Cave Pollution Sal Cervantes

Cave, May I Introduce Pollution?

• Caves are naturally formed chambers underground that help store and purify water.

• Pollution- The presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects.

• Cave Pollution- Is the ongoing process of adding harmful or poisonous substances to caves.

Where?

• Everywhere

• Virginia, Beacon Cave

• UK

Troglobites

• Are animals that live in the dark parts of caves.

• More than 7,500 species live in caves.

• Thin layers of skin.

• Defenseless against invasive species.

• Out of sight out of mind

Dump It! Drink It!

• Oils

• Trash

• Sewage

• PCB's

• Industrial waste

Poor Farming Techniques

Over fertilizing Pesticide use

Manures

Caution Where You Step

• Entering caves begins their destruction

• Damages Troglobites habitats

• Introduce foriegn species

• Pollute where you walk

• Leaving trash inside caves

Sinkholes

• Sink holes happen after caves collapse

• Florida gypsum stack

• Contaminates water supply

• Destroys homes

Adopt-A-Cave• Clumsiness can wreck cave formations.

• Observe taped routes - they are there to safeguard the cave.

• Never leave litter or spent carbide in a cave - pollution kills cave life.

• Set others a good example when caving - persuade them to follow it.

• Enlist the help of experts to record anything new you may find.

• Responsible leaders will avoid taking novices where they may accidentally cause damage.

• Vandalism means damage to stals, mud floors, rimstone pools etc., - help prevent it.

• Alert your Regional Caving Council to developments which may possibly damage or destroy caves.

• Take care not to disturb cave life, especially bats, or remains which may be of archaeological or historical mining interest.

• Initiate measures to help look after caves and mines - collect litter, clean off graffiti, etc.

• Offer your support to others who initiate conservation measures.

• Natural caves and old mines are part of our natural heritage - help protect them.

http://www.wildplaces.co.uk/content/18-adopt-a-cave

Toilet-To-Tap Pump-It-Out

• Cleans water and then is released back into our reservoirs

• Keeps use from drill into the earth to find more water

• Reduces untreated water from ending up in our caves

The caves that have been entered, we can pump out

the polluted water and treat it.

Our Contribution

• Watch what we waste

• Make sure we recycle

• Community service

• Stop interrupting caves

– Ian Rankin

“ You wouldn't think you could kill an ocean, would you? But we'll do it one day. That's how negligent we are.”

Work Cited"Threats to Caves and Karst." Views of the National Parks. N.p., n.d.

http://www2.nature.nps.gov/views/KCs/CaveKarst/HTML/ET_Threats.htm. 08 June 2015.

"US Water Pollution Standards for PCBs." Marine Pollution Bulletin 7.11 (1976): 205-06.

http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/PCBs2009_FinalLOWRES.pdf.

“The Creation of a Cave." Formation of Cave. N.p., n.d.http://dwb4.unl.edu/Chem/CHEM869A/CHEM869ALinks/rville.k12.mo.us/

Cave/caveForm1.html. 08 June 2015.

"Caving and Conservation Organizations." Caving and Conservation Organizations. N.p., n.d.

http://nashvillegrotto.org/tags/caving-and-conservation-organizations. 08 June 2015.

Hess, Darrel, Tom L. McKnight, and Dennis Tasa. McKnight’s Physical Geography. New York: Learning Solutions, 2011. Print.