Final Exam Flashcards
Global climate
long-term trends in weather conditions for the planet
instrumental period
began in 1860, the first year for recorded surface air temperatures measured by instruments such as thermometers
Geothermal Gradients
Surface temperatures stretching back hundreds of years can be measured and analyzed by drilling holes deep into Earth’s crust
Proxies
observable and measurable phenomena that indirectly indicate climate change
Paleoclimates
ancient climates, proxies are used to help understand paleoclimates
Albedo
reflectivity of a surface
Greenhouse Gasses
atmospheric gases such as water vapor, carbon
dioxide, and other gases that absorb infrared radiation (a form of heat) that rises from Earth’s surface
Milankovitch Cycles
systematic patterns in the shape of Earth’s orbit, and
the tilt and direction of Earth’s rotational axis over 26,000–100,000-year cycles
Droughts
increased evaporation from warming, are increasing in
frequency, duration, and intensity
Thermal expansions
causes warmer water to expand, contributing 40% to sea- level rise since 1980
Ocean acidifcation
happening because the oceans absorb 25% of human- caused CO2 emissions
feedback
effects that either amplify or counter a change to a system
tipping point
These occur when sudden changes have a rapid and significant effect on global climate
fossil fuels
formed from living organisms from earlier geologic eras
Hydrocarbons
such as oil and natural gas are made of strands of hydrogen and carbon molecules derived from the photosynthesis of ancient microscopic organisms in oceans and lakes
Oil and Natural Gas
Dead organisms were buried by sediments, failed to decompose, and were transformed by intense heat and pressure
Coal
a solid hydrocarbon found in large masses called beds or seams, was formed from ancient tropical swamps where dead plant matter was buried and subjected to
intense heat and pressure
Reserves
masses of coal, or deposits of oil and natural gas, that can be economically accessed
inferior good
which is consumed because
people cannot afford what they prefer
Jevons Paradox
affects gains in efficiency. Increased efficiency leads to lower costs, which leads to new applications for the energy, thereby increasing
consumption
mountaintop removal
blasts entire mountains, and the waste material is
deposited in adjacent valleys
Hydraulic fracturing (fracking)
Horizontal drilling can access more oil and prepares the rock for ______________
Tar sands
type of loose-grained rock deposit that contains oil, which is released through the application of steam and direct heat
carbon tax
taxes carbon emissions from homes, vehicles, businesses, and industries, and the resulting money goes to reduce income and corporate tax rates
cap and trade
government sets an overall maximum allowable emissions standard (cap) that is allotted to firms in polluting industries as “allowances.”
Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels
use sunlight to directly produce electricity They can be used at many scales, from phones to hundreds of acres on a solar farm
Concentrated solar thermal (CST) plants
use huge mirrors to focus sunlight toward liquid-filled pipes or a power tower that holds liquid. The heated liquid turns water to steam, which turns generators to produce electricity
Fission
process that splits the nuclei of atoms (unstable uranium isotopes),
releasing lots of energy (heat) and neutrons, which collide and split other unstable
atoms to continue the chain reaction
Ethanol
an alcohol produced by fermenting sugars (those in corn and sugarcane)
which is blended with gasoline
Electric Vehicles
powered by an electric motor that generates motion with a magnetic field, wasting less energy as heat, and averaging 40 mpge (miles per gallon equivalent)
Fuel cells
like batteries, but they do not need to be recharged
Cogeneration
capture waste heat from
power plants and use it as an additional source of heating or cooling
Chemical Hazards
chemicals linked to immediate or delayed health effects after exposure
Biological Hazards
organic substances that pose a threat to the health of living organisms
Toxins
poisonous materials that can make us sick
Environmental Health
field of study that assesses and controls the biological,
chemical, and physical factors that affect our well-bring. Its three branches are
epidemiology, toxicology, and environmental justice
Epidemiology
study of what causes diseases, how they occur and are distributed, and the overall health of specific populations
Pathogens
cause illness or infections and are considered biological
hazards
Respiratory Infections
affect the lungs and airways and are the leading cause of sickness and death worldwide
Diarrheal Diseases
affect the digestive tract and are the second leading cause of death for children under 5
Blood borne pathogens
include the HIV virus, malaria, West Nile virus, Zika virus,
and Lyme disease
Persistent organic compounds (POPs)
resist breakdown through chemical reactions, biological processes, or exposure to sunlight
physical hazard
an event or phenomenon that causes harm to humans through physical damage
geologic hazard
large-scale event that can cause tremendous damage
radiation
a form of energy that travels through space and penetrates various materials
waste stream
the way in which our consumption is linked to the steady flow of materials from “upstream” processes (extraction, production, distribution) and their
disposal, which is “downstream” from us
life cycle assesment
accounts for all the environmental impacts of all the steps involved in making and disposing of a product in a “cradle-to-grave” approach
Basel Convention
signed in 1989 by 121 countries to restrict transboundary movement of household and hazardous wastes from developed to developing countries. The United States has not ratified this agreement
Combustion
involves burning waste, which reduces its volume and provides heat but causes serious fires and air pollution
Incineration
uses controlled combustion with pollution controls in place. Waste volume is reduced 80-90%
Mass burn
technologies combust unprocessed waste on a moving grate system
sanitary landfills
tries to isolate and contain the waste, manage its contents, and treat liquid or gas releases
Geologic Disposal
injects or places waste in rock and other formations beneath Earth’s surface
Containment buildings
store hazardous waste in secured concrete structures with air-lock doors, liquid collection drains, and negative air pressure and dust-control systems
Waste-to-energy-facilities
use incineration to generate heat, which turns water into steam to heat buildings or turn a turbine to produce electricity. Landfills filter out the methane from landfill gases and burn it to produce steam or convert it into vehicle fuel
Remediation
processes use microorganisms, enzymes, fungi, or plants in controlled conditions to dispose of hazardous waste
Primary (closed loop) recycling
involves materials being processed into the same
sort of product from which they came
Secondary (closed loop) recycling
converts materials into different products
recycling rate
describes the percentage of MSW that is recycled
producer responsibility laws
for e-waste require that manufacturers of products and
packaging take responsibility for collection, recycling, reuse, or disposal
Resignation
a feeling of helplessness that leaves a person believing he or she cannot change the situation
Delegation
absolves the individual of responsibility and puts the blame and responsibility on others
prompt
a conspicuous reminder that targets behaviors at the moment people are deciding how to act
frames
mental shortcuts that use words and images to help people apply meaning to new information
politics
the process by which decisions are made for and applied to a group of people
policies
decisions adopted by authorities to influence behavior
legitamacy
a widely shared belief that government authority is appropriately held
coercion
the use or threat of physical force.
institutions
formal and enduring organizations, rules, and processes.
authoritarian systems
the public plays no significant role, and individual liberties such as freedom of speech and assembly are severely limited
democratic systems
the public plays a significant role in governmental
decision making
unitary government system
such as China, the central government alone
directs policy
Single-member-district plurality (SMDP) system
One electoral system in a democracy
proportional representation
electoral system that elects multiple members from each district
power
the capacity of individuals and groups to make their concerns or interests count in decision-making processes
interest groups
formed by people and organizations with shared interests in order to influence government
lobbying
practice where an interest group will try to persuade decision makers
prescriptive regulations
mandates about what can and cannot be done
payments
positive incentives designed to encourage certain actions and come in many forms
subsidies
are direct payments (cash, tax incentives, grants, low-interest loans) from the government to encourage certain activities
permits
forms of payment where the government authorizes certain actors to engage in behaviors that would otherwise be illegal, in exchange for compliance with mandated procedures
