Food Security Study Guide

Reliable access to enough safe and nutritious food for healthy living

Long-term shifts in global weather patterns

Farmers with small land holdings, primarily using family labor

Edible food lost or thrown away before it can be eaten

Combining trees and crops for improved farming

Cities capable of withstanding and adapting to future challenges

Lack of sufficient resources to meet basic needs

More intense and frequent severe weather events

Practices that minimize harm to the environment and promote long-term solutions for the planet.

The process where greenhouse gases trap heat in Earth's atmosphere, warming the planet.

Negative consequences of global warming on food crops, water resources, ecosystems, and weather patterns.

A major greenhouse gas primarily emitted by burning fossil fuels.

Energy derived from natural resources that are replenished constantly, such as wind, solar, and geothermal.

The heavy reliance on fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) for energy production.

The process of significantly reducing carbon emissions to achieve net-zero carbon.

The use of natural elements like parks and forests to address environmental challenges.

The benefits humans receive from ecosystems, including regulating services, habitat/supporting services, and cultural services.

Factors harming marine life, including pollution, overfishing, and climate change.

An international treaty focused on conserving biodiversity, sustainably using biological resources, and fairly sharing genetic resource benefits.

The farming of aquatic organisms (fish, plants) in controlled environments.

The largest amount of fish that can be caught annually without decreasing the fish population.

Designated areas in the ocean to safeguard marine life and ecosystems.

Contamination of the ocean harming marine ecosystems.

Catching too many fish, depleting fish stocks and harming the food chain.

A process where CO₂ dissolves in seawater, forming carbonic acid and lowering pH.

Variety of life in an area or ecosystem.

Ocean acidity has increased by 26% since 1850; surface pH has dropped by ~0.1 units, a 30% increase in acidity.

Natural cycles of key nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus that sustain life.

Organisms like corals and plankton that struggle to form and maintain skeletons due to ocean acidification.

The natural process of converting atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms for organisms and back again.

An industrial process that fixes atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, producing fertilizers that support global food production.

The natural movement of phosphorus from rocks, through living organisms, and back to the environment.

The excessive growth of algae in a body of water due to an overabundance of nutrients, particularly phosphorus.

Areas in bodies of water where oxygen levels are too low to support marine life, often caused by eutrophication.

Using excessive amounts of fertilizers, leading to nutrient runoff and pollution.

Ocean acidification threatens marine ecosystems, disrupting food chains and impacting coastal communities that rely on fishing and tourism. It's also an economic threat due to the loss of valuable marine resources.

Gases released into the atmosphere that trap heat and contribute to global warming. Examples include methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrous oxide (N2O).

Areas in bodies of water with extremely low oxygen levels, making it impossible for most marine life to survive. They often form as a result of eutrophication.

A hierarchy of waste management practices aimed at minimizing waste generation. Reduce means consuming less, reuse involves utilizing items multiple times, and recycle converts waste into new products.

Waste materials that can be broken down naturally by microorganisms (like bacteria and fungi) into simpler substances. Examples include food scraps, paper, and yard waste.

Waste materials that do not decompose naturally and persist in the environment for very long periods. Examples include plastics, glass, and metals.

An international treaty that regulates the international movement of hazardous waste. It aims to prevent illegal dumping and protect human health and the environment.

Reducing food waste is crucial because it helps to conserve natural resources, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and prevent waste disposal problems. It contributes to more efficient food production and reduces the overall impact on the environment.