Question | Answer |
Agro-forestry | the growing of trees for the benefit of agriculture: as wind breaks or as protection against soil erosion |
Alternative energy | renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind power, that offer an alternative to the use of fossil fuels |
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) | chemicals once used din foams, refrigerators, aerosols and air-conditioning units. Their use is now banned |
Climate change | long-term changes in the global atmospheric conditions |
Deforestation | the deliberate clearing of forested land, often causing serious environmental problems such as soil erosion |
Famine | a chronic shortage of food resulting in many people dying from starvation |
Fossil fuel | carbon fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas that cannot be "remade" because it will take tens of millions of years for them to form again (ie they are FINITE) |
Fragile | a term used to describe those natural environments that are sensitive to, and easily abused by human activities |
Global warming | a process whereby global temperatures rise over time |
Malnutrition | a condition resulting when a person is unable to eat what is needed to maintain good health |
Overgrazing | when pasture or grazing is unable to support the number of animals relying on it for food. The result is the vegetation cover declines and soil erosion sets in. |
Population pressure | when the number of people in an area begins to approach carrying capacity and places a strain on available resources |
Refugee | a person whose reasons for migrating re due to fear of persecution or death |
Soil erosion | the washing or blowing away of topsoil so that the fertility of the remaining soil is greatly reduced |
Sustainable | a term used to describe actions that minimize negative impacts on the environment and promote human well-being |
Well-being | a condition experienced by people and greatly influenced by the standard of living and quality of life |
Ecological footprint | A measure of the mark made by humans on the natural world |
Sustainability | actions and forms of progress that meet the needs of the present without reducing the ability of future generations to meet their needs and without endangering or damaging the environment |
Desertification | the spread of desert conditions into what were previously semi-arid areas |
Arid | having little or no rain; too dry or barren to support vegetation |
Semi-arid | dry regions but not as dry as deserts; they receive up to twice the amount of rain than desert regions do -- up to 20 inches per yr (aka. steppe climates) |
Global warming | a slow but significant rise in teh Earth's temperature. It may be caused by the build up of excessive amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which increases the Greenhouse effect |
Climate change | Long term changes in the global atmospheric conditions |
Enhanced greenhouse effect | The warming of the Earth's atmosphere because pollution (which adds to the amount of naturally occurring greenhouse gases) prevents heat from escaping into space |
Greenhouse gas | These are gases that stop heat escaping from the Earth into space. This allows the earth to maintain a life sustaining global avg temp of 15 degrees C. /W it the earth would be up to 30 cooler |
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