CARAGA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

LEARNING MODULE

Learning Modules

in

NATS 202

People’s and Earth’s

Ecosystem

NATS 202 FOR CIT BSBA STUDENTS 1

JHON LLOYD Z. BANTIGUE
 CARAGA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
LEARNING MODULE

CHAPTER III: ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT

TOPICS: 3.1 POLLUTION

3.2 LAND DEGRADATION
3.3 BIODIVERSITY LOSS
3.4 GLOBAL WARMING
3.5 CLIMATE CHANGE

Objectives:
a. Described the human impact to the environment in terms of pollution, land degradation,
biodiversity loss, and global warming;
b. Developed awareness on the anthropogenic impact to the environment; and
c. Promote awareness on how to control the anthropogenic impact on the environment.
KEY CONCEPTS
climate change—a term used to describe trends in the earth’s climate. For example, scientists see
that the planet’s average temperature is rising. This affects wind and ocean currents as well as
yearly amounts of rain and snow. Climate change affects different parts of the world in different
ways.
global warming—refers to the general increase in the earth’s average temperature, which causes
changes in climate patterns across the globe. The earth’s average temperature has been
increasing over the last century.
greenhouse gases—are carbon dioxide and methane, mostly caused by human activity.
Greenhouse gases are in the atmosphere, absorbing and holding heat, which causes earth’s
temperature to rise.
3.4 GLOBAL WARMING

Global Warming

This term refers to the general increase in the earth’s average temperature caused by the
presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which causes changes in climate patterns
across the globe.

Since the Industrial Revolution, the global annual temperature has increased in total by a
little more than 1 degree Celsius, or about 2 degrees Fahrenheit. Between 1880—the year that
accurate recordkeeping began—and 1980, it rose on average by 0.07 degrees Celsius (0.13
degrees Fahrenheit) every 10 years. Since 1981, however, the rate of increase has more than
doubled: For the last 40 years, we’ve seen the global annual temperature rise by 0.18 degrees
Celsius, or 0.32 degrees Fahrenheit, per decade.

The result? A planet that has never been hotter. Nine of the 10 warmest years since 1880
have occurred since 2005—and the 5 warmest years on record have all occurred since 2015.
Climate change deniers have argued that there has been a “pause” or a “slowdown” in rising global
temperatures, but numerous studies, including a 2018 paper published in the
journal Environmental Research Letters, have disproved this claim. The impacts of global warming
are already harming people around the world.

NATS 202 FOR CIT BSBA STUDENTS 2

JHON LLOYD Z. BANTIGUE
 CARAGA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
LEARNING MODULE

Now climate scientists have concluded that we must limit global warming to 1.5 degrees
Celsius by 2040 if we are to avoid a future in which everyday life around the world is marked by its
worst, most devastating effects: the extreme droughts, wildfires, floods, tropical storms, and other
disasters that we refer to collectively as climate change. These effects are felt by all people in one
way or another but are experienced most acutely by the underprivileged, the economically
marginalized, and people of color, for whom climate change is often a key driver of poverty,
displacement, hunger, and social unrest.

What is the Greenhouse Effect?

The greenhouse effect is the way in which heat is trapped close to Earth's surface by
“greenhouse gases.” These heat-trapping gases can be thought of as a blanket wrapped around
Earth, keeping the planet toastier than it would be without them. Greenhouse gases include
carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, and water vapor. (Water vapor, which responds
physically or chemically to changes in temperature, is called a "feedback.") Scientists have
determined that carbon dioxide's warming effect helps stabilize Earth's atmosphere. Remove
carbon dioxide, and the terrestrial greenhouse effect would collapse. Without carbon dioxide,
Earth's surface would be some 33°C (59°F) cooler.

Greenhouse gases occur naturally and are part of our atmosphere's makeup. For that
reason, Earth is sometimes called the “Goldilocks” planet – its conditions are not too hot and not
too cold, but just right to allow life (including us) to flourish. Part of what makes Earth so amenable
is its natural greenhouse effect, which keeps the planet at a friendly 15 °C (59 °F) on average. But
in the last century or so, humans have been interfering with the planet's energy balance, mainly
through the burning of fossil fuels that add carbon dioxide to the air. The level of carbon dioxide in
Earth’s atmosphere has been rising consistently for decades and traps extra heat near Earth's
surface, causing temperatures to rise.

NATS 202 FOR CIT BSBA STUDENTS 3

JHON LLOYD Z. BANTIGUE
 CARAGA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
LEARNING MODULE

Carbon Footprint

Since the Industrial Revolution (from about 1850 to the present) astounding amounts of
greenhouse gases have been introduced into the earth’s atmosphere. This is primarily due to
increased use of fossil fuels for generating power.

Americans are huge consumers of products that use enormous amounts of energy and
generate large amounts of waste.

A carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide a person, family or business emits
through the use of fossil fuels.

Your carbon footprint is the impact your lifestyle choices have on the earth. Two of the
biggest contributors are your driving and travel habits as well as your electricity use at home. Other
impacts come from your diet and the products you buy.

Have you stopped to consider your personal contribution to climate change?

You send greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when you...

• watch TV
• play video games
• turn on a light
• ride in a car
• put trash in a landfill
• use electricity to listen to music

EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

Each year scientists learn more about the consequences of global warming, and each year
we also gain new evidence of its devastating impact on people and the planet. As the heat waves,
droughts, and floods associated with climate change become more frequent and more intense,
communities suffer and death tolls rise. If we’re unable to reduce our emissions, scientists
believe that climate change could lead to the deaths of more than 250,000 people around the
globe every year and force 100 million people into poverty by 2030.

• Disappearing glaciers, early snowmelt, and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water
shortages and continue to increase the risk of wildfires in the American West.

• Rising sea levels will lead to even more coastal flooding on the Eastern Seaboard, especially in
Florida, and in other areas such as the Gulf of Mexico.

• Forests, farms, and cities will face troublesome new pests, heat waves, heavy downpours,
and increased flooding. All of these can damage or destroy agriculture and fisheries.

• Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and alpine meadows could drive many plant and
animal species to extinction.

• Allergies, asthma, and infectious disease outbreaks will become more common due to
increased growth of pollen-producing ragweed, higher levels of air pollution, and the spread of
conditions favorable to pathogens and mosquitoes.

NATS 202 FOR CIT BSBA STUDENTS 4

JHON LLOYD Z. BANTIGUE
 CARAGA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
LEARNING MODULE

Though everyone is affected by climate change, not everyone is affected equally.

Indigenous people, people of color, and the economically marginalized are typically hit the hardest.
Inequities built into our housing, health care, and labor systems make these communities more
vulnerable to the worst impacts of climate change—even though these same communities have
done the least to contribute to it.

WHAT CAN I DO TO LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINT?

Preserving Forest

Trees, through photosynthesis, absorb and store carbon dioxide. They act as natural air
filters. Trees help to control erosion and flooding.

You can make a DIFFERENCE! Be part of the SOLUTION!

What you can do:

• Reduce, reuse, recycle!
• Bike or walk instead of driving
• Carpool to school
• Conserve water
• Get educated about taking care of the environment
• Use both sides of paper
• Organize a class project to teach others about climate change solutions
• Be energy efficient...turn off lights, unplug electronics, use a power strip, unplug chargers (cell
phone, iPods, etc.) when not in use
• Bring lunch in reusable containers
• Use reusable bottles for water (save money, reduce pollution)

References
Turrentine, A. M. J. (n.d.). Global Warming 101. NRDC. Retrieved October 9, 2022, from
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-warming-101

FAQ: What is the greenhouse effect? (n.d.). Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet. Retrieved
October 9, 2022, from https://climate.nasa.gov/faq/19/what-is-the-greenhouse-effect/

NATS 202 FOR CIT BSBA STUDENTS 5

JHON LLOYD Z. BANTIGUE
 CARAGA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
LEARNING MODULE

3.5 CLIMATE CHANGE

What Is Climate? How Is It Different From Weather?

You might know what weather is. Weather is the changes we see and feel outside from day
to day. It might rain one day and be sunny the next. Sometimes it is cold. Sometimes it is hot.
Weather also changes from place to place. People in one place might be wearing shorts and
playing outside. At the same time, people far away might be shoveling snow.

Climate is the usual weather of a place. Climate can be different for different seasons. A
place might be mostly warm and dry in the summer. The same place may be cool and wet in the
winter. Different places can have different climates. You might live where it snows all the time. And
some people live where it is always warm enough to swim outside!
There's also Earth's climate. Earth's climate is what you get when you combine all the climates
around the world together.

What Is Climate Change?

Climate change is a change in the usual weather found in a place. This could be a change
in how much rain a place usually gets in a year. Or it could be a change in a place's usual
temperature for a month or season.

Climate change is also a change in Earth's climate. This could be a change in Earth's usual
temperature. Or it could be a change in where rain and snow usually fall on Earth.
Weather can change in just a few hours. Climate takes hundreds or even millions of years to
change.

Is Earth's Climate Changing?

Earth's climate is always changing. There have been times when Earth's climate has been
warmer than it is now. There have been times when it has been cooler. These times can last
thousands or millions of years.

People who study Earth see that Earth's climate is getting warmer. Earth's temperature has
gone up about one degree Fahrenheit in the last 100 years. This may not seem like much. But
small changes in Earth's temperature can have big effects.
Some effects are already happening. Warming of Earth's climate has caused some snow and ice
to melt. The warming also has caused oceans to rise. And it has changed the timing of when
certain plants grow.

What Is Causing Earth's Climate to Change?

Many things can cause climate to change all on its own. Earth's distance from the sun can
change. The sun can send out more or less energy. Oceans can change. When a volcano erupts, it
can change our climate.

Most scientists say that humans can change climate too. People drive cars. People heat
and cool their houses. People cook food. All those things take energy. One way we get energy is
by burning coal, oil and gas. Burning these things puts gases into the air. The gases cause the air
to heat up. This can change the climate of a place. It also can change Earth's climate.

NATS 202 FOR CIT BSBA STUDENTS 6

JHON LLOYD Z. BANTIGUE
 CARAGA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
LEARNING MODULE

What Might Happen to Earth's Climate

Scientists think that Earth's temperature will keep going up for the next 100 years. This
would cause more snow and ice to melt. Oceans would rise higher. Some places would get hotter.
Other places might have colder winters with more snow. Some places might get more rain. Other
places might get less rain. Some places might have stronger hurricanes.

How Does NASA Study Climate Change?

Some NASA satellites look at Earth's land, air, water and ice. Other tools look at the sun
and the energy it sends out. Together, these are important for learning about Earth's climate. Using
all these tools can help scientists learn how climate might change.

What Can You Do to Help?

Scientists think we can do things to stop the climate from changing as much. You can help
by using less energy and water. Turn off lights and TVs when you leave a room. Turn off the water
when brushing your teeth. You also can help by planting trees.
Another way to help is by learning about Earth. The more you know about Earth, the more you can
help solve climate problems.

Reference

What Is Climate Change? (n.d.). NASA. Retrieved October 9, 2022, from

https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/what-is-climate-change-k4.html

NATS 202 FOR CIT BSBA STUDENTS 7

JHON LLOYD Z. BANTIGUE