Environmental

Problems & Solutions

 Introduction
• Maybe you’ve
heard warnings
about dirty air,
water, and soil.
Or you’ve heard
about the
destruction of rain
forests. Do these
warnings mean our
environment is in
Environmental
Problems
1. What happened
in the late
1700’s that
caused more
harmful
substances to
enter the air,
water, and soil?
Industrial
Revolution
 Pollution
• Pollution: an
unwanted change in
the environment
caused by
substances or forms
of energy
• Pollutants: anything
that causes pollution
– Can be natural or man
made
 Five Types of Pollution
Garbage
– Includes hazardous
wastes, which can
catch fire, explode, or
make people sick
Chemicals
– Some are useful, like
medicines
– Others are poisonous,
can cause respiratory
problems, and cancer
High-Powered
Wastes
– Give off radiation

Gases
– Since Industrial
Revolution, carbon
dioxide gas has
increased
– Contributes to
Greenhouse Effect
Noise
– Affects ability to hear
and think clearly
– May damage hearing
 Resource Depletion
• Renewable resource: one that can be
used over and over or has an unlimited
supply
• Examples: wind and solar energy
• Nonrenewable resource:
one than cannot be replaced
or that can be replaced only
over thousands or millions of
years
• Examples: most minerals and
fossil fuels, such as oil and
coal
• Resources become more
expensive as they become
harder to find
• Removal of materials carries a
high price tagoil spills, loss
of habitat, and damage from
mining
 Exotic Species
• Exotic species: an organism that makes a home
for itself in a new place outside its native home
• Can become pests and compete with native
species
• Example: northern snake-
head fish, native to Asia,
found in MD pond
– Moves across land and can
invade more lakes and ponds
 Habitat Destruction
• Habitat: Place
where an animal
lives
• Biodiversity:
number and variety
of organisms in a
given area
• Deforestation:
clearing of forest
lands
 For your info…
– Animals can mistake
plastics for food, or become
tangled in plastic
Time taken for objects to
dissolve at sea
Paper bus ticket 2-4 weeks
Cotton cloth 1-5 months
Rope 3-14 months
Woolen cloth 1 year
Painted wood 13 years
Tin can 100 years
Aluminum can 200-500 years
Plastic bottle 450 years
Environmental Solutions
Conservation: preservation and
wise use of natural resources
(1)Reduce
(2)Reuse
(3)Recycle
 Protecting Species
• Protecting Species
• Endangered Species Act:
law designed to protect
individual species in order
to maintain biodiversity
• Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA):
government organization
that helps protect the
environment
– Informs people about
environmental issues
– Helps enforce environmental
laws
Environmental Strategies that Help
Protect Earth’s Environment:
• Reduce
pollution
• Reduce pesticide
use
• Protect habitats
• Learn about
local issues
• Develop alt.
energy sources
 What You Can Do?
• Walk
• Ride a bike
• Give away old
toys
• Use recycled
paper
• Recycle
• Volunteer
• Use cloth
napkins
• Visit the library