Urban Environmental Issues

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Urban Issues

Suburban and Rural Issues

Think Globally, Act Locally

Support Your Local Resource

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Row 1, Col 1

__________ turbines operate to produce clean power

from an abundant, renewable resource—the ______.

Wind

1,2

The suburbs of a city attract many residents because people can purchaselarger homes in nice neighborhoods for the same price they would payfor a smaller place in the center of a city. What are two drawbacks to

suburban living?

Possibilities include: people who work in the city have longer commute times; suburban areas are less dense, so frequent and longer car trips are often necessary, which increases the amount of money a family paysfor gas; larger homes mean higher energy costs and consumption; suburbs generally offer fewer entertainment options than city centers.

1,3

Give one environmental benefit to buying locally grown food as opposed

to imported food.

Possibilities include: imported foods are more likely to be grown on large farms where pesticides are often used; large farms also often do not rotate their crops each year, which contributes to topsoil runoff; andfinally, more fossil fuels and infrastructure like roads and ships are required for transporting crops from far away.

1,4

The average American uses nearly 70 gallons of water per day. Namethree things you can do to reduce the amount of water you use.

Responses will vary. Possibilities include: turning off the water when brushing your teeth; buying newer, more efficient, appliances that use less water; taking shorter showers and taking showers instead of baths.Water-free urinals are already on the market. A cartridge with a liquid sealant allows water to flow through without allowing odor to escape.The urinals are projected to save between 9,600

2,1

Because there are so many people, businesses, and industries, urban areasproduce more trash than rural areas. In 1999 alone, what processhelped to reduce the amount of trash heading to landfills and incineratorsby 64 million tons?

Recycling.Did you know…?The US currently recycles 28% of its waste, while 90% is potentially recyclable. So while urban areas produce more trash, it is also important for rural and suburban areas to recycle what they can.

2,2

The average suburban household takes how many car trips per day:

3, 13, or 23?

Thirteen.The average number of car trips a person living in an urban area takes varies a lot with the type of city he or she lives in. The number of car trips in low density cities like Phoenix and Los Angeles comes close tothe number in suburbs, but people who live in cities with a large and efficient public transportation system, like New York and Boston, may not need a car at all.

2,3

Ten countries account for two thirds of the world’s forest cover. How dothe other countries of the world depend on the forests in these countries?

Trees have a tremendous worldwide impact. Responses could include: the vast majority of plants and animals are located in forests, particularly rainforests; forests reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air,which slows global warming; many cures to diseases have been discovered in the world’s forests; deforestation results in a loss of topsoil, which can hurt a country’s ability to grow crops, reducing the amount itcan export to other countries that need it..

2,4

Which is the most commonly used fossil fuel resource in the UnitedStates, generating 54% of the country’s electricity? It is cheap, abundant,

and dirty.

Coal. The US is thought to have about 265 billion short tons of coal reserves spread out over 38 states, mostly in the Appalachian region and the Midwest. Only China contains more coal..

3,1

How do trees help to reduce the negative effects of pollution from car exhaust?

A large percentage of car exhaust is carbon dioxide, a very common greenhouse gas. Trees capture and convert the carbon dioxide to oxygen,reducing the amount that reaches the atmosphere. This is why lots of trees in urban areas, where there are more cars, is very important. Additionally, trees provide shade to help cool cities and the people wholive in them and attract birds and other animals to urban areas.

3,2

Each year, 375 million pounds of what toxic substance is sprayed in theUS? It is usually sprayed on crops.

Pesticides.Of the most common pesticides, 13 are known carcinogens (cancer causing,)and 140,000 pesticide poisonings are reported each year in the US. Pesticides can also find their way into streams and groundwater around where they are sprayed, which can affect local residents, usuallyliving in rural areas.

3,3

Which clean resource holds enough potential energy to supply the entire world’s energy needs?

The sun.Although the sun’s energy cannot be used up, solarpanels – the devices that catch the sun’s energy and can turn it into electricity– are not yet efficient enough to replace power plants that burn fossil fuels. However, they are often used to power private homes andbusinesses. Your family or school can install solar panels, which can lower your energy bills and decrease pollution.

3,4

What percentage of the water on Earth today existed when dinosaurs roamed the Earth over 65 million years ago?

One hundred percent. The amount of water on Earth is the same today as it has always been. Because this amount is constant, water conservationis important not because we are using up the water we have, but because we are using it at a faster rate than it can be treated and recycled. Did you know…?This does not mean, however, that each country’s water supply has remained the same. Both water resources and the continents themselves are constantly shifting, which can change the amount of water each country holds within its boundaries..

4,1

April 22, 1970 was one of the first organized demonstrations of the modernenvironmental movement. What is celebrated each year by a half billionpeople worldwide on this day?

Earth Day falls each year on April 22.Started by Denis Hayes and Senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day is the largest secular holiday in the world.

4,2

If you can’t vote, what is one way you might use your democratic voiceto draw attention to the environment?

Possibilities include: writing a letter to a local or school official or newspaper, learning about an issue and speaking to your friends and parents about it, donating money or volunteering for a nonprofit group or charity.

4,3

Average household water use annually: ______ gallons

Average household water use annually: 127,400 gallons

4,4

Which is more environmentally friendly: A flat, wide warehouse or askyscraper?

.

The skyscraper. A skyscraper that occupies one acre of land and is 48 stories tall has 1.6 million square feet of floor space. Also, its slim widthmeans that less energy escapes from the roof than in a wide building. Finally, workers in a skyscraper do a lot of traveling in elevators, which is very efficient because elevators move up and down mostly by beingpulled by a weight (like a large pulley) rather than through pure horsepower.

5,1

A 10 kw solar panel installation (under certain conditions)

is estimated to generate about 17,000 kwh in a year.

That’s equivalent to the CO2 emissions from the annual energy use of how many houses?

ONE

5,2

Because of the high concentration of population, businesses, and industry,urban areas produce more trash than rural areas. In 1999 alone, what process helped to reduce the amount of trash heading to landfills and incinerators by 64 million tons?

Recycling.The US currently recycles 28% of its waste, while 90% is potentially recyclable.So while urban areas produce more trash, it is also important for rural and suburban areas to recycle what they can.

5,3

Name two gasses that are linked to climate change. They are often

called “greenhouse gasses”.

The most common are Carbon Dioxide and Methane, but others include Nitrous Oxide and manmade chemicals such as hydroflourocarbons andperflourocarbons. These gasses rise into the atmosphere and trap heat trying to escape, which means that more heat comes into the Earth thanleaves it.

5,4

Give two examples of fossil fuels.

Coal, oil, natural gas