Global Sustainability Final Exam

Carbon cycle

Carbon is exchanged between the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and pedosphere. Stored in limestone rocks and dissolved in seawater, and enters living things as carbon-based compounds like fats, proteins, and energy molecules. Carbon eventually cycles back into the atmosphere.

Nitrogen cycle

Nitrogen is mainly found in the atmosphere, and enters ecosystems as nutrients for plants. Nitrogen travels through food webs, and eventually returns to the atmosphere as nitrogen gas when organisms die and decompose.

Milkanovich cycles

periodic changes in the Earth's orbital parameters, including the shape of its orbit (eccentricity), the tilt of its axis (obliquity), and the direction its axis points (precession), which collectively influence the amount of solar radiation received by Earth and can lead to long-term climate changes, like ice ages, over tens of thousands of years. 

which 3 natural factors influence climate change the most?

Sun, atmosphere and oceans

What are the greenhouse gases and how do they warm the atmosphere?

Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor. They trap heat in the atmosphere by absorbing and re-emitting infrared radiation, leading to an increase in global temperatures.

How might thermohaline circulation patterns change and what effects could this have on Europe?

Changes in thermohaline circulation patterns could lead to altered weather patterns, including colder temperatures in Europe due to a slowdown of the Gulf Stream, impacting agriculture and ecosystems.

How have CO2, N20 and CH4 concentrations changed over the past 800,000 years? How do scientists reconstruct past concentrations?

Ice core samples provide data on past concentrations of CO2, N2O, and CH4, showing significant increases since the Industrial Revolution. These gases have fluctuated naturally over millennia but have risen sharply due to human activities.

What are the The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predictions for global mean temperature increase (°F) and sea level rise (feet)?

The IPCC predicts a global mean temperature increase of 1.5 to 2.5°F (1.8-4 C) by 2100, with potential sea level rise of 1 to 3 feet, depending on greenhouse gas emission scenarios.

What is Peak oil?

Peak oil refers to the point in time when global oil production reaches its maximum rate, after which production will gradually decline. This phenomenon can lead to increased energy prices and economic challenges as demand continues to grow.

What is EROI?

EROI (Energy Return on Investment) is a measure of the amount of usable energy obtained from a particular energy source compared to the energy invested in extracting and processing that energy.

energy returned ÷ energy invested

A higher EROI indicates a more efficient energy source.

What is oil used for?

used for fuel, transportation, heating, and as a raw material in the production of plastics, chemicals, and Petroleum products.

What are the environmental impacts of extracting oil?

The environmental impacts of extracting oil include habitat destruction, oil spills, water contamination, and greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change and affect biodiversity.

What is coal used for?

used primarily for electricity generation, steel production, and as a fuel source in various industrial processes. It is also used for heating and as a raw material in the production of certain chemicals.

What are the environmental impacts of mining coal?

The environmental impacts of mining coal include habitat destruction, soil erosion, acidic water pollution from runoff, and air pollution from dust and emissions. “mountain top removal” mining, and mine tailings.

What is natural gas used for?

used primarily for electricity, heat, and plastics. Thermogenic gas: results from
compression and heat deep
underground
- Found above crude oil or coal
- Biogenic gas: created at shallow
depths by bacterial anaerobic
decomposition of organic matter
- “Swamp gas”, landfill gas

What are the environmental impacts of extracting natural gas?t

CO2 emissions, methane leaks,water contamination, habtat disruption, uses a lot of water. The cleanest fossil fuel .

What is the fuel for nuclear power?

Uranium-235 is mined and used for fuel.

How does nuclear energy generated?

nuclear fission, where the nuclei of atoms, typically uranium, are split apart in a controlled chain reaction within a nuclear reactor, releasing a large amount of heat which is then used to boil water and produce steam that turns a turbine to generate electricity

passive solar energy collection

the use of building design and materials to harness solar energy for heating and cooling without active mechanical systems. It involves maximizing natural light, heat gain, and ventilation through the strategic placement of windows, walls, and insulation.

active solar energy collection

involves the use of mechanical systems to capture and convert solar energy into usable heat or electricity. This typically includes solar panels, pumps, and fans that actively circulate fluids or air to transfer heat or store energy.

bioenergy

renewable energy which can be converted into usable energy forms, including biofuels, heat, and electricity through processes like combustion, fermentation, and anaerobic digestion.

biomass

organic material, such as plant and animal matter, that can be used as a renewable energy source. It includes materials like wood, agricultural crops, and waste, which can be converted into biofuels, heat, or electricity through various processes

bio power

form of renewable energy generated from biomass, specifically through the combustion of organic materials or the conversion of biological processes into heat or electricity. It utilizes materials like wood, agricultural residues, and other biological waste to produce energy.

biofuels

renewable energy sources derived from organic materials, such as plants and animal waste, that can be converted into usable fuels, including ethanol, biodiesel, and biogas. They are produced through processes like fermentation, chemical reactions, and anaerobic digestion, and are used as alternatives to fossil fuels for transportation and bioenergy production.

corn ethanol

biofuel produced from corn (maize) through fermentation. It is commonly used as a renewable fuel additive in gasoline to reduce emissions and enhance fuel octane. Corn ethanol helps to lessen dependence on fossil fuels and can be utilized in flex-fuel vehicles.

Hydroelectric energy

renewable energy generated from the movement of water, typically by harnessing the flow of rivers or streams to turn turbines that generate electricity. It relies on water cycles and is a significant source of clean, sustainable power. Highest EROI of all renewables, supplies <10% US electricity.

Wind energy

the process of converting wind into usable forms of energy, primarily electricity, through the use of wind turbines. As wind moves across the blades of a turbine, it causes them to spin, which turns a generator to produce electricity. Wind energy is a clean and renewable power source that contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Why do experts consider corn ethanol unsustainable?

Habitat loss, erosion, fertilizers/pesticides, fossil fuel use, raises price of corn and other foods, worst EROI of any major energy source

transgenic crops

plants that have been genetically modified to contain DNA from a different species. This genetic engineering technique is used to introduce new traits such as increased resistance to pests, herbicides, or environmental conditions, and can enhance crop yield or nutritional value.

demographic transition

the model that describes the transition of a society from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as it develops economically. This model typically consists of four or five stages, which include pre-transition (high birth and death rates), transition (declining death rates followed by declining birth rates), and post-transition (low birth and death rates).

How many mass extinctions have occurred?

5

What is the current mass extinction and it’s causes?

often referred to as the sixth mass extinction, is characterized by the rapid loss of biodiversity and high species extinction rates. Main causes include habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, overexploitation of resources, and the introduction of invasive species. Human activities like urbanization, deforestation, and industrialization, contribute as well.