Unit 9.2: Changing Relations between Humans and the Environment

Flashcards about the relationship between humans and the environment, diseases, energy crisis, and climate change.

How did the human population change during the twentieth century?

The human population tripled from 2 to 6 billion.

What are some consequences of human activity on the environment?

Deforestation, desertification, falling air quality, overconsumption of fresh water, and the release of greenhouse gases.

What was concerning about fossil fuels?

Diminishing amounts of fossil fuels like coal and oil led to rising prices and concerns over sustainability.

What is nuclear power?

A method of energy generation using atomic fission to boil water, generating steam to turn turbines to work electrical generators.

What were the concerns surrounding nuclear power?

Disasters at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl raised concerns about the potential dangers of nuclear power.

What impacts did Hydroelectric power have?

Hydroelectric power transformed the landscape and harmed ecosystems.

How were human populations kept from growing before modern medicine?

Diseases traditionally kept human populations from constantly accelerating in growth rate.

What are vaccines?

Vaccines are used to give humans immunity against infection by viruses.

What are Antibiotics?

Antibiotics render harmless diseases by killing bacteria.

What did the Green Revolution accomplish?

The Green Revolution dramatically increased food supplies.

What is a pandemic disease?

A new disease with high incidence across the world.

What was the Spanish Flu?

A pandemic that swept across the armies of the First World War, killing more people than the military conflict itself.

What is the climate change crisis?

The burning of fossil fuels has led to the release of greenhouse gases, trapping heat in the atmosphere and warming the global climate.

What are some impacts of the climate change crisis?

The melting of polar icecaps, the flooding of coastal regions, and the diminished habitability of equatorial regions through desertification.

What is deforestation?

Deforestation is the clearing of forests, which diminishes the forests' mitigating effects on climate change.

What is Greenpeace?

A worldwide network of activists advocating for environmental protections.

What is Wangari Maathai’s Green Belt Movement in Kenya?

A movement that has organized rural women to plant millions of trees in an effort to combat deforestation.

What is eco-tourism?

The traveling of human beings to parts of the globe to see natural, environmental sites.