Chapter 9: Environmental Issues

Front 1

Greenhouse Gasses

Back 1

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are often called greenhouse gases. Some greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide occur naturally and are emitted to the atmosphere through natural processes and human activities.

Front 2

Fossil Fuels

Back 2

Fuels formed by organic material. Examples: coal, oil, natural gas.

Front 3

Kyoto Protocol

Back 3

The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change aimed at combating global warming

Front 4

United Nations

Back 4

an organization of independent states formed in 1945 to promote international peace and security

Front 5

Climate Change

Back 5

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years.

Front 6

Ratify

Back 6

To formally approve and invest with legal authority

Front 7

Biodiversity

Back 7

the diversity of plant and animal life in a particular habitat

Front 8

What is the theory behind global warming?

Back 8

Global warming is the increase of average temperatures on Earth near the surface over time. Global warming occurs when greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide trap heat and light from the sun’s atmosphere, this increases the temperatures on Earth. Although this is a natural process the worry is that this process is being increased due to human activity such as burning fossil fuels and driving automobiles. The increase in temperatures can potentially cause threat to humans in the long run.

Front 9

What effect does our economy have on the natural world?

Back 9

Our economy is affecting the natural world in both positive and negative ways. The increased demand on goods results in factories polluting more and often new factories being created. The increased pollutants in the air are affecting ecosystems and biodiversity as well as creating smog and acid rain. However with increased demand in “eco-friendly” products many consumers are re using bags and recycling bottles. In addition many hybrid and more efficient vehicles are on the market, this is decreasing the human ecological footprint and therefore positively affecting the natural world.

Front 10

What are fossil fuels?

Back 10

Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural resources such as the decomposition of dead organisms. The fossil fuels include coal, petroleum, and natural gas which contain high percentages of carbon. Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources because they take millions of years to form, and reserves are being depleted much faster than new ones are being formed. The production and use of fossil fuels raise environmental concerns. The burning of fossil fuels produces around 21.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

Front 11

What is the Kyoto Protocol?

Back 11

The Kyoto Protocol was an agreement negotiated by many countries in December 1997 and came into action on February 16, 2005. The protocol was developed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The goals of Kyoto were to see participants collectively reducing emissions of greenhouse gases by 5.2% below the emission levels of 1990 by 2012.

Front 12

How do decisions about the environment affect quality of life?

Back 12

When people neglect the environment in their decisions and continue to ruin our natural habitat the quality of life is decreased. This is because a critical part of a high quality of life is to have a safe and pleasant habitat. If decisions are made not focusing on reducing the pollutants in our atmosphere more people will struggle with respiratory problems and therefore have a lower quality of life. As well if habitats are continued to be destroyed there will be less room for humans to live and therefore less opportunity for people to find homes which will also degrade the quality of life. If people continue to make poor decisions about the environment the quality of life of the human race will decrease.