The Environment

Global energy and environmental problems

Environmental Issues

• harmful aspects of human activity on the biophysical environment

• Such as:– Pollution – air and water– Climate change– Environmental degradation– Environmental depletion– Greenhouse gases

Kyoto Protocol• According to the the UN:• The Kyoto Protocol = an international agreement on

Climate Change, which commits its Parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets.

• developed countries are responsible for the high levels of GreenHouseGas emissions in the atmosphere

Greenhouse gases emissions

• Natural = movement of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and Earth's land and oceans – photosynthesis

• an estimated 4.1 billion metric tons are added to the atmosphere each year.

• Results = increase of imbalance greenhouse gases.– warm the planet

• Rising temperatures may produce changes in – precipitation patterns – storm severity– "climate change."

Polar vortex

• circulation of strong, upper-level winds that normally surround the northern pole in a counterclockwise direction– cold air locked in the Arctic – not a single storm

• Sometimes it becomes distorted and dip much farther south than you would normally find it

Energy

• What is energy?– Heat (thermal)– Light (radiant) – Electrical – Chemical – Nuclear energy

• nonrenewable– electricity in our home

• coal, nuclear, hydroelectric plant

– fill up a gas tank• petroleum or ethanol

• Renewable– Solar energy from the sun– Wind– Geothermal energy from heat inside the Earth– Biomass from plants (wood, ethanol, biodiesel) – Hydropower from hydro turbines at a dam

Energy in the United States

• Second largest consumer• Not participants in Kyoto Protocol• According to the Energy Information

Administration:– The United States produced about 17% of the world's

total energy-in 2011– 86% of greenhouse gases emitted were energy

related – 92% of those energy-related gases were carbon

dioxide from the combustion of fossil fuels.

Air pollution

• Air pollutants is caused by industrialization (industry and cars)

• Air pollution = air contains gases, dust, fumes or odor in harmful amounts. – carbon monoxide from car exhausts – sulfur dioxide from the combustion of coal.– Smog

• Larger the city = more pollution

Waste

Waste in the United States

• trash (municipal solid waste)– packaging, food waste, grass clippings, sofas,

computers, tires, and refrigerators. • Solid waste – 4.40 pounds per person per day

• The recycling rate – 34 percent

• Disposal of waste to landfills– decreased to 54 percent