Sustainable Resources

Name

Institution

Sustainable Resources

Question 3

Causes of global warming

Global warming refer to an issue of increased release of carbon dioxide in the air that creates a blanket which traps heat and causes warming of the earth. When human beings burn fossil such as oil, natural gas, coal for energy burn, and cut down trees in forests to make plantations and pastures carbon dioxide accumulates in atmosphere and becomes overloaded. In addition, some agricultural practices and waste management causes the problem through release of global warming gases like nitrous oxide and methane. Carbon dioxide puts human being at risk of permanent alterations if it continues to accumulate uncontrolled in atmosphere. This is probably going to happen if global economy continues to depend on fossils like oil, coal and natural gases for energy needs. The good thing is that since as human beings are the ones causing global warming so we may also try to alleviate this problem ourselves through avoiding large emitting of these gases. Anthropogenic change in climate result from greenhouse gases production and emission through human activities. These activities have increased percentage of greenhouse gases in air that has skyrocketed in the past hundred years.

Question 4.

Environmental laws passed in the early 1970s. That is clean air act, clean water act and endangered species act. In relationship to the ecosystem service and function.

Clean Air Act

The law was amended in 1963 due to an incident “Donora death fog” in Donora that killed 20 people leaving over 600 citizens diagnosed with severe ailment. The same smog was witnessed in Los Angeles where all regions were covered. The incident forced pupils to stay at home, as over 2000 accidents of automobile occurred in a day. Doctors from Los Angeles combined their effort in treating casualties who were hurt because of smog complex. The symptoms ranged from headaches, nausea, cough and irritated eyes. This led to America nation in need of clean air, which led to principle law announcing air pollution like emissions of Carbon dioxide. The 1970 amendment of phase out lead in connection with gasoline was passed. The pollution measurement standards improved leading to improvement of the act. The act was purposed to be dynamic statute and not freeze in time. This act saved more lives and made society to be safe for everyone.

Endangered Species Act

The law focused on nonhuman life values. It consists two categories threatened species and endangered species. Endangered species were viewed as being at extinction brink now while threatened species is expected in brink in near future.

US wildlife and fish service claimed that the act was suitable to endangered species while law provisions supported their urge that it contained all nonhuman species. There was a theory by Chemists in 1970 that CFC molecules might be split separate by radiation of solar in production of chlorine atoms that might destroy ozone layer. This led to introduction of Montreal protocol to help in prevention of Co2 entering the atmosphere of Earth yearly thus delaying catastrophe of climate over 7 years.

Clean Water Act

America’s systems of fresh water involving streams, rivers and lakes in 1970s were polluted with sewers. In 1969, the fire incident was witnessed on the river of Ohio Cuyahoga due to Oil sick that brought attention to all nations. The incident was awareness change to the nation. This led to President Nixon to sign the act of Clean Water in 1972. The law addressed on quality standards of water in country’s waterways. The rule led to existence of Environmental protection Agency.

Question 5

The most important thing I have learned in this course is that we human being ought to conserve our environment. For example in case of global warming, human activity leads to it. If human beings can be in a position to control activities that results in greenhouse gases then they will be in a position to reduce global warming. The environment is key to our survival thus we need to conserve it