Conservation and Pollution

Essential Questions How do I identify distinguish, and correct effects of pollution? What are the effects of pollution on plants, animals, and their habitats? How does conservation protect our environment? How does recycling help reduce pollution?

Vocabulary conservation contamination endangered species environment extinction pollution preserved recycle survive synthetic fuels

Pollution Dictionaries describe Pollution / Pollute / Pollutant as Impure; act of making unclean; contaminating Substance that pollutes; chemical or waste products defiling the air, soil, or water

Pollution comes in many forms. Water Land & Soil Air What things do we do that pollute the water, land, and air?

Background Info: Water Cycle All living organisms are dependent on clean and safe water to live. Some of us need a lot, others do not need as much. Water cannot be created. It is something that exist on earth and is recycled. The Water Cycle is how the same water is used and reused on earth.

Water Cycle Pollution of the water not only hurts organisms that live in the water, but can hurt organisms that live on the land. Acid Rain chemicals mix and get into the water / air and comes back down as acid rain. The chemicals in the rain eat away at our buildings – bricks, metals, etc.

Water Pollution Water pollution is when… We dump trash directly or indirectly into the water, drains, and sewers – lakes, ponds, and rivers Plastics and general trash hurts the organisms in the water – fish, penguins, birds Chemicals get into the fish and into the food chain Chemicals and oils coat fish, birds, and other animals Imbalance of one organism on the food chain – disruption in the life cycle.

Source: http://www. coolantarctica http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/exxon-victim-2901-pictures.htm

Class Discussion What are the effects of Water Pollution? How do I identify distinguish, and correct effects of pollution? What are the effects of pollution on plants and their habitats? What are the effects of pollution on animals and their habitats?

Air Pollution Air Pollution deals with unnatural and natural things in the air. Noise is a type of pollution Chemical from cars, factories, aerosol… Imbalance of certain gases that occur naturally Greenhouse effect Climate Changes

Air Pollution Noise Pollution Stress on humans Frightens animals away from their habitats Scientist think there may be a link to noise pollution and well-beings of some animals Example: dolphins and whales use sound for communication - our noise pollution disorients them

Ozone and the Greenhouse Background Info: The Sun, our main source of energy and heat, is gives off a lot of dangerous radioactive materials. The Earth is protected from most of these radioactive rays by our atmosphere. It is like a protective glass case.

Ozone What would happen if we punched a hole in this protective glass case? The Ozone is damaged a tiny bit by nature Volcanic eruptions Naturally occurring chemicals BUT – we humans are doing things to damage the ozone a lot!!! Chemicals released in the air Less Ozone, More harmful rays It kills certain animals – food source for others Causes diseases in us - cancer

Greenhouse The Earth’s atmosphere helps to trap the sun’s heat…. enabling us to live. What if too much heat was trapped? Weather changes – too hot Ice on earth melts higher water levels Disappearing land Imbalance of natural gases that give us life More carbon dioxide, more food for plants, more plants More pollen and allergens for us

Greenhouse The chemicals, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) we release in the air through our cars, factories, and other industries causes more heat to be trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere – the Greenhouse effect

Class Discussion What are the effects of Air Pollution? How do I identify distinguish, and correct effects of pollution? What are the effects of pollution on plants and their habitats? What are the effects of pollution on animals and their habitats?

Land Pollution Trash is Ugly Trash can cause fires – air pollution Trash gets carried into our water supply – water pollution Trash causes waste.

Misuse of Land When we farm too much or cut down too many forests, we are polluting the land. Too much farming strips the land of nutrients and soil protection (causes erosion) Main effect on the environment is that animals are now left homeless Animals will migrate to unwanted areas and have to find new sources for food

Severe soil erosion in a wheat field near Washington State University. Some farmers terrace their land so gravity and “land slides” will not erode away land

Pollution Summary There are many ways to pollute the water, air, and land. Pollution is caused by many different things. Pollution hurts us all – directly and indirectly Interferes with the food chain Interferes with organisms’ habitats

Conservation Conservation is one way to reduce pollution. Conservation deals with the smart use of our resources (like the smart economic decision making we learned in Social Studies) We have limited resources! We should conserve because: We want to reduce pollution Does every living organism deserve a safe and happy habitat? We are all dependent on each other for a happy and healthy life - food chain. The entire planet is our habitat!

What to Conserve? Why Recycle We can conserve our natural resources. Water - Elements Other materials – coal, trees, etc. We can conserve energy. Making usable energy takes a lot of resources and can cause a lot of pollution Recycling helps us to conserve

Conservation and Recycling Recycle paper helps use reduce the number of trees we need to make more paper Turning off lights reduce the amount of electricity you use You save your parents money We need less electricity Making less electricity causes less natural resources to be used and less pollution

Conservation and Recycling Eat all your food or take only what you will eat. Less use of factories that help package your food Less growing and hunting of plants and animals that provide us our food Conserve water We will need less energy to clean the water if you do not let it all go down the drain. Always make sure the water you drink is safe! Don’t drink from ponds, lakes, or rivers. Stay on the sidewalks Don’t hurt nature in parks or wildlife areas These areas could be some other animal’s habitat! Don’t cause erosion!

Class Discussion How does conservation protect our environment? How does recycling help reduce pollution?

Websites Water Pollution - Video Greenhouse Gases Explained http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4645631283005360764 Greenhouse Gases Explained http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/global_warming_version2.html