People Are Working to Protect Ecosystems Environmental Awareness is Growing: In 1872, the world’s first national park was established (Yellowstone), starting our Country’s Conservation effort. This grew rapidly in the 1960’s and in the ’70’s many laws were passed to preserve & protect the environment. –CONSERVATION= process of saving or protecting a natural resource Conserving Resources Protects Ecosystems: –SUSTAINABLE Practices= ways of living & doing business that use natural resources without using them up. Developing new technologies, reducing resource use, & creating less waste are 3 ways to practice this. Think Globally, Act Locally

LOCAL EFFORTS Grass roots efforts, occur on a local level & are mainly run by volunteers. (Think globally, act locally). Often the efforts of a few citizens gather the support & interest of so many people, they form a larger organization. These groups work to bring about change by communicating with politicians, publishing articles, or taking to the news media.

Federal Efforts The U.S. government works with scientists to write laws that make sure companies & citizens work together to conserve natural resources & keep healthy ecosystems. In the 1960’s NEPA (National Evironmental Policy Act) made the protection of natural ecosystems a national goal. The Clean Air Act & Clean Water Act improved control of pollutants put into air & water. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) enforces all Federal Environmental Laws.

Federal Efforts Con’t. Over the past decades, chemical waste from factories has piled up in landfills & polluted water sources. In 1980, citizen awareness led to the Superfund Program: goal is to identify dangerous areas & clean up the worst sites. Federal agencies oversee this. State environmental laws also apply to companies in that state. Dozens of countries have met to discuss concerns about clear- cutting, water pollution, & endangered species. The United Nations Environment Programme encourages sound environmental practices worldwide.

Improving Resource Use Some farmers are using sustainable methods to protect land & give nutritious food: 1/3 of US farmers do conservation tillage (plant seeds without plowing soil, cutting soil erosion by 90%) U.S. Forest Service encourages cutting selectively instead of clear-cutting, allowing for rapid regrowth & biodiversity preservation. Energy companies are looking for alternative fuels to fossil fuels. (geothermal uses Earth’s internal heat for energy, Hydropower uses falling/flowing water, wind, & solar are other alternative sources for non-polluting energy.

Reducing Waste & Pollution Mass transit moves large groups of people at the same time (bus). This reduces amount of pollution. Carpooling does a similar thing. Home reductions: fluorescent light bulbs (less electricity), energy- efficient appliances, lower thermostat in winter & raise it in summer, add insulation around doors & windows, and recycle. Some materials are recycled into same product (metal & glass) or new products (fleece jacket from recycled soda bottles, or cereal box from paper.

Think Globally, Act Locally Visitors to an ocean beach may see sign like one on right. Remind people that small actions (avoiding sandpiper nests) make a difference in the preservation of ecosystems. Providing Earth’s growing population with clean water & air, & with energy for warmth & transportation are some of the tasks. We’re still learning of interactions in ecosystems & how they effect our world. In coming years, protection of ecosystems will stay a major challenge. Think globally: understand the effects of society’s decisions about resources, development & transportation Act Locally: become involved in efforts to reduce use of limited resources & restore ecosystems.