1. Environmental Issues in Europe

2. Choose ONE of the above photographs to observe
Choose ONE of the above photographs to observe. Record your responses to the following questions (use the back of your graphic organizer):
1. What are three things you see in the photograph? Be specific.
2. What do you think is happening in the picture? Be specific.
3. When do you think the photograph was taken?

3. Acid Rain in Germany
 Germany is a country of old forests, beautiful rivers and historic artwork and buildings. Over the past thirty years, acid rain has ruined nearly half the Black Forest. Sulfur and nitrogen found in acid rain eat holes in the surface of statues and buildings. Acid rain pollutes rivers, like the Danube and the Rhine, kills trees in forests, and kills the wildlife living there.

4. Cause
Effect
Smoke from power plants burning fossil fuels from factories .
These facilities burn fuels like natural gas and oil.
Auto emissions also are a factor
Damage to vegetation (trees) and aquatic life
Contamination of drinking water
Damage to physical structure such as buildings and monuments
Germany has the worst acid rain problem in Europe!

6. Effects on other European countries
Germany shares a border with many other countries.
Air currents carry toxic smoke to these countries
Air currents bring pollutants from other countries to Germany

7. Solutions Germany working on the problem of acid rain
Factories are being changed from coal-burning to hydroelectric
Laws have been passed to reduce emissions from cars and factories
Germany's goal is to decrease its use of fossil fuels like coal and oil.
Germany is developing new types of energy, ex. wind turbines and solar power.

8. Air Pollution in the UK
London, the capital of the United Kingdom is famous for air pollution, or smog. Smog is air pollution you can see. Thick London smog happens when water in the air mixes with smoke particles from a coal fire. In the Great Smog of the smog was so dense that people could not see what was in front of them for 4 days. Transportation slowed, crime increased and thousands of people died from the pollution.

9. Cause
Effect
In the past the major source of air pollution was smoke and sulfur dioxide from burning coal or other fossil fuels. Today exhaust from vehicles is the major problem.
Health concerns
Damage to buildings
Damage to vegetation
Harm to atmosphere
Threatens wildlife
Air currents carry air pollution to other European countries

10. Solutions
"Smokeless zones" in London where only smokeless fuel could be used.
Increased use of electricity
Automakers build vehicles that produce less exhaust
Government regularly check air quality

11. Then and Now

12. Chernobyl
Cause:
On April 25, 1986 there was a nuclear accident at a nuclear power plant in Chernobyl Ukraine. One of the reactors exploded. Tons of radioactive material surrounded the plant, poisoning the air and water. The resulting fire released most of the radiation into the atmosphere. Spikes in atmospheric radiation were measured as far away as Sweden - thousands of miles away. It took 9 days and 5000 tons of sand, boron, dolomite, clay and lead dropped from helicopters to put it out.
The causes of the accident are described as a fateful combination of human error and imperfect technology.

13. Chernobyl Effects Soil, Groundwater and surface water contaminated
Land evacuation
Radiation levels unsafe
Trees and plants died
Animals (fish and livestock) became ill and some died-unsafe to eat
Economic impact on Eastern Northern European farmers
Health issues such as high rates of cancer, birth defects and even death.

14. Are there solutions?
Reactor was buried in concrete - it is still not safe. Falling apart.
9 million people directly or indirectly affected
Ukraine decided to be a "nuclear-free" country, however there are arguments against this due to a lack of power plants.
The debate is which is a bigger risk to the environment, nuclear   energy or fossil fuel?
Effects may take another 50 years to see full consequences.

16. Villages and cities that used to have thriving populations now are completely deserted

17. Radioactive technics as far as you can see
Radioactive technics as far as you can see. A type of army truck, these technics were full of troops on that day. Now, they sit in a cemetery of vehicles.