Blog 11

Connections Discussion:

Increased temperatures from carbon dioxide harms coral reefs. It causes algae to be reduced, thus harming the corals, and them dying. The death of corals, causes the entire ecosystem to start failing and falling apart. Along with the fall of the ecosystem, this harms the human population because of the fishing industry. Fish populations lower, and thus humans have less fish to sell at a commercial market.

Walleyes are in danger of temperature increases and CO2 emissions. The higher temperatures are killing off the food that walleyes eat and increasing the threat of invasive species. This can create dead-zones in the lake areas where Walleyes are, as well as lower the level of water leaving less room for the fish species to strive.

Conservation effects include reducing co2 emissions as well as monitoring the coral reefs.

Ozone Discussion

Ozone later absorbs UV-B and UV-C rays. Without this layer, all humans would be exposed to the rays, thus harming them through radiation. This radiation can cause skin cancer. Here how the ozone layer works is that oxygen gas reacts with the UV-C rays and creates oxygen. The oxygen then reacts with oxygen molecules to form ozone. Then the ozone created reacts with UV-B/C rays splitting and yielding oxygen molecules, thus becoming a closed-loop system.

CFCs though harm the loop. They screw up the loop and go through the reaction that takes away an ozone molecule. When the ozone molecule is taken away, the Chlorine is then formed with an oxygen atom thus ruining the formation of an Ozone molecule and messing with the loop.

Difference between tropospheric and stratospheric ozone is that tropospheric ozone is bad for humans. It can cause respiratory diseases and can cause other negative effects. This kind of ozone can form smog in the air when it reacts with NO, but it shouldn't because humans should not be producing VOCs.

Positive and Negative Feedbacks

Global warming is a positive feed back because of the effect it has on the poles. Albedo % is the amount that the ice in the poles reflects the water, but as global warming increases, the amount it can take is lowering. Thus when it lowers, it leads to the ice to melt and increases sea level. Which is then repeated and it continues through. 

A negative feedback is the carbon emissions. Plants cycle carbon in the air, thus as more carbon is entering into the air, the plants take in more of the carbon, so the more carbon that is produced the more the plants will take in. The more they take in the lower the amounts of carbon in the air will remain.

BIG Picture Discussion

Human impact-
Greenhouse gases have a large effect on humans. This can cause respiratory problems in many people because of the air pollution. Also this can affect the ozone layer, in which more UV rays are being transmitted into the earths atmosphere which can hurt humans and cause cancer. This can also effect the agricultural industry, and thus affect humans food sources, which can cause a loss of food.


Environmental impact-
Air Pollution is huge in its environmental impact. Here the poles of the earth can lose their ice, and melt, thus creating a loss of biodiversity and ecosystems. Also increasing sea levels. Along with the melting of the poles, it can harm systems in the water. An increase in heat, can allow threats to invade other systems and thus ruin the peaceful ecosystem. This can harm the chain and disrupt all actions going on in the system. 

Economic impact-
Economically humans can lose food sources, thus losing revenue from selling the food. Also with corals being harmed, humans can lose tourism benefits and fishing benefits. Along with the melting of ice at the poles, starting up conservation efforts can take up a lot of money. This harms humans in a lot of ways because of the amount of money can be taken away or used up.

Government legislation-
The clean air act is legislation that reduces the amount of air pollutants that can be emitted into the air. The Montreal protocol bans CFCs. And the Kyoto Protocol limits the emissions of CO2, but the US did not sign it, so it doesn't happen in the US.

Unit 10- Energy

#1:

Most environmentally friendly to least:

Wind-no pollution

Geothermal-no pollution

Solar-possibility of toxic metals 

Hydroelectric-habitat destruction

Natural Gas-destruction of environment in extraction

Biomass-carbon emissions

Nuclear-radioactive stuff stays for a long time

Oil-carbon dioxide emissions

Coal- lots of carbon dioxide emissions

#2:

Oil

Natural Gas

Coal

Nuclear

Biomass

Hydroelectric

Wind

Geothermal

Solar

#3:

Oil

Coal

Natural Gas

Biomass

Nuclear

Hydroelectric

Solar

Wind

Geothermal

#4:

Hydroelectric

Coal

Oil

Natural Gas

Nuclear

Wind

Biomass

Solar

Geothermal

Biofuels VS Fossil Fuels

Biofuels are more simpler to use than fossil fuels because they require more effort for extraction. Both of these have CO2 emissions, but fossil fuels add carbon dioxide that is stored for along time into the atmosphere thus harming it more than helping and the biofuels only add back to the atmosphere what was already there, thus not harming it at all. Fossil fuels add more carbon into the cycle, while biofuels puts back what was already there. Coal is a type of fossil fuel and Butonal is a type of Biofuel.

Nuclear Disasters

Environmentally nuclear disasters harm many different species and kill out the ecosystems leaving it to grow on its own after the incident. Economically it causes a great deal of money loss in trying to rehabilitate the area affected by the disaster. Human impact is that it causes cancers in people affected by the radiation and also messes with DNA. Chernobyl was a nuclear disaster in Ukraine that occurred because of a flawed soviet reactor. This caused complete destruction in that area and harmful effects to humans. The Lucens reactor in Switzerland was a similar nuclear disaster. Nuclear waster is contained in an area that is far from humans and tightly held so nothing is released out.

ANWR

It is a tundra in which there is permafrost. It is fragile because if the permafrost was the melt the ecosystem there would fail and start to break apart. Economically if the US was to drill in Alaska, then the US would be less dependent on foreign companies. Environmentally the drill would hurt the ecosystem, causing space to be taken up and affect the species living in that ecosystem.

For Drilling-

We should drill in Alaska because this will cause less dependence on foreign oil, thus increasing US income level and increasing the amount of jobs. Thus creating an economic benefit.

Against Drilling-

No we shouldn't drill in Alaska because the environment is peacefully doing its thing. It is left alone without human disruption. Drilling would cause negative effects on the environment and that would affect the ecosystem that should be protected and away from human harm.

Reducing Consumption

To reduce consumption of oil, less cars need to be on the road. Thus creating engines that are more efficient in converting energy using less amounts of oil is necessary. Also making the complete switch to electric cars is better because no oil will be used then. Another way of reducing consumption of oil is to use resources that are renewable to access electricity, such as; wind and solar. These two ways can help reduce consumption and create a non-polluted way of acquiring electricity.

BIG Picture Discussion

Human impact-
In order to prosper and grow, humans need a source of energy, being: coal, solar, wind, etc. Use of energy has a lot of effects on humans. It could be a health risk to humans or beneficial to humans. Use of fossil fuels, has a large emission of carbon which can pollute the air that humans breathe. This could affect their respiratory system. Also impacts occur with nuclear disasters affecting humans through radiation.

Environmental impact-
There are tons of environmental impacts when it comes to energy. Extracting sources of energy from the ground can harm the area nearby as well as the site the source was extracted from. Also when fuels are utilized there are tons of CO2 emissions this having large effects on the air. It creates an exposure to greater carbon. More carbon in the air can result in the increase of global temperatures, and further global warming.

Economic impact-
Because energy is necessary everywhere, there is an industry behind each source. Fossil fuels for example are the most profitable because they are the most used in the developed world. Thus an industry created around fossil fuels is very beneficial economically because it brings lots of revenue in. Along with fossil fuels, there are other energy sources that also bring in a lot of revenue.

Government legislation:
The greatest act to help with energy sources is the Clean Air Act. This act, passed by the EPA, is meant to regulate carbon emissions. This act helps in the reduction of carbon put out in the air  by businesses and other industries. It helps in keeping the air cleaner from pollution, thus limiting certain ways to attain energy; fossil fuels.