Exam #2 (GHG-102)

Question 1

What is the Water, Energy, and Food System (WEF) Nexus?

Answer 1

The concept of a WEF nexus means that extensive interconnections exist between the production and consumption chains of these sectors.

Question 2

What is Water Withdrawal?

Answer 2

Water withdrawal refers to water removed from the source, e.g., aquifer, river, lake, or ocean, for use.

Example: water withdrawal to cool power generation plants is the largest category of such withdrawals in the United States.

Question 3

What is
Water Consumption?

Answer 3

Water consumption refers to water removed from the source such that it is not available for reuse at the same location or downstream.

Example: irrigated agriculture is the largest category of water consumption in the United States, as in the rest of the world.

Question 4

Water Consumption
vs.
Water Withdrawal

Answer 4

Water withdrawn may return to the source; water consumed does not.

Key conceptual distinction.

Question 5

What is Energy Intensity?

Answer 5

The energy consumed per unit of output or activity.

Example: For water processed, energy intensity is often expressed as in units of kWh of energy per million gallons of water.

Question 6

What is Blue Carbon?

Answer 6

Carbon captured by marine and coastal ecosystems.

Example: Reconstruction of coastal wetland ecosystems increases the abundance of carbon stored in plants and deposited on the seafloor, while increasing protection of the coast from storm surges.