Human Impact on the Environment

1
Human Impact on the Environment

• Our actions today do impact the future!

2
How does human popn growth affect the
environment?

• Our popn is rising b/c we can alter our
  environment Click for ticker
• Improved health care, hygiene, and large food
  supply
• Humans have a CC just like other orgs
• We are using more resources, producing more
  waste, taking up more space
• WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO CONTROL POPN GROWTH!

3
What are the natural processes that occur on our
planet?

• Process 1 MAINTAINING AIR QUALITY
• Biotic Recycling of O2 and CO2 by plants and
  animals
• Abiotic Rain cleans air
• Process 2 SOIL FORMATION
• Soil forms from erosion and decaying orgs
• Roots of plants help keep down soil so it doesnt
  blow away
• Process 3 THE WATER CYCLE
• Evaporation ? Clouds ? Rain ?
• Fresh water supply is maintained

4
What are the natural processes that occur on our
planet?

• Process 4 WASTE REMOVAL AND RECYCLING OF
  NUTRIENTS
• Decomposers put nutrients back in soil
• So minerals are RECYCLED through food chains
• Process 5 FLOW OF ENERGY
• Energy is passed through environment but NOT
  RECYCLED
• Always need a constant source of energy

5
What is the impact of technology on natural
processes?

• Industrialization
• Pollution of air and water
• Increased demand for energy, water, and fossil
  fuels
• EX Nuclear Power Plants
• Cause thermal pollution of waterways
• Disposal of radioactive wastes big problem
• Solution Practice the 3 Rs
• Alternative sources of energy
• Reuse and recycle materials already made

6
What is the impact of technology on natural
processes?

• WATER POLLUTION
• Depletion of O2 in water
• Cause by dumping of sewage and animal parts
• Result Can act as fertilizer for some bacteria
  and algae and they will consume all available O2
• Toxic Wastes
• Cause Fertilizers and pesticides used get into
  water supply
• Result Organisms are poisoned
• - Gets stronger as you move up the food chain!

7
What is the impact of technology on natural
processes?

• Thermal pollution
• Cause Warmed water from power plants dumped
  back into lakes and rivers
• Result Less dissolved O2 in warmer water
  causing orgs to suffocate
• Solutions for Water Pollution
• Use alternative pest control instead of
  pesticides
• Sterility treatments, hormone controls
• Add a natural predator
• Stop dumping things into water that shouldnt be
  there!

8
What is the impact of technology on natural
processes?

• AIR POLLUTION
• Cause 1 Burning wastes
• Result waste materials end up in water cycle
  anyway and make acid rain
• Cause 2 Burning Fossil Fuels
• Result adds too much CO2, sulfur and other
  harmful gases into air and make acid rain
• Acid Rain causes much damage to orgs that cannot
  survive in low pH
• Solutions for Air pollution
• Set limits for how much a factory can burn

9
How do pollutants affect the atmosphere?

• GLOBAL WARMING
• CAUSE
• Greenhouse Gases trap suns heat to keep our
  planet warm
• EX CARBON DIOXIDE ( CO2)
• Greenhouse Gases have increased since early
  1900s b/c of industrialization
• BURING FOSSIL FUELS PUTS EXCESS CO2 INTO THE
  ATMOSPHERE
• As a result avg. Earth temp is increasing

10
How do pollutants affect the atmosphere?

• POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING
• Change in climate patterns
• Melting of ice caps could cause flooding
• SOLUTIONS TO STOP GLOBALWARMNG
• PLANT TREES b/c they use CO2
• STOP cutting down trees
• Find alternative fuel sources that do not release
  CO2 into air

11
How do pollutants affect the atmosphere?

• OZONE LAYER DEPLETION
• OZONE LAYER PROTECTS US FROM HARMFUL RADIATION
  FROM SUN
• CAUSES OF DEPLETION
• Release of CFCs into atmosphere
• Come from refrigerators, air conditioners, and
  aerosol cans
• EFFECTS OF OZONE DEPLETION
• Excess radiation can cause
• Genetic mutations
• More skin cancer
• Destroy producers in oceans
• CFCS no longer used in those things