*Umich Environ 201- Benedict Midterm Lectures 7-10

acid drainage

chemical runoff from strip mining enters waterways; sulfuric acid leaches metals from rocks

mountain top removal

a mining technique in which the entire top of a mountain is removed with explosives

mercury

a toxic element that causes problems (in humans from eating contaminated fish); toxic chemicals; air pollution created from coal energy

nitrogen oxides

smog chemicals; air pollution created from coal energy

sulfur dioxide

acid rain chemicals; air pollution created from coal energy

carbon dioxide

greenhouse gases; air pollution created from coal energy

hydraulic fracturing

one method of obtaining natural gas; water, sand, and chemicals are pumped into rock at high pressures, rock is fractured, sand keeps rock open, gas/oil is released

methane

(natural gas) fossil fuel co-produced with natural gas; cleaner burning but traditionally more expensive than coal

shale gas

Natural gas occurring within or extracted from shale.

coal

a combustible black or dark brown rock consisting mainly of carbonized plant matter, found mainly in underground deposits and widely used as fuel.

Another excellent quote to think about, this time from Margaret Mead, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."

:)

How much of our energy generated within the US is produced from fossil fuels? What about Michigan?

About 30% of US energy comes from coal, but it is declining

In Michigan about 50% comes from burning coal which is also declining

Which fossil fuel is not a common fuel source for electrical energy in the world? Why?

• Oil; world price is too high/not accessible world-wide?

What are vampire electronics and why are they of concern?

Many appliances are never really switched off, even when not in use

- microwaves use more energy powering clocks than heating food

- 5% of US electricity consumption

How does electricity generation work in a coal power plant?

1. burn fuel to heat water

2. create steam

3. steam turn turbine

4. turbine induces magnetic field, producing an electric current

Explain how coal and other fossil fuels are formed. Why is coal used so commonly for electricity generation in the world?

• Coal and other fossil fuels are formed from organisms that lived 100-500 million years ago when organic matter is decomposed by microbes under accumulating sediments to form kerogen, which, with heat and pressure, turns into coal (ancient swamp) or natural gas/crude oil (ancient ocean).

• Used because:

-Common natural resource

-Formed from underground pressure

-cheap

Is coal all the same quality? How do they differ?

If coal has high sulfer (S) content, sulfer dioxide will be released when burned

aka

acid rain & respitory issues

What are some environmental and human health impacts of mining coal?

• human health, worker safety (Black lung→ respiratory issues)

• acid drainage: chemical runoff (sulfuric acid to leach metal from rocks) from strip mining that drains into waterways

• mountain top removal that dramatically changes landscape; mining waste is smoothed out as it is dumped into

valleys and vegetation has a hard time growing on the infertile and highly acidic soil

What is coal ash and why is it a danger to the environment and human health?

•Ash is what comes out after coal is burned, it has to be buried which is bad for the environment and it is bad to ingest

• after coal is burned for electricity, coal ash (fly ash) is generated and stored in waste lagoons, containing toxins and heavy metals

• the coal ask slurry held in waste lagoons can spill and contaminate the surface water, ground water, and soil of local communities

• Kingston, TN in 2008 (Tennessee Valley Water Authority) 7-year clean-up project that would cost $1.1-1.2 billion.

What are some materials produced by burning coal that contribute to air pollution?

• toxic chemicals (mercury, metals),

-smog chemicals (nitrogen oxides),

-acid rain chemicals (sulfur dioxide),

-greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide)

Compare & contrast coal, nuclear, & hydraulic fracturing

Nuclear power:

-No air pollution

-Accidents (while extremely rare) have huge potential human health implications

Coal power:

-Major air pollution, causing human health risks and environmental damage

-Known deaths every year from mining, air pollution

-Major emitter of greenhouse gases

Hydraulic fracturing:

-Cleaner burning, but traditionally more expensive than coal

Climate

the long-term average of the weather over a number of years, shaped by global forces that influence the energy balance in the atmosphere

weather

the short-term state of the atmosphere!!!! including temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, and visibility, in a given area at a certain time

Milankovitch cycles

natural fluctuations of the Earth relative to the Sun that create variations in climate; axial wobble, variation of tilt, variation of orbit.

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; scientific body under the United Nations that engages in the global scientific community, voluntary contributions to research, achieving scientific consensus.

ozone

protective layer in the atmosphere that blocks out harmful UV from the earth's surface

albedo effect

the positive feedback loop in which an increase in the Earth's temperature causes ice to melt so more radiation is absorbed by the Earth's surface leading to further increases in temperature.

greenhouse gases

Gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat near the surface

What is the main difference between climate and weather?

Climate: over time! overall type of weather In an area

Weather: day-to-day

Why is climate such a complex system?

Includes both positive and negative feedback loops

Has natural cycles (el Niño, la Nina, ice ages) and normal variations (droughts, hurricanes, warm/cool years)

4 major greenhouse gases

1. Carbon Dioxide (co2)

2. Methane (CH4)

3. Nitrous oxide (N2O)

4. Water vapor (h2o)

Know the general carbon combustion equation which explains where CO2 is being generated.

CxHy + O2 → CO2 + H2O + heat

What are some trends in the global production of GHGs and what about the US?

Exponentially growing

Earth is getting warmer

What was atmospheric CO2 at pre-industrial levels and what is it at today (within 10 ppm).

Pre-industrial: 280ppm

Today: around 420ppm

What is the general theory of climate change?

Humans have emitted large quantities of CO2 and other greenhouse gases

This has increased atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations which is increasing the average global temperature

Global temperature will continue to rise as we emit more CO2

What are the three natural fluctuations of the Earth relative to the Sun that create variations in climate? AKA the three parts of the Milankovitch cycles.

1. axial wobble(axial precession)

2. variation of tilt (obliquity)

3. variation of orbit (eccentricity)

What does the ozone do? Do the greenhouse gasses CO2 and CH4 deplete the ozone?

• ozone: protective layer in the atmosphere that blocks out harmful UV from the earth's surface

• CO2 and CH4 DO NOT deplete the ozone themselves BUT they do contribute to changes in global atmospheric circulation,

which enhances the chemical destruction of stratospheric ozone; additionally, greenhouse gases increase average global temperature, increasing the need for air conditioning and refrigeration and the use of CFCs and HCFCs that directly deplete the ozone.

What about CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) found in old refrigerators?

CFCs and halons cause chemical reactions that break down ozone molecules, reducing ozone's ultraviolet radiation-absorbing capacity

What is the IPCC and what do they do? What is their main goal?

• IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; scientific body under the United Nations that engages in the global

scientific community, voluntary contributions to research

• goal: achieving scientific consensus on climate change

What are at least three effects of climate change that we are seeing right now?

Increasing temperatures

Rising sea levels

Longer growing seasons

Increase in droughts, floods, fires, hurricanes

What percentage of the human population lives in costal areas that will be affected by an increase in sea level change?

Nearly 50%

How will Polar Bears, coral reefs, and small shelled creatures be impacted?

-Ice melting in the north pole will affect polar bears

-pH levels change in coral reefs, causing them to die

-both experience habitat loss

How does an increase of CO2 lead to acidified oceans? What does this do to creatures with shells/exoskeletons like coral and shellfish? (you don't need to know every chemical reaction, just the general idea of how CO2 decreases ocean pH).

• CO2 decreases ocean pH (more acidic) when atmospheric CO2 dissolves into the ocean and combines with H2O to produce

carbonic acid (H2CO3)

How will Michigan's forests be impacted?

**????come back

What about Michigan's climate in general over the next century?

**????come back

mitigation

method that focuses on limiting greenhouse gas emissions to moderate global climate change

adaptation

method that focuses on learning to live with the environmental changes and societal consequences brought about by global climate change

climate refugees

species that are forced to leave their natural habitat due to climate change

carbon sequestration

capturing and storing carbon and/or replanting and managing forests in order to mitigate the effect of greenhouse gases on climate change

the climate gap

disproportion between wealthy and impoverished in terms of who chooses to mitigate and who must adapt

What are three examples of mitigation and adaptation strategies that we will need to adopt as a result of climate change (here my only suggestion is to make sure the examples you think of are clearly one or the other).

1. (mitigation) consume fewer fossil fuels: alternatives, increase efficiencies, behavioral changes

2. (mitigation) sequester carbon: carbon capture and storage, replant/manage forests

3. (adaptation) sea level: dikes and sea walls, pumping/draining systems, move inland

4. (adaptation) agriculture: drought resistant crops, irrigation systems

5. (adaptation) species loss: assist efforts where possible, some species will not adapt

Using the "bathtub" analogy, explain why emissions of carbon need to increase, decrease, or stay the same to achieve climate stability

• We have already emitted enough CO2 that even if we stopped today, we would still face changes from climate change. The

"drains" of CO2 are mostly natural systems and are very slow. To achieve climate stability we would have to decrease

emissions of carbon.

What are two ways CO2 is naturally taken out of the Earth's atmosphere?

• plants and soil (about a third each year)

• ocean surface water (about a quarter each year)

Whawhane-way coal power plants are limiting their CO2 output into the environment?

Carbon sequestering (Pumping CO2 into caverns in the ground (storing carbon))

What are Direct Air Capture systems?

What is Carbon Capture and Utilization Concrete? What do they do and how (generally) do they work?

DAC systems remove CO2 from the air and store it.

CCU take Co2 from powerplants and convert to limestone to create "portlandite" or Portland cement. this has the potential to recude footprint by 50%. (this 'drains the bathtub faster')

How will people living at sea level need to adapt to rising sea levels?

Build more and higher sea walls

Move inland

Better pumping and drainage systems

How will agriculture need to adapt?

Make more drought resistant crops

Plan for more irrigation

What is the "climate gap"?

the climate gap: disproportion between wealthy and impoverished in terms of who chooses to mitigate and who must adapt

Why is mitigation more difficult to fund compared to adaptation efforts? Which is more costly and why?

Mitigation is harder to fund because it requires massive, upfront capital for long-term, often abstract global benefits, whereas adaptation offers immediate, local, and tangible protection. Adaptation is generally more costly over the long term because it requires continuous, tailored investments against escalating climate damages.