Environmental Bio Ch 19

One of China's cement factories has become more energy efficient by __________.

using the extra gas and heat from the kilns to generate electricity

Can you label the steps of energy production at a coal-fired power plant? Moving clockwise, label the steps of energy production in this diagram of a coal-fired power plant.

1. Coal is burned in the furnace 2. Heat from combustion boils water 3. Steam turns the turbine 4. Magnets are moved past copper coils to generate current 5. Steam is cooled and condensed 6. Air pollutants are filtered out 7. Toxic ash is taken to a hazardous waste disposal site

For each characteristic in the table below, decide which fossil fuel (or fuels) it best describes. Drag the fossil fuel (or fuels) on the left to each characteristic described on the right. Terms may be used once, more than once, or not at all.

1. Used primarily in the United States for electricity generation: coal 2. Remains of ancient organisms, modified underground for long periods by temperature and pressure: coal, oil, and natural gas 3. The world's most abundant fossil fuel: coal 4. A mixture of hundreds or thousands of different hydrocarbon molecules: oil 5. Primary fuel used in the United States for space and water heating: natural gas 6. Created very slowly and considered nonrenewable at current extraction rates: coal, oil, and natural gas 7. Used primarily in the United States as a source of vehicle fuels: oil 8. Produces the least carbon dioxide per unit energy when combusted: natural gas

According to the graph, what was the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the year 2015?

400 ppm

Which of the following can you conclude from the graph?

After 1976, Earth's average surface temperature has never been cooler than the 20th-century average.

What is bitumen and why is it important to oil sand mining?

Bitumen is a viscous mixture of hydrocarbons found in the oil sands and other natural settings.

What color smoke coming from a coal-fired power plant would indicate wasted fuel?

Black

According to the graph, by how much did the global atmospheric methane (CH4) concentration increase from 1800 to 2015?

CH4 concentration increased by approximately 157%. Submit

The bar graph you just built can be used to test your original hypothesis about each vehicle's lifetime greenhouse gas emissions. Using the bar graph, rank the six vehicles from least CO2e emitted to most CO2e emitted.

EV (wind) ICEV (less driving) EV (mix of sources) ICEV (high-efficiency) standard ICEV EV (coal) Most CO2e emitted

According to the graph, how did fossil fuel emissions change in response to the increase in global fossil fuel consumption?

Fossil fuel emissions increased at the same rate as fossil fuel consumption.

Imagine you are shopping for a new vehicle. Many factors may play into your decision, but suppose the factor you weigh most heavily is the environmental impact of the vehicle. Specifically, you want to minimize your contribution of CO2 to the atmosphere to reduce your carbon footprint and your impact on global warming. Below are descriptions of six vehicles. An internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) is a gasoline-powered vehicle, like the majority of vehicles on the road. An electric vehicle (EV) is powered by electricity that may come from a variety of primary energy sources. An EV runs on the electricity stored in its battery.A standard gasoline-fueled ICEVAn ICEV with high fuel efficiency An ICEV that you choose to drive half as much as the other vehicle choicesAn EV powered by a mix of electricity sources (26% coal, 26% natural gas, 28% nuclear, and 18% renewable)An EV powered by electricity from coalAn EV powered by electricity from wind power Using your understanding of environmental science, make a hypothesis about how these six vehicles compare with regard to total lifetime greenhouse gas emissions. Predict which ranking reflects least CO2 emitted to most CO2 emitted. (Note that all responses will be marked as "correct" at this point.)

ICEV (high-efficiency), ICEV (less driving), EV (mix of sources), EV (coal), standard ICEV, EV (wind)

Calculate the total life cycle kg CO2e for each of the six vehicles. Use those total values along with the values for each portion of the life cycle to help you drag the bars to their correct places on the bar graph.

ICEV (standard) 38250 ICEV (high-efficiency) 33000 ICEV (less total driving) 23250 EV (electricity from standard mix) 31550 EV (electricity from coal) 46550 EV (electricity from wind) 18800

A researcher named Tony Hawkins and his colleagues were interested in determining the environmental impacts of ICEVs and EVs. Their goal was to provide consumers with the information they need to make informed vehicle buying decisions. Furthermore, if governments knew the impact ICEVs and EVs had on national CO2 emissions, they could enact policies to better regulate CO2 emissions. In order to understand the true CO2 costs and benefits of ICEVs and EVs, Hawkins conducted a product life cycle assessment. A life cycle assessment is a method used to evaluate the environmental impact of a product throughout all the stages of its life from resource extraction to manufacturing, distribution, use, and final disposal. Hawkins evaluated a number of environmental impacts including water toxicity, metal deposition, and more. In this activity, we will concentrate on his evaluation of CO2 emissions. Below is a list of variables that Hawkins used in the life cycle assessment model. Sort each of the variables depending on if it is associated with ICEVs, EVs, or both.

ICEVs only CO2 emitted by burning gasoline per kilometer traveled EVs only CO2 emitted in gathering and building specialized batteries CO2 emitted by different forms of electricity generation Number of kilometers a car can travel on a kilowatt-hour of electricity Both ICEVs and EVs CO2 emitted in gathering materials to build the car Number of kilometers driven CO2 emitted in building the car CO2 associated with vehicle disposal

During peak usage, what happens to the cost of electricity?

It almost always increases.

Based on the data shown, which two types of Energy Star products will you point out contributed the most toward the avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions by volume in 2012?

Lighting Office equipment Submit

Between 1993 and 2012, which category of Energy Star products contributed the most cumulative savings in the avoidance of CO2 gas emissions by volume?

Office equipment

Extraction of petroleum from oil sands causes environmental degradation at the extraction site and its surroundings. How does the use of the resulting petroleum products impact the environment?

People burn petroleum for energy. The petroleum derived from tar sand oil contributes to both air pollution and global climate change.

Many pollutants from coal-fired power plants are properly managed today. Which of the following is currently considered to be the biggest threat to the environment?

carbon dioxide

All fossil fuels, including coal, are considered an indirect form of ____________ energy.

solar

Where is electricity made at a coal-fired power plant?

generator

China's main source of energy contributes most to what global environmental problem?

global climate change Submit

What have Chinese companies started producing to reduce the use of gasoline (petrol)?

hybrid cars

China's government is encouraging companies to __________.

take the lead in all green technologies Submit

Some proposed benefits of the Keystone XL pipeline were job creation and a steady supply of oil from a close neighbor to the United States. Others argue that the environmental impacts of building the pipeline are not worth the potential benefits. What environmental risks come with the building of the Keystone XL pipeline?

threat to the drinkability of the water in the largest aquifer in the United States threat of bigger, more devastating oil spills damage to Canada's boreal forests

Drag ''True'' or ''False'' to the end of each statement.

From 2000 to 2017, fossil fuel use decreased as people started to use more renewable energy. False The concentrations of greenhouse gases are correlated with fossil fuel use. True As fossil fuel use increased, so did Earth's surface temperature. True Greenhouse gas concentrations increased first and then Earth's surface temperatures began to rise. True There is so much yearly variability in Earth's surface temperature that it isn't possible to see a reliable trend. False Global fossil fuel consumption, global emissions from fossil fuels, and the concentrations of greenhouse gases are currently increasing at an exponential rate. True

According the chart, which category of Energy Star products has increased the most as reflected in the total number of units (in billions) purchased per year between 2000 and 2015?

Home electronics