ECOL #2
in 1986 there was a nuclear meltdown in ___ in which a nuclear plant exploded from overheating and the wind distributed radioactive materials (which got into food webs and deformed plants and animals)
Cherynoble
Environmental productivity can be degraded when people act in their own self-interest
Tragedy of the Commons
• Use of fossil fuels grows even though we know they are finite o ______[3 countries] consume 53% of total primary energy o ___ uses the most energy per capita (per person)
US, EU, China US
The "runway greenhouse effect" describes what happened to which planet?
Venus
What sector of the economy releases the most carbon?
buildings
who and what ethic regarding land conservation in the US? emphasizes the protection of unspoiled ecosystems
preservation ethic John Muir -took beautiful western photos and brought them back to the west to gain support
economic incentives incorporate the external cost of production. the general focus is ____ instead of remediation
prevention
what types of renewable energy exist? (7)
solar wind hydroelectric (water) geothermal biofuels hydrokinetic wave energy [sarah g will have beef with hannah]
energy -composed of wavelengths -doesnt all reach earth's surface -top countries: Germany, China
solar energy
o Milankovitch Cycles initiated the end of the last ice age, but changes in CO2 affected how earth warmed o Looking at temp, Antartic temp, and CO2 concentration show that not all trends are identical ♣ Timeline: • Last glacial period ends 19,000 years ago • Northern Hemipshere glaciers melt and enter northern oceans = _____ o Oceans transport less heat from south to north • This causes antartica to warm faster • Because south couldn't hold as much co2, it degassed and mixed between n & s hemisphere
strong currents *temp and carbon rise
as ocean temperatures get hotter, hurricanes get ___. in fact, the heat stored in the oceans has ___ since the 1960s.
stronger heat has increased
the idea that the greatest good is happiness and freedom from pain and suffering ['greatest good for the greatest number']
utilitarianism
the following indicators increase in a warming world: -air temp -sea level -humidity -sea-surface temperature -ocean heat content -temp over oceans -temp over land a warmer world will be a more environmentally __ world
violent
90 million metric tons of fish come from commercial fishing. what is the difference between small scale and industrial fishers? 60 million metric tons come from ____
♣ small scale fishers use minimal gear and sell locally - impacts much less ♣ industrial fishers use a variety of gear - large impact 60 mil - aquaculture
how does biofuel development affect food supplies? who does it affect?
using food for fuel increases food prices, affects poor people the most (corn)
problems with culverts: (3)
♣ no light so no photosynthesis ♣ barriers for water flow and organisms ♣ "out of sight out of mind" -> ironic because they are a disturbance
The Clean Water Act was revised in what year to give the act its current shape
1972
climate depends partially on the sun. temperature depends on distance. (the earth is __ from the sun) -the atmosphere exerts key control on temperature (*3 ways sun goes into earth)
3rd -reflected by the clouds -absorbed by the atmosphere -absorbed in the earth's surface
fishery collapse leads to the development of ____ - the controlled production of aquatic resources
aquaculture
the keeling curve: *what is the pattern? *what drives the pattern? *why is HI a good place to measure this? *when was the last time that CO2 regularly reached 400 ppm?
* pattern? going up and down (fluctuating) *what drives the pattern? seasons in the temperate (either summer/winter), photosynthesis *why is HI a good place to measure this? less outside influence *when was the last time that CO2 regularly reached 400 ppm? 3-5 million years ago before modern human day existed
future trends of water conservation and restoration: (4)
-CA: droughts -wetland restoration -CO River restoration: controlled floods released from dams reestablish sand bar habitat for endangered species -Kissimmee River restoration - reestablishing connectivity has increased habitat
CO2 and energy in the atmosphere o Earths surface absorbs solar radiation and reradiates it as heat o ____ and other greenhouse gases reduce the rate at which this heat can escape into space o The more GHG, the ____ the global temperature ♣ This role of CO2 and other GHG HAS been understood for over a century o Graph: spike in carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide 200 years ago
-CO2 -higher
3 ethical world views and explain:
-anthropocentric - human centered view of nature; anything that doesn't benefit people is useless -biocentric - all life has ethical standings; actions consider the effects on living things -ecocentric - considers the integrity of ecological systems (not just individual or species); preservation efforts
Ways for safer fracking: -legislation to disclose fracking chemicals -concrete barriers to prevent ___ -more secure storage of ___
-aquifer contamination -waste fluids
environmental problems can easily cross country borders. what are some ex?
-atmospheric circulation - wind transports Sahara dust pollution -oceanic circulation -global acid deposition (higher in industrial regions)
• Environmental Policy History before the 1960s o Environmental policy in the US dealt with how to ___ ♣ ____ were not key objectives o Environmental issues were primarily dealt with at the ___ level (even though most were _____) o Most environmental problems were only addressed after the fact, through litigation - an arrangement often favored by the polluters
-best use resources -Pollution or environmental damage -state... transboundary
why should we be interested in climate change? -determines type and location of ____, such as agricultural farmlands -affects the weathering of rock, the type of soil that forms, and the rate of _____ - helps to determine the quantity and quality of ____ available for human use -determines the ___ of drought, storms, and floods
-human-managed ecosystems -soil formation -water -severity
earth's heat budget -incoming radiation - from ____ -outgoing radiation - from ____ _________ for warming not to occur
-incoming radiation - from sun's shorter wavelengths -outgoing radiation - from sun's longer wavelengths *rates of energy absorption and reradiation for warming not to occur
how do economic policies provide incentives to the industry? (4)
-levying taxes on amount of pollution produced -financial support for actions that are expected to benefit -implementing emissions-trading plan that sets upper limits for pollution release (the cap) and issuing permits that allow producers to release a certain amount og pollution or trade permits they don't use -provide grants for environmentally beneficial items like solar panels [Grant is Totally g]
-thermal power production requires ____ -the energy investment is: ____ -an example of an environmental problem regarding energy that isn't being used is:
-requires cooling water -ratio of energy spent to the energy gained -retrofitting dams are unpowered dams that don't produce electricity but still block the flow of water
some strip-mined lands can be restored. -restoring forest after mining: what happens to the landscape? -restoring mountaintop removal: what happens to the restored land?
-restoring forest after mining: landscape components change after mining -restoring mountaintop removal: restored land is flattened and doesn't support prior biodiversity
Why and How Environmental Policy in the US Changed o As industry grew and pollution increased, pollution crossed ____ o National outcry in the 1960/70s led to federal legislation that could function across state lines o _____ determined how much pollution could be released, shifting regulation from ___ to pollution prevention ♣ Why was this an important change?
-state line -performance standards determined -shift from after-the-fact litigation important because: It is much easier to prove that an industry's emissions violate a legally binding federal standard than it is to prove that those emissions caused cancer rates to skyrocket
Nuclear energy -the environmental damage is similar to ___ or ___ -mining waste is ___ -processing and using the fuel produced waste which must be disposed -the US has no centralized waste respiratory so the waste is stored ___
-surface or substance coal mining -radioactive -on sire
Brown Weiss Essay on Environmental Conservation - 3 categories of conservation and explain
1. Conservation of Options - each generation should be required to conserve resources so it doesn't restrict future generations' options o Ex: we must protect bald eagles so that Indian tribes can continue to practice religion 2. Conservation of Quality - each generation should maintain the quality of the earth and leave it no worse than when they found it 3. Conservation of Access o Each generation should provide its members the same rights and access to resources as they currently exist and it is our responsibility to make sure they still exist for future generations [Queen Abbe Objects]
watershed disturbances: 2 may affect what aspects? vary in frequency, intensity, duration, and location
1. natural events or human-induced activities that alter stream structure and function o floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, drought 2. Athens experienced severe drought in 2007-2008 • County enacted restrictions • UGA cut daily water use by 25% since 2007 may affect these aspects: o physical o chemical o biological
watersheds ___ major river basins in GA ♣ we are in the ____ river basin o extended dry periods stress the economy and natural systems - droughts have regional effects o don't notice many watershed/streams because most of them run underground in _____
14 oconee culverts
o After the last deglaciation, CO2 stabilized at 280 ppm. ♣ Atmospheric CO2 varied slightly more or less than ____ ppm until the Industrial Revolution and widespread use of fossil fueld began in the late 18th century ♣ In 2015, global CO2 concentration increased increased beyond ___ ppm for the first time in at least 800,000 years ♣ This is a ___% increase over the average postglacial CO2 concentration
280 ppm 400 ppm 43%
freshwater is a limited resource -only __% of all water is freshwater although ___% is frozen and really only ___% is available through methods like (_____)
3% 2.5% frozen .5% available aquifers (most), rainfall, natural lakes, reservoirs
the average person needs ___ L water a day. water us is higher in developed nations like US (most), Australia, Italy, Japan, Mexico
50
most of the important environmental policy was passed during the 19__ and __ with bipartisan support. for ex, the endangered species act which protected wolves and the peregrine falcon
60s and 70s
what do the 4 graphs say about the following changes? A). land and ocean temp anomaly - B) Sea level changes - C) - greenhouses gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen dioxide) - D) - Anthropogenic emissions - ____ use is increasing !
A - land and ocean temp anomaly (deviations) - increase in temp B - Sea level changes - increase C - greenhouses gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen dioxide) - increase D - Anthropogenic emissions (human-caused emissions) - fossil fuel use increasing
The ice core shows that temperature and CO2 were correlated in the past. The graph here suggests that
A mechanism needs to be found to explain the correlation
some advantages and disadvantages of hydroelectric power
Advantages ♣ Fossil fuel not needed ♣ No pollutants emitted ♣ Energy cheap to produce (after expense of plant construction) ♣ Power produced can be matched to demand ♣ Flood control ♣ Recreation Disadvantages ♣ Effect on environment ♣ Ecosystem alterations and flow changes ♣ Peak flows no longer seasonal ♣ Sediment accumulation ♣ Temp and oxygen of stream change
Which of these greenhouse gases is the most common in earth's atmosphere today
CO2
How much does each GHG contribute to climate change? o Energy retention in the atmosphere depends on the abundance and effectiveness of the GHG o GHG In order by contribution: _____
CO2, CH4, N2O
_____affects fisheries ♣ Wind shifts block nutrient-rich upwelling water and starve the food web
El Nino
During ENSO events like EL Nino and La Nina, this circulation gets wither pushed or pulled around (____) or sent into overdrive (____) across the Pacific
El Nino La Nina
Which of the following describes alternating periods of cooler and warmer temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean?
El Nino Southern Oscillation
charges global atmospheric circulation, which in turn, influences temperature and precipitation across the globe
El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
key feature of the NEPA and what did it do
Environmental Impact statement -details the likely impact (+ or -) of a proposed action -identify problems before they occur -findings made available to everyone
In ___, a tsunami flooded the whole nuclear plant and caused explosions ---> radioactive contamination in the atmosphere
Fukushima
La Nina - ENSO ____ phase ♣ ____ pressure difference across equatorial Pacific ♣ ____ trade winds ♣ ____ upwelling in eastern Pacific ♣ ___ thermocline ♣ Cooler than normal seawater ♣ _____ biological productivity
La Nina - ENSO Cool phase ♣ Increased pressure difference across equatorial Pacific ♣ Stronger trade winds ♣ Stronger upwelling in eastern Pacific ♣ Shallower thermocline ♣ Cooler than normal seawater ♣ Higher biological productivity
Which of the following is true about carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
Levels of co2 and ghg began to increase more rapidly about 200 years ago and are now higher than they have been in hundreds of thousands of years
o Mandated the federal government to consider the environment before taking any action that might affect the environment o Established the need for legislation to be determined by available specific evidence and that potential solutions be analyzed and compared before a decision is made
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Occurrences of EL Nino: o Every ___ years o Highly ____ o Phases last ____ months o 10,000 yr sediment record of events o may be a part of Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) ♣ ___ term natural climae cycle ♣ lasts ___ years
Occurrences of EL Nino: o Every 2-10 years o Highly irregular o Phases last 12-18 months o 10,000 yr sediment record of events o may be a part of Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) don't need to know ♣ long term natural climae cycle ♣ lasts 20-30 years
What are some ways to account for negative externalities?
Pigovian taxes ♣ Vehicle license fees and gas taxes are used to fix roads
the power of hurricane is measured using this system that takes into account the max wind speeds and the duration of the storms
Power Dissipation Index
marine primary production: what areas are most productive?
River mouths, coastal zones, and upwelling zones
Which of these is not a step in the greenhouse effect?
Solar energy is reflected by greenhouse gases
Which of the following is true about Earth's temperature in recent decades?
The change is small compared to a glacial cycle, but temperature is increasing at a high rate
What were the 2 goals set out by the Clean Water Act?
Zero discharge of pollutants by 1985 and water quality that is "fishable" and "swimmable" by 1983
-produces 40% of fish consumed -ecosystem services -problem: cleaning mangroves for shrimp ponds directly affects biodiversity
aquaculture
amount of reflection that comes off of a surface
albedo (different surfaces have different albedos)
which of the following is true about the effects of CO2 in the atmosphere on climate? o In the past, changes in CO2 have been associated with large swings in Earth's climate o Increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are correlated with increased temperature o The greenhouse effect explains why climate can be affected by CO2 o All of the above
all of the above
the recognition of intrinsic value in environmental ethics creates difficulties because... o It is hard to demonstrate o If all species have intrinsic value, it has to be demonstrated that the value is morally relevant o There is no logical way to defensively define the nature of intrinsic value -All of the above
all of the above intrinsic value: essential value
if you were in North America and receiving irregular amounts of high rainfall is it EL Nino or La Nina?
answer
ethical world view: ♣ human centered view of nature ♣ anything not providing positive benefit to people is considered of negligible value • ex: Henry George: humans can use all resources for their benefit
anthropocentric
What are the 2 primary interconnectors to explain El Nino?
atmosphere and ocean (Kanye and Kim)
ethical world view: ♣ All life has ethical standing and any actions taken consider the effects on all living things or the biotic world in general • Ex: reflection on the Tragedy of the Commons: people use resources in as large of a quantity as they can because they know that other people will use them if they do not
biocentric
Climate largely determines the nature and locations of ... ex:
biomes (major terrestrial ecosystems defined based on their plant communities) Example: A prediction of climate change for eastern PA. By the end of this century Philadelphia, PA coud have the climate that Savanna, GA has now
wind power farms kill __ & __ but newer wind turbines are more wildlife friendly. ____ is the greatest wind resource and can harm chickens.
birds & bats the Great Plains
Models ____ prove that humans are causing climate change; however they show that the changes observed so far are consistent with human causes o Models don't account for complexities of climate
can't
greenhouse gases -certain gases can absorb infrared light and reradiate it to earth -the greenhouse effect causes ____ -greenhouse effect is needed for function on earth BUT... enhanced greenhouse effect can be dangerous - more greenhouse gases trap ____ -keeps earth's surface habitable
causes higher temp on earth more heat
which describes weather?
chances of rain today
disruptions of agriculture: US crop damages in 2012 coincided with large deficits in ____
soil moisture
biofuels are stored as __ energy
chemical
whats one problem with aquaculture? how can it be improved?
cleaning mangroves for shrimp ponds directly affects biodiversity -improve: integrated multitrophic aquaculture mimics a food web
CO2 measure, air bubbles in ice cores, tree rings measure...
climate
long term average of weather
climate
____ results from a balance between the rate at which energy arrives at and leaves Earth. Systematic changes in the distance and orientation of Earth relative to the Sun are thought to account for ____
climate glacial cycles
occurs when climate patterns change in time (ex winter months get warmer) and space (ex monsoon rains occur further south)
climate change
Organic matter buried and compressed in swamps; different kinds have different energy content who has the most?
coal US
uses utility boiler to produce electricity
coal-fired power plant (internal combustion - ♣ More compact and replaced coal engines)
command and control regulation: ♣ _____: establishment of performance standards by a gov authority that must be complied with by industries ♣_____l: signifies the negative consequences that could result from non-compliance
command control
____ directly regulate by: • Issuing permits to authorize particular actions or environmental releases • Establishing performance standards that regulate emissions by identifying acceptable ambient levels of pollution • Specifying technology and practices that must be used to meet those established standards -penalties for non-compliance
command-and-control regulation
methods that can be used to enforce or implement regulations to achieve desired outcomes: (2)
command-and-control regulations economic incentives
The '"tragedy of the commons" affects which type of resources?
common pool resources
define economic externalities and give examples
consequences of industrial activity that affects other parties (the environment, ex) without being reflected in the costs of goods/services involved -can be + or - *** need ex
who and what ethic regarding land conservation in the US? emphasizes using natural resources for the greatest good in the long run
conservation ethic Gifford Pinchot
fishing is affected by ocean circulation. ___ deflects prevailing winds -___ in the northern hemisphere -____ in the southern hemisphere -ocean currents can move warm or cool water which modifies regional climates
coriolis effect -right - northern -left - southern
mix of different oil products
crude oil (refining)
dam alter the season flow of river systems. since 1935 to 1972, river flow __ in Glen Canyon Dam and CO River
decreased
the cost of alternative energy is ____. the cost to install alternative energy is approaching the cost to install fossil fuel production.
decreasing/falling
What is the largest environmental consequence of biomass fuels in the tropics?
deforestation
Which of the following is an example of the "tragedy of the commons" ?
deforestation of private forests
what areas receive the most solar energy?
deserts Southwestern US
Bottom line about restoring lands: o Enhancing technology and/or factoring in environmental impacts can reduce the effects of energy development on the environment o BUT - oftentimes, restoration efforts ... ____ o And this can have substantial impacts on the ecosystem servoices generated by impactd areas
do not restore species, land, water, etc. to the same state they were in before development
ethical world view: ♣ Considers the integrity of ecological systems - not just individual animals (or species) ♣ Recognizes the need to preserve not just entities, but also their relationships with each other • Ex: PA Constitution: natural resources for future generations to come
ecocentric
when the ecosystem services of wetlands are destroyed and the gov requires that if you destroy it, you have to replace it
ecosystem restoration
fossil fuels are used to fuel ___
electricity (most is fueled by fossil fuels)
water management: Dams store floodwater for supply, but they have ecological consequences o benefit: Once a dam is built, they do not ____ o River channelization ♣ ____ helps navigation but damages habitat o Desert riparian zones ♣ In arid regions, riparian zones are threatened by water withdraw o ____ - good conservation efforts with their massive water supply ♣ Save 1.2 billion liters a day
emit carbon straightening rivers NYC
A course of action adopted by a government or organization intended to improve the natural environment and public health or reduce human impact on the environment
environmental policy
#1 pollutant at UGA: ____ ♣ humans and other origins ♣ point & non point sources • trying to reduce by ____ • animal waste can be collected and disposed, need new dumpsters ♣ UGA has been working to reduce run-off
fecal coliform repairing sewer lines
nuclear reactions release energy as heat: o ___ reactions break matter into lighter elements o ____ reactions combine matter into heavier elements o 15 countries have 9% of reserves ♣ ___ is largest nuclear energy producer
fission fusion U.S.
movement of water among reservoirs
flux
energy stored in hydro carbon fuel bonds and energy is released as heat when burned
fossil fuels (coal, oil, petroleum, natural gas)
o hydraulic fracturing releases oil and gas from tightly held formation o using water to get oil
fracking
-located near areas of volcanism -water heated by the earth directly heats buildings
geothermal energy
increase in earth's global temperatures
global warming
Electrical production should shift away from fossil fuels in order to reduce CO2 emissions o Policy initiatives trying to combat CO2 emissions ♣ Urban design, carbon taxes, cap and trade, energy subsidies • Trying to CO2 with car/fuel efficiency (electric cars), can initially be expensive but will also save $ • ________ - reduce emissions and save $ (because buildings are largest emitters of CO2)
green buildings
what do higher values on the Power Dissipation Index (measure hurricane power) indicate? what does the graph indicate over time?
higher values = more intense storms *more intense storms over time
in the water cycle: • natural infiltration leads to a ___ and plenty of water flowing in streams during dry weather • reduced infiltration leads to a lower water table and lower __ in stream during dry weather
higher water table lower surface flow
energy -uses dams to generate electricity with the water flow -alters seasonal flow regime of river system -run-of-river plants & impoundment dams -advantages and disadvantages
hydroelectric power
power that uses the energy in flowing water
hydrokinetic power
Which of these factors with NOT lead to global warming?
increased water vapor
river restoration is ___. two of the variety of techniques being used is ____ & _____.
increasing dam removals construction of wetlands
How can we manage nonrenewable energy resources in a way that reduces environmental harm? energy demand is ____ 87% of global energy is ___ resources
increasing nonrenewable
Growth of Renewable energy graph: conclusions- -installation of wind and solar electrical capacity is ____ -half of the newly installed electrical capacity is now ____
increasing exponentially renewable
• human activities are causing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to increase at an accelerating rate (spike after ___)
industrial revolution
what is the IPCC?
intergovernmental panel on climate change
there are many environmental ___ agreements in place. they are done through holding international meetings, developing protocols, and then expecting compliance
international
the right of a being to exist; hard to define and demonstrate
intrinsic value
humans use half of all accessible runoff, mostly for ___
irrigation
early drivers of Athens' economy
manufacturing cotton farming textiles
What is an area that restricts fishing to maintain fish stocks and conserves ecosystem services?
marine protected areas
a way to conserve ecosystem services that allows tourism, but doesn't allow fishing on the coast -supports higher density, biomass, and diversity of fish
marine reserves
Which region has the largest store of petroleum left in the ground?
middle east
who has the most petroleum
middle east (90% of world's reserves are controlled by 3 countries)
modern rise of CO2: ♣ Plants use co2 but there are 2 main kinds of co2 in the atmosphere • Most abundant is made of ___ isotope • Less abundant uses ___ isotope • Plants prefentially use ___ ♣ The decline in ____ is consistent with dilution by 12C, which is more common in fossil fuels
more abundant: 12C less: 13C prefer: 12CO2 decline in 13C
a mix of gaseous hydrocarbons that forms with coal and petroleum
natural gas
russia, iran, and qatar contain over half of all known reserves of ___
natural gas
which president created the EPA?
nixon
pollutants from scattered locations that may or may not move around in the environment ex:
non-point source of pollution (ex: automobile exhaust, polluted waters draining)
pollution running off of the landscape (rain takes oil from leaking car into storm drain)
nonpoint source pollution
walker-cell circulation represents ___ conditions: ♣ Air pressure across equatorial Pacific is ___ ♣ Strong _____trade winds ♣ ____ warm pool on _____ side of ocean ♣ Thermocline (water temp) deeper on ____ side ♣ Upwelling off the coast of _____
normal -higher in eastern -southeastern -Pacific on western side -western -Peru
Which of the following is not formed from organic matter?
nuclear fuel
Energy released from nuclear reactions heats steam to turn a generator at a...
nuclear power plant
which describes climate ?
o Chances of rain on any day in August o Annual rainfall averages o Seasonal temperature ranges o ANSWER: All of the above
Integrated aquaculture relies on...
o Complementary specieis not feeding on each other o Diverse polyculure of species o Nutrient consumption by other crop species o All of the above
atmospheric carbon dioxide graph: o whats the curve called? o Measuring? o Based on _____ data whats the pattern of the curve? be able to draw it
o Curve called: keeling curve o Measuring? Carbon dioxide o Based on observed data (actually measured) -measured for 50 yr
characteristics of El Nino ♣ Walker cell circulation ____ • Higher pressure in eastern Pacific ____ • ____ trade winds • Warm pool migrates _____ • Thermocline deeper in eastern ___ • Downwelling • ____ biological productivity o _____ suffers
o El Nino ♣ Walker cell circulation disrupted • Higher pressure in eastern Pacific weakens • Weaker trade winds • Warm pool migrates eastward • Thermocline deeper in eastern Pacific • Downwelling • Lower biological productivity o Peruvian fish suffers
what is the tragedy of the commons? what are some examples?
o Environmental productivity can be degraded when people act in their own self-interest -people degrade their own pool of resources (common pool)
what does the IPCC? o Human influence on the climate system is _____ o Warming of the climate system is ____ ♣ Atmosphere and oceans ___, snow/ice ___, sea level ____ o Just under ___ (degree) warming over the past 100 years o _____ has dominated increase in energy in climate system o High confidence that CO2 intake post industrial revolution has acidified global oceans o High confidence that Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are ____ over past 20 years o Global sea levels rose (measure) in past 100 years
o Human influence on the climate system is CLEAR o Warming of the climate system is UNEQUIVOCAL (unmistakeable) ♣ Atmosphere and oceans WARMER, snow/ice DIMINISHED, sea level RISEN o Just under 1 C warming over the past 100 years o OCEAN WARMING has dominated increase in energy in climate system o High confidence that CO2 intake post industrial revolution has acidified global oceans o High confidence that Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets LOSING MASS over past 20 years o Global sea levels rose 20cm in past 100 years
questions centered around environmental ethics: (4 and be able to recognize others)
o Should the present generation conserve resources for future generations o Are humans justified in driving other speicies to extinction o Is it ok to destroy a forest to create jobs for people o Is it ok for some communities to be exposed to more pollution than others? *answers depend on your ethical standards -ex: evolution and expanding rights of animals & people's beliefs
what are 2 factors other than human-caused GHG be changing the climate?
o Variations in the sun's output of energy o Dust and gases from volcanic eruptions
How do damns changes river ecosystems?
o change the depth of water and upset food webs o Increased sedimentation above the dam o Both A and B are correct
it is premature to conclude that ___ have had a detectable impact on Atlantic hurricane or global tropical cyclone activity. anthropogenic warming will cause tropical cyclones to increase in ...
occurence intensity rain fall
___ influence climate and weather patterns
oceans
______ zones: where some areas are too sensitive and therefore no drilling is allowed -CA banned coastal drilling in 1969 -Norway protects islands near fisheries -Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in AK
oil-free
Where is spent nuclear fuel currently stored in the US?
on the reactor's sites
_______ can alter food webs ♣ Removing top-level predators has major food web consequence ex: ______ ♣ Fishery collapse - global problem linked to resource mismanagement; common
overharvesting ex: cod fisheries
Accounting for production rate and new discoveries shows when production will peak
peak oil
Buried and compressed organic marine sediments form under heat and pressure
petroleum formation
Which strategy would make the biggest difference in reducing greenhouse gases?
phasing out coal burning
Seasonal cycles in CO2 result from ____ & _____ o Such short term flows of ____ cannot explain this upward trend o The trend has to result from carbon that has been stored for long periods of time, such as in fossil fuels and soils ♣ Plants can be responsible for the little ups and downs in the keeling curve but not the ____
photosynthesis & respiration carbon overall upward trend
Carbon taxes on fossil fuels are obtained through ___
pigovian taxes
taxes people pay for cost of damage they put on the environment
pigovian taxes
pollution you can identify (pipe, etc) how is is regulated?
point source pollution Clean Water Act
pollution from a clearly definable place ex:
point-source pollution (ex: smoke stack of factory, sewage pipe)
the steps of the ___ process: -identify problem -consider options -formulate plan -adopt law (or not) -implement -evaluate (see if changes are needed)
policy decision making process
3 types of water treatment, what they do and their uses:
primary: removes suspended particles -no use secondary: removes additional suspended material, reduces dissolved organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus -use: irrigation orchards and vineyards, wetland restoration, industrial uses, recharge of aquifers tertiary/advancedL removes dissolved organic chemicals, nitrogen, phosphorus, other dissolved salts and mineral and pathogens -use: irrigation of food crops and landscaping, recreational impoundment, recharge of potable aquifers, supplemental surface reservoirs for domestic water supplies
how does biofuel development land clearing for plantations negatively affect the environment?
reduces biodiversity and habitat
What are the 2 primary parts of the CWA?
regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters
the general focus of command-and-control regulation is ____ rather than prevention
remediation (reversing/stopping)
a body of water in the hydrological cycle
reservoir
Motivation for protecting water resources o Command-and-control laws ♣ Clean Water Act ♣ Athens-Clarke county riparian buffer ordinance - _______ o Incentives for Best Management Practices (BMPs) ♣ Financial incentives for agricultural buffers o Public education ♣ 2007-2008 drought/ newspaper "competition" to conserve among elected officials o Making the right thing easy to do ♣ Pet waste receptacles
restrictions on developments in watersheds
global average temperatures are ____
rising
an alternative for a large dam; a system with no water storage that diverts just a portion of the river
run-of-the-river hydroelectric dams
which is harder to regulate and more dangerous? primary or secondary forms of pollution?
secondary
what are some short term dangers from hurricanes (ex: Hurricane Harvey and Houston's chemical plants?) what are some long term ones?
short term: -floodwater injuries -infectious disease -power outages -lack of drug access -chemical dangers short term& long term: -mosquitos -mental health -mold
greenhouse effect: -incoming heat energy is ___ wavelengths -some of the head that is trapped, some escapes, net warming effect - ______ wavelengths
shorter longer
Based on the evidence presented, CO2 emissions from a range of human activities are causing...
the increase in the atmosphere as well as acidifying the oceans
what is an example of the human impact from dams? who is usually affected?
three gorges dam in china displaced 1.3 million people -affects people of color, low income
climate change occurs when climate patterns change in __ & ___. -climate changes naturally on a range of time scales from decadal (10s of years), centennial (100s of years), and longer (Glacial cycles) - changes on spatial scales from local to global
time and space
Which country uses the most energy per GDP?
united states
Area of land from which all water drains into a particular river or stream
watershed
energy -powered by waves caused by wind
wave energy
light -emitted in multiple ____ -wavelength is determined by ____
wavelengths amount of energy released (ex energy from the sun)
conditions of atmosphere at a particular time and place
weather
hurricanes -move ___ -consistent patterns with categories __ through __
west to east categories 1-3
Which of the following describes an area of land that collects precipitation that flows into aquifers and rivers?
wetland
tragedy of the commons: ____ hunting led to the collapse of the population
whale
Why is setting environmental policy challenging? because they are often (2) and define
♣ Often wicked problems - tend to be complex, have multiple causes and consequences, along with multiple stake holders ♣ Many are transboundary problems - occur across state and national boundaries requiring cooperation of individual states and countries around the world to solve them
energy -different patterns of heating and cooling at day and night create different breezes -friction with land slows over continents
wind energy
person or groups beliefs about the meaning, purpose, operation, and essence of the world based off of their: -knowledge -beliefs -values -learned ways of life
worldview
Law makers juggle several competing factors when making environmental policy (4):
• Effectiveness of the policy to attain its goal • Negative tradeoffs that might result • The cost burden (external and internal costs) [what they have to pay and what we might have to pay, e.i. Pivogian taxes] • The flexibility of the policy to accommodate changes (adaptive management) [Caroline Feel. exercises nightly] cost, flexibility, effective, negative trade-off
name some disadvantages of command-and-control regulation:
• Making changes to policy takes time & it is hard to keep up with technologies • Limits industries ability to use most cost effective methods (since it's a one-size-fits-al approach) • No incentitive for companies to reduce pollution below mandated limits • Regulating agencies must have sufficient funding to enforce
impacts of climate change: IPCC -medium confidence (1) -high confidence (2)
• Medium confidence: water resource quality and quantity impacted • High confidence: impact on abundance and range of marine species • High confidence: negative impacts on crop yields more common than positive ones
name some advantages of command-and-control regulation:
• Simple concept and can achieve goals quickly • Directly changes the behavior of the regulated industry • Useful when level of control is known and uniform across all regulated industries • Effective when potential for severe environmental or health impact is high (ex with extremely toxic substances)
chasing coral guest speaker summary:
• studied coral off of coast of FL Keys • coral dying and turning white • corals are much closer to the high T that kill them than to the low T that kill them • spiking tempps of 1.5 C and prolonged exposure to 1 C • keeling curve o minor fluctuations are caused by seasonal oscillations o upward trend requires 36 billion tons of CO2 a year
disadvantages of economic incentives: (4)
♣ Citiziens may oppose this use of tax dollars ♣ Cost of green taxes levied against the industry may be passed on to the consumer ♣ Cap-and-trade can create pollution hotspots ♣ May inadventently support undesirable activities (perverse subsidies - gov loans affect economy and environ)
advantages of economic incentives: (6)
♣ Fund actions that may be too costly for indivudal/business ♣ Taxes generate revenue (potentially used for environmental causes) ♣ Provide incentitives to reduce pollution ♣ Encourage innovaton ♣ More cost effective than command-and-control ♣ Stimulate economy (riley is f monte in school) revenue, incentive, fund, more cost effective, incentive, stimulate economy