Environmental Threats in Their Order of Decreasing Importance - Research Paper Example

Section I a) Environmental threats in their order of decreasing importance: Nuclear waste build-up Global climate changeGlobal overpopulation Over-consumption in the developed world Depletion of the ozone layer Water and soil Surface water Drinking water pollution Tropical deforestation Loss of species and ecosystems Presence of hormones and antibiotics Persistent organic pollutants (toxic chemicals) in air Acid rain Indoor pollution Outdoor pollution Abandoned toxic waste Coal burning power plants b) Problems associated with the top three environmental threats, what makes each of them important and suggested solutions to each. Nuclear-waste Build-up Nuclear-waste build-up results from production of nuclear fuel. It has been suggested that, by 2035, nuclear generating capacity will hit 580GW. More nuclear plants are being put up with time with Europe in the lead. It is its sustainability and low-carbon generation that is making more people all over the world to resort to it as an alternative to other sources of energy. There has been a subsequent increase in radioactive waste following the increase in the production of nuclear power. When inhaled, radioactive elements are lethal and can kill within a short time. Nuclear waste build up can be prevented by recycling and storing it geologically. Nuclear waste differs with radioactivity level from high, through intermediate to low level. High level nuclear waste is mostly liquid, and although it is small in terms of volume, it is the most dangerous. It results when radioactive spent fuel is reprocessed to separate useful fuel that can be recycled from waste. High-level nuclear waste could be disposed of in deep geological mines. Meanwhile, before a geological mine or a suitable disposal site can be found, high-level nuclear waste can be vitrified and stored in stainless steel canisters. Spent fuel should be dissolved in nitric acid and to give off uranium and plutonium (Hill 30). Intermediate waste is mixed with cement and stored awaiting disposal. Global Climate Change Scientists have found that there is a gradual global climate change as seen in the increase, in world temperatures, shrinking of glaciers, early plant flowering, early breaking up of ice and shifts in plant and animal ranges. Severe droughts, increased tropical storms and rampant wildfires are among other projected effects of global climate change. There has been undisputed evidence that the global sea level rose to seventeen centimeters in the 20th century. It is particularly discomforting to learn that this could have doubled in the last decade. Since around 1880, global temperatures have been rising gradually. The period between 1981 and 2001 was marked as warmer than the previous decades. The past twelve years have recorded the highest temperatures as compared to previous years. Although there has been a significant decline in the solar output in the early 2000s, surface temperatures have not ceased to increase. Scientists have established that oceans have warmed up to 0.302 degrees Fahrenheit from 1969. There has been a loss in mass in the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets. Between 2002 and 2005, Antarctic lost about one-hundred and fifty-two cubic kilometers of ice while Greenland lost up to two hundred and fifty cubic kilometers of ice between 2002 and 2006. The ice on Arctic sea has greatly declined in the past few decades. Glaciers in Alps and Rockies among other places in the world have been noted to have retreated significantly. Places like the United States have witnessed increased temperatures instances and relatively low temperature instances since 1950. Unusually heavy rainfall instances have been recorded in different parts of the world. Studies have revealed that acidity of surface ocean water has gone up to about 30% since the Industrial Revolution. Carbon dioxide that has been released by people in their increased population has been absorbed into water bodies. Global climate change can be arrested by adopting behaviors that promote a healthy environment (Curley 28). Global Overpopulation Global overpopulation is today competing with global climate change. There is increased concern on how fast human population is growing. The world population hit 6.7 billion in 2007. The U.N projects that, by 2050, the world population may have reached 9.2 billion. Global overpopulation is bound to cause greater demand for more land for settlement, more food and more money to support people. This will affect forests, economies and a whole lot of other sectors. Overpopulation adds on to the toll of global warming. Scientists have established that there exists a positive relationship between population growth and increase in green house emission. Studies point out that a child can emit up to twenty times more greenhouse gas than one would save by using any possible energy-efficient appliances. Further studies show that the United States is among the leading in population growth, in the world, especially among developed nations. Consequently, it has been projected that its population might double by the end of this century. When compared, the inhabitants of the United States release double the per-capita greenhouse gas that of Europe, 5 times the global average and above ten times the average of third world countries. Birth controls are a viable way of managing overpopulation. Literacy should be promoted if population management attempts are to succeed. Female emancipation should be upheld and intensified as it has an important stake in the whole issue of population growth (Tiwary and Colls 23). Section II 1. a) Disadvantages of using fossil fuels Fossil fuels are non-renewable. Due to their availability, they are extracted massively and are prone to depletion with time. As this happens, there will be a subsequent increase in fuel prices. Since they form naturally, it would take a lot of time waiting for them to form and be ready for mining (Gifford 25). They diminish with increased mining and the attendant costs mentioned above make them uneconomical. Fossil fuels are environmental hazards. They are unfriendly to the environment and rank high as sources of pollution. Burning fossil fuels gives out green house gas, and this contributes to global warming. Global warming has contributed greatly to climatic changes such as seen in the melting of polar ice, rise in sea level and unusual flooding (Hill 31). Fossil fuels pose risks to health. Greenhouse gas released when fossil fuels are burnt contributes to depletion of the ozone layer. Ozone depletion weakens its ability to trap harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. This ultraviolet reacts with melanin causing skin cancer (Curley 29). b) Disadvantages of using renewable energy Renewable energy is dependent on weather. If it does not rain and there is no supply of flowing water to run hydro generators, these generators would not produce energy. The absence of wind would mean that wind turbines do not turn, and hence there would not be any power produced. The same goes for solar collectors as they need sun shine so as to produce electricity and they would not make electricity in the absence of sun shine. The unpredictability and inconsistencies of weather reduce the reliability of renewable energy (Tiwary and Colls 24). Renewable energy sources are not in a position to make as much power as fossil fuels. It is imperative to resort to options of building more energy facilities or reducing energy consumption (Gifford 26). Their reduced power generation could require people to have other energy sources on the side to supplement their energy need. 2. Primary air pollution refers to the introduction of air pollutants into the environment directly from the source. Combustion of gasoline in automobiles is an example of primary pollution as it releases primary pollutants including carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. Secondary air pollution results when primary pollutants combine. For instance, acidic gases in the atmosphere combine with water to form acid rain (Hill 32). 6. A sustainable city is one that has been designed with minimal environmental impacts. It is designed so either from a pre-existing city or a new city altogether. It reduces the input of food, energy and water and reduces the output of air pollution, heat and water (Curley 30). A sustainable city has the following characteristics: Uses renewable energy Practices urban agriculture Uses natural ways like tree planting to harness air conditioning Has accessible and improved public transport Maintains and enhances the quality of life of its people Enhances the vitality of its local economy Promotes intergenerational and social equity Maintains and enhances the quality of its environment Encourages participation in decision making Works Cited Curley, Robert. Renewable and Alternative Energy. New York: Britannica Educational Pub., in association with Rosen Educational Services, 2012. Print. Gifford, Clive. Pollution. Chicago, Ill: Heinemann Library, 2006. Print. Hill, Marquita K. Understanding Environmental Pollution: A Primer. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge, 2004. Print. Tiwary, Abhishek, and Jeremy Colls. Air Pollution: Measurement, Modelling and Mitigation. London: Routledge, 2010. Print. Read More