North America: Environmental Issues Key Terms -fossil fuel -acid-rain -clear-cut -interdependent -tariff -free trade -NAFTA Key Places -Cuyahoga River -Lake Erie -Niagara Falls -St. Lawrence Seaway Unit 4: Pages 42-45

Physical Features and Environmental Problems of North America

The Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains are the largest mountain system in North America. Extends 3,000 miles along the western part of Canada & USA

The Canadian Shield Horseshoe shaped area surrounding the Hudson Bay Made up of: Rocky Hills Lakes Evergreen Forests Poor Soil and Cold Climate It contains many mineral deposits Iron Ore Copper Nickel Canadian Shield

Canadian Lowlands Canada’s smallest land region. This region is Canada’s manufacturing center. Region produces 1/3rd of the country’s crops. FERTILE SOIL!!!! Home to more than half of Canada’s population. WHY???

Major Bodies of Water Bodies of water can be used for : Transportation Recreation Industry This means that they are…… NAVIGABLE Many cities developed near these bodies of water. Toronto Ottawa Vancouver Quebec City Montreal Edmonton Saint Louis, Minneapolis, and Cincinnati are examples.

The Great Lakes The world’s largest group of freshwater lakes. Share a border with Canada & the United States An easy way to remember them…

HOMES Huron Ontario Michigan Erie Superior

The Great Lakes

The Mighty Rivers Canada has two major rivers: The Mackenzie River The country’s longest river forms in the Rockies and flows north into the Arctic Ocean. Called the “Mother of Canada” The St. Lawrence River Connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. One of North America’s most important transportation routes.

The St. Lawrence Seaway Completed in 1959 It’s a system of locks, canals, and dams to allow ships to move from one water level to another. The seaway makes trade between Canada and USA easier.

Partners and Friends: The USA and Canada Today What environmental concerns do Canada and the USA share today? What economic ties do the USA and Canada have to each other?

What environmental problems do you think could happen in these areas? Environmental Issues The USA and Canada share: The coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Great Lakes The Rocky Mountains What environmental problems do you think could happen in these areas?

Water Problems Solutions: Reduce the use of pesticides People in Canada & the U.S. depend on the water from the Great Lakes Use the water to drink Use it in their factories Use it for transportation In the 1970’s water pollution became a serious problem. Factories were using the lakes as a dumping ground for waste Solutions: Reduce the use of pesticides Reduce the amount of human waste dumped into the lakes

Improving Air Quality Acid Rain: when pollutants are put into the air, they mix with the water molecules and turn the water acidic Causes: factories, cars, coal burning power plants Acid Rain causes many problems: Kills plants Damages or kills trees Pollutes lakes and rivers Kills fish

Solutions Build factories that do not pollute the air Cars have to make less pollution Encourage walking, riding bikes, taking the bus or carpooling Create agreements with the U.S. Most of the acid rain comes from the U.S. due to wind patterns

The Timber Industry Forests cover almost half of the land in Canada & USA Clear-cutting: cutting down all the trees in a given area, leaving gaps in the forest Issue with this practice include: Reduced water quality Erosion Loss of wildlife habitat The government & logging industry spend money to protect the forests