Pollution takes its toll on marathon field   Twenty-two people were sent to hospital yesterday, two remaining in critical condition last night, after taking part in Hong Kong's biggest marathon amid the worst air pollution since September.   Many of the record 40,000 runners complained the "choking" air affected their performance in the 10th annual Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, half-marathon and 10km events.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, CONSEQUENCES, AND INTERRELATIONS

Global Warming

Deforestation Biodiversity Loss from

Deforestation

Wetlands Destruction Biodiversity Loss from

Toxic, Carcinogenic, Endocrine, Immune System Disrupting… Pollution

Nutrient (sewage, fertilizers) Overload Images showing the changes in chlorophyll concentration during the period of red tide. Red tide in Hong Kong

Heavy Metals: E-waste

Nuclear Power

Stratospheric Ozone Depletion October 1999 (average) Historically, the Antarctic ozone hole is largest during October. This image shows the data from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) Earth Probe, for the month of October September 17th 2001 Satellite data show the area of the 2001 Antarctic ozone hole peaked at a size roughly equal to that of recent years about the same area as North America. Researchers have observed a levelling- off of the hole size and predict a slow recovery.

Carrying Capacity  The maximum number of individuals of a species that can be sustained by an environment without decreasing the capacity of the environment to sustain that same amount in the future.

Compartments and Pollution/Extraction  Air: emissions, GHGs, ozone loss, abrading, offgassing, noise  Water: Nutrient BOD, chemical emissions, pharmaceuticals, underground leaking, air fallout  Land: landfill, hazardous and nuclear waste, abrading, soil erosion  Biosphere (life): habitat destruction, alien species, exploitation, global warming, pollutants

HK Alien Species Mikania micrantha Water Dragon Fire Ants

Consequences  Human Health  Human Wealth  Nature’s Health

Human Health  Toxins: heavy metals,organic compounds, particulates, oxides.  Carcinogens  Radiation  Noise  UV radiation  Global warming>>disease increase  Stress

Human Wealth  Resource depletion: renewable and nonrenewable resources  Environmental degradation: ecosystem services  Economic and social disruptions

Nature’s Health  Pollution: birth rate, death rate, distribution, growth rate abundance  Loss of space and habitat destruction  Biogeochemical balance upset  Ecological balance upset by biodiversity loss

Interrelationships Of Environmental Problems  Sources, sinks and flows  Point and area origins  Space and time dimensions  Synergistic and cumulative affects

Environmental impact of petrochemical industry  Air: noxious and toxic emissions from refining, processing plants  Water: factory emissions to water bodies  Land: landfill disposal of waste solids & sludge; accidental spills during transport & storage  Human:toxicity and disruption of lifestyle

Environmental impact of metal industry  Air: particulate, gas emissions during forging, working, fabrication  Water: discharge of pickling liquors & other waste disposal; heavy metals  Land: slag, waste products from processing  Human:toxicity

Environmental impact of mining industry  Air: particulates from surface mining & transportation; noxious & toxic fumes from smelting  Water: runoff from mines and waste disposal  Land: dumping of tailings & processed wastes; disruption of agriculture, forestry, recreation  Human: heavy metals, particulates

Environmental impact of food industry  Air: noxious fumes from food processing  Water: sewage with high organic content  Land: uncomposted organics and other wastes to landfill

Environmental impact of agriculture industry  Air: drift of agricultural chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers), pollen, & dust  Water: runoff of agrochemicals to surface waters; percolation to groundwater; silting of water  Land: erosion, depletion of organic material & organisms  Human: toxicity of chemical; loss of soil

Environmental impact of pulp & paper industry  Air: noxious fumes  Water: emissions of mercury, chlorines, organics; silt from deforestation; loss of habitat  Land: destruction of habitat by clear-cutting; erosion  Human: mercury contaminated seafood

Wastes generated from manufacture of common products  Plastics: organic chlorine compounds, organic solvents  Pesticides; organic chlorine compounds, organic phosphate compounds  Medicines: organic solvents and residues, heavy metals  Paints: heavy metals, pigments, solvents, organic residues  Petroleum products: oil, phenols, organic compounds, heavy metals, ammonia, salt acids, caustics  Metals: heavy metals, fluorides, cyanides, acid and alkaline cleaners, solvents, pigments, abrasives, plating salts, oils, phenols  Leather; heavy metals, organic solvents  Textiles: heavy metals, dyes, organic chlorine, compounds, solvents.

Product, Material, & Energy Flow in an Industry Resource Extraction Materials Processing Parts Manufacture Product Assembly Distribution Consumption Materials Collection Recycling Social Infrastructure: Gov’t, industry assoc.s, NGOs, etc. Material & Energy Inputs Pollution Outputs Physical Infrastructure: roads, sewers, land use, electricity, etc.