Planet Earth Flashcards
Natural resources- Problems
Most people travelling and using cars, using more fuel and creating more pollution
Coal and oil running out- we are using them at a great rate
When oil runs out, the world will cease to work as we rely too heavily on it and don’t have enough of alternatives
Natural resources- Solutions
Cut down on energy use
Create renewable energy sources eg wind, solar wave
Stop cutting down rainforest
Fertilise and reuse cleared areas rather than moving onto another patch
Use and Abuse of Natural Resources
Thing we use that occur naturally eg gas, oil, coal, wood
Humans use a large amount of fossil fuels, now at a faster rate
Technology means greater use of energy and resources, causing more pollution
Destruction of Habitats- Solutions
Balance human need for land with use of environment- once species gone, won’t come back
International agreements to protect areas, eg National Parks
Destruction of Habitats- Problems
Animals die and species become extinct
Rainforest contains plant species that can be used for medicine- these will be lost will continued deforestation
Trees are good for the environment- capture CO2, and provide O2 for us to breathe
Destruction of Habitats
Actions that lead to natural homes of animals being destroyed, often leading to species dying out
An example is deforestation- removal of rainforest at a dramatic speed for building, mining, cattle grazing, etc
Climate Change
Earth’s atmosphere heating up, leading to climate change
Causes ice caps to melt, which makes sea levels rise, so some land disappears under sea
Cancers increase, as more harmful rays getting to us from the Sun through the atmosphere
Climate Change Problems
Oceans get warmer, so water expands and sea levels rise, flooding cities
Severe weather- floods and droughts- lead to crops destroyed and famine
Sea life and reefs die as sea temperature rises and depth changes, so conditions are wrong for life in those areas
Animals habitats destroyed eg polar bears and ice caps melting
Climate Change Solutions
Use less energy eg switch off appliances
Find renewable energy sources
Create low carbon emission sources eg wind, wave, solar
Less pollution by recycling, using cars less etc
Everyone taking responsibility, setting targets, hitting targets
Pollution Solutions
Cut levels of toxic waste
Recycle rubbish
Use cars and planes less often, use cleaner fuels
Governments make world agreements and enforce them
Use cleaner fuels for heating and cooking
Pollution Problems
River contamination- we eat fish and get poisoned or fish die
Land covered with litter and landfill dumping sites
Air polluted by factories, cars, noise- affects human health
Beaches and sea polluted with sewage
Pollution
Too much of something causes environmental problems
Acid rain- air pollution from power stations causes buildings damage
Oil spills from tankers, killing birds and sea life
Toxic chemicals spilled in rivers and on land, sometimes cause by farmers and pesticides
Sikhism and Creation
God created the world
Without God nothing exists
God keeps life going
Stewardship
Sense of responsibility to care for the planet
World is God’s- we have a duty to care for it
Shows respect and gratitude
Act of worship to care for God’s world
If I ruin the world, I have to live in it, as well as other and our children
Be judges/ rewarded by God on how we care for the planet
Buddhists, Sikhs and Hindus- reincarnation, need the world again
Christianity and Creation
Same was Islam and Judaism
God made world from nothing in 6 days
Air, water, land, planets, sun, moon, stars and seasons
Birds and fish, animals, humans
God rested on 7th day- He was pleased and the Earth was good
Hinduism and Creation
Vishnu slept on a cobra in the middle of nothingness
Vishnu wakes and a lotus flower grows from his naval
Brahma is inside the lotus- He creates the world
Shiva is also there to be responsible for life and death cycle
The Big Bang
20bn years ago there was nothing
Huge explosion- a cloud of dust and gas forms
Cloud settles, forming universe and planets
Earth was mud- primeval soup
Proteins and acids in mud fused- simple life forms began
Life developed- insects, birds, fish, reptiles, mammals
50m years ago- humans
God and Nature
World is complex, cannot be accident- suggests existence of God
Design seems deliberate, so there must be a designer
Science doesn’t explain how nothing became something or why
Awe and wonder- beauty of world
No other explanation for world existing other than God made it so
We must respect this gift and worship God by looking after it
Modern Living
Modern lifestyles out huge pressures on planet Earth eg
Fuel demands for technology and travel
Food we buy and waste
Rubbish sites filling up
Modern Living- Problems
Cars produce polluting gases
Tonnes of rubbish- food waste, packaging etc
Use lots of energy
Most foods grown with pesticides which poison land
Fast food comes from cattle grazed land that was rainforest cleared to grow animal food to produce meat we eat
How we can help
Make small changes to lifestyle to save energy
Adopt animals in nature reserves
Recycle more
Join environmental organisations eg Greenpeace
Protest against organisations that damage the environment
Modern Living- Solutions
Take responsibility for our contribution- if we walk more, recycle more, turn off lights, take things off standby, eat organic food, then our carbon footprint will decrease
How religious believers can help
Same as individuals Make place of worship environmentally friendly eg recycling bins Deliver sermons on stewardship Group together to lobby for change Support environmental charities Protest as a group Pray for guidance
Target Setting
Setting targets to reduce carbon emissions
Legally binding bill
Some say we won’t reach targets
Car tax- higher taxes for ‘dirty’ cars
British Government Climate Change Bill 2007- reduce emissions by 60% from 1990-2050
Conservation
Looking after and preservation of natural environment
Protecting area or species eg planting trees, protecting endangered species, organic foods
Can be work of governments (setting up protected areas) or organisations (protesting about damage or planting trees) or individuals (working for an environmental project)
Target Setting- Kyoto 2002
2002 Earth Summit, in Kyoto, Japan
Governments agreed to set targets-
Use cleaner power more eg wind, wave, solar
Reduce CO2 emissions
Allow richer countries to ‘buy’ quotas of carbon emissions from countries who do not use up their own- helps their economy
This has a positive effect on reducing global warming
Sustainable Development
Projects that can continue without being replaced or replenished
Development which melts the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Eg, at current rate, world’s water supply will run out in 3 decades
Earth Summits
Meetings between representatives of governments from all over the world to try to reach agreements about what can be done to look after the planet- also raises awareness of issues
They particularly try to help poorer countries who have little money but develop fast
Problems- not a legally binding contract
Future’s Thinking
Thinking about the future and the consequences of our actions for future generations
Dominion
To have power over something, to dominate
Awe and Wonder
Awe- feeling of respect- insight into meaning greater than oneself
Wonder- marvelling at the beauty and complexity of the universe
Assisi 1986
A summit of religious leaders to discuss the environment
Christianity-
Just because we are in charge does not mean we can destroy
God’s glory shown in natural world
Oppose all thoughtlessness and exploitation that threatens nature
Christian Attitudes towards the Environment
God created the world- it was ‘good’ and created perfectly
‘Love your neighbour’ does not mean destroy the planet
Responsibility to each other and future people to care for the planet and poor of the world
God entrusted us with the gift of the world- we must care for it
Christian Teachings on Environment
God made the world and made us stewards (Genesis)
The Earth is the Lord’s (Psalms)
Jesus said love your neighbour
Respect for life extends to all creation (Pope John Paul II)
Our souls will be judged
Awe and wonder
Earth is a gift and we should care for it
