Air and Water Pollution

1
Air and Water Pollution

• By
• Kalie Bass
• Chris Lamm
• E. David Rodriguez

2
Ethical Analysis

• Air and water pollution are OK
• REASON 1 Humans have been polluting the world
  for centuries.
• REASON 2 By the time any serious
  environmental effects take place well be long
  gone.
• REASON 3 Technology fixes everything

3
Questions???
4
Air Pollution

• Six common pollutants
• 1)Ozone
• 2)Particulate Matter
• 3)Carbon Monoxide
• 4)Nitrogen Dioxide
• 5)Sulfur Dioxide
• 6)Lead
• Technology
• Newer cars have cleaner emissions
• New sources of energy release little or no
  pollution into the atmosphere.

5
Water

• Storm Water
• Ground Water
• Waste Water
• Drinking potable Water

6
Storm Water

• Sources of Pollution
• Acid Rain
• Roadways- oils
• Trash
• Industrial pollution in areas where there are
  less stringent regulations
• Technology
• Not currently treated before re-entering major
  bodies of water
• New subdivisions required to implement screening
  devices.

7
Ground Water

• Source of Pollution
• Seepage into soil
• Erin Brockovich scenario
• Plot of Land near Safeway
• Technology
• Lining of beds to prevent seepage
• Pumping out pollutants
• Government regulations

8
Wastewater

• Source of Pollution
• Humans - National average for water usage is 100
  gal/person/day
• Industry
• Technology
• Wastewater treatment plants treat water until it
  is clean enough to be discharged back into the
  environment
• Government regulations on levels of treatment
• Recycled water is gaining more popularity in dry
  climate areas.

9
Drinking Water
10
Drinking Water

• Sources of Pollution
• All of the previously mentioned
• Technology
• Potable water treatment facilities
• Government regulated standards

11
Professional Issues

• How much is clean enough?
• Who decides?
• What happens to the waste?
• What level of education should be required?

12
Legal/Policy Issues

• Who is responsible when the river/lake is
  completely polluted?
• Who pays for higher levels of treatment?
• Who is in charge of monitoring facilities and how
  often?

13
Stakeholders

• People
• Animals
• Industry
• Mother Earth

14
Possible Actions

• Nothing at all
• Treat to minimum requirements
• Treat to maximum possible levels that current
  technology allows

15
Nothing at all

• Most cost efficient right now
• May be future costs associated with clean-up
• Least beneficial to environment
• No common good
• Least virtuous

16
Meet minimum requirements

• Most common good
• More virtuous than the previous action
• There are still questions on where the minimum
  requirements should be set.
• Vary between countries, materials, and
  environmental zones

17
Treat to maximum possible levels that technology
allows

• Common good is somewhere in the middle of the
  previous two.
• Very expensive. Industry will suffer greatly.
• Most virtuous- Earth and those who live on it
  will receive the most long term benefits.

18
Conclusion

• Action 2 - Meet minimum requirements, offers the
  greatest balance between having a working economy
  and a world we are still able to live in. None
  of the actions offer a perfect solution where it
  is economically feasible to eliminate pollution.