Environmental Exam 2

Refuse

says the resources used to make that product for later

Reduce

buy durable things so you do not have to rebuy it

Reuse

use a product more than once

Recycle

Return items for reprocessing into new products

Composting

Allowing water to biologically decompose in the presence of ocygen and water, producing a soil like mulch

Communicable disease

a disease that can spread from one person to another, get it from someone else

Non Communicable disease

an illness that is not transmissible between people, environment and genetics play a big role into this

Pathogen

An infectious agent that causes illness or disease

Zoonotic Disease

an infectious disease of animals that can be transmitted to humans, humans can get the diseases

Vector

An agent that transmits a pathogen to an organism is how you get the disease

Zoonotic Disease

Lyme Disease; vector is the tick; humans are inadvertent host

Wastewater treatment

the process of removing contaminants from wastewater to make it safe enough to release into the environment

Effluent

wastewater discharged into the environment

Low Tech Wastewater

Used and contaminated water that is released after use by households, business, industry, or agriculture

alternatives to traditional wastewater Treatment

Arcata, California, sewage treatment resembles a natural ecosystem; land is converted into a wetlnad ecosystem that is permanetly or seasonally flooded

What technologies can address Water scarcity

it can be addressed by storing water (using dams or underground storage) and using solutions like purified wastewater

Dams

Structures that block the flow of water in a river or stream

Pros of Dams

Dependable water source, electricity generation, flood control, recreation

Cons of Dams

Habitat destruction, Water loss from evaporation, Water Wars, more water is lost to evaporation than to agricultural and household needs

Water loss from evaporation

Larger surface area soaks up all the sun which causes evaporation

Reservoirs

artificial lakes formed when a river is impounded by a dam; store freshwater fro a variety of uses

Desalination

the removal of salt and minerals from seawater to make it suitable for consumption

Pros of Desalination

Ample supply

Cons of Desalination

Expensive, energy-intensive process, and toxic wastewater

3 extra cleansing steps to make water safe enough for humans

Microfiltration, Reverse osmosis, Treated with UV light (Causes the bad stuff dna to break apart and die

Addressing Water shortages with conservation

The easiest and least expensive way to maintain water supplies is to use less water

Case Study: where did the oxygen go

In 1974, Eugene Turner, a biologist confirmed what other researchers were reporting: a extremely low oxygen levels (hypoxia) in the gulf coast

The cause of the hypoxia in the gulf coast

it is unknown, but turner hypothesized it might have something to do with nearby oil rigs

where can water pollution come from

may come from readily identifiable sources such as discharged pipes or from more dispersed sources such as stormwater runoff or atmospheric fall outs

Water pollution

the addition of any substance to a body of water that might degrade the quality

Stormwater runoff

water from preciptiation that flows over the surface of the land

Point source pollution

pollution from wastewater treatment plants of industrial sites, such as the discharge pipes or smokestacks (easily identified and remedied)

Effluent

wastewater discharged into the environment

Non point source pollution

runoff that enter the water after flowing over the surface of land; source not easily identified; includes sediment pollution

Sediment pollution

silt, sand, and clay; excessive amount can cloud the water, disrupting photosynthesis, can harm organisms directly clogging gills, can smooth out the nooks and crannies of sea and river bottom that are needed for habitat spawning areas

What are the causes and consequences of eutrophication

The influx of excess nutrients into a body of water may spur algae growth adn bacterial population explosions, which ultimately result in hypoxia sever enough to harm aquatic life

Dissolved oxygen

the amount of oxygen in the water

Hypoxia

a situation in which a body of water contains inadequate levels of oxygen, compromising the health of many aquatic organisms

Dead zones

areas depleted of oxygen

Eutrophication

a process by which excess nutrients in aquatic ecosystems feed biological productivity, ultimately lowering the oxygen content in the water

Causes of lower Oxygen

Nitrogen and phosphorus from runoff enter the water and trigger explosion of algae growth 

Causes of lower Oxygen

Algal growth blocks sunlight from reaching underwater plants, blocking photosynthesis 

Causes of lower Oxygen

Oxygen levels fall as underwater photosynthesis declines

Causes of lower Oxygen

Plants at the bottom of the water

Causes of lower Oxygen

Turbidity of the water increases as roots can no longer secure the river or seabed in shallow areas

Hypoxic Waters are an environmental and economic concern

The national oceanic and atmospheric administration estimates that the gulf of mexico dead zone costs million of dollars in lost revenue to the seafood and tourism industries each year 

What is Watershed and how does it affect the quality of surface water and groundwater?

All the land area over which water could potentially flow and empty into a body of water is that water body’s watershed. Runoff can pick up pollutants in the watershed and deliver them to the water body. Land uses that decreases runoff and increase infiltration protect surface waters and help to recharge aquifers 

Watershed

the land area surrounding a body of water over which water such as rain can flow and potentially enter that body of water 

What role does watershed protection play in preventing water pollution

Good watershed management can reduce nonpoint source pollution. For example, well-vegetated riparian areas reduce runoff and act as nutrient sinks  

Watershed

the land area surrounding a body of water over which water such as rain can flow and potentially enter that body of water

What role does watershed protection play in preventing water pollution

it can reduce non point source pollution

watershed management

management of what goes on in an area around streams and rivers; necessary for addressing nonpoint source pollution

total maximum daily loads

the maximum amount of a pollutant allowed to enter a water body so that the water body will meet water quality standards

wetlands

important ecosystems for protecting water quality and quantity

Wetlands are also recharge areas

Rain that falls on wetlands infiltrates into soil and then into the groundwater below; conversely, rain that falls on asphalt often run into storm drains, followed by rivers and directly into the ocean bringing nutrients and pollutants with it

The value of wetlands

wetlands are an example of an ecosystem that provides ecosystem services;

Ecosystem services

the many and varied benefits to humans provided by the natural environment and from healthy ecosystem

Wetland services

Recreation, nutrient regulation, soil and sediment regulation, disturbances and natural hazard regulation, cultural values, water supply, food production, habitat and biodiversity

Riparian Area

the land areas close enough to a body of water to be affected by the water’s presence (areas where water-tolerant plants like to grow) and that affect the water itself (provide shade)

Healthy Riparian Areas provide many benefits

the plants can pick up nutrients as the water goes into the stream, slows the groundwater runoff, prevent erosion, shade cools the water which can hold more oxygen in the water, nutrients that fall of the trees can become nutrient sources for the aquatic life in the river

zone 1

undistrubed forest. ideally native species

zone 2

Managed forest, removal of SOME vegetation increases plant regrowth rates and maximizes nutrient uptake

zone 3

light agricultural use (minimal chemical use)

Adjacent upland areas:

other uses; such as agricultural, residential, or industrial projects, can be allowed but only with careful handling of toxic chemicals and fertilizer

How can nonpoint source water pollution be reduced

can be accomplished by minimizing the use of chemical on lawns and farms and be redirecting or capturing storm water

Reducing runoff pollution

Agricultural best management practices reduce runoff pollution; controlled drainage systems; plating winter crops, plating trees as windbreaks; use permeable pavers to allow water to soak into the ground (urban areas)

The clean water act of 1972

Important legislation in the US, it regulated pollution in water bodies, led to water quality standards that were enforceable, prior to this, industrial waste and raw human sewage was routinely dumped

Implementation of the clean water act

Pollution standards, permits issued to limit polluted industrial discharge, best management practices recommended for nonpoint source pollution

Enforcement of the clean water act

penalties: fines, revoked permits, incarnation

Effectiveness of the clean water act

good control of point source pollution, less affection for nonpoint source pollution

Holistic strategies to protect restore aquatic habitats

addressing \hypoxia in the gulf of Mexico requires a holistic approach that considers all the causes and consequences of the problem in a plan that addresses the triple bottom line (environmental needs, social impacts, economic realities)

Lithium

the lightest metal on earth; used in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries

Mineral

a natural occurring chemical compound that exists as a solid a predictable, three dimensional repeating structure

Metal

a malleable substance that can conduct electricity; usually found in nature as part of a mineral compound

Ore mineral/ ore

a rock deposit that contains economically valuable amounts of metal bearing minerals

Rock

a solid aggregate of one or more minerals that occurs in a variety of configurations

Demand for minerals is increasing

Per capita use in the U.S. is greater than 40,000 pounds

Mineral resources are a part of everyday lives

aluminum can, concrete walls (crushed stone and sand), Glass window (silica, lithium, boron), etc

Consequences of Mineral mining: the demand for all types of mineral resources is rising due to

Population increase, rising standards of living, technological advancces

rising demand for all type of mineral resources does not come without consequences

air and water pollution, health hazards, human right violations

What geological processes affect Earth’s outer layer

Strong geological forces, such as those that power plate tectonics, slowly but constantly reshape Earth’s surface and interior.

Lithosphere

the rigid outer layer of earth; made up of the crust and the hard uppermost layer of mantle; Crust is made up of a thin layer of rock (Contains valuable mineral deposits and fossil fuels)

Tectonic plates

rigid pieces of Earth’s lithosphere that move above the asthenosphere; Move slowly (0.5-6 inches a year)

Divergent plate boundary

a place where tectonic plates are moving away from each other

Convergent plate boundary

 a place where tectonic plates are moving toward each other 

Subduct

the movement of one tectonic plate below another at a convergent plate boundary; causes volcanic activity

Transform plate boundary

 a place where two tectonic plates slide side to side 

Earthquake

sudden shaking of the ground caused by movement of tectonic plates at a plate boundary or an intraplate fault as well as volcanic activity

volcano

an opening through which lava, gases, and other material escape from beneath Earth crust often accumulating to form a mountain or hill 

Landslide

the sudden movement of unstable rock or soil material down a slope due to the force of gravity, often triggered by heavy rain or an earthquake

Tsunami

a series of high, long, fast- moving water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of water by an underwater earthquake, landslide, or volcanic eruption

Weathering

the breakdown of rock by physical or chemical forces

Erosions

 the movement of broken- down rock, soil, and other materials from one location to another

Rock cycle

the process in which rock is constantly made and destroyed

Both internal and external forces influence Earth geology

Igneous rock

rock that forms when molten rock cools and solidifies; Comprised of silicate compounds; Can be intrusive (pegmatite, which contains lithium) or extrusive

Sedimentary rocks

 rock that forms when fragments of mineral or biological origin are deposited, accumulate, and are compacted and cemented; Often contain fossils and fossil fuel deposits

Sediments

 fragments of mineral, rock, or organic material 

Metamorphic rocks

rock that forms when existing rock in Earth’s crust is transformed by high heat and pressure; This process forms distinctive combinations of minerals under different conditions

Mining

the extraction of natural resources form the ground

Subsurface mines

sites where tunnels are used to access underground fossil fuel or mineral resources; gold, diamonds, coal