Rs: Environmental And Medical Issues

Front 1

What are the main causes of global warming?

Back 1

1. The Greenhouse effect: ▪Caused by burning of fossil fuels which traps the heat of the sun in the atmosphere, causing Earth's temp to rise.

2. Natural climate change: ▪Some say it is a result of natural causes that the Earth is heating up as the warmest periods in the last 10, 000 years happened well before humans started to produce carbon footprints

3. Solar activity: ▪Some claim it is because of the amount of radiation coming from the sun. When the sun's activity is high, less clouds form so more radiation reaches the Earth.

Front 2

Name some possible solutions to global warming

Back 2

1. Using renewable sources of energy to reduce the carbon footprint

2. Car manufacturers are using fuels like biodiesel and hydrogen to power cars without carbon emissions. However biodiesel comes from crops which could be used for food.

3. It's possible to reduce emissions from things like cars. By 2010 it was said that the total tonnage of pollutants emitted by cars will reduce by 75%

4. Increase use of public transport will reduce the use of cars and reduce carbon emissions.

Front 3

Name some possible solutions to other forms of pollution e.g. acid rain

Back 3

1. For acid rain, create energy from wind instead of burning fuels

2. For waste, use incinerators to produce electricity and sewage to produce methane gas.

3. Better sewage treatments, fewer phosphates in detergents and fewer nitrates in farm fertilisers could reduce eutrophication.

4. Some nuclear waste could be reprocessed and plans for the remaining three per cent is being worked on by the government.

Front 4

Solutions for finite resources?

Back 4

1. We could use renewable resources to make electricity; nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, solar ect.

2. Car manufacturers are looking at water, sugar cane and electric batteries as ways of powering cars.

3. Scientists are working on using chemicals from plants to produce plastics.

4. Some think an alternative lifestyle is necessary and they only use natural products and ride bikes instead of owning a car.

Front 5

Why do some Christians believe it is their responsibility to look after the Earth?

Back 5

The Bible says:

1. In Genesis they were given by God the right time rule over the Earth as stewards.

2. We must treat animals and the land kindly (every 50 years they should not grow crops).

3. We have a responsibility to leave the Earth a better place than they found it because of Jesus' teaching in the Parable of the Talents/ Monastery where he taught that we will be blessed if we take good care of God's creation.

4. We have a responsibility to make sure the Earth's resources are shared fairly because of Jesus' teachings in the Gospels.

5. Jesus said we will be judged on whether they have been good stewards of God's Earth.

Front 6

How do beliefs about stewardship affect Christian attitudes to the environment?

Back 6

1. The responsibility to be God's stewards and leave the Earth as a better place than they found it means Christians should try to reduce pollution and preserve resources.

2. Christians should show stewardship by working to share the Earth's resources more fairly and improve the standard of living in LEDCs.

3. The belief that they will be judged on their behaviour as stewards means they should help the work of groups which try to reduce pollution.

4. Christians should judge what they do in life by the standards of Christian stewardship. It is only by being a good steward and conserving the environment that a Christian can become a good Christian.

Front 7

Why do Muslims believe being a steward is important?

Back 7

1. Islam teaches that God created Adam as his Khalifah so all Muslims are God Khalifahs who have to keep the balance of creation and look after the Earth for God as said in the Qur'an and Shari'ah.

2. Islam teaches people will be judged by God in the way they have looked after the Earth and life on it.

3. Islam teaches that this life is a test from God. This includes looking after the environment in the way of Islam. Those who failed will be punished.

Front 8

How does Islam's teachings about stewardship affect attitudes to the environment?

Back 8

1. The responsibility to be God's Khalifah means Muslims should try to reduce pollution and preserve resources.

2. The Shari'ah and ummah tell Muslims that stewardship includes sharing the Earth's resources, so Muslims should work to share the Earth's resources more fairly and improve the standard of living in LEDCs.

3. The belief they will be judged on their behaviour as Khalifahs means Muslims have a duty to help the work of groups which try to reduce pollution and conserve resources.

4. There is a unity and balance in creation, therefore Muslims have a duty to preserve the environment.

Front 9

Give examples of infertility treatments?

Back 9

1. In- vitro fertilisation

2. Artificial insemination

3. Egg donation

4. Embryo donation

5. Surrogacy

Front 10

Why are infertility treatments important?

Back 10

1. Infertility has become a huge problem as more than 12.5% of couples in the UK have fertility problems.

2. According to the HFEA up to 1.5 million men in the UK alone have fertility problems.

3. In 2007 12% of all births in the UK were part of fertility treatments

4. It is a part of human nature to want a family and raise children and if treatments can help people achieve this, they must be important.

5. Psychological problems can be caused if couples are desperate to have children but can't. Infertility treatments can prevent this.

Front 11

What are the different attitudes to infertility treatments along Christians?

Back 11

1. Catholics: ▪IVF involves fertilising several eggs, some of which are thrown away or used for experimentation. ▪all forms of artifical insemination or surrogacy involve the sin of male masturbation. ▪All forms of embryo technology involve fertilisation being separated from sex, but God intended procreation to be a part of sex.

2. Others: ▪One purpose of Christian marriage is to have children so infertility treatments must be good if it has a chance of providing a couple with a child. ▪In these treatments, the baby will be the biological offspring of its mother and father. ▪The discarded embryos are not foetuses therefore life isn't being taken.

Front 12

Why does Islam accept IVF and AIH?

Back 12

1. The egg and sperm are from the husband and wife.

2. All Muslims should have a family life.

3. The unused embryos are not foetuses so life isn't being taken.

Front 13

Why does Islam not accept other treatments?

Back 13

1. They deny a child's right to know it's natural parents.

2. Egg or sperm donation is like adultery

3. They are the same as adoption which is banned in Islam.

Front 14

Why is transplant surgery important?

Back 14

1. It cures life- threatening diseases like kidney failure and improves people's lives like giving sight to the blind.

2. Transplants save over 3000 lives a year.

3. More people need transplant surgery every year so it's essential.

4. Transplant surgery give people a chance to help others after their death which would have been burnt.

5. It is pioneering surgical methods which lead to the development of spare part surgery (using artificial organs).

Front 15

What are the different attitudes to transplant surgery in Christianity?

Back 15

1. Most agree because: ▪Those who believe in immortality of the soul believe the body is not needed after death. ▪Those who believe in resurrection believe that God will not need the organs to raise the body. ▪Leaving organs for others is a way of loving your neighbour.

2. Some agree with using organs from the living, not the dead: ▪Transplanting organs from the dead is like playing God, which is a sin. ▪Organs such as the heart are an essential part of a person created by God. ▪Donating your living organs is a way of loving your neighbour. ▪Paying for organs is exploiting the poor which is banned from the Bible.

3. Some disagree completely: ▪They believe it ignores the sanctity of life. ▪They believe it is playing God which is a great sin. ▪It raises the problem of whether the surgeon saves the life of an unknown accident victim or the patient they know needs a transplant.

Front 16

What are the different attitudes to transplant surgery in Islam?

Back 16

1. Most disagree because: ▪The Shari'ah teaches nothing should be removed from the body after death. ▪It is playing God which is a great sin of the shirk. ▪It is against Muslim beliefs on the sanctity of life. ▪They think they need or their organs for resurrection on the Last Day.

2. Some agree because: ▪ Some Muslim lawyers have said it is allowed. ▪The Muslim Law Council of the UK says Muslims can carry donor cards and have transplants. ▪Islam aims to do good and help people.