Marcos Lund

4A

Environmental Management
- Fossil fuels
Coal, oil and natural gas are the three fossil fuels. They have two common characterictics: They were formed from the decomposition of the remains of plants and animals It has taken millions of years for them to accumulate and form deposits which are large enough to be mined for human use. Fossil fuel Formation In the Carboniferous, there were dense forests, which died and decomposed on the swampy forest floors. A thick layer of peat formed, which was covered by deposits of mud and sand from rivers. These were compressed into sedimentary rocks, and the peat hardened into coal. They were formed from the decomposition of plants and dead creatures, which collected in layers on the sea bed. They were covered by mud and by sand, which compressed into hard sandstone rock, making the oil and gas separate and rise through it, filling the spaces between the particles of rock. Extraction Deep mining is used to extract coal. Uses Heating, transportation, ... Heating, transportation, electricity, chemicals, ... Heating, cooking, transportation, ...

Coal

Oil

Natural gas

Drills are used to extract oil and natural gas from beneath the surface. Under the sea, pipes are implemented.

- Alternative sources of energy

An alternative source of energy refers to an energy source that can be used as a replacement for fossil fuels. Most of them are also renewable sources of energy, and they are sustainable, which means that people will be able to use them long after fossil fuels have run out. Renewable Clean Locally available Widely available Dont contribute to global warming High cost of research into new technology Wrong weather Too expensive for poor countries to set up and use Bad environmental effects Spoil scenery

Advantages

Disadvantages

Marcos Lund Alternative sources of energy Hydroelectric power (HEP)

4A

Advantages It is one of the chapest ways of making electricity Doesnt pollute Water can be used for other purposes (i.e. drinking, electricity) Doesnt pollute Extremely cost effective Cheap to produce electricity Doesnt pollute Land can be used for other purposes Doesnt contribute to global warming Extremely reliable Doesnt pollute Very cheap once running

Disadvantages Large dams are expensive Best physical conditions are away from places where many people live Vegetation and wildlife is destroyed Land is flooded; people must move away On cloudy days or at night no power is produced Very expensive Very expensive Many turbines are needed On calm days no power is produced Noisy and spoils the view Radiation can cause diseases and pollute environments Waste is very difficult to clean Very expensive Suited to a particular region

Solar energy

Wind energy

Nuclear energy Geothermal energy