Glossary of Terms
Environment - our surroundings made up of the non living and living things.
Habitat - the exact place in the environment where an animal or plant lives.
Species - a particular kind or type of plant or animal.
Extinction - when a particular species dies out because it can no longer survive or reproduce.
Sustainability - using resources like the land, water, oil and fuel so that it meets our needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Drought - A general term for prolonged periods of below average rainfall resulting in low river flows and/or low recharge to groundwater, imposing significant strain on water resources and potentially the environment.
Smog - Dust, smoke, or chemical fumes that pollute the air and make hazy, unhealthy conditions (literally, the word is a blend of smoke and fog). Automobile, truck, bus, and other vehicle exhausts and very small particles are usually trapped close to the ground, reducing visibility and contributing to a number of breathing problems.
Ozone layer (Ultra violet rays) - Radiation from the sun in the invisible portion of the spectrum. Some UV rays (UV-A) enhance plant life and are useful in certain medical and dental procedures. Other UV rays (UV-B) can cause skin cancer or other tissue damage. The ozone layer in the atmosphere partly shields us from ultraviolet rays reaching the earth's surface. Some man made gases, particularly CFC's used in aerosols are known to damage the ozone layer allowing more UV light through.
Pollution - Any substances in water, soil, or air that reduce the natural quality of the environment, is unsightly, smells bad, or cause a health hazard. The usefulness of the natural resource is usually reduced by the presence of pollutants and contaminants.
Climate change (Global warming and Greenhouse effect) - this term is commonly used interchangeably with "global warming" and "the greenhouse effect", but describes what happens. Climate change refers to the build-up of man-made gases in the atmosphere that trap the suns heat, causing changes in weather patterns on a global scale. The effects include changes in rainfall patterns, sea level rise, potential droughts, habitat loss, and heat stress. The greenhouse gases of most concern are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides. If these gases in our atmosphere double, the earth could warm up by 1.5 to 4.5 degrees by the year 2050, with changes in global rainfall having the greatest consequences.
The Third world - Third World is a term originally used to distinguish those nations that neither aligned with the West nor with the East during the Cold War. These countries are also known as the Global South, developing countries, and least developed countries in academic circles. Development workers also call them the two-thirds world and The South. Some dislike the term developing countries as it implies that industrialisation is the only way forward, while they believe it is not necessarily the most beneficial. Many "third world" countries are located in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. They are often nations that were colonized by another nation in the past. The populations of third world countries are generally very poor but with high birth rates. In general they are not as industrialized or technologically advanced as the first world. The majority of the countries in the world fit this classification.
Famine (hunger) - famine is a severe shortage of food which leads to hunger and starvation.
Deforestation - Deforestation involves the permanent destruction of indigenous forests and woodlands. Much of the deforestation that is going on today is in vast areas of Africa, Latin America, and southeast Asia.
Forests absorb a lot of sunlight for photosynthesis, and only about 12 to 15% is reflected. The large amounts of energy absorbed by forests acts to stimulate convection currents in air which enhance the production of rainfall. Tropical rainforests in particular are very wet and humid places. Deforested areas, by contrast, reflect about 20% of incoming sunlight. Deforested areas consequently, can become drier as a result of the loss of vegetation, increasing the risk of fertile land turning into desert or desertification . As the area of deforestation increases, so the impact on climate grows.
Trees also absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for photosynthesis, and therefore help to regulate the natural greenhouse effect . Deforestation takes away a potential sink for the carbon dioxide mankind is pumping into the atmosphere. In addition, if forests are removed by burning, a lot of extra carbon dioxide locked up in tree wood is returned to the atmosphere.