1. Humanities
Lecture (8) :Engineering & Environment

2. Global
Warming
Noise
Insecticides
Engineering and Environment
Nuclear Power
Biodegradabale
Materials
Electric Cars

3. Global Warming
An increase in global temperature will cause sea levels to
rise and will change the amount and pattern of
precipitation, and a probable expansion of subtropical
deserts. Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic
and would be associated with continuing retreat of
glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Other likely effects of the
warming include more frequent occurrence of extreme-
weather events including heat waves, droughts and heavy
rainfall, species extinctions due to shifting temperature
regimes, and changes in crop yields.

4. Responses to global warming
Mitigation
Adaptation
Geoengineering

5. Noise
When unwanted sound created by human
beings hits our ears and disturbs the
environment, noise pollution is created.
Chiefly, noise pollution comes from
vehicles, aircraft and rail transport, air-
conditioners, factories, amplified music and
construction work.

6. Measures of noise: Noise pollution is measured in decibels. When noise is at
45 decibels, no human being can sleep, and at 120 decibels the ear is in pain
and hearing begins to be damaged at 85 decibels.
Effects of noise pollution
Human health: Noise pollution disturbs our health and behavior in a number of
ways including deafness causing lack of
sleep, irritability, indigestion, heartburn, high blood pressure,, and heart disease.
Annoyance:
Speech interference:
Sleep interference:
Decreased work performance:

7. White Noise!!!!

8. Insecticides
An insecticide is a pesticide used against insects.
DDT
Even though someone created DDT back in the 19th century, only around 1939
did Dr. Paul Muller discover that it was effective in killing insects, and shortly
after, he won the nobel prize in medicine for this work.

9. DDT
One of the bigger drivers in the development of new insecticides has been
the desire to replace toxic insecticides
One of the better known impacts of DDT is to reduce the thickness of the egg
shells on predatory birds. The shells sometimes become too thin to be
viable, causing reductions in bird populations
As a pesticide, DDT was first used during WWII. It was so effective as an
insect killer that some called it the "atomic bomb" of pesticides.

10. DDT
What does this graph tell you? What years did malaria minimize and maximize?
Can you guess during which years DDT was used?

11. Nuclear Power
Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of
the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting
for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity.
Some serious nuclear and radiation accidents have occurred. Nuclear
power plant accidents include the Chernobyl
disaster(1986), Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster (2011). Nuclear
power has caused far fewer accidental deaths per unit of energy generated
than other major forms of power generation. Energy production from
coal, natural gas, and hydropower have caused far more deaths due to
accidents.
However, nuclear power plant accidents rank first in terms of their
economic cost, accounting for 41% of all property damage attributed to
energy accidents.

12. Nuclear plants attack
•In September 1980, Iran bombed the Al Tuwaitha nuclear complex in Iraq.
•In June 1981, an Israeli air strike completely destroyed Iraq’s Osirak nuclear
research facility.
•Between 1984 and 1987, Iraq bombed Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant six times.
•In Iraq in 1991, the U.S. bombed three nuclear reactors and an enrichment
pilot facility.
•In 1991, Iraq launched Scud missiles at Israel’s Dimona nuclear power plant.
•In September 2007, Israel bombed a Syrian reactor under construction

13. The myth of absolute safety
In many places, and particularly in Japan, the nuclear industry has felt a
need to tell the public that nuclear power is safe in some absolute way.
Many government agencies and nuclear companies have promoted a
public myth of "absolute safety" that nuclear power proponents had
nurtured over decades. The tsunami that began the Fukushima nuclear
disaster could and should have been anticipated

14. Biodegradable materials
Biodegradable waste will eventually break down and
become part of the earth and soil, like food scraps and paper.
Non-biodegradable waste will NOT break down (or won't
for many many years).
Examples are plastics, metal and glass. Some dangerous
chemicals and toxins are also non-biodegradable, as are
plastic grocery bags, Styrofoam (polystyrene),

15. Advantages of Biodegradable Plastic
1. Biodegradable plastics take less time to break down
2. Biodegradable plastics are renewable
3. Biodegradable plastics are good for the environment
4. Biodegradable plastics require less energy to produce
5. Biodegradable plastics are easier to recycle
6. Biodegradable plastics are not toxic
7. Biodegradable plastics reduce dependence on foreign oil

16. Electric Cars

17. Advantages of Electric Cars
Electric cars have several potential benefits compared to conventional
internal combustion automobiles, including a significant reduction of
urban air pollution, as they do not emit harmful tailpipe pollutants
from the onboard source of power at the point of operation (zero tail
pipe emissions); reduced greenhouse gas emissions from the onboard
source of power, depending on the fuel and technology used for
electricity generation to charge the batteries

18. Disadvantages of Electric Cars
Time required to recharge the batteries.
Weight
Driving range
Initial Cost