EVPP 111 Chapter Notes - Chapter 11: Benzene, Opportunity Cost, Radon
10 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Environmental Science 111
Greenhouse effect
Describes the heating of the Earth's atmosphere due to trapping of infrared emissions by
certain gases with the atmosphere.
Greenhouse gases
Are those gases, particularly water, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide which are most
important in trapping those infrared emissions. All but water products of industrialization,
especially burning of fossil fuels, and increase in number of domesticated livestock.
Carbon dioxide
is responsible for 60% of the human-caused climate change.
Climate Change
Observed temperature trends are significantly higher than expected by computer models
without human factors, and slightly higher even than those models that do account for human
causes. The effects of climate change include the risk of drought, wildfires, rising sea levels,
increased storm activity and disrupted growing seasons. Humans can slow down this change by
decreasing our use of fossil fuels and by raising less cattle.
Coal -- PROS
PROS: Cheap, reliable, some clean coal technology, scrubbers, versatile, coal vs. gas technology
in vehicles.
Coal -- CONS
CONS: non-renewable, acid-rain, acid streams, dirty, dangerous work, causes climate change,
causes black lung and cardiovascular disease, causes mercury in fish, forest ecosystem loss, not
in my back yard (NIMBY) and destroys drinking and well water.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Describes the heating of the earth"s atmosphere due to trapping of infrared emissions by certain gases with the atmosphere. Are those gases, particularly water, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide which are most important in trapping those infrared emissions. All but water products of industrialization, especially burning of fossil fuels, and increase in number of domesticated livestock. Carbon dioxide is responsible for 60% of the human-caused climate change. Observed temperature trends are significantly higher than expected by computer models without human factors, and slightly higher even than those models that do account for human causes. The effects of climate change include the risk of drought, wildfires, rising sea levels, increased storm activity and disrupted growing seasons. Humans can slow down this change by decreasing our use of fossil fuels and by raising less cattle. Pros: cheap, reliable, some clean coal technology, scrubbers, versatile, coal vs. gas technology in vehicles.
