Download Unit 2 Environmental and Medical Issues File

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The increase in the temperature
of the Earth’s atmosphere
(thought to be caused by the
greenhouse effect)
• Since the middle of the
20th century the
temperature of the Earth
has been getting warmer.
This is known as climate
change or global warming
• Scientists disagree about
why this is happening
It’s being cause by
humans burning fossil
fuels (oil, coal and gas)
This increases the levels
of greenhouse gases such
as carbon dioxide
This stops the Sun’s
energy escaping and
heats the Earth up It’s a natural occurrence
The climate has changed
throughout history and
This is just another natural
change
There is not convincing
evidence to support the
idea that humans are
causing global warming
• Reduce the
amount of
energy we use
• Use public
transport more
• Support
organisations
like Greenpeace
• Ensure the country
works together on
large scale to tackle
climate change
• Making sure there
are laws to tackle
climate change – eg
laws about the gases
factories can
produce
• Invest money in
finding out the
causes
• Research the
causes and
consequences of
climate change
• The more we
understand about
it, the more likely
it is we can do
something about
it
Land
Pollution
• Most common form of land pollution is
dropping litter
• Dumping radioactive waste – can cause
health problems for humans and wildlife
and stop crops growing.
• Chopping down trees - deforestation
• Land or soil pollution can lead to poor
growth, loss of wildlife inhabitants, soil
erosion
Air
Pollution
• Occurs when substances or chemicals affect
the natural balance of the air
• E.g. sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxides from
coal fired power stations. These can lead to
acid rain.
• Acid rain harms soil, water, buildings and all
forms of life.
• It can also cause smog and breathing problems
for humans and animals.
Water pollution
• The contamination of rivers,
lakes, oceans and reservoirs by
chemicals or other matter that
affects the water’s quality.
• An example of water pollution
is eutrophication. This is when
sewage and fertiliser make
water plants grow. When they
die they are broken down as
bacteria. As the bacteria
feed, they use up the oxygen
and the fish die.
The problem of waste
• Developments in technology
leads to lots of new products.
This leads to a lot of waste e.g.
computers
• Most waste cannot be recycled
and is not biodegradable (it
doesn’t break down naturally).
• Waste takes up space, spreads
disease and releases dangerous
chemicals into the
environment.
• Recycle things - both
rubbish and used
electrical items
• Buying products that
have less packaging
• Strict anti – pollution
laws
• Severe penalties for
companies that break
these rules
• In 1985 scientists discovered that there
was a hole in the ozone layer above the
Antarctic.
• The ozone layer is a layer of atmosphere
that prevents too much UV radiation
from entering the Earth
• Too many UV rays can cause many health
problems for humans and animals - skin
cancer and bad crops.
• Scientists found that man made
chemicals called CFCs were causing the
hole.
• People were encouraged to stop using the
products
• The level of CFCs in the atmosphere
gradually reduced and the hole in the
ozone layer has gradually reduced.
Conservation – Protecting and
preserving natural resources
and the environment
Natural resources – Naturally
occurring materials, such as oil
and fertile land, which can be
used by humans
• Wind power
• Solar power
• Wave power
• Water power
• Fertile land
• Wood
•
•
•
•
Coal
Oil
Gas
Minerals and
rocks
• They have GREAT advantages though because
they will never run out.
BUT remember:
• Some of them need managing in order to be
renewable. For example, land needs to be looked
after to stay fertile and trees need to be
planted to replace ones used
• Can be used for several things:
transport (petrol and diesel),
electricity, buildings (glass,
bricks etc made from minerals)
products (cosmetics, DVDs,
medicines, some foods
• Not waste electricity
• Walking, cycling instead
of driving
• Buy/use products made
from renewable
resources
Creation – The act of creating the universe or
the universe which has been created
Environment – The surroundings in which
plants and animals live and on which tey
depend to live
Stewardship – Looking after something so it
can be passed on to the next generation
God blessed them, and said to them
“Be fruitful and multiply. Rule over
the fish of the sea and the birds of
the air and over every living thing
that moves on the ground”
Genesis 1:28
We need to take stewardship
over the world
Take care of God’s creation
We have DOMINION over the
world – we’re in charge.
• The Bible shows God’s anger towards people who have
ruined the environment
‘I brought them into a fertile land to eat its fruit and its
produce. They came and made my land unclean. They made
my property disgusting’. (Jeremiah 2:7)
• Love thy neighbour – look after the world for other
people to enjoy
• Conserve the Earth’s natural
resources
• Reduce pollution
• Share the Earth’s resources more
equally across the world
• Conserve animals and plant life
• All the different pieces of Allah’s
creation are in unity with each other.
Therefore, everything is dependent on
everything else and the balance has to
be maintained for things to keep
working as they should do.
• Animals are part of Allah’s creation
and should be treated with respect
too.
• The world is a gift from Allah. It was given to Adam
the first human – so humans were given God’s creation.
• Humans have been made khalifah by Allah. This means
people should treat the Earth with respect and look
after it. As khalifah humans have been given a position
of responsibility.
• All Muslims are part of the Ummah
• On the day of judgement Allah will judge everyone on
how they have lived their lives and carried out his
wishes. This includes looking after the Earth.
• Avoid extravagant or greedy use of resources
• Not to damage, destroy or abuse the natural
environment
• Work towards the protection and conservation of
all existing forms of life
• Try and distribute the Earth’s resources more
equally
• Support environmental organisations and charities
Artificial insemination – injecting semen into the
uterus by artificial means
Embryo – A fertilised egg in the first eight weeks
after conception
Infertility – Not being able to have children
In – vitro fertilisation – The method of
fertilising a human egg in a test tube
Surrogacy – An arrangement whereby a woman
bears a child on behalf of another woman
Treatment
Procedure
AID (artificial insemination by
donor)
The sperm of a donor is
inseminated into the mother’s
womb
AIH (artificial insemination by
husband)
The sperm of the husband is
inseminated into the mother’s
womb
Egg donation
The husband’s sperm is used to
fertilised the egg of an unknown
donor in a test tube.
Embryo donation
Sperm and egg are provided by
donors, the egg is fertilised by the
sperm in a test tube and then
implanted in the mother
In – vitro fertilisation (IVF)
An egg is taken from the mother
and fertilised with sperm from the
father. The embryo is then
implanted
Surrogacy
An embryo is placed in the womb of
another woman who carries the
baby
• Expensive
• No guarantees it will
work
• Fertility drugs can cause
unwanted side effects
• Huge strain on
relationship
• Can be difficult for the
infertile partner to
accept use of donor
• Surrogate may find it
hard to give up baby
Is it right for the NHS to spend
hundreds of thousands on fertility
treatments when that money could be
spent on treating people with life
threatening conditions and illnesses?
The world is already over
populated! Infertility is
nature’s way of controlling
population levels
Is it right to interfere with
nature?
Wouldn’t adopting an
orphaned child be a
better option?
Who is the real
mother?
• God planned for children to be created
naturally through sex
• If some couples are infertile that is
what God planned for that couple. We
shouldn’t interfere
• Masturbation is a sin. Treatments
which involve the male masturbating
are wrong
• IVF involves several embryos being
created and only some are implanted.
The others are destroyed. This goes
against the sanctity of life
• Donated sperm and eggs could be
considered adultery by the most
conservative Christians.
• Maybe fertility treatments have
been developed because they are
part of God’s plan
• It is the most loving thing to do –
allow couples to experience the
joy of being parents
• It is a way of loving thy
neighbour
• If IVF wasn’t allowed we would
be stealing a person’s right to a
child
How would Christian couples
react to the fact that they can’t
have a baby?
• Some may accept it is God’s choice for
them
• Others may find other ways to direct
their parental skills – school, charity or
Church work
• Adopt/foster children
• Some may choose to try IVF treatment
• Infertility is regarded as a
disease so it’s acceptable to
try and find a cure
• Child birth and child rearing
is important to families
• Having children helps to
keep a family together
• The social status of Muslim
women and her self esteem
are related to her ability to
have a child
No to using donor sperm/eggs – all
children have the right to know their
natural parents.
No to surrogacy – similar to adultery
and the woman who gives birth will
be the mother
Would say that if a couple are infertile then
it is Allah’s plan for them and say we
shouldn’t interfere with treatments
Organ donation – Giving organs
to be used in transplant surgery
Involves using body parts
from one person dead or alive
to replace body parts in
someone else.
The most common transplants
are kidney, liver, lungs, heart,
corneas, blood and bone
marrow.
• Makes use of organs which
would otherwise be wasted
• Gives people the opportunity
to help others after their
death
• Offers huge relief to
patients waiting for
transplants and for their
families
• Comfort the dead person’s
relatives to believe part of
their deceased loved one lives
on
• Donor organs are very
scarce and in some
countries a black market
has developed
• Donor organs are not always
accepted by the patient
• Stress of waiting for a
donor organ can be massive
both for the patient and
the patient’s family
• What if family aren’t happy
with their dead relative’s
donation?
Personal choice
• It is the most loving thing
to do
• Your body is not needed in
heaven so it’s not a
problem
• Medical technology has
advanced because it is part
of God’s plan
• Treat others as you would
wish to be treated
• Interferes with God’s plan
• Sanctity of life
• Your body is a temple – God
created you and designed
you. It is wrong to replace
parts
• Some believe that your body
will be resurrected an so
will be needed again
• The Qu’ran teaches that the body should not be interferred
with after death and should be buried soon after
• On the Last Day the body will be resurrected – all organs will
be needed
• It violates the sanctity of life – only Allah has the right to give
life and take it away
• Interferes with Allah’s plan for individuals
Living donor transplants for a relative may be
acceptable