Sustainability

Sustainability

%%Sustainability%%: conservation of balance in the world’s ecology indefinitely

%%Sustainable activity%%: an activity that is not harmful to the environment

%%Sustainable development%%: a development that satisfies the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

  • Sustainability means that the Earth will continue to provide fresh air
  • Maintain a good quality of life future generation
  • Avoid damage to the environment and maintain resources so they don’t run out

Pillars of sustainability

Economic pillar
  • Planning economic development   * Developing agri industry
  • Developing facilities   * Avoid transportation over large distances
Environmental pillar
  • Addressing climate change
  • Protection of biodiversity
  • Protection of resources
Social pillar
  • Laws   * Better training and education in relation to sustainable lifestyle

Sustainability and population growth

  • Most increase occurring inn developing countries
  • Puts pressure on land and raw materials
  • Increase of consumption of natural resources

Fossil fuels

Fuel: any substance that burns oxygen to create heat

  • Fuels are burned to perform tasks

  • Heat

  • Cook food

  • Fuel cars

Fossil fuels: fuels that were formed from the remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago

  • Most common fossil fuels => coal, oil, natural gas
  • Consists of Hydrocarbons
Hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbons: compounds consisting of hydrogen and carbon only

  • When burned CO2 and water are formed
  • Fossil fuel + oxygen => carbon dioxide + water
Greenhouse effect and greenhouse gases

Greenhouse gases: gases in the earth's atmosphere that trap heat

Greenhouse effect: heat is trapped close to Earth's surface by greenhouse gases

  • Life could not exist without greenhouse gases
  • Global warming => enhanced greenhouse effect => negative
Biofuels

Biofuels: Fuels that are made from plants

  • Sunflower oil
  • Rapeseed oil

Materials

Crude oil

  • Extracted from the ground

  • Refined crude oil makes:   * Petrol   * Diesel

  • Crude oil is heated by fractional distillation

Coal
  • Dug from mineshafts
  • Used for heating
  • Burned in power stations => electricity
Natural gas
  • Found deep underground usually under the sea
Metal ores
  • Extracted from ores underground and rocks in quarries
  • Iron ore => steel
  • Copper ore => copper   * Used in electronics
Timber
  • Trees
  • Used to build homes + furniture
  • Forests have to start becoming sustainable => more trees cut down than regrown
  • Why sustainable forestry is good   * Keeps soil erosion to a minimum   * Protected species and habitats protected

Pollutants

Sewage
  • Raw sewage => contains human waste
  • Microorganisms in raw sewage can cause diseases
Fertilisers
  • When fertilisers leak into rivers => algal blooms => upsets natural environmenmt
Toxic substances
  • Batteries => mercury + cadium
  • Must be disposed of properly
Air pollution
  • Air pollution comes from fossil fuels
  • Causes acid rain
Landfill
  • Rubbish + waste

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