f5 chap 10 environmental sustainability Flashcards
whats the definition of environmental sustainability?
environmental condition that remains the same without any reduction or depletion of natural resources, with an assured quality of the surrounding environment for a long period of time
whats a cause of not being able to conserve the environment?
increase in human population
what are the threats to the environment?
1 climate change and global warming
2 deforestation and loss of biodiversity
3 eutrophication
4 pollution
5 human population growth explosion
whats climate change?
change in temperature of the earth, rainfall distribution and drastic changes of the winds.
what does climate change and global warming result in?
greenhouse effect phenomenon
explain the greenhouse effect phenomenon
1 When sunlight enters the atmosphere of the earth,
some of the light is reflected back into space in the form
of infrared rays.
2 When heat energy is released, most of
the energy will be absorbed by the greenhouse gases
such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide and
chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) which exist in the atmosphere
of the earth,
3 thus preventing the infrared rays from being
reflected back into space.
whats the positive effect of greenhouse effect phenomenon?
Heat energy that is not reflected keeps the earth at an average temperature so it is not too cold for the survival of organisms
how has human activities over the last decades contributed to the greenhouse effect?
human activities such as burning of fossil fuels and deforestation have caused the increase in concentration
of greenhouse gases. Thus, more heat energy is trapped which increases temperature of the earth
what are the factors causing greenhouse effect and the respective greenhouse gases involved?
burning of fossil fuels (carbon dioxide)
deforestation (carbon dioxide)
animal farming (methane)
agricultural activities (nitrogen oxide)
usage of cooling substances (chlorofluorocarbon, CFC)
whats the result of el nino phenomenon
causes extreme hot and dry weather which causes draught
whats the result of la nina phenomenon?
causes unusual heavy rain which causes serious floods
definition of deforestation?
action of clearing a wide area of trees in a large scale
whats the purpose of deforestation?
1 to obtain timber for construction work, furniture, and paper
2 mineral mining
3 opening new areas to carry out agricultural activities
4 building residential areas and roads
negative impact of deforestation activities?
- soil erosion
- flash floods
- climate change
- loss of biodiversity
- disruption of nitrogen cycle, water cycle, and carbon cycle
- loss of water catchment areas
definition of eutrophication?
process that occurs when the water ecosystem becomes rich with nutrients, resulting in changes to the structure of the ecosystem
what are the effects of eutrophication?
algal blooms, death of aquatic life and deterioration of water quality
how does excessive usage of nitrate and phosphate fertilisers cause eutrophication?
- excessive nitrate and phosphate residuals flow into lakes & rivers w help of rain water
- increase in nitrate & phosphate stimulates rapid growth of algae, covering the water surface (eutrophication)
- this reduces the penetration of sunlight into the water
- this causes rate of photosynthesis of aquatic plants to slow down and content of dissolved oxygen in the water decreases.
- this causes aquatic plants and animals to die
- abundance of algae and death of aquatic organisms increases the population of decomposer bacteria
- decomposer bacteria disintegrate dead aquatic plants and animals in the presence of oxygen, which causes oxygen reduction in water
- this increases biological oxygen demand (BOD)
definition of biochemical oxygen demand?
BOD is the total amount of oxygen needed by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi to decompose organic materials in water
what does high BOD level indicate?
low quality of water source bc there are many organic substances and decomposed microorganisms in the water
what does low BOD level indicate?
water is of good quality as its unpolluted and dissolved oxygen content is high
what are the types of pollution?
air, thermal, noise
when does air pollution happen?
happens when theres an increase in the pollutant substances such as gases, smoke, dust and particles in the atmosphere which affect health and lives of human beings, animals and plants
what are the pollutant substances in smoke from industrial factories?
- sulphur dioxide
- nitrogen oxide
- dust
- carbon monoxide
- carbon dioxide
what are the pollutant substances in exhaust fumes from vehicles?
- nitrogen oxide
- carbon monoxide
- lead
- smoke and soot
- hydrocarbon gases
how is acid rain formed?
1 burning of fossil fuels by charcoal burning plants, industrial factories and vehicles releases carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide into atmosphere.
2 these gases combine with water vapour in the atmosphere to form nitric acid and sulphuric acid and later comes down as acid rain
what are the pollutant substances in open burning?
- carbon dioxide
- smoke and soot
effects of acid rain?
1 infertile soil due to 5> pH level
2 destroys leaf tissues and damages roots of plants
3 reduces plankton population which is food source for fish
4 affects food chain which can cause death of various organisms
5 causes skin diseases and tissue damage in humans
definition of thermal pollution
deterioration of water quality due to excessive heat dissipation into water caused by processes that change the water temperature.
what causes thermal pollution?
- water is used as cooling agent to cool down generators in industrial factories and hydroelectric power generator plants
- hot water produced is then discharged into rivers or lakes causing thermal pollution
- increased temp of river is unsuitable for aquatic habitats
- as temp of water rises, dissolved oxygen content in water will decrease and threaten survival of aquatic lives
effect of thermal pollution?
1 hazardous to the environment
2 disrupts biochemical processes of aquatic organisms as fish and other aquatic animals normally live in a range of certain temperature.
3 early hatchery or failure to hatch of fish eggs
how does algae raise bod level
higher temp enhances their growth and raise BOD level
definition f noise pollution?
sounds that disturb and cause detrimental effects to the health of humans and animals
effects of exposure to high level of noise for prolonged period of time
1 high blood pressure
2 depression
3 headache
definition of population growth explosion
increase in total number of humans living in a certain area
effects of rapid population growth
reduction of natural resources, which leads to deforestation , loss of biodiversity and global warming
how does rapid population growth cause deforestation?
forests are cleared to provide shelters, infrastructures, agriculture lands and various facilities for the increasing population
how to overcome sewage being contaminated
water treatment technology
definition of preservation of an ecosystem?
efforts made to protect the components of an ecosystem so it will remain in its natural condition
whats a way to preserve an ecosystem?
gazetting forests as reserved areas to protect the natural beuty of flora and fauna
whats reserved forests protected from?
development activities
whats conservation of an ecosystem?
efforts to restore environmental resources such as water, forests, energy, air, minerals, among others so they will continue to exist
importance of conservation strategies?
to save components of an endangered ecosystem
what are the two strategies of conservation?
in situ, ex situ
what in situ conservation does?
retains wildlife species in their original habitat such as natural parks and marine parks
what does ex conservation do?
keeps wildlife species outside of their original habitat such as zoos and botanical parks
whats restoration of an ecosystem?
efforts for renewing and restoring natural ecosystems that have deteriorated, damaged or destroyed due to human activities
why is it important to carry out reforestation and planting of cover crops
to ensure continuity of natural resources for future generations
what are the practices that contribute towards environmental sustainability?
- Environment-friendly Transport
- Energy Saving
- 5R’s Concept
- The Usage of Alternative Renewable Energy
- Management of Domestic and Toxic Waste
- Biological Control
- Water Saving
how can you implement Environment-friendly Transport to contribute towards environmental sustainability?
use environmental friendly transport like bicycles, practise carpooling, use public transport
where does the main source of electric energy come from?
from the burning of non-renewable substances which are fossil fuels
such as petrol and diesel.
how can you save energy?
Use electricity wisely to reduce the release of pollutant substances such as carbon monoxide.
how to reduce waste materials disposal?
practise 5R’s Concept: rethink, repair, reuse, reduce, recycle,
whats renewable energy?
energy that is generated from natural resources such as the sun, wind, waves, water, geothermal and biomass.
why is renewable energy better?
cleaner, easier and safer.
job of department of environment?
Coordinate waste disposal activities, Set the maximum limit of
waste production, Control licenses for categories, content, quantity
and risks of waste products
whats biological control?
Biological control is a way to control the population of pests using their natural enemies.
importance of biological control?
way to reduce the usage of pesticides.
how to implement water saving?
Collect rain water or reuse water to water plants and wash
vehicles.
whats food security?
Food security is defined as having an assurance on the
availability of food, as well as sufficient access to food and safe
food utilisation.
what are the four important components of food security?
Availability of food, access to food, food utilisation, food stability
elaborate on availability of food in food security
There is sufficient supply of high quality food in the
local market
elaborate on access to food in food security
Food can be obtained easily in order to meet the nutritional needs
of diet.
elaborate on food stability in food security
Each individual has access to get enough nutritious food at
all times.
whats food utilities?
ability of an individual to get enough nutrients by consuming food and drinking clean water as well as good practices in food processing and preparation.
how must halal food be manufactured?
Halal food must be manufactured in clean surroundings using methods which emphasise on hygiene and orderliness
during the production process.
definition of green technology?
the development and application of
products, equipment and system to preserve the environment
and nature while minimising or reducing the negative impacts
of human activities.
what are the criteria requirement for green technology product, equipment or system?
- Can minimise environmental degradation
- Has low or zero release of greenhouse gases
- Safe to use as well as promote healthier and better surroundings for all living things
- Efficient use of energy and natural resources
- Encourage the usage of renewable resources
what are the pillars of National Green Technology Policy (NGTP)?
social, energy, environment, economy
whats green building?
building concept which has the characteristics of nature-friendly technology.
uses of solar energy in a green building?
Solar panels convert solar energy into electrical energy for lighting inside green buildings
uses of water in a green building?
Water catchment systems collect rain water that can be used for plants watering and cleaning of toilets
advantages of green building?
- Reduces negative effects towards human health due to development
- Reduces negative effects towards the environment due to construction activities
- Saves the cost of operation, maintenance and construction
what are the Practices using the concept of green technology?
1 Producing eco-enzymes from fruit waste into cleaning
agents
2 Recycling kitchen waste and food waste to produce natural fertiliser or growth booster for crops
3 Producing biogas from organic solid waste
4 Using banana peels to make flour which can be used as an
ingredient to produce natural bioplastic
5 Producing liquid foliar fertiliser from kitchen waste to be used on
leaves as a growth booster for vegetables
what are some objectives of environmental education?
1 Gaining skills in solving environmental problems
2 Taking care of the environment and willing to protect and develop the environment
