HEALTH OF THE WORLD The problems 1.Poltution Cars and factories are dangerous for people, wildlife and the environment.There are two serious pollution problems: Acid rain ~ This happens when gases and chemicals mix with water in the air. The mixture travels for hundreds of kilometres, and finally falls back to the earth in the form of ’acid rain’. Itkills fishes and trees, because of containing lots of chemicals. The Greenhouse Effect ~ Also gasses and chemicals are the reasons for this problem. Some of them stay in the air like a blanket. Bause of this blanket, the Earth’s climate is changing and getting hotter. 2. Health People do not just pollute the atmosphere, they pollute themselves, too, For example with cigarettes, junk food, alcohol, illegal drugs etc. 3. Wildlife By the year 2030, 25% of all animals, birds, fishes and insects may be extinct. Why is this happening? There are three main reasons. The first is pollution. Millions of animals die every year because people have polluted and ruined their natural home or *habitat’. The second is hunting. Millions of animals are killed every year. The third reason is that their environment in getting smaller and smaller, because people cut down more trees, build more roads, and use more land for farming. Fewer jungles, fields and forests are left for wildlife. 4. Land More than 40 % of the world’s rainforest disappeared during the last century. Today in South ‘America 50 hectares disappear every minute. This is happening because people need (a) wood and paper, (b) minerals and medicine, (c) more place for farms and houses. : In Africa, the Sahara desert is growing bigget every year. Here the problem is erosion. The soil becomes poor and thin because farmers use the soil too much. Then, in the end, the wind blows it away or “erodes” it. 5, En , “fossil fuels? ‘Almost 8% % of the world’s energy comes from oil, gas and coal. a a eae Won't last for ever. There is enough oil and gas forthe about the next $0 Jeers Tonger perhaps another 300 years. Then what? there are two possible asters I Nuclece Power But, after Chernobyl and Fukushima ne eee tse oa They are 2.Natural Eenergy - This means energy from sun, S¢2, clean and natural, but very expensive.9 L THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT Te amore is Nanketof gs stad he Eh For otsands of ear fave ep pnt’ tnperr aon 18 pe Cals ytrping some Bis om, beso Pollan, de ate mee snore par Ith fe tt he Ear ging The sar he plo of Es ‘Smythe prebout ef Ie base, Causes: polltion sends 4 main ‘greenhouse gases" ino the atmosphere These are: crdyy dioxide (CO2), CFCs (Chloro-flvoro-carbons), methane and nitrous oxide. ‘CFC gases are in aerosols - (their use has been banned by now), in refrigerators ~(they ve been replaced by other materials by now), and plastic boxes (for hamburger, fais vegetables ee.) Methane and nitrous oxide gases come maily from fertilizers, cows’ stomachs, and rubbish, os fect, bu we can slow it down. There are several ways 04 some countries have already begun. Each person in Japa 2s, and oil than the average American. a uth American, Asian and African countries must protect ut 20%, or more of the world’s energy already cones from sun, sea and wind. 1. ACIDRAIN can harm people, too. Figures show more lung and kidney illness in countries with high levels. of acid pollution. Is it possible to stop acid rain? , ‘The short answer is yes, but not quickly or easly. It is not cheap to make power stations or factories cleaner. In other words, less acid rain means more expensive electricity, Ill. RAINFORESTS Inthe last fifty years, more than half ofthe world's rainforests disappeared. ‘Rainfotest Data Oe = obi atee eta een ee vne feaoee oe eRe ea PA en en cr anes Baeeie ea + of native people is increasing in South. America: S00 number ‘Was between 6 and 9 milion, today they are lose to 200 million, ® “8° “it ‘There are two main reasons: Pfemers do not have enough land, b) rch countries depend on rnforet produc, which Minerals ~ 10% ofthe minerals come from the Amazone ‘Wood — Ameica alone imports $2 billion of rainforest wood, ‘Medicine ~ 25% of all medicines contain rainforest products: ‘Rabber ~ used for fyes of cars, buses and lorries allover the world,fucks they ean be used just nce. 44. More education ~ Books, articles, reports and photos can all make a di Mare te pas mos people did no KDOW the fc. Today thse ® pul more and moe pressure on governments. ed IV, SOIL EROSION ‘Why does soll erosion happen? “There are several reasons and each one conneets tothe next. The growing population in Africa, Asia and South America 2) Famers cut down more and more trees to get extra land for food crops. (Ethiopia, example, has lost 90% ofits forests since 1900). 3. They grow as much food as possible, and donot give time forthe soil 1 recover They 4. Nearly 30,000 people die everyday from diseases caused by dirty water 4 Everyone in Beta wes an average of 125 lites of water ced This oct: Drinking and cooking ~ 35% Toilet - 32% Bath — 1780" wash ee Garden ~ 3%. Dishes ~ 1 % ng — 12%, ae In the past it was difficult and expensive to dig dep wells. Today i is uc sos fw ma ee a soe eee ree cna 2 mee soeece em vLENERGY 1.The Fos Fel date-tank 1 ery fol fs cae fm he am Hol of ar Ft, pas ered Ren te pts id and frat ti clad tse ena) sl aed it ca, gisand ol. ‘People cannot make new fossil fuels. When we used all of our cou, gas and oil en the Earth we wll ned to get energy from somewhere ese. ‘+ People use 30% ofall fossil fuels to heat buildings. 6% ofall the world's ol becomes petrol for ears, buses and lores. In the 21st century thee are less and less oil and gas. Coal will probably last for ‘another 300 years. Itis possible to save 50% of all energy in house and 30% in industry. Energy conservation like ths is becoming more important inthe future. 2, The Nuclear Power data-bank Russa built the st reler power sation in 1954, The fel which sea pws stains we iS are meal uranium. One on of uranium can produce much energy 282,000 tn of eal leit from nuclear power fa more expesive than energy fom ol ‘These countries all produce sranium: Rusa, Canad, America, South Affi, Ausra Chin. Nuclear power does not pollute the atmosphere, But it doce produce waste, This stays ‘radioactive for thousands of years, and is very dangerous. At the moment most power Stations bury their waste underground, oF a 3c, or send their waste 1 ther counties. Some expen say iis safe to bury under the ground, other scientists think it will seriously pollute the sea and the Earth one day.emia (prone lear industry is lewkae! is pe tt tural energy is becoming more and more importa environment, conserves fossil fuels and safer than Ul. THE THROW-AWAY SOCIETY HY countries bury millions of tones of rubbish every year. But, we do not have to thow Wall our waste paper, glass, metal and plastic. We can also burn or recycle alot ot. ie bor andlor ener an gaa hy expense, ©) the machine up tothe to make enough energy to work an elect again ~ A lot of what we throw avay is sil useful. 80% of domestic canbe recycled. This includes most kinds of papers, glass, metal and plastic. ‘is expensive, although it is geting cheaper and easier all the time. One is the growing number of recycling centres. Recycling saves natural energy can be gained from the hot rocks and ind of geo-thermal energy already heats thousands of