Reference no: EM132512112 , Length: 2 Pages
GEN104 Man and Environment Assignment - Emirates College of Technology, UAE
Answer all of the following questions:
Question 1 - 1. The table below compares five countries in terms of rain forest area and losses. Study the table and then answer the question that follow.
|
Country
|
Area of tropical rain forest (square kilometers)
|
Area of deforestation per year (square kilometers)
|
Annual rate of tropical forest loss (% of total)
|
|
A
|
18,000,000
|
50,000
|
|
|
B
|
55,000
|
3,000
|
|
|
C
|
22,000
|
6,000
|
|
|
D
|
530,000
|
12,000
|
|
|
E
|
80,000
|
700
|
|
A. What is the annual rate of tropical rain forest loss, as a percentage of total forest area, in each of the five countries? Answer by filling in the blank column in the table.
B. What is the annual rate of tropical deforestation collectively in all of the countries represented in the table?
C. According to the table, and assuming the rates of deforestation remain constant, which country's tropical rain forest will be destroyed first?
D. Assuming the rate of deforestation in country C remains constant, how many years will it take for all of its tropical rain forests to be destroyed?
E. Assuming that a hectare (1.0 hectare = 0.01 square kilometer) of tropical rain forest absorbs 0.85 metric tons (1 metric ton = 2,200 pounds) of carbon dioxide per year, what would be the total annual growth in the carbon footprint (carbon emitted but not absorbed by vegetation because of deforestation) in metric tons of carbon dioxide per year for each of the five countries in the table?
2. Explain how we can increase the food production without increasing impacts on the global environment.
Question 2 - 1. Summarize the advantages and disadvantages of the nanotechnology revolution.
2. Describe the opportunities and limitations of increasing mineral supplies by mining lower-grade ores. What are the advantages and disadvantages of biomining?
3. How can we make a transition to a more sustainable energy future?
Question 3 - 1. What is the goal of the new field of ecological medicine? List six factors causing the spread of diseases from animals to humans.
2. Define solid and hazardous waste and how can we deal with hazardous waste?
Question 4 - 1. Discuss the role of environmental law in dealing with environmental problems.
2. Define politics and environmental policy. State the four stages of a policy life cycle.
3. Illustrate eight ways in which you can influence the environmental policies of local, state, and federal governments.