Show:
Laws and Ethics
Fossil Fuel Basics
Biomass
Coal & Oil
Renewable Resources
100
What is environmental justice?
Environmental Justice- The right of every citizen regardless of age, race and gender, social class or other factor to adequate protection from environmental hazards
100
What makes a resource non-renewable?
It can not be replenished at the same rate we use it
100
What is biomass?
energy from sun via photo-synthesizing plants
100
What is the main solution that would allow coal to exist alongside regulations
Carbon Capture Storage
100
What is stopping the growth of wind energy?
Cost People dont like how the turbines look
200
What is a major problem with environmental economics?
Difficult to assess true costs of environmental pollution and abatement -- how does it affect people, what are these affects worth
200
What is energy density?
Energy per volume - is it efficient? What do we get from it?
200
What crops are grown in the US and Brazil to create biofuels?
US: Corn Brazil: Sugar Cane
200
What is a synfuel?
A liquid or gaseous fuel that is synthesized from coal and other naturally occurring sources
200
What is the most widely used and most efficient renewable energy source?
Hydropower
300
What is an environmental impact statement and when must it be submitted?
It is the statement regarding foreseeable impacts a project will have on the environment and ecosystem around it -- it must be done before the project is started
300
What state produces the most coal? Why is different about their coal?
Wyoming - clean coal - less sulfur
300
What type of biofuel is commonly used by 3rd world countries? Why is this not efficient?
Woodfuels - they release gases that you must air out so it is inefficient to use to cook and heat their homes
300
How do we access oil and natural gas? Why is this and what can it cause?
Hydraulic Fracking - using water injections to break the impermeable rock keeping the oil and natural gas underground // this can cause water shortages and earth quakes
300
What are the two types of Solar Energy? What makes them different?
Active - uses machinery to create power from the sun Passive - does not use machinery to create power from the sun
400
What is a Biocentric Preservationist? What is a Utilitarian Conservationist?
Utilitarian Conservationist - Value resources for their usefulness Biocentric Preservationist – protect nature because all life deserves respect
400
What is the main concept of the Environmental Kuznets Curve?
As people get richer, pollution will actually go down
400
What are 3 issues/cons associated with using Biomass?
Deforestation Desertification Soil Erosion
400
What is an Oil Peak and what are three ways to avoid it?
When we will run out of oil to extract and it will reach a forced decline of its usage 1. Locating more deposits 2. Future extraction technologies 3. Changes in global consumption rates
400
What are Photovoltaic Solar Cells? Why are they desirable?
o A wafer or thin film that is treated with certain metals so that they generate electricity when they absorb solar energy o No pollution and minimal maintenance o Used on any scale – personal or widespread
500
Explain what came from the incident "The Snail Darter and the Dam"
When building a dam, they discovered an endangered species and this halted production. Upon realizing the the ESA actually covered all animals on the list, they added amendments to include accidental takes that may occur by obtaining an accidental take permit.
500
What is the only solution to reducing emissions with no negative trade-offs?
Conservation
500
What are the three reasons people support Biofuels in the US?
National Security Reducing carbon footprint – GHG emissions Support the agricultural sector
500
What does the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act do?
Requires filing (reclaiming) of surface mines after mining Reduces Acid Mine Drainage Requires permits and inspections of active coal mining sights Prohibits coal mining in sensitive areas
500
What is the difference between Nuclear fission and Nuclear fusion?
o Nuclear fission -Splitting of an atomic nucleus into two smaller fragments, accompanied by the release of a large amount of energy o Nuclear fusion - Joining of two lightweight atomic nuclei into a single, heavier nucleus, accompanied by the release of a large amount of energy