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Environmental Science

Pollution, resources, recycling and caring for Earth.

71 cardsGrades 3–5, Grades 6–8, Grades 9–12#environment#recycling#climate

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71 cards
  • EnvironmentTerm
    Everything around a living thing
  • Natural resourceTerm
    A material from nature that people use
  • Renewable resourceTerm
    A resource that can be replaced naturally, like sunlight and wind
  • Nonrenewable resourceTerm
    A resource that cannot be replaced quickly, like oil
  • ConservationTerm
    Protecting and using resources wisely
  • Reduce, reuse, recycleTerm
    Use less, use things again, make new things from old ones
  • RecyclingTerm
    Turning used materials into new products
  • CompostTerm
    Decayed food and plant waste that enriches soil
  • LandfillTerm
    A place where trash is buried
  • BiodegradableTerm
    Able to be broken down by living things
  • PollutionTerm
    Harmful materials added to air, water or land
  • Air pollutionTerm
    Harmful gases and particles in the air
  • Water pollutionTerm
    Harmful substances in water
  • Soil pollutionTerm
    Harmful chemicals in the ground
  • Noise pollutionTerm
    Loud sounds that harm health or wildlife
  • Light pollutionTerm
    Too much artificial light at night
  • SmogTerm
    Smoky fog caused by air pollution
  • Acid rainTerm
    Rain made acidic by pollution
  • Ozone layerTerm
    Layer high in the air that blocks harmful UV rays
  • Greenhouse effectTerm
    Gases in the air trapping heat near Earth
  • Greenhouse gasesTerm
    Carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor
  • Global warmingTerm
    The rise in Earth's average temperature
  • Climate changeTerm
    Long-term change in Earth's weather patterns
  • Fossil fuelsTerm
    Coal, oil and natural gas
  • Carbon footprintTerm
    The amount of carbon dioxide caused by a person or activity
  • DeforestationTerm
    Cutting down large areas of forest
  • ReforestationTerm
    Planting trees again
  • Habitat lossTerm
    When animals lose their natural homes
  • Endangered speciesTerm
    A species at risk of dying out
  • ExtinctionTerm
    When a species dies out completely
  • BiodiversityTerm
    The variety of life in a place
  • Invasive speciesTerm
    A species that spreads and harms its new home
  • OverfishingTerm
    Catching fish faster than they can be replaced
  • OverpopulationTerm
    Too many people or animals for resources to support
  • ErosionTerm
    Soil carried away by wind or water
  • DesertificationTerm
    Land turning into desert
  • DroughtTerm
    A long time without much rain
  • Water conservationTerm
    Using water carefully
  • WatershedTerm
    Land area that drains to a river or lake
  • Oil spillTerm
    Oil leaking into water, harming wildlife
  • Plastic pollutionTerm
    Plastic trash in land and oceans
  • MicroplasticsTerm
    Tiny pieces of plastic less than 5 millimeters
  • Single-use plasticTerm
    Plastic items thrown away after one use
  • SustainableTerm
    Meeting needs without using up resources for the future
  • Renewable energyTerm
    Energy from sources like sun, wind and water
  • Solar powerTerm
    Electricity from sunlight
  • Wind powerTerm
    Electricity from wind turbines
  • HydropowerTerm
    Electricity from moving water
  • Geothermal energyTerm
    Heat from within the Earth
  • Energy efficiencyTerm
    Using less energy for the same job
  • Organic farmingTerm
    Growing food without synthetic chemicals
  • PesticideTerm
    A chemical that kills pests
  • FertilizerTerm
    Material added to soil to help plants grow
  • RunoffTerm
    Rain or irrigation water that flows over land carrying pollutants
  • EutrophicationTerm
    Too many nutrients in water causing algae to take over
  • WetlandsTerm
    Land covered with shallow water that cleans water and shelters wildlife
  • National parkTerm
    Protected land for nature and people to enjoy
  • Wildlife refugeTerm
    A protected area for wildlife
  • Who created National Parks in the US?Term
    Congress; Yellowstone became the first in 1872
  • Earth DayTerm
    April 22, a day to protect the environment
  • EPATerm
    The US Environmental Protection Agency, founded in 1970
  • Rachel CarsonTerm
    Wrote Silent Spring in 1962, about pesticides
  • Ecosystem servicesTerm
    Free benefits nature gives us, like clean water and pollination
  • PollinatorTerm
    An animal that helps plants make seeds, like bees
  • Food milesTerm
    How far food travels before you eat it
  • Food wasteTerm
    Edible food that gets thrown away
  • Green roofTerm
    A roof covered with plants
  • Electric vehicleTerm
    A vehicle powered by electricity instead of gasoline
  • Public transportationTerm
    Buses and trains that carry many people
  • Zero wasteTerm
    Trying to send nothing to landfill
  • Ecological footprintTerm
    How much of Earth's resources a person uses

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