The Environment

The Environment. Earth Science, Week 6. Green fern.

The Industrial Revolution will often be discussed in conjunction with changes to Earth’s environment. It began in the 18th century, when agricultural societies became more industrialized and urban. The transcontinental railroad, the cotton gin, electricity and other inventions permanently changed the way humans worked and lived. With more disposable income and less time spent in toiling labor, the human population began to grow. As the population has grown, natural resources are under pressure. A great deal of resources, such as food, land, freshwater, trees, etc. are being used at rates faster than they can be replenished. From 1880, the Earth's average surface temperature has risen by 1.9° F every decade. The rate of temperature change has grown significantly more dramatic over time—more than doubling since 1981. By the end of the twentieth century, the world was completely dependent on and rapidly depleting the planet's fossil fuels..

Abstract orange folded plastic. 3. Natural processes, such as changes in the sun's energy and volcanic eruptions, also affect the earth's climate. Burning fossil fuels changes the climate more than any other human activity . These fuels are found in the Earth's crust and contain carbon and hydrogen, which can be burned for energy. Coal, oil, and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels. Greenhouse Gases : gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat. They let sunlight pass through the atmosphere, but they prevent the heat that the sunlight brings from leaving the atmosphere. Since the Industrial Revolution, human activities have released large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which has changed the earth’s climate. Human activities currently release over 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. Methane concentrations during most of the 20th century increased to more than 2.5 times the pre-industrial level. Nitrous oxide concentrations have risen approximately 20 percent since the start of the Industrial Revolution, with a relatively rapid increase toward the end of the 20th century..

Human-induced warming of the Earth system. Climate change can refer to natural or human-induced change. The two terms are often used interchangeably. Human activities since at least the beginning of the Industrial Revolution have a growing influence over the pace and extent of present-day climate change. Many climate scientists agree that significant societal, economic, and ecological damage would result if the global average temperature rose by more than 3.6 °F. Warmer temperatures over time are changing weather patterns and disrupting the usual balance of nature . This poses many risks to human beings and all other forms of life on Earth. Such damage would include increased extinction of many plant and animal species, shifts in patterns of agriculture, and rising sea levels..

Air Pollution. 5. We release a variety of chemicals into the atmosphere when we burn the fossil fuels we use every day. We breathe air to live and what we breathe has a direct impact on our health. Air pollution is the cause of 8.9 million deaths globally every year. The UN has called air pollution the world’s worst environmental health risk . Air pollution is also the world’s 4th most lethal killer (following malnutrition, unsafe sex, and the lack of safe, clean water and sanitation). Wildlife can experience many of the same negative health effects of air pollution that humans do . Plants and crops grow less when exposed to long term air pollution . There are many other ways that air pollution affects living things, such as damaging the habitat, water, and food sources that plants and animals need to survive ..

When power plants, factories, and cars release pollution into the atmosphere, it contains chemicals known as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Sometimes, these chemicals fall directly back to the ground. This is called dry deposition. The rest of the time, they mix with water (moisture) in the air to form acids. Once these acids have formed, they can be transported long distances by the wind before being deposited in rain, snow, or hail. This is what we commonly call acid rain. It acidifies the soil and water where it falls, damaging or killing plants and animals. Surface water acidification can lead to a decline and loss of fish populations and other aquatic species, including frogs, snails, and crayfish. It affects trees, usually by weakening them through damage to their leaves. Certain types of building stone, such as limestone and marble, can be slowly dissolved in acid rain..

7. Our atmosphere.. Layers of the Atmosphere +0 xxoe o Airplane Exosphere 960 to 6,200 miles Up to 2,7000F Thermosphere 86 to 372 miles 9320F to 3,6320F of outer space) Mesosphere 32 to 85 miles 320F to -1300F Stratosphere 11 to 31 miles -600F to 50F Troposphere 0 to 10 miles 620F to -600F Earth Meteors Hot air balloon.

Earth’s Atmosphere. The Earth's atmosphere is composed of several layers: The troposphere is the first and lowest layer of the atmosphere and contains 75% of the total mass of the planetary atmosphere, 99% of the total mass of water vapor, aerosols, and is where most weather phenomena occur. Virtually all human activities occur in the troposphere. The stratosphere the second part. Most commercial airplanes fly in the lower part of the stratosphere. Most atmospheric ozone is concentrated in a layer in the stratosphere , about 9 to 18 miles above the Earth's surface . Ozone is good at trapping a type of radiation called ultraviolet radiation, or UV light, which can penetrate organisms’ protective layers, like skin, damaging DNA molecules in plants and animals. The Mesosphere is the third lowest part. It extends to about 50 miles from the earth. The temperature decreases with altitude. It's the coldest layer. The thermosphere is the fourth lowest part and contains the ionosphere. It’s both cloud- and water vapor-free. The aurora borealis and aurora australis are sometimes seen here. The International Space Station orbits in the thermosphere. The exosphere is the highest layer of Earth’s atmosphere and, at its top, merges with the solar wind. Molecules found here are of extremely low density, so this layer doesn’t behave like a gas, and particles here escape into space. While there’s no weather at all in the exosphere, the aurora borealis and aurora australis are sometimes seen in its lowest part. Most Earth satellites orbit in the exosphere. While there’s no clear boundary between where Earth’s atmosphere ends and outer space begins, most scientists use an imaginary line known as the Ka  rma  n line , located 62 miles above Earth’s surface. One theory suggests that the farthest reaches of Earth’s atmosphere — a cloud of hydrogen atoms called the geocorona — may extend nearly 391,000 miles into space, far beyond the orbit of the Moon!.

What can happen when all of us care about an environmental emergency?.

Earth’s Ozone Layer. step: 3 ultravblet rays the earth itxrease Step: 2 CFCs are broken down by the sunx ultraviolet rays and atoms are relreagd into the ozone layer thus causing a chain resolutim the layer Ozone Layer Step: CFCs are emitt«i and reach the layet.

Biodiversity loss is caused by five primary drivers: Habitat loss : thinning, fragmenting, or outright destruction of an ecosystem’s plant soil, hydrologic, and nutrient resources. Invasive Species : any non-native species that significantly modifies or disrupts the ecosystems is colonizes. Overexploitation : harvesting too many water or land animals, which depletes the stock of some species, while driving other to extinction. Pollution : the addition to the environment of substances or form of energy at a faster rate than it can be made harmless. Climate Change (Global Warming) : the modification of Earth’s natural climate that’s associated with rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the past 100-200 years. In each case, human beings and their activities play direct roles: Overpopulation Increased consumption. Inefficient use of resources..

How does biodiversity loss hurt us?. Humans rely on various plants, animals, and other organisms for food, building materials, and medicines, and their availability as commodities is important to many cultures. The loss of biodiversity among these critical natural resources threatens global food security and the development of new pharmaceuticals to deal with future diseases. By increasing our knowledge of environmental issues, increasing our awareness of the impacts of biodiversity loss, and increasing support for government policies that conserve our ecosystems, we can reduce the damage that’s being done. Habitat stewardship includes activities can range from enhancing the quality of soil, water, air and other natural resources to monitoring and conserving wildlife species and their habitat: Leave critical wildlife habitat undisturbed, especially nesting and denning sites. Promote wildlife use by setting up bird and bat houses. Some domestic animals, especially cats, are predators of wild animals and can devastate local population of native species. Cats have been estimated to kill tens of millions of birds each year in North America. Leave native plants undisturbed, and landscape using native trees and vegetation. Native plants are well adapted to local conditions and provide a low maintenance, drought resistant garden and can prevent local flooding. Attract “good” insects by planting pollen and nectar plants. Maintain wetlands by conserving water and reducing irrigation. Avoid draining water bodies on your property. Consider donating property to land trusts or placing a conservation covenant on your property. Use natural products and methods for pest control..

A renewable resource can replenish itself at a similar rate to its use by people. Biomass energy : living organisms, and the energy contained within them (such as ethanol). Hydropower : one of the oldest and largest sources of renewable energy, which uses the natural flow of moving water to generate electricity (such as dams). Geothermal power : the rate of producing, transferring, or using geothermal energy (heat coming from the ground), usually in the form of electricity. Wind energy : kinetic energy produced by the movement of air, able to be converted to mechanical power (such as windmills). Solar energy : Solar energy is any type of energy generated by the sun (such as solar panels)..

It’s important that resources provide enough energy to meet our needs—to heat our houses, power our cities, and run our cars. The most common renewable power technologies include: Solar Wind Biogas Geothermal Biomass Low-impact hydroelectricity Wave and tidal power Some resources will practically never run out. These are known as renewable resources. Renewable resources also produce clean energy, meaning less pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change..

The End. 15.