HUMAN IMPACT on the BIOSPHERE part 4 Charting a course for the Future http://www.claybennett.com/pages2/mistletoe.html

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS DEAD ZONES ___________________ OZONE DEPLETION ACID RAIN GLOBAL WARMING WASTE http://www.acmecompany.com/stock_thumbnails/13808.greenhouse_effect_2.jpg

DEAD ZONES When an ecosystem receives a LARGE input REMEMBER ! When an ecosystem receives a LARGE input of limiting nutrient (ie., fertilizer runoff) the population increases dramatically = ___________ ALGAL BLOOM

Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone http://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/topics/deadzone/index.html At its peak, the nearly lifeless water can span 5,000 to 8,000-plus square miles, an area almost the size of New Jersey

DEAD ZONES How do we HELP? Use modern technology and “green” farming methods to: Decrease agricultural fertilizer use Decrease runoff of agricultural waste

OZONE LAYER Our atmosphere between 20-50 km contains http://www.planetguide.net/book/chapter_5/ozone_layer.html OZONE LAYER Our atmosphere between 20-50 km contains high concentrations of ____________ which protect us from the sun’s harmful ______________ radiation. OZONE (O3) ultra-violet http://pubweb.bnl.gov/users/xujun/www/bnl/ozone_layer_1.gif

Click here to see a movie about the effects of UV radiation Skin cancer __________________________________ ________________________ of skin Reduces ________________ Disrupts __________________ in oceans Premature aging Cataracts/blindness crop yield food chains Click here to see a movie about the effects of UV radiation WMV, 618K

Click here to see a movie WHAT WE KNOW Scientists have been monitoring the ____________ of ozone in our atmosphere and have discovered a hole in the ozone layer over ____________. depletion Antarctica Click here to see a movie about the ozone hole WMV, 616K http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/facts/hole.html

Ozone depletion is a global issue NOT just a problem at the South Pole. Research has shown that ozone depletion also occurs over North America, Europe, Asia, and much of Africa, Australia, and South America. Over the U.S., ozone levels have fallen 5-10%, depending on the season. http://home.casema.nl/daveduijn/globe2.gif

What’s the cause of Ozone Depletion? Chlorofluorocarbon molecules _______ released from air conditioners, aerosol spray cans, fire extinguishers, and industry (CFC’s) destroy ozone http://www.atm.ch.cam.ac.uk/tour/part3.html

OZONE DEPLETION MONTREAL PROTOCOL HOW DO WE HELP? 1987- the _______________________ committed signing nations (including USA) to a ____________ in the use of CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances. CFC production was _________ after 1995 in the developed countries, and later in developing countries. Today, over 180 countries have ratified the treaty. MONTREAL PROTOCOL REDUCTION banned

THAT’S WHY . . . AEROSOL _____________spray cans no longer contain http://www.roundrocktexas.gov/images/spray_cans_large.jpg _____________spray cans no longer contain CFC propellants. Gases in ___________________ and _____________ are collected and recycled. AIR CONDITIONERS refrigerators

Chemical Transformation Emissions to Atmosphere ACID RAIN What’s the cause?________________________ BURNING FOSSIL FUELS Chemical Transformation Nitric acid Sulfuric acid Condensation Emissions to Atmosphere Nitrogen oxides Sulfur dioxide Dry Fallout Precipitation Acid rain, fog, snow, and mist particulates, gases Industry Transportation Ore smelting Power generation Nitrogen oxides Sulfur oxides Releases _______________ and ________________ into the atmosphere that react with water to produce ACID RAIN.

http://www.robl.w1.com/Pix/C900991.jpg http://www.geocities.com/kamil_pollutionpage/AcidRain.htm http://www.abc.net.au/quantum/scripts99/9905/img/asthma.jpg http://www.scienceacross.org/media/samplingforacidrainNOAAedSAW.jpg

ACID RAIN EFFECTS damages buildings and statues damages forests kills fish reduces biodiversity causes illness & premature death from heart & lung disorders like asthma and bronchitis

ACID RAIN HOW DO WE HELP? Develop a National energy policy that emphasizes use of alternative renewable energy sources Cut down on activities that use fossil fuels conserve electricity drive less Drive automobiles with increased fuel efficiency OR run on alternative fuels Recycle (uses less energy than starting from scratch)

GREENHOUSE EFFECT Temperatures of Earth remain within a range ______________ because the _____________ acts as a natural _________________ blanket. suitable for life atmosphere insulating http://wwwstatic.bayareawritingproject.org/images/bawp41/earthAtmosphereIMG.gif

GREENHOUSE EFFECT Carbon dioxide (CO2 ) methane water vapor CFC’s Atmospheric gases such as ___________________ NORMALLY trap heat energy from the sun like a greenhouse = _____________________ Carbon dioxide (CO2 ) methane water vapor CFC’s Greenhouse effect http://www.acmecompany.com/stock_thumbnails/13808.greenhouse_effect_2.jpg

GLOBAL WARMING- Is it real? Some people say that the Earth has cycles of warmer/cooler climate change and that this is just part of that cycle. Most scientists believe that the increase in global temperatures is the result of human activities that have increased the amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

1. "warming of the climate system is unequivocal“ In 2007 in Paris a U.N.- backed panel of international scientists issued a major announcement on climate change stating that: 1. "warming of the climate system is unequivocal“ 2. There is a 90% probability the cause “man- made”. Either way… our planet is getting warmer!

FACTS WE KNOW Global mean surface temperatures have increased 0.5-1.0°F since the late 19th century. The 20th century's ten warmest years have occurred in the last 15 years of this century. http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/8/87/280px-Instrumental_Temperature_Record.png

FACTS WE KNOW The snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere and floating ice in the Arctic Ocean have decreased. Graph & glacier pix: http://nsidc.org/sotc/glacier_balance.html polar bears: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=35720&in_page_id=34

FACTS WE KNOW Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have increased steadily. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Major_greenhouse_gas_trends.png

GLOBAL WARMING WHAT’S the CAUSE? Burning solid waste, fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), wood and wood products Production and transport of fossil fuels Decomposition of organic wastes in landfills Animal sources (methane) Deforestation (trees remove CO2 from atmosphere)

Coastal flooding What’s so bad about warming up a little? http://healthandenergy.com/images/global2.gif Cartoon from Brookings Register Coastal flooding

Changes in Gulf Stream What’s so bad about warming up a little? http://www.claybennett.com/pages/ocean_temps.html What’s so bad about warming up a little? Changes in Gulf Stream http://zfacts.com/metaPage/lib/Atlantic_conveyor.jpg

More severe storms What’s so bad about warming up a little? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina More severe storms http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2005/WEATHER/08/25/tropical.storm/story.katrina.915p.jpg

Weather extremes What’s so bad about warming up a little? http://www.cactus-art.biz/note-book/Dictionary/aaa_Dictionary_pictures/drought.jpg Heat waves and drought Brookings Register

Changing habitats means loss of species What’s so bad about warming up a little? http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=35720&in_page_id=34 Changing habitats means loss of species

What’s the Kyoto Accord got to do with it? The Kyoto Accord is an agreement, aimed at reducing global warming that asks participants to __________ their ________________ emissions to a percentage of their 1990 emission levels _____________. REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS by 2012

PROBLEMS WITH the KYOTO ACCORD ALL countries not required to reduce emissions equally 7% for the US, 6% for Japan, 0% for Russia, Developing nations don’t have to reduce emissions at all India and China, which have ratified the protocol, are not required to reduce carbon emissions under the present agreement despite their relatively large populations. Developed nations (like USA) can meet required reductions by purchasing emission reductions from elsewhere and funding developing countries for climate related studies, projects, and technology

What is a CARBON FOOTPRINT? http://www.gifanimations.com/animation/MenuSelection/1/56 What is a CARBON FOOTPRINT? A ____________________ = the total set of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product CARBON FOOTPRINT http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator/

THINGS WE DO TO “FIX GLOBAL WARMING” make sense anyway! http://www.inkcinct.com.au/Web/CARTOONS/2005/2005-379C--last-fossil-fuel.gif THINGS WE DO TO “FIX GLOBAL WARMING” make sense anyway! Fossil fuels are a limited resource… eventually they will be gone!

THINGS WE DO TO “FIX GLOBAL WARMING” make sense anyway! http://healthandenergy.com/global_warming_cartoons.htm Our supply of fossil fuels is dependent on countries that are not “friendly” to the U.S.

THINGS WE DO TO “FIX GLOBAL WARMING” make sense anyway! Drilling and transporting fossil fuels has negative environmental consequences Brookings Register

THINGS WE DO TO “FIX GLOBAL WARMING” make sense anyway! Images from: http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/R/Renewable_energy.asp Innovation and alternative energy technologies for automobiles and power generation are good for our economy

WHAT DO WE DO WITH OUR TRASH? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American produces about 4.4 pounds of garbage a day. That adds up to a approximately 220 million tons of garbage each year for all of us. http://blog.lib.umn.edu/stau0156/architecture/garbage%20can.jpg

PICTURE THIS: It would bury more than 990,000 football fields under six-foot high piles of waste.. http://wchs.warren.k12.in.us/athletics/Pictures/FOOTBALL%20STADIUM%20&%20PRESSBOX_gif.jpg . . . and that’s just the United States! http://www.wisegeek.com/how-much-garbage-does-a-person-create-in-one-year.htm

TRASH KILLS It has been estimated that over a million sea-birds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles are killed each year by ingestion of plastics or entanglement. http://lh4.ggpht.com/abramsv/SBAxRydox-I/AAAAAAAAPOs/IWuOgznte9Q/fish_story_003.jpg http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Ocean/Sea-Plastic-LN-PG5oct05.htm http://saveourshores.org/files/md/Distorted-Turtle.jpg

PLASTIC IS FOREVER! PLASTIC IS MADE FROM FOSSIL FUELS! http://lowcarbonhome.info/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/plastic-garbageii.jpg PLASTIC IS FOREVER!

We Can’t Just Keep Piling it up in Landfills We have to: _____________ REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE Plastic recycling video