oil pipe lines can damage the surrounding area
- deforestation for fuelwood
- mining for coal scars the land
how can domestic waste damage the land?
- Organic material in landfills is broken down and produces methane which contributes to air pollution
- Rainwater collects toxic chemicals in Landfills and drains into the surrounding rivers and lakes causing water pollution
- Landfills are unsightly
what are the sources of air pollution?
- Energy production
- Agriculture
- Deforestation
- Industry
- Traffic
how does energy production cause air pollution?
- Burning fuelwood in the home
- dust from strip mining of coal
- acid rain
- greenhouse gases from fossil fuels
how does traffic cause air pollution?
the number of vehicles in big cities is growing all the time which means more exhaust fumes
-Pollution from traffic is often worse in MICs because vehicles are poorly maintained
What are the sources of water pollution?
- Agriculture
- Industry
- Energy transport and production
- Domestic rubbish
how does agriculture cause water pollution?
Increasing use of chemicals in farming are washed into rivers and result in eutrophication reducing the biodiversity of rivers and lakes.
how does energy transport and production cause water pollution?
- oil spills when transporting oil
- acid rain can pollute rivers and lakes
- hot water from thermal power stations is often dumped back into nearby rivers, suffocating fish
what are the solutions to pollution?
- Legislation has to be passed outlawing pollution and there has to be a inspection system to catch people breaking the law
- Educating people on why pollution is bad and what they can do to reduce it- usually through advertising
- Green taxes eg. tax on plastic carrier bags to reduce the amount of domestic waste.
what type of economy is this: Agricultural tends to be organised on a subsistence basis. little to spend on fertilizers and pesticides
pre-industrial
what type of economy is this: Transport becomes vehicle based. the need to provide cheep cars results in poor quality vehicles with inefficient engines
Industrial
what type of economy is this: Urbanization means that cities grow rapidly. sewage disposal is inadequate and people burn cheap dirty fuels for cooking and heating
Industrial
what type of economy is this: Quality of life becomes as important as standard of living and there is pressure to reduce pollution
Post industrial
