FREE ESSAY ON ECOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY

ECOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY

QUESTION 1:
Technology owes Ecology an Apology.
Indeed, in my opinion, technology does owe ecology an apology. This is because ecological
imbalances were as a result of the Industrial revolution, which could be said to be the
beginning of the non-ending technological advancement cycle.
During Industrial revolution, we began altering or climate and environment through
changing agricultural and industrial practices. Before the industrial revolution, human
activity released very few gases into the atmosphere, but now through population growth
fossil fuel burning and deforestation, we are affecting the mixture of gases in the air,
which in turn affects all other species in the world.
The water bodies have been major victims to, and have experienced the whims of
technology. They have been used as dumping grounds for all toxic waste - waste that is as
a result of technological advancement. This has brought about the extinction of some
species and has killed many types of marine species. In addition to this, the once
beautiful beaches of the world have been scarred with waste. The natural water rivers no
longer hold rich ecosystems as before as many of them cannot be able to survive in the
harsh conditions.
QUESTION 2:
What do "anthropogenic greenhouse gases" mean? Discuss the anthropogenic greenhouse gases
in terms of their potential to cause global warming.
Anthropogenic greenhouse gases are those gases that are emitted into the atmosphere and
have an adverse effect on the climate. These are gases that are as a result of human
activities.
Greenhouse gases are the gases trapped inside our atmosphere, which tend to keep the
planet earth warm. These gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapor (H2O), nitrous oxide
(N2O), methane (CH4), and many chlorofluorocarbons (which will be explained in better
detail later). These gases are what warm our planet to livable conditions, and are
responsible for life, as we know it on earth. Then one might ask, What is the problem
with these essential details to life?" The answer is, is that when these gases are
produced in excess they can warm the temperature of the earth directly with the increase
of themselves. Therefore, since statistics show that the greenhouse gases have increased,
the earth's temperature has increased also. This produces what is called the greenhouse
effect and is very detrimental to earth's future. The greenhouse effect is a naturally
occurring event, which happens because the greenhouse gases have capabilities to trap
solar energy from the sun. As mentioned above, the greenhouse gases have increased
steadily since the birth of industrialization to our planet. Therefore these gases are
trapping more energy from the sun than are being emitted back through our atmosphere
towards outer space. This makes our planet warmer than it used to be, which is causing
major potential problems to the planet. Rising global temperatures are expected to raise
sea level, and change precipitation and other local climate conditions. Changing regional
climate could alter forests, crop yields, and water supplies". It could also threaten
human health, and harm birds, fish, and many types of ecosystems. Deserts may expand into
existing rangelands, and the character of some of our National Parks may be permanently
altered. (EPA Web Page) For example, one of the major problems is the melting of the
polar ice sheet in the North Pole. The excess water from the melt off can cause many
problems. The melted water could possibly cause an interruption with the ocean currents,
which have a major impact on regional climates all over the earth. For example, if the
excess run off of water would change the ocean currents that run from the equator up the
East Coast of the United States and then over to Europe, it could drastically put Europe
in a cold spell. This would happen because Europe gets lots of its heat energy from the
warm current because it is so far north latitude. Europe's vegetation would drastically
die off from the sudden difference in its environment, and impact Europe in many ways.
There is already evidence that this happened at one point in time. 
Also, this is only one of many reactions that could happen to earth. One of the major
reasons why greenhouse gases have increased drastically over time is because of
industrialization. Once, all climate changes occurred naturally. However, during the
Industrial Revolution, we began altering our climate and environment through changing
agricultural and industrial practices. Before the Industrial Revolution, human activity
released very few gases into the atmosphere, but now through population growth, fossil
fuel burning, and deforestation, we are affecting the mixture of gases in the atmosphere.
(EPA web page) Some of the greenhouse gases occur naturally in earth's atmosphere, but
some of them are increased in the atmosphere due to human activities. 
Carbon dioxide is one of the gases, which occurs naturally in the atmosphere, but at the
same time is increased drastically by human intervention. Nearly 80% of carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere comes from fossil fuel combustion, 17% from deforestation, and 3% from
concrete production. Other forms of carbon dioxide production come from solid waste and
wood products being burned. Substances that absorb carbon dioxide, technically known as
sinks, are the oceans (water) and land based plants (terrestrial biomass). (Lecture
10/4/00, Sampson) Methane is another important greenhouse gas, which is very potent when
it comes to heat absorption. Methane can absorb 27 times more heat than carbon dioxide.
Also 28% of methane comes from fossil fuel combustion, while rice patty agriculture,
domestic animal waste, sewage treatment, landfills, and biomass burning attribute to the
increase. Methane's two major sinks are chemical reactions, and also soil absorption.
(Elrod, 1999)
A third major greenhouse gas is nitrous oxide. Its main sources are biomass burning, and
combustion of fossil fuel. Nitrous oxide is not as much of havoc to our atmosphere as
carbon dioxide and methane, but still plays an important role in the warming of the
earth. 
Other greenhouse gases that aren't nearly as present in our atmosphere but play a major
role in the warming effect are chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Industrial processes also
generate these gases when byproducts of foam production, refrigeration, and air
conditioning are released. What makes the chlorofluorocarbons important is their strength
and longetivity. These gases can be thousands times stronger than carbon dioxide, and
stay within the atmosphere before being chemically broken down for over a hundred years.
There are no sinks for these greenhouse gases, so chemical reactions are the only way for
them to disappear. The steps below show how they are broken down, and the destruction of
ozone (O3) along with it. This also is a negative effect of CFCs when they destruct our
ozone layer.
Step 1
Photolysis (splitting by sunlight) of CFCs in the stratosphere
Cl2CF2 + UV light --* ClCF2 + Cl
Step 2
Catalytic destruction of ozone
Cl + O3 --* ClO + O2 
ClO + O3 --* Cl + 2O2
Bibliography
REFERENCES:
Website: http://www.biospherics.org
Website: http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/climate_change.html
Website: http://www.epa.gov/ghginfo/questions.htm
Website: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~ssandhu/clarkghg.html
International Journal of Life support & Biosphere Sciences (1997) 4, ? (RAS Collection)