Bell Ringer
Instructions: Answer the prompt provided by your teacher.
Vocabulary
Instructions: Watch the Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution video and listen for the vocabulary words.
| Word | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Biomass | noun; organic material from plants and animals that can be used as an energy source; examples include wood, animal dung or straw | “Over 3 billion people today still get energy for heating their homes and cooking their food from . . . biomass.” |
| Ventilated | adjective; allowing fresh air to move through a space to remove heat, smoke, or gases | “Burning biomass, especially in the many homes that don’t have chimneys, or are poorly ventilated . . .” |
| Particulate Air Pollution | noun; tiny, often microscopic solid or liquid particles in the air that can come from sources like fires, engines or dust | “. . . produces very high levels of particulate air pollution inside the home.” |
| Cataracts | noun; a condition where the lens of the eye becomes cloudy and can cause blurry vision | “[Particulate air pollution] causes lung and heart diseases, cancer, high blood pressure, cataracts, and other major health issues.” |
| Butane | noun; a flammable hydrocarbon made from petroleum, often used as fuel in lighters and portable stoves | “Liquified Petroleum Gas, or LPG, is produced from oil or natural gas and is a mix of butane and propane in the United States.” |
| Propane | noun; a hydrocarbon made from natural gas or petroleum, commonly used for heating and cooking | “Liquified Petroleum Gas, or LPG, is produced from oil or natural gas and is a mix of butane and propane in the United States.” |
| Canisters | noun; small containers used to hold gases or liquids under pressure | “Canisters of LPG may be a family’s only cooking method, but one that is safer, less polluting, and often more affordable than wood . . .” |
| Methane | noun; a hydrocarbon gas found in natural gas and made by decaying plants and animals; used as a fuel | “And the byproduct is mostly methane, like natural gas.” |
| Biogas | noun; a gas produced from decaying plants, animals, or waste that is made of mostly methane and CO2 | “Because it’s produced by biological means, it’s called biogas, but it can be burned in a stove exactly like natural gas.” |
| Grid | noun; a network of wires (power lines) and equipment that carries electricity from power plants to homes and businesses | “Finally, as the grid expands in developing countries, people are starting to use electric cooktops.” |
Quiz & Cloze Notes
Instructions: Circle the correct answer based on what you learned in the Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution video and then fill in the blanks using the word bank.
Q1. What is the main health risk caused by indoor air pollution from cooking fires?
- It causes temporary eye irritation and discomfort.
- It leads to lung and heart diseases, cancer, and other serious health problems.
- It reduces the amount of oxygen in the room, making cooking more difficult.
- It increases the humidity in homes, leading to mold growth.
Q2. Why do many families still rely on wood, charcoal, or other biomass fuels for cooking?
- They refuse to change their traditional cooking methods.
- Cooking with smoke is believed to make food taste better.
- Cleaner energy sources like LPG or electricity might be unavailable, unaffordable, or hard to transport.
- Governments encourage the use of local biomass resources.
Q3. What is one major challenge in switching to modern cooking fuels like LPG, biogas, or electricity?
- Many households lack reliable access to the supply systems needed for these fuels.
- These fuels create new types of indoor air pollution.
- They are incompatible with many cooking styles.
- Families often prefer the visual warmth of traditional wood fires.
Q4. Which of the following can best help reduce indoor air pollution from cooking?
- Using smaller fires used from the same biomass materials.
- Burning biomass outdoors only during certain times of day.
- Painting walls with smoke-resistant coatings to trap particulates.
- Switching to cleaner fuels like LPG or biogas.
Word Bank
| billion | biomass | biogas | electric |
| health | LPG | pollution |
Nearly three ____________________ people around the world still cook using ____________________ fuels, such as wood or animal dung, which produces dangerous indoor air ____________________ inside homes. Breathing this smoke causes serious ____________________ problems. Modern alternatives, like ____________________, ____________________, and ____________________ cooktops are much safer and can save millions of lives.