The Environment Flashcards
What is stewardship?
the belief that Christians have a duty to look after the environment on behalf of God
Genesis - “let us make man in our image… and let them rule over… all the earth”
Ways we can be stewards
join groups which campaign to protect the environment, e.g. Greenpeace
recycle and use resources sensibly
What is pollution?
and
What is the problem with pollution?
contamination of the environment with harmful substances
caused by car exhaust fumes, power plants, factories etc.
pollution has increased because of the use of coal and gas
fossil fuels release greenhouse gases when they are released which contributes to the greenhouse effect and causes climate change
What is the problem with using natural resources?
natural resources (e.g. minerals, fossil fuels) have a limited supply
extracting resources can damage the land and habitats, may lead to animals becoming extinct
could lead to conflict as countries fight over the very finite supply of resources
using these resources results in a lot of waste
What is the problem with deforestation?
by 2030, 80% of the worlds rain forest will be destroyed
rain forests provide oxygen and reduce carbon dioxide
valuable species are destroyed that could have been used for future research
forests prevent flooding and land slides, this could cause mass devastation
What is the problem with climate change?
polar ice caps are melting, which may cause sea level to rise, increase flooding
also causes more damaging storms and droughts
most scientists believe that human activity is the main reason for climate change
What is the earth summit and the kyoto protocol?
meeting of international leader, agreed to reduce pollution and climate change in 1992
kyoto protocol:
-came into for in 2005, 182 countries signed and promised to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
