AIM: HOW HAVE HUMANS IMPACTED THE EARTH?

Human population growth is the root of many environmental issues: Overuse of non-renewable resources Destruction of habitats Deforestation Pollution Atmospheric changes

Consumption of Resources Renewable vs. Non-renewable Make a list of resources you feel are Renewable and Non-renewable. What are the differences? Can a renewable resource become non-renewable?

Materials found on earth that can be replaced and reused Renewable Resources: Materials found on earth that can be replaced and reused Still MUST be careful!! Ex. Solar energy, Wood & Food supply

Ex. COAL, OIL, NATURAL GAS (Fossil Fuels) Non-renewable Resources: Materials found on earth that have a finite quantity Once used up  Can NOT be replaced Ex. COAL, OIL, NATURAL GAS (Fossil Fuels)

Technology/Industrialization Increased industrialization: uses more resources & energy use This has positive and negative effects on humans and ecosystems

How Can We Help? Help maintain renewable & nonrenewable resources  REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE

POLLUTION and Destruction of Ecosystems Air, Land and Water

Can be in many different forms. POLLUTION: Can be in many different forms.

Land: Pollution and Ecosystem Destruction Fertilizers/ Pesticides/ Insecticides Runoff and Eutrophication Poor Farming Practices and Land Use (over grazing/ over cropping) Deforestation

Eutrophication: caused by enrichment of the aquatic biomes from fertilizers and wastes (too much of a good thing)

Eutrophic Lake

Poor Land Use Leads to: loss of soil nutrients  may take decades/centuries to repair Leads to: famine and starvation Leads to: Habitat destruction new farm land needs to be found

Deforestation 1. Reduces habitats/biodiversity 2. Reduces possible resources for medicine 3. Adds to global warming 4. Increases Erosion, Flooding and Landslides

WATER POLLUTION and Ecosystem Destruction: Thermal Pollution Acid Rain Causes pH of lakes to change.

Factories often use water to cool their pipes. What does this cause to happen in the waterways?

Air pollution can cause acid rain

Average pH profiles in U.S. in 1999 Why is the eastern U.S. so high in acid rain? Air Pollution

Leads to: Acid Rain, Global Warming, Ozone Depletion Air: Pollution Burning Fossil Fuels Industry Other Leads to: Acid Rain, Global Warming, Ozone Depletion

Atmospheric Changes Green House Effect: Climatic change caused by increasing Greenhouse Gases (carbon dioxide is the number 1 greenhouse gas) where does it come from?

Earth heats up and heat can’t escape Greenhouse Gasses Let sunlight in Earth heats up and heat can’t escape

Increased Greenhouse Gasses Earth’s “cooling” system is “clogged” Net effect: Earth warms as heat can’t escape Photo: remember when 2 outlets per wall was more than enough??

Why do CO2 levels matter? CO2 is a greenhouse gas, which like the glass on your car, let sunlight in, heating up what’s inside. What’s inside then emits radiation to let it cool off. That longer-wavelength radiation is trapped by the glass or greenhouse gas until the insides heat up hotter and hotter and the radiation reaches a short enough wavelength to escape. In a car, this happens around 140°F. On the Earth, this temperature depends on the concentrations of greenhouse gasses.

Additional consequences Fastest extinction rates Increased poverty and hunger Increased disease Air-borne (e.g. asthma) Insect-borne (e.g. malaria) More extreme weather Droughts Flooding Heat-waves Storms Species of land animals are disappearing faster now than any time since the dinosaurs were wiped out 65 million years ago. From polar bears in the Arctic no longer having sea ice for hunting, mating, and migration, to frog in the tropics, we are losing species fast, and humans are almost completely to blame. Increased winds are carrying dust farther, worsening conditions like allergies and asthma, while longer breeding seasons for insects are helping spread insect-borne disease like malaria. 29

Ozone Depletion Release of certain gases (CFC’s) into atmosphere  has led to destruction of ozone shield Ozone: layer of ozone gas that protects Earth from some of sun’s radiation Ozone shield is thinning allowing more radiation to get onto Earth This will cause: Mutations & Disrupt food webs and more cases or Skin Cancer

HUMAN ACTIVITY Contributing to Loss of Biodiversity Direct Harvesting/ Over Hunting Expliotation of Wildlife: uncontrolled hunting, trapping, fishing, killing animals for products. Habitat Destruction: Deforestation Importing Foreign Species Biocide/Herbicide/ Pesticide use

Biocide Use Use of pesticides and herbicides like DDT which disrupts the embryos of birds and put the bald eagle on the endangered species list Biological controls  such as sex hormones, natural parasites and predators  don’t interfere with other organisms & target specific pests

Importation of exotic organisms New organisms disrupt food chains and ecosystems Some have no natural predators to keep their population in check

May reduce Biodiversity! Introduced Species: species from another ecosystem is a problem because there usually aren’t natural checks May reduce Biodiversity! ) Argentine ants Caulerpa (seaweed)

Zebra Mussels in the Great Lakes Has reduced Biodiversity!

What can you do?

What can Be Done? Environmental Protection Laws have been established wildlife parks and hunting laws to preserve species Set up Wildlife Preserves/ reguges

PREPARING TO PROVIDE THIS ENVIRONMENT TO THE NEXT GENERATION SOLUTIONS TECHNOLOGICAL FIX GLOBAL AWARENESS PREPARING TO PROVIDE THIS ENVIRONMENT TO THE NEXT GENERATION

How Can We Fix These Problems? Conserve non-renewable resources Drive less/Carpool Hybrid Cars Recycle/Reduce/Reuse Use alterante energy: Wind/Solar/Nuclear/Geothermal/Biofuels/hydroelectric

Trade-offs: Solving environmental issues involves trade-offs There are always costs associated with social decisions but the benefits outweigh the negative aspects.

Solar Energy :reduces dependence on fossil fuel but it is expensive.

Nuclear Power: provides electricity without fossil fuel but generates nuclear wastes

Societies must decide on proposals and assess risks, costs, benefits and trade-offs.