Environmental issues Test 1

Question 1

What is an open system

Answer 1

An open system is a system that interacts with its environment by exchanging matter, energy, and/or information with it

Open system = not closed off from the rest of the world, but rather is influenced by and can influence its surroundings

Ex: living organisms, ecosystems, and businesses

Question 2

What is a closed system

Answer 2

A closed system is a system that does not exchange matter, energy, or information with its environment

Closed system = self-contained and isolated from its surroundings

Ex: A sealed jar: A jar that is completely sealed off from its environment is a closed system, as no matter, energy, or information can enter or exit.
A pendulum clock: A clock that is powered by a spring or weight and does not require any external energy input to keep ticking is a closed system.

Question 3

What is an isolated system

Answer 3

An isolated system is a system that does not exchange matter, energy, or information with its environment, just like a closed system. However, an isolated system differs from a closed system in that it is completely sealed off from any external influence or interaction, even in terms of energy transfer

Isolated system does not allow any kind of energy transfer in or out of the system, unlike a closed system where energy can be exchanged, but not matter or information

Most examples only exist in labs

Question 4

What kind of system is earth

Answer 4

The Earth can be considered an open system since it interacts with its environment by exchanging matter, energy, and information with it

Ex: The Earth receives energy from the sun, which is essential for supporting life and driving weather patterns, and it releases energy into space through radiation
Earth also exchanges matter with its environment, for example, through the water cycle, carbon cycle, and nutrient cycles

Question 5

What are Earth’s 4 spheres

Answer 5

Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
Biosphere

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Question 6

What is the lithosphere

Answer 6

The lithosphere includes the Earth’s solid, rocky crust, as well as the uppermost part of the mantle

The lithosphere is characterized by the movement and interactions of tectonic plates, which can cause earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain formation

Question 7

What is the hydrosphere

Answer 7

The hydrosphere includes all of the Earth’s water, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater

The hydrosphere is constantly in motion, driven by the sun’s energy, and plays a crucial role in regulating the Earth’s climate

Question 8

What is the atmosphere

Answer 8

The atmosphere is the layer of gases that surrounds the Earth, extending from the surface up to about 10,000 kilometers

The atmosphere is responsible for protecting the Earth from the sun’s harmful radiation, and it also helps to regulate the planet’s temperature and weather patterns

Question 9

What is the biosphere

Answer 9

The biosphere includes all living organisms on Earth, as well as the environments in which they live

The biosphere is interconnected with the other three spheres, as living organisms rely on the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere for resources and support

Question 10

Explain how the Earth does not produce waste

Answer 10

Earth’s biosphere has systems that recycle energy and matter

Plants combine water, sunlight, and atmospheric carbon to create sugars that are the basis of most chains in a process called photosynthesis - provides energy for other organisms in ecosystems, with that energy moving through food webs

When organisms die, their nutrients are decomposed and recycled through food webs.

In short, there is no ‘waste’ generated, and the biodiversity of Earth has increased over its long history through the process of evolution
Any species that expands its population beyond the ability of ecosystems to feed it passes the ecosystem’s carrying capacity, and its population is eventually reduced and brought back into balance

Question 11

When did Earth form

Answer 11

Earth formed ~4.6 billion years ago

Question 12

When is the earliest fossil evidence for primitive life from

Answer 12

The earliest fossil evidence for primitive life forms is from ~3.5 billion years ago

Question 13

When did humans appear

Answer 13

Complex life had evolved by ~600 million years ago, and
humans that were anatomically similar to us appeared ~200,000 years ago

Question 14

By when did humans migrate across the globe

Answer 14

From its origins in Africa, humans migrated to all other continents – except Antarctica – by ~12,000 years ago

The development of technology, such as fire, stone tools for cutting, and fur clothing, enabled humanity’s expansion in range and population

Question 15

Why is the growing human population worrisome

Answer 15

The human population had reached ~4 million by 12,000 years ago. The population reached one billion by about 1800, and according to United Nations estimates it surpassed 8 billion in late 2022

While the growth rate is slowing and may even stabilize by the end of the 21st century, this incredible expansion in human population requires a growing supply of energy and material, putting pressure on the rest of the biosphere, and also back onto society

Question 16

What is the anthroposphere and why is it important

Answer 16

Anthroposphere: the part of the environment that is made and modified by humans and human activity

With a significant and increasing ecological footprint, the concept of the anthroposphere can help to understand how humanity is transforming Earth’s spheres and natural systems, and particularly how human activity is occurring at the growing expense of the rest of the biosphere

Question 17

What is ecological footprint

Answer 17

Developed by Canadian ecologist and planner William Rees; ecological footprint is an accounting tool that measures land as the unit of measurement to assess per capita consumption, production, and discharge needs

Question 18

Give the formula for estimating ecological footprint

Answer 18

I = P x A x T
- I = Environment impact of a group (city, country, etc)
- P = Population
- A = Affluence - resources used (i.e. consumption of resources, such as fuel and fresh water)
- T = Technology - the efficiency ⇒ how much energy does it take to make something (i.e. more efficient technologies pollute less to accomplish the same task)

Question 19

Give a criticism of the formula for estimating ecological footprint

Answer 19

It does not identify causes, such as policies and cultural norms that curtail or encourage resource consumption, and it does not consider interactions between the variables
Ex: A more efficient source of energy might drive down costs,
resulting in increased energy usage and offsetting any potential reductions in carbon emissions

Question 20

What is greenwashing

Answer 20

Greenwashing is when a company or product makes false or exaggerated claims about being environmentally friendly in order to attract customers, even though they may not actually be as environmentally responsible as they claim

Making something seem more environmentally friendly than it actually is

Question 21

What are some factors that influence the location of environmentally hazardous sites

Answer 21

• Surrounding land uses and regulations
• Cost of land
• Demographics and priorities of surrounding populations
• The political power of different groups
• NIMBY effect (‘Not in My Backyard’)

Question 22

Explain the factor surrounding land uses and regulation

Answer 22

If you’re living closer to the city then the regulations are more rigid so the environmental hazards are less likely

Question 23

Explain the factor cost of land

Answer 23

If the land is further from the city center then the cost of land reduces

Question 24

Explain the factor demographics

Answer 24

• Demographics and priorities of surrounding populations → the characteristics of the people = age, income, ethnicity, language spoken, background, etc
  
  • ex: it’s easier to build a refinery in places where people have less political power and a refinery is not high on their priorities ⇒ for a family where people are working 2 jobs to survive (food, clothing, shelter, stability) they likely won’t be as focused on the pollution that is to come (not on their list of priorities)
  • rich people have more connections to government officials to whom they can convince not to build toxic establishments such as chemical refineries near their homes

Question 25

Explain the NIMBY effect

Answer 25

• NIMBY stands for “Not In My Backyard”
• It refers to opposition from local residents to the development of a new project, such as a housing development or a waste disposal site, in their community => considered undesirable in one’s neighborhood

Question 26

What is frontier ethics

Answer 26

Frontier ethic is a worldview that sees humans as the masters of nature and believes that the Earth’s resources are infinite

It is an outdated and inaccurate view, as the world does not revolve around human existence

This ethic suggests that humans can continue to use the resources of the earth and expand the frontier of their land for resources

This belief has led to the expansion of this view into out-of-space exploration, with the current focus on colonizing Mars

This worldview has led to conflicts with indigenous land, where traditional land use practices are seen as unproductive compared to profit-intensive practices

Question 27

What are the origins of the environmental justice movement

Answer 27

The placement of a PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls)
dump near Afton (Warren County), North Carolina, 1982 inspired protest and is thought to have initiated the environmental justice movement

There were protests like this before, but this event inspired the publication of a larger study about the exposure to toxic waste in the United States in 1987, and is generally thought to have initiated the environmental justice movement

Question 28

What is a commons

Answer 28

A commons is a shared resource or space that is collectively owned and managed by a community

It can refer to physical resources, such as land, water, forests, or fisheries, as well as digital resources, such as open-source software or online communities

Question 29

Who does the term civil disobedience have its origins with

Answer 29

The term civil disobedience is thought to have its origins with a guy named Henry David Thoreau

Question 30

What is the tragedy of the commons

Answer 30

The tragedy of the commons occurs when individuals prioritize their immediate personal gain over the long-term well-being of the community and the sustainability of the shared resource. This can lead to the depletion or degradation of the resource, harming everyone who depends on it, including future generations.

Question 31

What did John Muir say

Answer 31

John Muir
- Everything is connected
- Humans actions have ripple effects - even if we don’t see them

Question 32

What is land ethic

Answer 32

Land ethic is a philosophy that emphasizes the interconnectivity between living and non-living things, recognizing that humans are an integral part of nature and not separate from it

Stresses the responsibility of humans to care for other species and ecosystems, recognizing that all living things have intrinsic value and deserve to be treated with respect and care.

Involves a shift in our thinking about our relationship with the environment, moving away from an exploitative approach to one that recognizes the interconnectedness of all living things and the importance of preserving the earth’s natural systems

A land ethic stresses connections between living and non-living things, responsibility to other species and ecosystems, and humans as a part of nature, rather than apart from it

Question 33

What is sustainable ethics

Answer 33

A sustainable ethic assumes the finite nature of Earth’s resource supply, and that it is crucial to work within these limits in order to secure well-being for future generations. Any environmental ethic involves applying perspectives on human- environment relations to our thoughts and actions

Question 34

What is the seven generation principle

Answer 34

The Seven Generations principle is a teaching found in many indigenous cultures that emphasizes the importance of considering the impacts of our choices and behaviors on future generations

It is represented by a pictograph or illustration showing seven figures connected by a thread, which symbolizes the interconnection and dependency of each generation on one another

The principle encourages us to respect and care for those who came before us, as well as those who will come after us, and challenges us to make decisions that will have positive reverberations for seven generations into the future

Question 35

Who is Henry David Thoreau

Answer 35

The term civil disobedience is thought to have its origins with Henry David Thoreau
- Thoreau refused to pay taxes → he did not agree with how the government was using the money (war on Mexico)
- he asked the tax collector what the money was being used and the collector said
- highways, schools, and the war on Mexico
- he was thought to be one of the first environmentalists
- Thoreau = most people live lives of quiet desperation
- People sit and watch as things they don’t agree with happen
- he believed that since people were working for others and not growing their own sustenance, they were being silenced in a sense → when you are working for someone else, you are scared to call others out on their mistreatment
- he lived an independent life

Question 36

What is consumer culture

Answer 36

Consumer culture refers to a society where people buy goods and services rather than making them themselves

Consumer culture is a concept that has different meanings, including the consumption of products, but also the values and status we attach to products
Consumer culture gives us the tools to express who it is we are, but while doing so it simultaneously reinforces an economic system in which the individual’s ability to be free or to choose is, ironically, constrained

Question 37

How did culture become consumerist

Answer 37

The idea of consumer culture began to take hold during the industrial revolution when mass production and advertising led people to buy things they wanted rather than needed
industrialization: drove down the cost of goods
People had disposable income = consume stuff

As the economy shifted towards mass production/consumption, people began to define themselves by what they owned and consumed

The growth of credit and installment plans, along with the emergence of new forms of media like television, helped to reinforce this mindset

Question 38

What is the great accelaration

Answer 38

The Great Acceleration is a term used to describe the period following World War II when there was a significant increase in the consumption of goods and services, as well as a rapid growth in the global economy

After the war, many countries experienced a surge in economic growth and technological advancements, which led to a rise in living standards
People began to buy larger houses and more household goods, and there was a significant increase in the ownership of cars and air travel

Question 39

What is ecological overshoot

Answer 39

Ecological overshoot = when human demand exceeds the regenerative capacity of a natural ecosystem; our collective ecological footprint is greater than the ability of the planet to regenerate
- we are running a deficit which began in 1970s
- we are not allowing biocapacity to regenerate fast enough

Question 40

What is biocapacity

Answer 40

Biocapacity = capacity of an ecosystem or a region to produce renewable resources and absorb waste and pollution - used to measure the sustainability of human activities in a given area
Amount of land that can host life, grow food and support us and absorb carbon

Question 41

Name the layers of the atmosphere

Answer 41

Exosphere
Thermosphere
Mesosphere
Stratosphere
Troposphere

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Question 42

What is the exosphere

Answer 42

The exosphere is the outermost layer of the Earth’s atmosphere, extending from about 800 kms to 3000 kms above the Earth’s surface
It is the region where satellites and other artificial objects in orbit around the Earth are located

Question 43

What is the thermosphere

Answer 43

The thermosphere is a layer of the Earth’s atmosphere that extends from about 80 kilometers to about 800 kilometers above the Earth’s surface

region where the auroras occur as charged particles from the sun collide with atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, causing them to emit light

Question 44

What is the mesosphere

Answer 44

The mesosphere is a layer of the Earth’s atmosphere that extends from about 50 kilometers to about 80 kilometers above the Earth’s surface

The layer where most meteors burn up as they enter the Earth’s atmosphere, causing the streaks of light known as shooting stars

Question 45

What is the stratosphere

Answer 45

The stratosphere is a layer of the Earth’s atmosphere that extends from about 10 to 50 kilometers above the Earth’s surface

layer where the ozone layer is located, which absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun

Question 46

What is the troposphere

Answer 46

The troposphere is the lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere, extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of about 0 to 20 kilometers

Air pollutants that cause direct harm to human health stay in this layer

Question 47

Is ozone a pollutant

Answer 47

Depends where it is: if it’s in the stratosphere its safe

Troposphere then NOT safe

Question 48

What do we breathe

Answer 48

What we breathe
- oxygen (O2)
- nitrogen (N2)
- carbon dioxide (CO2)
- dust = particulate matter (PM2.5)

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Question 49

What are natural sources of particulate matter

Answer 49

• Natural sources of particulate matter:
  
  • dust storm
  • volcanic ash
  • wildfire
  • pollen
• The main source of pollution by humans in history = burning wood (used for cooking, etc)

Question 50

When did the Great Smog of London happen

Answer 50

1952

Question 51

What encouraged people to put laws such as the Clean Air Act 1963

Answer 51

The Great Smog of London

Question 52

Why is air quality poorer in poor countries

Answer 52

Why is air quality in poor countries bad:
- higher population
- manufacturing is big in such places
- less clean energy sources
- lack of advanced technology and laws

Question 53

What’s epidemiology

Answer 53

Epidemiology: the branch of medicine which deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health

Question 54

What’s relative risk

Answer 54

Relative risk is the ratio of the risks for an event for the exposure group to the risks for the non-exposure group

Question 55

Who is Thomas Midgley

Answer 55

Thomas Midgley invented chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which at the time, seemed like a great advancement due to their cheapness, non-toxicity, and non-flammability. However, we now know that CFCs contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer and have other harmful effects on the environment. Midgley also added lead to gasoline, which was later found to be poisonous to humans and may have caused a drop in IQ. Midgley died in a tragic accident involving a machine he created to help him get out of bed, and his legacy is now controversial due to the unintended consequences of some of his inventions.

Question 56

How many ozone depleting substances are there

Answer 56

There are 96 ozone depleting substances (ODS)

CFC-11

Question 57

What is the problem with CFCs

Answer 57

CFCs were once used in products like fire extinguishers and hairspray, as they seemed like a great solution due to their low toxicity and nonflammable properties

It was later discovered that CFCs pose a serious problem to the environment

When CFC molecules are released into the atmosphere, they can eventually reach the stratosphere, where the high-energy UV radiation from the sun splits the molecule and releases a highly reactive chlorine atom - chlorine atom reacts with ozone molecules, destroying them and taking away one oxygen atom in the process
This destructive cycle can repeat itself and lead to the depletion of the ozone layer, which is a serious problem for the environment and human health
It’s essential to limit the use of CFCs and take steps to protect the ozone layer

Question 58

How bad is CFC

Answer 58

One single chlorine atom from CFC can destroy 100,000 ozone atoms

Question 59

Where is the ozone hole

Answer 59

The ozone hole is located over Antarctica, where the extremely cold temperatures create a polar vortex that traps ozone within it. This can cause ozone to accumulate in the region and decay faster due to unique clouds. The resulting ozone depletion can spread to other parts of the world, making it a significant environmental problem.

Question 60

Why was signing the Montreal Protocol not enough

Answer 60

Problem: even if we stop emitting them → CFC still stay in the atmosphere

the residence time (average time a molecule spends in the atmosphere) is such that it will take a while for them to be completely removed

Question 61

What’s residence time

Answer 61

Residence time = how long on average does a nutrient stay in this reservoir
- average time a nutrient stays in some place
- ex: in a pond a raindrop will likely have a shorter residence time than a raindrop in the ocean

Question 62

What are the main nutrient cycles

Answer 62

• Main nutrient cycles
  
  • hydrological cycle
  • carbon cycle
  • nitrogen cycle
  • phosphorus cycle
  • sulphur cycle

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Question 63

what’s the largest reservoir for freshwater

Answer 63

largest reservoir of fresh – or non-salty – water is in ice-sheets and glaciers