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Environment Unit Test

Syed Kamran Gordon Graydon 1

11-06-05

ENVIRONMENT UNIT TEST

Unit Notes

WATER
Water is the most crucial elements for human survival, it is considered more valuable then gold in some nations, and however in Canada it is readily available from our taps. Canadians are second largest users of water in the world, under the United States.

Hydrologic Cycle
Water is in constant motion around our blue planet. It evaporates our lakes and oceans and turns into an invisible gas in our atmosphere called water vapour. This water vapour condenses and turns into clouds, once the clouds become heavy enough they precipitate in various forms such as hail, rain, snow or sleet depending on the temperature. Once the water hits the surface of the earth it either runs-off into lakes and oceans, or seeps deep within the ground and becomes ground water. Plants use up some of this groundwater that is close to their roots, and release it via their leaves in a process called transpiration.

Lakes and Wetlands

Lakes and Wetlands account for a large portion of Canada fresh surface water. Our lakes were gouged out by ice glaciers and are fed by rivers and springs. Wetlands are another word for swamps, marshes and bogs, which all provide freshwater.

Rivers and Drainage Basins

Canadas water drains from five drainage basins, which are separated by watersheds (areas of high land). The water that flows through a drainage basin is called the discharge rate. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Pacific Ocean Hudson Bay Arctic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Gulf of Mexico

Groundwater
Water that seeps deep enough into the ground enters the water table. Groundwater levels fluctuate less than surface water and impurities are filtered by the soil.

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11-06-05

WATER USES
Water use is classified in two different forms, instream use, and withdrawal use. Instream Use: Water is used without removing it from a water body (i.e. fishing, hydroelectric power generation) Withdrawal Use: Water is used by removing it from the water body (i.e. manufacturing, and agriculture)

WATER ISSUES
Pollution
There are three main types of pollution, physical, biological and chemical. Physical: Visible pollution such as garbage gabs, and other plastics. Biological: Bacteria and virus that enters bodies of water by sewage. (20% of Canadian cities dont treat their sewage) Chemical: Most harmful, yet not visible and odourless, comes from pesticides and herbicides.

Loss of Wetlands
Canadian Wetlands are disappearing at alarming rates to agriculture and housing. This results in the water table being lowered and animal habitats lost.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
If we continually waste fresh water, one of the most precious resources, which we have. It will result in mass amount of problems for our future generations. We must all learn how to proper manage our fresh water consumption.

ACID PRECIPITATION
Formation
Acid precipitation is formed by sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide being released into the atmosphere. In the atmosphere they mix with water vapour and form nitric and sulphuric acid, and precipitate to the earth.

Effects of Acid Precipitation

Aquatic Life and Terrestrial Life are affected by acid precipitation. In lakes and river acid precipitation causes acid shock killing fish eggs. In addition acid precipitation removes a protective layer of plants making them susceptible to viruses.

Controlling Acid Precipitation

You can reduce sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide by reducing the amount of energy you use with your home, in addition to reducing your driving.

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11-06-05

CLIMATE CHANGE
Greenhouse Effect
The greenhouse effect, based on its name is an effect is similar to the events in a greenhouse. When sunlight hits the glass windows of a greenhouse it is converted to heat energy. This heat energy remains inside the greenhouse and cannot escape, due to the glass. A similar situation occurs in our atmosphere, except instead of glass we have greenhouse gasses that trap the suns heat in the earth. The main greenhouse gases are Carbon Dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide, and water vapour.

Carbon Cycle
Carbon is cycled through the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. It is transferred from the atmosphere to carbon sinks (i.e trees, other things that absorb carbon), and is released back into the environment by carbon sources.

Impact of Global Warming

The impact of global warming, predicted by scientists is that our average temperature would go up by 1o C to 3.5o C in 100 years. The effects on the poles would be much greater. This would result in sea levels rising by 1m bringing many countries under sea level. For Canada sea levels will not be much of a problem however we will receive more rain resultant in flooding, and have shorter winters.

What can we do?

Everyone has a role in what we must do to stop global warming. For starters, we must reduce the amount of carbon we release. In addition promote carbon sinks, which absorb carbon dioxide from our atmosphere.

ENERGY
Energy sources are divided into to main categories: Conventional Energy Sources (Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydro, and Nuclear) Alternative Energy Sources (Solar, Wind and Biomass)

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11-06-05

Conventional Energy
Oil and Gas
Oil and Gas are substances that were formed millions of years ago, and are the remains of plants and animals the sea floor, and as time passed sedimentary rock covered them. Locating Oil and Gas is an expensive time consuming process. Once oil and gas is found it is drilled and then recovered.

Hydro-Electricity (58%)
Hydro-Electric power can be produced any where there is a lake or river. It has many benefits such as being cheap to operate, no air pollution, and its renewable. However is the plants are expensive to build, and lots of transmission lines must be built.

Thermal-Electricity (28%)
In thermal electric plants coal, or natural gas is burned to produce steam, which turns a turbine, which causes a generator to turn. These plants can be built anywhere so shorter transmission lines are needed, and its less expensive compared to nuclear and hydro. However the fuel costs are expensive and oil and natural gas are non-renewable and release greenhouse gases.

Nuclear-Electricity (14%)
Similar to Thermal Electricity however it uses nuclear fission to produce steam. They can be built anywhere so less transmission lines are required, operating costs are low, abundant supply of uranium and no air pollution. However construction costs are very high, and waste product is radioactive.

Alternative Energy
Solar
Solar energy is radiated energy from the sun, it is used for heating, and producing some electricity. Photovoltaic cells are used to directly convert sunlight into electricity. The resource is renewable and release no air pollution, however it is expensive an inefficient.

Tidal
The moons gravity pulls up ocean waters and tides are used to produce electricity. Totally renewable and is not harmful, however it is not economic and efficient.

Wind
Wind energy is converted by windmills into mechanical energy, which is converted to electricity. It is renewable, and they are many human side effects caused by the rotation of the windmill.

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11-06-05

Biomass
Biomass refers to plant material or other biological material that burned and produces steam to produce electricity. It releases the same amount of greenhouse gases as cutting down a tree.

Geothermal
This is thermal energy from below the earths crust, which can heat water into steam, which turns a turbine driving a generator. It releases no emissions however is expensive to construct.

ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT
An ecological footprint is the amount of space required to support ones activities. It is measured by converting all human activities to equivalent land area, basically the amount land needed to support those activities.

Type of Land
There are five type of land which are classified as follows: Energy Land: Amount of land required to eliminate the Carbon dioxide released by our energy use via photosynthesis. Degraded Land: Formerly productive land that is converted to urban area and highways Crop Land: Amount of land required for growing crops. Pasture Land: Amount of land required for animals grazing. Forested Land: Amount of land required for trees.

What this means?

The average ecological footprint for Canadians is 4.27 ha of productive land. If everyone were to live as a Canadian we would require two additional earths. Canadians must reduce their ecological footprint. We must start becoming more cautious of the way we spend our resources.

How can we reduce our ecological footprint?

There are two solutions to this problem, one the technical solution, and two the behavioural solution. The technical solution is that we invest time and money into technology, which can allow us to keep our same way of life while reducing the impact on Earth. On the other hand the Behavioural Solution is to realize that we must change the way we live and decide to live in a more ecologically responsible manner.

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