Environmental degradation

Question 1

What is the definition of pollution?

Answer 1

the introduction of substances into the natural environment that cause adverse changes and which damage the natural environment.

Question 2

Are pollutants caused by just Human causes

Answer 2

No they can be natural as well

Question 3

What is point source pollution?

Answer 3

when the pollutant is issued at one point eg. pipe pouring sewage into a river

Question 4

what is non-point source pollution

Answer 4

when pollution emanates from a general area eg. exhaust fumes from cars in a city

Question 5

what is incidental pollution

Answer 5

when the pollution is a one off mistake/event eg. oil spill

Question 6

what is sustained pollution?

Answer 6

Long term pollution caused by ongoing human activities

Question 7

How many people does pollution kill each year

Answer 7

7 million

Question 8

how many deaths are linked to pollution

Answer 8

1 in 8

Question 9

what are the sources of land pollution?

Answer 9

• Mining and quarrying
• Industry
• Energy Production
• Dumping of domestic waste

Question 10

How does mining and quarrying damage the land?

Answer 10

• 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

Question 11

How does industry damage the land?

Answer 11

• can produce solid waste which dumped on the land

- toxic by products which are also dumped in the surrounding area

Question 12

How does energy production damage the land?

Answer 12

• Leaks from oil pipe lines can damage the surrounding area
• deforestation for fuelwood
• mining for coal scars the land

Question 13

how can domestic waste damage the land?

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

what are the sources of air pollution?

Answer 14

• Energy production
• Agriculture
• Deforestation
• Industry
• Traffic

Question 15

how does energy production cause air pollution?

Answer 15

• Burning fuelwood in the home
• dust from strip mining of coal
• acid rain
• greenhouse gases from fossil fuels

Question 16

how does traffic cause air pollution?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

What are the sources of water pollution?

Answer 17

• Agriculture
• Industry
• Energy transport and production
• Domestic rubbish

Question 18

how does agriculture cause water pollution?

Answer 18

Increasing use of chemicals in farming are washed into rivers and result in eutrophication reducing the biodiversity of rivers and lakes.

Question 19

how does energy transport and production cause water pollution?

Answer 19

• 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

Question 20

what are the solutions to pollution?

Answer 20

• 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.

Question 21

what type of economy is this: Agricultural tends to be organised on a subsistence basis. little to spend on fertilizers and pesticides

Answer 21

pre-industrial

Question 22

what type of economy is this: Transport becomes vehicle based. the need to provide cheep cars results in poor quality vehicles with inefficient engines

Answer 22

Industrial

Question 23

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

Answer 23

Industrial

Question 24

what type of economy is this: Quality of life becomes as important as standard of living and there is pressure to reduce pollution

Answer 24

Post industrial

Question 25

what type of economy is this: Globalization means that most of the old polluting industries close down and move to emerging economies for cheaper labour and less restrictive pollution laws

Answer 25

Post industrial

Question 26

what type of economy is this: Very little domestic waste- people cant afford to throw anything away that might be useful.

Answer 26

Pre- industrial

Question 27

What is an example of a place that has been impacted by energy production?

Answer 27

Chernobyl 1986/Fukushima 2011

Question 28

Give an example of a place that has been affected by energy transport?

Answer 28

Exxon Valdez- Alaska 1989

Question 29

Give an example of a place that has been affected by pollution

Answer 29

Ulan Bator, Mongolia