Question

Explain how the following scenario could improve human health and address global climate change.

a) Biomass can reduce carbon emissions.
b) Biomass can increase air pollution.
c) Biomass can reduce deforestation.
d) Biomass can increase resource depletion.

Answer 1

Biomass can improve human health and address global climate change by reducing carbon emissions and deforestation. However, certain forms of biomass, like monoculture crops used for biofuels, may contribute to resource depletion.

Step-by-step explanation:

Biomass can improve human health and address global climate change in the following ways:

1. Reducing carbon emissions: Biomass, when burned, adds no new carbon to the atmosphere and is considered a carbon-neutral energy source. It does not contribute to the greenhouse effect and helps mitigate climate change.
2. Reducing deforestation: Biomass can be derived from waste material such as lumber mill sawdust or yard waste, which would otherwise go to waste. By using biomass as an energy source, there is less reliance on traditional fuels like wood obtained from forests, thus reducing deforestation.
3. Increasing resource depletion: However, some types of biomass, like monoculture crops such as corn or soybeans used for biofuels, may require large quantities of fossil fuel for manufacturing and transportation, negating the energy savings. In such cases, resource depletion may increase.