Environmental Science Finals PDF

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE FINALS Ms. Maria Nadine Roman, CRS, CHRA, LPT  DISASTER It is a disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic, or environmental losses and impacts which exceeds the ability of the af...

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE FINALS Ms. Maria Nadine Roman, CRS, CHRA, LPT  DISASTER It is a disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic, or environmental losses and impacts which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources. (UNISDR) It may also be viewed as the struggles and challenges people face in getting their lives back to normal.  DISASTER IN AN EQUATION DISASTER RISK = HAZARD x EXPOSURE x VULNERABILITY COPING CAPACITY  HAZARD It is the natural or man-made event that has a potential to cause harm. NATURAL HUMAN-INDUCED GEOLOGICAL HAZARDS – occur on Earth’s BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS – refer to threat from crust viruses, bacteria, and toxins HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL HAZARDS – could TECHNOLOGICAL HAZARDS – can be be atmospheric, hydrological or oceanographic industrial in nature in nature SOCIO-NATURAL HAZARDS – result of the interaction of a natural hazard with overexploited land or other environmental resources  EXPOSURE It refers to the people, property, systems, or other elements that are located in areas where the hazard may occur. It is expressed as the number of human lives and value of properties that can potentially be affected. VULNERABILITY It is the degree to which people, property, systems or other elements are susceptible to damage from hazards. May refer to the following: (1) Disregard for environmental management; (2) Poorly-planned communities; (3) Poorly-constructed infrastructures and homes; (4) Lack of public information and awareness on preparedness & risks  COPING CAPACITY It is the ability of people to manage adverse condition, emergencies, or disasters using available skills and resources. It is the ability to manage and recover from hazards.  EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT This refers to the ability of an individual or institution to prevent or mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from a crisis. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN A comprehensive plan should: Address all phases of emergency management. Take an all-hazards approach. Ensure that available manpower and resources are identified. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN RISK ASSESSMENT – includes identification and evaluation of the potential hazards and the current capabilities to cope with the onset of emergencies. PROBABILITY- SEVERITY CHART  PREVENTION- MITIGATION It focuses on preventing hazards from occurring. Not all hazards are preventable, but the risk of loss of life and injury can be limited with good evacuation plans, environmental planning and design standards. PREPAREDNESS It is the continuous cycle of planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising, evaluating and taking corrective action. Training and exercising plans is the cornerstone of preparedness  RESPONSE It is the reaction to the occurrence of a catastrophic disaster or emergency. It consists of actions which are aimed at saving lives, reducing economic losses and alleviating suffering.  RECOVERY It consists of those activities that continue beyond the emergency period to restore critical community functions and begin to manage stabilization efforts. The recovery phase begins immediately after the threat to human life has subsided.  DISASTER RISK REDUCTION It is the systematic approach to identify, assess, and reduce the effects of disaster through an ethic of prevention. The focus is more on mitigation efforts to lessen the impact of disasters rather than be focused on the response phase alone.  KEY PRINCIPLES OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION Focus on the reduction of the vulnerability of communities. Prioritizes the protection of the people who are most at risk, and the protection of the systems and resources that a community depends on. DRRM should become an integral part of any development policies. Assistance given to disaster areas or victims must be equal, consistent, and in a predictable manner regardless of geographical location, industry, or economic circumstances.  KEY PRINCIPLES OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION The DRRM plan must ensure the involvement of the community. All decisions and information, including the implementation of projects and programs, must take into account the suggestions and insights of stakeholders. Any DRRM plan must be made flexible and adaptable. A proper DRRM plan should be well-funded. The DRRM plan should have a multidisciplinary approach. The DRRM plan for a community must be prioritized, especially in the Philippines.  HOME EMERGENCY PLAN 1. Steps that should be done in preparation for an emergency and in making a family ready. 2. Details on what to do during the emergency to keep the family safe and lessen the impact of the event. 3. What to do after the emergency?  HOME EMERGENCY PLAN What types of emergencies could affect the entire family? Who are part of the plan? Are there people with special needs in the family? What about your pets and/or livestock? Where is your property located? Are you close to the danger zone? What is the level of hazard in your area? Is there more than one way to exit the house in case of an emergency?  HOME EMERGENCY PLAN Where would you go in case you cannot go home for some reason? Where would the primary and secondary rendezvous sites for the family be? What are the alternate routes in case of roadblocks and closures? Do all family members have survival kits or go-bags they can easily grab? Do you have enough food and water supply for the family?  HOME EMERGENCY PLAN Are your important documents secured? How are you going to take it with you? Are you exposed to multiple types of hazard? What are the weaknesses of your house? What are the emergency contact numbers of the government in case you need to be rescued? Who are the relatives or friends where you can take refuge after the event? What are their contact numbers? Do they know about your plan?  SURVIVAL KITS AND MATERIALS A survival kit enables a person to get nourishment in times of disasters. It should have enough supplies and tools that could last atleast 72 hours or 3 days. ESSENTIALS Water – one gallon per person, per day Food – nonperishable, easy-to-prepare items Signaling instruments – flashlight, whistles, mirrors, glowsticks Radio / Gadgets First aid kits – complete with infection control precautions + gloves and masks  SURVIVAL KITS AND MATERIALS ESSENTIALS (cont.) Important documents Multipurpose tool – sturdy rope, duct tape, Swiss knife, emergency blanket, sleeping bag Clothing Keys Pet supplies Map THE PHILIPPINE DRRM LAW Republic Act 10121 Signed on May 27, 2010, by Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Rules and regulations of the law was drafted and approved on September 27, 2010 This was followed by the long process of reviewing and finalizing the framework. On February 7, 2012, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan (NDRRMP) was approved by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC). THE PHILIPPINE DRRM LAW Republic Act 10121 Signed on May 27, 2010, by Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Rules and regulations of the law was drafted and approved on September 27, 2010 This was followed by the long process of reviewing and finalizing the framework. On February 7, 2012, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan (NDRRMP) was approved by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC). It aims to strengthen the Philippines’ DRRM system and provide for a national framework.  PHILIPPINE LAWS ON DISASTER RISK REDUCTION CLIMATE CHANGE ACT OF 2009 or REPUBLIC ACT 9729 – highlights the synergistic action needed in dealing with the climate crisis and in reducing the risk of disasters associated with global climate change. PEOPLE’S SURVIVAL FUND ACT or REPUBLIC ACT 10174 – provision of funds to local government units and communities for their climate change adaptation programs. It is the sudden movement of the ground that releases elastic energy stores in rocks and generates seismic waves. PRIMARY EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS GROUND SHAKING – vibration of the ground when an earthquake occurs. - Can be seen as both a hazard created by earthquake, and a trigger for other hazards such as liquefaction and landslides. LANDSLIDES – A landslide is the movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope. PRIMARY EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS LIQUEFACTION - when water- logged sediments lose their strength and behave like liquids under strong shaking. SURFACE RUPTURE - occurs when movement on a fault deep within the earth breaks through to the surface.  SECONDARY EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS TSUNAMI – a huge wave caused by an earthquake that originates under the ocean and can cause great destruction when it reaches the land. SEICHE – a standing wave in an enclosed or partially-enclosed body of water. The to-and-fro motion of water produced by a forcing motion on an enclosed body of water.  SECONDARY EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS FLOODING – an overflowing of a large amount of water beyond its normal confines, especially over what is normally dry land. FIRE - combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke.  MAGNITUDE It measures the amount of energy released at the source of the earthquake. It's a single number that doesn't change regardless of where you are. The most commonly used scale for this is the RICHTER SCALE  INTENSITY It measures the effects of an earthquake at different locations on the Earth's surface. It varies depending on the distance from the earthquake's epicenter. The MODIFIED MERCALLI INTENSITY (MMI) SCALE is often used to describe intensity. SEISMOGRAPH or SEISMOMETER An instrument to measure the strength of an earthquake. It creates a SEISMOGRAM, a record of the seismic waves from an earthquake.  TYPES OF WAVES Wave Type Speed Movement Medium Path Compressional, Fastest (first Solids, liquids, Earth's P-waves push-pull, back to arrive) gases interior and forth Shear, side-to- Medium side, Earth's S-waves (slower than Solids only perpendicular to interior p-waves) wave direction Earth's surface Surface Rolling (Rayleigh), Earth's surface Slowest (cause the Waves horizontal (Love) only most damage)