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67 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
Will we run out of energy?
Literal: we can never run-out

*But there can be shortages
Consequences of 1973/74 Oil Embargo
*Fall:shortage of gasoline
*Oil producing countries refused to provide use with oil
*price of gas increased from $0.40 to $0.50 (for 2-3 months)
*speed limit 55 miles per hour
Increasing U.S. Energy Consumption
As population increases - we consume more
How to promote energy efficiency
Through the Federal Government: taxes; legislation (laws); economic policies/social polices; fund mass transportation
Where does our energy come from?
*82% from burning fossil fuels
*40% from oil use
*25% from natural gas
*22% from coal
*87% dependent on a non-renewable resource
6% Hydroelectric
8% Nuclear
Fossil Fuel: Coal
It is a hyrdrocarbon = 1hydrogen/1carbon

-wet scrubbers
Fossil Fuel: Natural Gas
4 hydrogen/ 1 carbon

*most energy rich
Fossil Fuel: Oil
*most versitile (can be used for various things)
*1 carbon atom for every 2 hyrdrogen atoms
*we use 25% of the worlds oil
*within the next 80years we will run out of affordable oil
*Oil Depletion(non-renewable)
*we extract oil - we do NOT produce oil
*most oil exists under other countries rather than in US

>oil produces: plastics, rubbers, paints, adhesive, and nylon
*
Consequences of Heavy Dependence on Fossil Fuels
Peak Oil: when oil reaches its max
-when 1/2 of existing oil is used and then it goes into decline
Major U.S. Sources of CO2:
1)Electric Power Plants
2)Residential Use
3)Transportation
4)Industry
*
Abiotic Effects of Greenhouse Gases:
1)Warmer Atmosphere
2)Temperature Increase not Uniform
3)Changes to Hydrological Cycle
4)Sea Level Rise
5)Change in pH of Seawater
(Greenhouse) Effects on Biota: Effects of Global Change on Plants
*the most directly effected
*we are dependent upon them
*negative feedback - more CO2 in environment which plants like
(Greenhouse)Effects on Biota: Effects on Whole Ecosystems
a)Today's Climate change is different -

b)changes affect every aspect of life from metabolic rates to whole ecosystems
1)correlation b/w temp and respirations rates
2)tundra changing from CO2 sink to source of CO2
3)shifts range - as the environment gets warmer the plants move north
(Greenhouse) Potential Effects on Wildlife
a)Bird Migration - warmer at higher altitudes; food sources available before birds reach destination
b)Coastal and Marsh Organisms
c)Physiological Responses - change sex ratios in reptiles; sex is dependent on temperature
d)aquatic organisms - most stressed b/c as water warms less oxygen for the organism
(Greenhouse)Evidence of Change
*Ice/Glaciers are disappearing
*Glacier Park had over 150 Glaciers now only have a few dozen
*(Greenhouse) Organisms that benefit
x
(Greenhouse) Effects on Biodiversity
*Endangered species at high risk
*Alpine Mountain Species - more at risk b/c their climate will not be available
(Greenhouse) Effects of Global Change on Humans
1.)Food Supply -
2.)On Health - Tropical Diseases; suppression of immune system
(Greenhouse) Validity of Predictions
1) Research in lab
2)Computer Modeling - problem: too large scale can't consider all vairables in natural world; only models simplified world
3)Check Fossil Records - problem: today global warming is occuring faster
*(Greenhouse) Energy What's next?
x
What are alternative natural energy sources?
1)Biomass
2)Tides
3)Hydroelectric Power
4)Geothermal Energy
5)Wind Power
6)Solar Energy
7)Managing Increasing Levels of CO2
What is Biomass? What are it's sources?
Def.: once living material; plant & animal waste; organic waste from agriculture
Sources: garbage, sewage, manure, wood; Methane -compost
(alternative natural energy sources) Tides
*used mostly in France and coming to NY
*Advantages:cheap(no charge); non-polluting (does not create CO2 like fossil fuels)
*Disadvantages: tides change throughout day
(alternative natural energy sources) Hydroelectric Power
*where 5-6% of energy comes from
*Advantages: cheap; non-polluting
*Disadvantages: lose water for fishing; expensive to build damns; eventually dams fill with silt; flood lands behind dam
(alternative natural energy sources) Geothermal Energy
*First Geothermal Plant was in Italy (1904)
*less than 1% of energy
*Worlds 3rd largest in California
*Advantages:
*Disadvantages:does not exist in many places; could cause minor earthquakes or the land to sink
(alternative natural energy sources) Wind Power
*Windmills Generate electricity; located in West;
*Advantages: Non-polluting
*Disadvantae: cannot be every b/c wind is not strong enough everywhere;more expensive than burning coal; wind isnt constantly blowing
(alternative natural energy sources) Solar Energy
*Heats space/water
*generates electricity
*Advantages: clean
*Disadvantages: sun is not always up
(alternative natural energy sources) How we use Solar Energy to generate electricty
1)Solar Furnace/Power Tower - boils water/creates steam/moves turbine
2)Solar Cells/Photovoltaic Cells - generates volts of energy; most useful for satelites in space
*advantages:can be located anywhere energy is needed; safe (dont heat up);non-polluting
*disadvantages: doesnt produce much energy (each cell produces 1/2 bolt of energy
(Managing Increasing Levels of CO2) Carbon Sequestation
a)Def.:collect CO2 before it is vented into atmosphere and put it in the ground
b)technologies: 1)geologic - old oil and gas reserves; deep salt mines 2)vegetation/soils - deforestation 3)oceans: engineering the earth - the "Geritol Effect" - put iron int he water - grows more algae in water - sucks up CO2
What are isotopes?
Forms on an element that have different atomic weights due to different numbers of neutrons in their nucleus
Stable Isotopes
12C is the lighter, non-radioactive form of carbon
Unstable Isotopes
14C is the heavier, radioactive form of carbon
Half-Life
the time it takes for 50% of an isotope to spontaneously disintegrate (break-up)
*Do not use plutonium anymore
*Use Uranium
Nuclear Energy: Chain Reaction
235U(uranium) + n(neutron) >[breaks apart into]> Fission Products +3n + Energy - (Heat/Light)
*if controlled:creates energy
*if not: Explosion
The Nuclear Cycle
1)Mining radioactive material - dangerous;mines filled w/Radon
2)Processing Uranium - left w/Radioactive mines
3)Concentrating 235U - takes enormous amounts of energy
4)Generating energy in Nuclear Power Plants - chain reactions occur;fuel rods
5)Disposal of radioactive waste - orignally dumped in ocean;now buried in land
6)Decommissioning nuclear power plants
Nuclear Energy: Problems of Safety
*Radioactivity
*Explosion
*The Price-Anderson Act: limited insurance liablity to max of $600 million extened to $7 billion.
Nuclear Energy: Problems of Pollution
1)Thermal Pollution: all powerplants are by large bodies of water to attempt to keep plantcool - dispenses warm water back into water source
2)Radiation as a Health Problem: cancer; cateracts; sterility
Nuclear Energry: Social Issues Assoicated W/ Nuclear Power
1)Terrorism, sabotage and proliferation of nuclear weapons
2)Human Error - mentally disabled
a)Three Mile Island Facility in Pennsylvania
b)Chernobyl Facility in Kiev
Nuclear Energy: the Future of Nuclear Energy
70,000tons of Nuclear wast w/ no place to go
Chesapeake Bay: What is an Estuary?
body of water that has to inputs/sources of water 1)offland (freshwater) 2)off tide (salt water) - sea/ocean
Chesapeake Bay: What is a watershed?
drain basin; all of the watershed from watershed ends up in the Bay;
Chesapeake Bay: Biological Wealth
rich with large amounts of Oysters; Spawning ground for fish
*Strip Bass/Rockfish (MD state fish)
*Great Blue Herons; Geese; Swans; Duck
Chesapeake Bay: Ecological Value of Oysters
*Clean & Clear Water;
*Once there were so many oysters the whole bay could be filtered
*Now -Less oysters more algae(cloud water); sun nutrients can't enter water
Chesapeake Bay: Human Population
16million of population live in watershed
*causes increased amount of sediment
Chesapeake Bay: Results of Six Year EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
1)increase in nutrients
2)increase in Toxins
3)increase in sediments
Chesapeake Bay: Sources of Nutrients
*Fertilizer
*Sewage Treatments
*people
*cattle (other domestic animals)
Chesapeake Bay: Toxics
*Soy bean field;
*Industry
Chesapeake Bay: Sediments
*erosion
Mono Lake: Water Chemistry
*A Triple Water Lake (Salty - Soda - Sulfurous)
1)Saline - lots of sats, NaCl
2)Alkaline - carbonate, CO3
3)Sulfate - Sulfurous
Mono Lake: Calcium plus Carbonate Forms Tufa (CaCO3)
Formed when calcium rich water bubbles into carbonate rich water
Mono Lake: Biology of lake
*not many organisms can live there (too salty for fish)
a)algae - bottom of food chain
b)Brine Shrimp - unique to lake; sold to aquariums
c)Brine Flies - harmless; walk underwater; lay eggs underwater
d)the Kuzedika people - Fly larva eaters dried and ate larva
Mono Lake: Importance to Birds
Vital stop for birds to breed/ eat
Mono Lake: The Killing of Owens Lake
*Now a giant salt ground
*water was sent from lake down hill to Los Angeles
Mono Lake: What was planned next for Mono Lake?
*Planned to do the same as with Owens Lake
*Built aquaduct to bring water to Los Angeles
*Transferred water from creek that flowed to Mono Lake
Mono Lake: Implications of Water Diversion
Tufa became exposed; expanding band of salt
Mono Lake: 1961 - Student Studies Lake
*decline of water; lake will become too salty
Mono Lake: 1974 - Other Student
no training or funding or encouragement
Mono Lake: 1974 - Other Student - ASSIGNMENT
locate/analyze environmental destruction
Mono Lake: 1974 - Other Student - PUBLIC TRUST DOCTRINE
*Roman Law; written in Latin
*Submerged lands (marshes etc.) have to be administered for public trust; for appropriate uses
Mono Lake: 1974 - Other Student - STUDENTS FORM "MONO LAKE COMMITTEE"
aimed to end water diversion from Mono lake
Mono Lake: 1974 - Other Student - THEIR ADVISARY
the DWP (Los Angeles Department of Water and Power)
Mono Lake: 1974 - Other Student - CRITICAL DECISION BY THE COMMITTEE
*put themselves into the shoes of DWP
*Answer how could LA replace water if they lost Mono Lake
Mono Lake: 1974 - Other Student - 2 NEW SOURCE OF WATER FOR LA
1) conservation (water marketing)
2)Reclamation - b/c of clean water act
Mono Lake: 1974 - Other Student - COURT BATTLE ENDS
1994 Agreement to Reclamation
Mono Lake: Other Student - LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
*15years: conflict should be setteled by more than a test of strength
*You're never stuck with your mistakes
*Know how to make your point
The Essence of Our Problems
*Everything we do has consequences
*small and constant assaults that everyone(6 billion) take upon Earth
*Industrial Production has increased 50 fold in last 100 years
Our Alternatives to our Problems
*Laws/legislation
*Living Sustainable:
a)stabilizing human population
b)protecting cropland
c)reforestation
d)conserving energy