Socials Unit 5 Review

Renewable resources

those resources that can be replenished. Examples include biomass (i.e. trees, crops) and flow resources such as wind, sunlight and running water. 

Non-renewable resources

are those resources that once used, cannot be replaced. Examples include coal, oil and steel. 

Biotic resources

derived from living organisms such as lumber, crops, livestock and fish. Mineral fuels, such as oil and coal, which are composed of decayed living matter, are also considered

Abiotic resources

comprised of non-living materials. Examples include minerals (i.e. aluminum, gold, copper), water, wind and sunlight.

Energy mix

refers to the sources used to produce energy in a geographical area

Changing sources of energy

Over the course of history, humans have used a variety of resources to produce energy, from traditional biomass (i.e. wood) to green energy such as wind and solar power

Global land use

• 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by ocean

• Only 29% of the Earth’s surface is land and only 71% of this is habitable land, meaning that about 21% of the Earth’s surface is habitable

Land degradation

the deterioration or loss of the productive capacity of the soils, can be caused by unsustainable farming practices

Erosion

 is the removal of nutrient-rich topsoil by wind or water action. This loss of soil can be looked at as being unsustainable since the soil cannot be replaced by soil-forming processes.

Chemical deterioration

is the loss of nutrients as a result of human intervention. A major form is a result of agriculture through salinization or a build up of salts in soils due to intensive irrigation (watering). Salt concentrations can build to the point where vegetation will not grow.

Physical deterioration

the degradation of land caused by compaction, waterlogging, or subsidence (sinking of the ground because of underground material movement)

Desertification

the degradation of land through human activities such as agriculture that reduce soil productivity to the point where land resembles a desert.

Deforestation

When land is cleared for timber or, more usually, for agricultural use, the soil is exposed to erosion. This is particularly damaging in tropical areas with higher annual precipitation. 

Urban sprawl

When expanding towns and cities take over more land that had been used as farmland as well as wildlife habitat.

Food security

the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.

Chronic hunger

undernourishment that lasts at least one year where people are unable to consume enough food to maintain a healthy weight and continue necessary physical activity.

Water use/security

defined by the United Nations as the capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability. 

Climate change

describes the current rise in the average temperature of Earth’s air and oceans

Drought

a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water.

Dams

allow for the regulation of water flow to specific areas and, as such, can be highly effective in the reduction of flooding or in expanding potential arable land.

Aquifer

 is a body of porous rock or sediment saturated with groundwater which can readily transmit water to wells and springs

Conventional energy sources

the primary sources of energy that have been used increasingly in the last 200 years and include coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear energy, and hydroelectricity. 

Alternative energy sources

are sources of energy that often involves more environmentally friendly or green sources. Examples of alternative energy sources include solar energy, biofuels, geothermal energy, wind power, and tidal power. 

Anthropogenic climate change

Climate change that's caused by human activities

Carbon dioxide

 the most important greenhouse gas, emissions have increased dramatically since the Industrial Revolution

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

These gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide, and fluorinated gases . these were a leading cause to the hole in the ozone layer

Montreal Protocol

banned CFC’s, was the first time in history that every country on Earth agreed to a policy.  

The hole in the ozone layer

scientist warned people that this would be completely destroyed by 2050 because of humanity, without this ecosystems would collapse, skin cancer rates would sky rocket, and life as we know it would not exist but the world came together and today it is healing. powerful but fragile

The greenhouse effect

occurs when greenhouse gases let the sun’s light shine onto Earth’s surface, but they trap the heat that reflects back up into the atmosphere.

Global warming

Human activities add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, trapping more heat than usual

Climate conference

an annual international meeting where countries negotiate and agree on actions to address climate change, limit emissions, and halt global warming

Kyoto Accord

happened in 1997

Limiting greenhouse gases

Transitioning to green energy

Paris Agreement

happened in 2015

Limit global warming to 1.5॰C above pre-industrial levels

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 

Carbon pricing

refers to initiatives designed to incentivize reductions in greenhouse gas emissions

Cap-and-trade system

governments set a maximum level (cap) for greenhouse gas emissions. Companies must ensure that their emissions stay below this maximum. Companies may sell any unused emissions amounts to companies whose emissions exceed the maximum. 

Carbon tax

Governments can charge this on each tonne of greenhouse gas emissions. The amount should be high enough to encourage people to conserve and reduce production, thereby reducing emissions.

Conservation status

a designation that indicates the risk of extinction faced by a species or ecosystem