Environmental Issues And Awareness

Environmental Issues and Awareness

Global warming, ozone depletion, acid rain, energy and water deficits are all problems that challenge humanity and its progress. However, the aggravation of these problems can be prevented through education, awareness and action. Industrial Art is a field of knowledge that encompasses innovations and advancements for technological progress and environmental welfare.

Global Warming is a process in which Earth's average temperature increases due to the emission of various greenhouse gases such carbon dioxide/monoxide, and aerosols. This is a pressing issue, both environmental and political in nature. Global warming can result in loss of arable land, loss of snow cover, increased sea level, depleted ozone (which can lead to cancer) and inhabitability. The effects of global warming are conspicuous and incontrovertible.

Ozone depletion is another serious environmental issue. Ozone depletion may be the result of greenhouse gas emissions, aerosols, and CFC's. CFC's (chlorofluorocarbons are chemicals that deplete ozone. They are created by air-cooling units such as refrigerators and air conditioners. The effects of ozone depletion can include inhabitability due to UV radiation and skin cancer due to such radiation.

Acid Rain is a broad term used to describe several ways that acids fall out of the atmosphere. A more precise term is acid deposition, which has two parts: wet and dry. Wet deposition refers to acidic rain, fog, and snow. As this acidic water flows over and through the ground, it affects a variety of plants and animals. The strength of the effects depend on many factors, including how acidic the water is, the chemistry and buffering capacity of the soils involved, and the types of fish, trees, and other living things that rely on the water. Dry deposition refers to acidic gases and particles. About half of the acidity in the atmosphere falls back to earth through dry deposition. The wind blows these acidic particles and gases onto buildings, cars, homes, and trees. Dry deposited gases and particles can also be washed from trees and other surfaces by rainstorms. When that happens, the runoff water adds those acids to the acid rain, making the combination more acidic than the falling rain alone.

Modern society would cease to exist without energy. Most of our energy comes from fossil fuels, coal and crude oil. However, scientists assume that we will run out of these sources of energy within the next century. As a result scientists have developed other sources of energy such as: solar, nuclear, wind powered, and hydro-electric energy. Solar energy is energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy. Nuclear energy is the energy released by a nuclear reaction, especially by fission or fusion. Wind energy is thermal or electrical energy produced by harnessing the kinetic energy of wind currents via wind turbine. Hydro-electric energy is derived from the same principle as wind energy. A hydroelectric station is set up near flowing or falling water and captures the kinetic energy of the water and converts it to thermal or electrical energy.

It is the duty of the industrial and scientific community to educate and promote awareness on the problems facing the environment and their solutions. This can be accomplished through mandatory high school classes such as: environmental studies, wood working, business/science