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24 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Scientific vs Public Opinion on Global Warming |
68% of the public agrees that humans are causing global warming. 97% of scientists believe that global warming is a serious problem, caused by humans, and needs immediate action. |
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Is the Greenhouse Effect real? |
Yes — it’s a function of how earth stays warm. Without it, the earth would be frozen. Greenhouse gases: water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen oxides |
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Are Greenhouse gases increasing? |
Yes — current level is above 400 ppm, highest in 1 mil years. Risen significantly since industrial revolution. |
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What are the main causes of carbon dioxide increases in the atmosphere?
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Fossil fuel burning (electricity production and transportation) Deforestation |
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What are the main causes of methane increases in the atmosphere?
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Natural gas systems, fermentation inside animal farms, and landfills
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What is the main cause for nitrogen oxide increases in the atmosphere?
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Agriculture
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Is the climate warming?
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Yes -- in the past 10,000 years, the global temperature has risen 1 degree Celcius. In the past 130 years, the global temperature has also risen 1 degree Celcius. |
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Is the warming due to humans?
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Scientists are 95% certain that it is due to humans. Natural explanations: Milankovich Cycles: earth's wobble on axis, too slow Cosmic Ray Flux: rays from sun warm earth, too slow Volcanoes: release particles into the air, form clouds, mainly cooling effect Plate tectonics: Moving plates change warm ocean water locations, too slow Solar Activity: generally decreasing El Nino: warm waters move to eastern pacific and then move back, only every 5-8 years All of these explanations don't work |
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Is the warming a bad thing?
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YES -- more droughts, floods, extreme weather,malnutritian, diarrhea, and malaria killing many people, tropical diseases spreading north, sea level rises damage coastal cities, cold loving species (Pika in mountains) lose homes, ecosystems damaged (coral reefs hurt by rising acid levels in ocean water) NO -- faster plant growth, longer growing season, lower heating bills |
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Does the warming demand immediate action?
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YES -- Paris Agreement: multinational effort to decrease greenhouse gases, global goal to keep warming below 2 degrees Celcius, new US administration opposes it NO -- concerns over economic impact of regulating greehouse gases |
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Possible Actions Against Global Warming
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More efficient use of energy, more alternative use of energy (renewable resources like solar and wind), less meat eating and deforestation, replant forests, educate public
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Ideological approaches to decision-making vs. Evidence-based approaches to decision-making
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Ideology: start with beliefs, look for evidence to support beliefs, deny or distort evidence that opposes beliefs Evidence-based: examine evidence and use it to make a decision; humility |
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Renewable vs non-renewable energy
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Renewable = sustainable: solar, wind, hydro cycles Non-renewable = unsustainable: fossil fuels, nuclear power |
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US History of Fossil Fuel Use
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Wood energy: burning logs, rural lifestyles Coal energy: industrial revolution, urban lifestyles Oil energy: suburban life |
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Costs of Using Fossil Fuels
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Extraction of fossil fuels causes land damage and water pollution; use of fossil fuels causes air pollution
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Geology of Coal
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20% of USA energy, most of USA electricity; tropical plants buried millions of years ago decompose and condense, turn to peat (less water, more carbon), and then turn to coal
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Classification of Coal
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Varies in sulfur content; Sulfur dioxide is released when coal is burned (air pollution), sulfuric acid is released when mined (water pollution); must treat coal to remove sulfur or use low-sulfur coal
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Coal's Impact on the Environment
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1) Land Destruction: mountain top mining, land reclamation 2) Acid mine drainage: water pollution, limestone neutralizes it 3) Mining safety: black lung, mine subsidence 4) Land subsidence: abandoned mines collapse and damage homes above it 5) Air pollution 6) Ash disposal: water pollution with toxic chemicals |
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Future of Coal
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Hundreds of years of supply; no need to import to USA; need more careful mining, ash disposal, and strict air pollution control
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What are the major outdoor air pollutants?
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Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide; nitrogen oxides, nitric acid; sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid; particulates; ozone; volatile organic compounds (VOCs) |
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Problems with Air Pollution
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Acid desposition: acids from sulfur and nitrogen compounds cause damage to lakes and forests Indoor air pollution: indoor cooking, smoke causes bronchitis, emphyzema, asthma, lung cancer 100,000 to 300,000 deaths a year |
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Laws Limiting Air Pollution
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Clean Air Acts, Cap and Trade
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Hydro-Fracking
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New technique for extracting natural gas from shale rock; drills a well deep in the earth's surface and turns the drill horizontal; inject large amounts of fluid (water, chemical, sand mixture) to fracture/break the shale rock and extract natural gas that is released
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Problems with Hydro-Fracking
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Worker health and safety: exposure to chemicals (burns and air), mechanical injuries, silica sand in lungs Surface water and health: exposure of fish/game that humans consume; fracking chemicals, salt, and radiation in flowback water; spills; waste water disposal; changes in clean water availability Air quality: inhaled by people, diesel engine trucks Flooding, earthquakes, explosions negative effects on communities |
