Global Warming, Acid Rain & Ozone Depletion

Global Warming and Acid Rain

• Global Warming Causes: Primarily caused by greenhouse gas emissions, with carbon dioxide being a major contributor. Human activities, like fossil fuel combustion, increase CO2 levels.
• Global Warming Effects: Rising sea levels, loss of biodiversity due to melting ice caps, and increased frequency of extreme weather events.
• Kyoto Protocol & Paris Agreement: The Kyoto Protocol aims to curb greenhouse gases, while the Paris Agreement seeks to limit global warming to below 2°C.
• Acid Rain Causes: Acid rain occurs when rainwater has a pH less than 7, primarily caused by nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide emissions. Volcanoes are a natural source.
• Acid Rain Effects: Harms aquatic life, damages structures like marble and limestone, and causes soil acidification.
• Ozone Depletion: Caused primarily by CFCs, leading to increased UV radiation and increased skin cancer risk. The Montreal Protocol aimed to reduce ozone-depleting substances.

Forests, Overexploitation, and Renewable Energy

• Deforestation Causes: Urbanization and agricultural expansion are primary drivers.
• Deforestation Consequences: Soil erosion and loss of biodiversity.
• Overexploitation Consequences: Accelerated soil erosion, groundwater depletion, and increased atmospheric CO2 levels from deforestation.
• Sustainable Resource Management: Important to mitigate overexploitation and limit the impact.
• Renewable Energy Sources: Includes solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, hydropower, tidal, and hydrogen energy.
• Solar Energy: Uses photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity. Efficiency typically ranges from 5% to 20%. Disadvantages include dependence on weather.
• Wind Energy: Uses horizontal-axis wind turbines to convert wind into electricity. Advantages include zero greenhouse gas emissions during operation, disadvantages include dependence on favorable wind conditions.
• Biomass Energy: Energy derived from organic materials. Advantages include low cost and renewable nature. Carbon neutrality is influenced by plants absorbing CO2 during growth.
• Hydrogen Energy: Extracted through electrolysis, its advantages include high energy density and zero emissions during usage.
• Hydropower: Uses the potential energy of water to generate electricity.
• Geothermal Energy: Uses Earth's internal heat, replenished by Earth's heat; advantages include replenishability, zero harmful emissions.
• Tidal Energy: Uses the gravitational pull of the moon and sun on the oceans.

Explore the causes and effects of global warming, acid rain, and ozone depletion. Learn about greenhouse gas emissions, the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement and the impact of CFCs. Understand environmental challenges and international efforts to mitigate these problems.