TOWARD A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE CONSERVATION RECYCLING CONSERVING BIODIVERSITY

Conservation Conservation - a strategy to reduce the use of resources through decreased demand and increased efficiency Conservation is a basic concept towards a sustainable society

Waste Management We are currently living in a disposable society where products are used once and thrown away Items purchased at the store are designed to be used once  vast amounts of waste Humans are unique because of the amount of material and energy we waste No other species uses so many resources as inefficiently as humans

Waste Reduction With other species, the waste left behind one organism will be used by another When waste is minimized  efficiency is increased Source reduction – lowering the demand for a resource, resulting in a reduction in the amount of resource needed to satisfy demand Source reduction decreases amount of resources taken from the environment This also reduces habitat destruction

Waste Reduction Another way to reduce waste it to minimize what is thrown away By recycling glass, plastic, paper, and aluminum, you can reduce the amount of garbage created By taking these actions, our society is headed  sustainable

Conserving Energy Minimizing energy usage is another way to conserve energy Energy can be conserved by using it more efficiently In the home, there is a lot of energy used for heat and hot water Proper insulation of the home can dramatically reduce energy used for heating purposes

Conserving Energy Hot water can be conserved by taking shorter showers and running dishwashers and washing machines only with a full load

Conserving Energy Electricity can be used wisely too Turning off lights and other appliances when not in use  saves energy Using fluorescent light bulbs conserves energy and reduces waste (last about 10 times as long as a regular light bulb)

Conserving Energy Pay attention to the energy rating attached to large appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines The more efficiently the machine runs, the less it will cost you and the better it is for the environment

Conserving Energy Conserving gasoline means conserving energy Using less gas by carpooling or using mass transportation also decreases air pollution In the future, if electric cars become the norm, drivers will be conserving energy

Conserving Energy The use of renewable resources helps out towards becoming a sustainable society Resources such as hydroelectric, water, wind, or solar energy all produce very little pollution and cut back on our reliance on fossil fuels

Recycling Recycling – reducing resource use by collecting usable waste materials and using them to produce new items Recycling is one of the most effective ways of conserving resources In a natural ecosystem, everything is recycled

Recycling Benefits of recycling include… Reduction of waste Limits the demand for steel and aluminum Prevents damage to the environment caused by gathering new resources Recycling is a critical step towards becoming a sustainable society

Recycling Paper Paper is one of the easiest materials to recycle Recycling paper requires less energy, uses less water, and produces less chemicals than producing paper from trees In the U.S., only 1/3 of all newspapers are recycled and only 1/2 of all cardboard is recycled Paper can be recycled a number of times before it is too weak and fresh wood must be added

Recycling Minerals Many minerals can be recycled Glass and aluminum (which must be broken down first), can both be recycled many times Producing aluminum requires large amounts of energy and water and creates a lot of air and water pollution and if all aluminum is recycled  decrease pollution by 95%

Recycling Minerals In the U.S., 90% of junk cars are recycled  saves steel and iron

Recycling Plastics Most plastic is made from petroleum, a fossil fuel The U.S. produces 9 million tons of plastic every year Recycling plastic is difficult Most plastics are made of complex molecules that do not break down easily When incinerated, plastics release toxic fumes

Recycling Plastics When recycled, plastics  bathtubs, containers, insulation, building materials, and synthetic fibers

Conserving Biodiversity As the human population grows  more people move into places where natural ecosystems once flourished Forests are cut down, wetlands drained, and ecosystems are permanently changed The demand for resources is increasing as the population increases, however, people are beginning to realize the importance of protecting Earth’s biodiversity

Conserving Biodiversity To preserve biodiversity… Captive breeding (goal = increase the population of a species at risk of extinction, then release back into the wild) Conservationists are not only concerned with preserving one specific species, but are now focused on saving entire ecosystems to ensure that a species natural habitat will survive too

Conserving Biodiversity Preserve – an area of land or water set aside for the protection of the ecosystem in that area Preserves must be large enough to support genetic variety within a species and provide enough space for an organisms population to grow This is a difficult task because the expansion of preserves conflicts with human interest