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POLLUTION PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS Root of the problem: Human population growth • In the last 200 years the population of Earth has grown from 1 billion to 6 billion • More people require more resources like food, water and energy. And also create more waste and pollution • Overpopulation occurs when there are more people than there are resources WORLD POPULATION BAD NEWS • Pollution is the presence of harmful substances in the environment – Solid materials (litter, garbage and etc.) – Chemicals (oil spills, cleaners, smoke from burining fossil fuels, etc. – Noise – Heat • Pollution may effect humans, animals or other organisms and sometimes all of them at once Piles of garbage • Americans produce more trash per person than any other country in the world • 12 kg or 25 lbs per week! (per person) • Garbage that is not recycled (most of it) is placed in landfills HAZARDOUS WASTE • Most hazardous waste goes into landfills especially designed to contain them • Some wastes are burned improperly and pollute the atmosphere • Chemicals from plastics, cleaners, pesticides and paint pollute water, air and soil • CFC’s (chloroflorocarbons) from plastics, aerosols and refrigerants destroy the ozone layer. They are now illegal • Nuclear waste can kill, cause cancer and cause birth defects • Too much noise can also be hazardous to your health when it is it is called noise pollution Too much of a good thing! • A greenhouse keeps temperatures inside warm enough for plants to grow year round by trapping the heat in with insulated glass • The sun heats the surface of the earth and the gasses (especially CO2) act as a blanket to keep the heat in so the Earth is warm enough to live on. • This is known as the Greenhouse Effect GLOBAL WARMING - cont • Burning fossil fuels for transportation, heat, electricity and other energy needs puts A LOT of extra carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere • Extra (CO2) traps more heat and causes the earth to warm up causing global climate change in the forms of floods, drought, polar ice cap melt and more. Natural Resources • Natural resources are natural substances, organisms or energy that living things use • Resources that can be replaced relatively quickly are called renewable resources – Fresh water – Solar power – Some kinds of trees • Resources that can be used only once are called non-renewable – Most minerals – Fossil fuels Fossil Fuels • Fossil Fuels are made from the remains of living things millions of years ago (Coal,Oil, and Natural gas) • Burning fossil fuels puts CO2 into the air • Getting fossil fuels from the ground can cause environmental damage • People continue to use fossil fuels because they are cheaper and more convienent than alternatives Other problems- Alien species • Alien species invasion when an organism not native to an ecosystem is transplanted • the population grows out of control since there are no natural predators • The alien species uses up resources normally used by native species and usually wipes out the native species Habitat destruction • Connected directly to overpopulation of humans • More people also need more space so natural habitats are being destroyed – Forests, wetlands, and marine are under the most pressure • Every time a habitat is destroyed biodiversity decreases • Biodiversity means variety of life Good News! Pollution solutions • Conservation is making wise choices with the resources available – Reduce how much you use – Reuse items that can be used again – Recycle products whenever possible REDUCE! • 1/3 of waste is packaging so avoid over packaged products • Use environmentally friendly cleaners, pesticides and other products • Use less energy REUSE! • Use cloth bags when shopping or reuse plastic ones • Pass on products that are still in good condition to someone who can use it RECYCLE! • Recycling is a form of reusing when a product is broken down and made into another product to use again • Recycling a can saves 95% of the energy needed to make a whole new one • Glass, plastic and paper can be recycled with similar benefits • In the U.S. 11% of trash is recycled compared to 30% in Europe and 50% in Japan Other important ways to conserve • Support programs that maintain biodiversity • Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered species Act are all federal laws put in place to help improve environmental conditions • Action steps: reduce pesticide use, reduce pollution, reduce waste, reduce use of fossil fuels