Enviornmental

Renewable energy

Energy from sources that
are constantly being formed

Passive solar heating

The use of sunlight to
heat buildings directly.

Active solar heating-

The gathering of solar
energy by collectors that are used to heat
water or heat a building

Biomass fuel-

Plant material, manure, or any
other organic matter that is used as an energy
source.

Hydroelectric energy-

Electrical energy
produced by the flow of water

Geothermal energy-

The energy produced by
heat within Earth

Alternative energy-

Energy that does not
come from fossil fuels and is still in
development.

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC)-

The use of temperature differences in ocean
water to produce electricity

Fuel cell-

A device that produces electricity
chemically by combining hydrogen fuel with
oxygen from the air.

Energy efficiency-

The percentage of energy
put into a system that does useful work

Energy conservation-

The process of saving
energy by reducing energy use and waste.

Solid waste-

A discarded solid material, such
as garbage, refuse, or sludges

Biodegradable-

A material that can be
broken down by biological processes.

Municipal solid waste-

Waste produced by
households and businesses

Landfill

An area of land or an excavation
where wastes are placed for permanent
disposal

Leachate

A liquid that has passed through
solid waste and has extracted dissolved or
suspended materials from that waste, such as
pesticides in the soil.

Source reduction-

Any change in the design,
manufacture, purchase, or use of materials or
products to reduce their amount or toxicity
before they become municipal solid waste

Recycling

he process of recovering valuable
or useful materials from waste or scrap; the
process of reusing some items

Compost

A mixture of decomposing organic
matter, such as manure and rotting plants,
that is used as fertilizer and soil conditioner.

Hazardous waste-

Wastes that are a risk to
the health of humans or other living
organisms

Deep-well injection-

Deep-well disposal of
hazardous waste.

Surface impoundment-

Surface impoundment- A natural depression
or a human-made excavation that serves as a
disposal facility that holds an accumulation of
wastes.

Renewable energy is energy from sources that do what?

Are constantly
being formed

Air pollution, soil erosion, and habitat loss are disadvantages to what
renewable energy source?

Biomass fuel (wood)

How is biomass fuel currently being used?

Ethanol from fermenting corn is
added to gasoline, dung-fired power stations produce electricity, and biogas
digesters ferment manure (or rotting foods) and produce methane

How does a geothermal power plant generate electricity?

It takes deposits
of water that is heated in the Earth and uses it to turn turbines.

What is a major source of biomass fuel in developing countries?

Wood

What is the percentage of energy put into a system that does useful work
cWhat is the percentage of energy put into a system that does useful work
called?alled?

Energy efficiency

How do geothermal heat pumps heat homes?

It circulates fluid (water)
underground to absorb heat from Earth

What is a disadvantage of wind energy?

It is difficult to transport the energy
from its source to where it is needed

How does a hybrid car work?

It uses an efficient gasoline engine and an
electric motor

Why is it better to wash clothes with cold water instead of warm water?

It
uses much less energy

What are the most energy-efficient vehicles available today?

hybrid cars

What is a disadvantage of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion?

inefficient plants

What is biomass being used for in developing countries?

heating and cooking

What has changed in wind energy?

Cost effective wind turbines

Why would hydrogen be used as a fuel source?

It is abundant
(from water), it is used in fuel cells, and can be burned as fuel.

What produces the most solid waste?

Manufacturing

Which items make up the largest percentage of waste produced by
households and businesses?

paper products

What is the most helpful things consumers can do to make sure that more
materials are recycled?

Buy recycled products

What are some problems with modern landfills?

Chemicals leak out of waste
and pollute groundwater, explosive gases (methane) build up in the
basements of nearby buildings, we are running out of land for landfills.

What percentage of energy to make aluminum cans from ore is needed to
make recycled cans?

5%

Why is composting useful?

It can reduce the amount of waste that is sent to
landfills.

What is the difference in biodegradable plastics?

They usually break down
into smaller pieces of plastic, plastic that contains sugars can be broken
down by soil bacteria, some plastics are designed to deteriorate when
exposed to sunlight

What can be done with the methane found in landfills?

It can be captured
and stored to produce energy

What happens to recycled materials?

They are collected, cleaned and
processed.

What is the main problem with biodegradable plastics?

Only the organic
portion actually decomposes (small pieces of plastic are still left)

What does biodegradable mean?

It can be broken down by biological
processes

What are some problems with landfills?

They produce methane gas and can
leak hazardous materials (leachate).

What is the percentage of waste that is recycled since 1970?

It has
increased from 6.6% to 28%

What are some benefits of recycling material?

Energy and resources are
saved during manufacturing