Chapter 4, Section 1Environmental Problems

Vocab:• Pollution• Renewable Resource• Nonrenewable

Resource• Overpopulation• Biodiversity

Pollution

• Is an unwanted change in the environment

• Caused by substances such as wastes, forms of energy( ex. Radiation)

• Anything that causes pollution is called a pollutant

Pollution

• Can be natural or human-made

• Natural events – volcanic eruptions

• Human-made – pesticides, vehicle emissions, hairspray

• Types of pollution – garbage, chemicals, High-powered wastes, gases, and noise

Garbage

• Average American throws away 12kg of trash a week

• Hazardous waste – includes waste that can catch fire, corrode, or eat through metal, explode, or cause illness

• Many paper mills and oil fineries produce hazardous wastes.

Chemicals

• Some good and some bad• Some can help people, but

harm environment• Fertilizers and pesticides

pollute soil and water• CFCs and PCBs – destroy

ozone• CFCs – found in aerosols,

refrigerators, and plastics• PCBs – poisonous and

cause cancer

High-Powered Wastes

• Nuclear power – provide electricity

• Also produce radioactive wastes

• Give off radiation• Some take over 1000

years to become harmless

Gases

• Atmosphere is mixture of gases

• Includes CO2

• Since Industrial revolution, CO2 has increased

• These pollutants act like a greenhouse

• Traps heat around the Earth

• Global Warming

Nick

Noise

• Pollutants that affect the senses

• Example, Ladayja and Sanam

• Too much noise is not just annoying but affects your ability to hear and think clearly

• Can damage hearing ability.

Resource Depletion

• Renewable resource – can be replaced at same rate it is used.

• Solar energy and wind energy

• Nonrenewable resource – cannot be replaced over thousands or millions of years

• Fossil fuels (oil and coal)• Water?

Exotic Species

• An organism that makes a home for itself in a new place outside its native home

• Become pests and compete with native species

Human Population Growth

• I think you have done enough with this, unless you want to do Population Explosion again?

• Thank you penicillin• Overpopulation – number of

individuals becomes so large that the individuals can’t get the resources they need to survive

• Will human population reach carrying capacity?

Habitat Destruction

• Clearing land for construction, crops, mines, or lumber can cause soil erosion

• Chemicals can pollute streams and rivers

• Habitat – organisms home, where it lives

• Biodiversity – numbers and variety of organisms

• Habitat destruction destroys biodiversity

Deforestation

• Trees provide oxygen, lumber, food, rubber, and paper

• Deforestation is the clearing of forest lands

• Tropical rainforests (huge biodiversity ) cannot regrow

• Soils too thin and are usually damaged

Marine Habitats

• Point-source pollution – such as oil spills

• It is a one source pollution

• Nonpoint-source pollution – many different sources

• Happens when chemicals are washed into rivers, lakes, and oceans

• Trash – mistaken for food or become trapped

Effects on Humans

• Polluted air affects people with respiratory problems

• Polluted water causing sickness

• Cause cancer over time• Overuse of natural

resources

Chapter 4, Section2Environmental Solutions

Vocab:• Conservation• Recycling

Conservation

• Preservation and wise use of natural resources

• Three ways to conserve: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

• Examples: carpooling, organic compost

Reducing Waste and Pollution

• 1/3 of waste produced is packaging material

• Biodegradable – can be broken down by living organisms (bacteria)

• Organic farming – no pesticides

• Mulch, compost, manure, natural pest control

Reducing the Use of Non renewable Resources

• Things to replace fossil fuels

• Solar energy, wind, tides, falling water

• Electric and hydrogen fueled cars

Reuse

• Plastic bags• Bricks• Wood• Tiles• Tires

Reusing Water

• 100 billion liters of water used each day

• Most goes down drain• Reclaiming water uses

organisms to clean the water

• Plants and filter feeding animals

• Not always potable, but is used to water crops, lawns, and golf courses

Recycle

• Recovery of materials from waste

• Can be reused to make same kind of products, paper for example

• Resource recovery - using garbage to make electricity

Maintaining Biodiversity

• Each species has a unique role in an ecosystem

• Losing one species could disrupt entire ecosystem

• Look what happened to Kaibab deer when predators were removed

• Protecting Endangered Species

• Protecing Habitats

Environmental Strategies

• Reduce Pollution• Reduce Pesticide use• Protect habitats• Learn about local issues• Develop alternative

energy sources