Geograohy Unit 3# - Sustainability

Climate change

The natural and slowly occuring change in climate

Global warming

The rapid heating of the earth due to humans behavior

Two doctors of climate change

Historical records and scientific observation

Historical Records

Using ancient text and scientific data to tell the climate was changing. climate was the same for 10,000 years and 1860 the earth started heating up

Scientific Observation

When you observe certain things you can tell the climate was changing.

Tree rings-match to climate of the year it grew

Muck Memory- Ancient pollen found in ocean sediments, era of plants

The Greenhouse Gas Effect

Sun lights warms the earth and the earth reflects some heat back into space. Some is trapped by the gases in our atmosphere creating a blanket in our atmosphere. The trapped energy heats up the atmosphere.

What are the for main gases that contribute to the Greenhouse Gas Effects

Carbon dioxide, Water Vapour, Methane, and Nitrous Oxide

Carbon Dioxide

Caused by volcanic eruptions, Forrest fires, burning fossil fuels and deforestation

Water Vapour

evaporated water in all forms

Methane

Released through wetlands, melting, livestock manure, coal mining and landfill sites

Nitrous Oxide

Released through soil and water, nitrogen-based fertilizers, burning of fossil fuels and and wood

What role does Humans play in the Greenhouse Gas effect

Some human activities release greenhouse gases causing our earth warm up

Impact of global warming

Acid precipitation - factories release chemicals into the atmosphere that mix with rain, snow and fog

Forrest Fires - More hot, drier conditions with less rain allows fires to start

Pests/insects - Drier temperatures lead to more insects causing more trees to be destroyed

Sustainability

Lifestyle that attempts to reduce ones consumption of natural resources

Ecological footprint

How many resources are needed to support you for one year measured in hectares. .

Carbon footprint

The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly to support human acitvities

Biodiversity

The variety of life on Earth

Earth Over Shoot Day

The date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources in a given year exceeds what earth can regenerate in a year

Paris Climate Action Plan

Signed in 2016 by 196 countries to keep tempature rise below 2 degrees and cut emissions by 50%

Smart Growth

Government policy designed to help make communities more sustainable and to help natural environment.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

A set of 17 goals aiming to address global problems to attain sustainability by 2030

Weather & Temperature

Heat waves, severe drought, and sea levels rise

Vegetation

Loss of ecosystems, Bad soil due to extreme heat, livestock is harder to raise,

Human beings

Inflation and more bug diseases like malaria.

Global communities

developing countries suffer the most and recovery from extreme weather