1. HUMAN IMPACT on the BIOSPHERE Chapter 6-4 Charting a course for the Future

2. ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
___________________

3. DEAD ZONES When an ecosystem receives a LARGE input
REMEMBER !
When an ecosystem receives a LARGE input
of limiting nutrient (ie., fertilizer runoff) the
population increases dramatically = ___________

7. Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone
The DEADZONE forms each April, generally grows
throughout the summer, reaching a peak in late July.

8. Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone
At its peak, the nearly lifeless water can span
5,000 to 8,000-plus square miles, an area almost the size of New Jersey

9. DEAD ZONES How do we HELP?
Use modern technology and
“green” farming methods to:
Decrease agricultural fertilizer use
Decrease runoff of agricultural waste

10. OZONE LAYER Our atmosphere between 20-50 km contains
OZONE LAYER
Our atmosphere between
20-50 km contains
high concentrations
of ____________
which protect us from
the sun’s harmful
______________ radiation.

11. EFFECTS OF UV RADIATION
__________________________________
________________________ of skin
Reduces ________________
Disrupts __________________ in oceans
Click here to see a movie
about the effects of UV radiation
WMV, 618K

12. Click here to see a movie
WHAT WE KNOW
Scientists have been
monitoring the ____________
of ozone in our atmosphere
and have discovered
a hole in the ozone layer
over ____________.
Click here to see a movie
about the ozone hole
WMV, 616K

13. The annual ozone "hole“ over Antarctica has
occurred during the Antarctic Spring (October)
since the early 1980s.
Rather than being an actual hole
through the layer, the ozone
hole is a large area
with extremely
low amounts of ozone.
Ozone levels fall by over
60% during the worst years.

14. Ozone depletion is a global issue NOT
just a problem at the South Pole.
Research has shown that ozone depletion
also occurs over North America, Europe,
Asia, and much of Africa, Australia, and
South America.
Over the U.S., ozone levels have fallen 5-10%, depending on the season.

15. What’s the cause of Ozone Depletion?
Chlorofluorocarbon
molecules _______
released from
air conditioners,
aerosol spray cans,
fire extinguishers,
and industry
________________

16. OZONE DEPLETION
HOW DO WE HELP?
1987- the _______________________ committed signing nations (including USA) to a ____________ in the use of CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances.
CFC production was _________ after 1995 in the developed countries, and later in developing countries. Today, over 180 countries have ratified the treaty.

17. THAT’S WHY . . . _____________spray cans no longer contain
_____________spray cans
no longer contain
CFC propellants.
Gases in ___________________
and _____________ are collected
and recycled.

18. OZONE DEPLETION How do we help?
We can't make enough ozone to replace what's been destroyed, but provided that we stop producing ozone-depleting substances, computer models predict natural ozone production reactions should return the ozone layer to normal levels by about 2050.
This is the first example of different countries
getting together on an environmental issue,
agreeing on what to do, doing something,
and seeing a positive effect

19. Chemical Transformation Emissions to Atmosphere
ACID RAIN
What’s the cause?________________________
Chemical Transformation
Nitric acid
Sulfuric acid
Condensation
Emissions to Atmosphere
Nitrogen oxides
Sulfur dioxide
Dry Fallout
Precipitation
Acid rain, fog,
snow, and mist
particulates, gases
Industry
Transportation
Ore smelting
Power generation
Releases _______________ and ________________
into the atmosphere that react with water to produce ACID RAIN.

21. ACID RAIN EFFECTS damages buildings and statues damages forests
kills fish
reduces biodiversity
causes illness & premature death from heart & lung disorders like asthma and bronchitis

22. ACID RAIN
HOW DO WE HELP?
Develop a National energy policy that emphasizes
use of alternative renewable energy sources
Cut down on activities that use fossil fuels
conserve electricity
drive less
Drive automobiles with increased fuel efficiency
OR run on alternative fuels
Recycle
(uses less energy than starting from scratch)

23. GREENHOUSE EFFECT Temperatures of Earth remain within a range
______________ because the _____________
acts as a natural _________________ blanket.

24. GREENHOUSE EFFECT Atmospheric gases such as ___________________
NORMALLY trap heat
energy from the sun
like a greenhouse
= _____________________

25. GLOBAL WARMING- Is it real?
Some people say that the Earth has cycles of warmer/cooler climate change and that this is just part of that cycle.
Most scientists believe that the increase in global temperatures is the result of human activities that have increased the amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

26. 1. "warming of the climate system is unequivocal“
In 2007 in Paris a U.N.- backed panel of international scientists issued a major announcement on climate change stating that:
1. "warming of the climate system is unequivocal“
2. There is a 90% probability the cause “man- made”.
Either way… our planet is getting warmer!

27. FACTS WE KNOW
Global mean surface temperatures have increased °F since the late 19th century.
The 20th century's ten warmest years have
occurred in the last 15 years of this century.

28. FACTS WE KNOW
The snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere and floating ice in the Arctic Ocean have decreased.
Graph & glacier pix: polar bears:

29. FACTS WE KNOW Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have
increased steadily.

30. GLOBAL WARMING WHAT’S the CAUSE?
Burning solid waste, fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), wood and wood products
Production and transport of fossil fuels
Decomposition of organic wastes in landfills
Animal sources (methane)
Deforestation (trees remove CO2 from atmosphere)

31. What’s so bad about warming up a little?
We’re freezing here in S.D.!

32. Coastal flooding What’s so bad about warming up a little?
Cartoon from Brookings Register
Coastal flooding

33. Changes in Gulf Stream What’s so bad about warming up a little?
What’s so bad about warming up a little?
Changes in
Gulf Stream

34. More severe storms What’s so bad about warming up a little?
More severe storms

35. Weather extremes What’s so bad about warming up a little?
Heat waves and drought
Brookings Register

36. Changing habitats means loss of species
What’s so bad about warming up a little?
Changing habitats
means
loss of species

37. What’s the Kyoto Accord got to do with it?
The Kyoto Accord is an agreement, aimed at
reducing global warming that asks
participants to __________ their ________________ emissions to a percentage of their 1990
emission levels _____________.

38. PROBLEMS WITH the KYOTO ACCORD
(The US has not ratified this agreement)
In 1998-Clinton administration signs the Kyoto Accord committing the United States to a 7% reduction in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 emissions levels, to be achieved between the years 2008 and 2012.
2001- Bush administration withdrew the U.S. signature, claiming that the treaty was "fatally flawed". 
2008- Australia (last major nation hold out) signed
160 nations have now agreed (not US)

39. PROBLEMS WITH the KYOTO ACCORD
ALL countries not required to reduce emissions equally
7% for the US, 6% for Japan, 0% for Russia,
Developing nations don’t have to reduce emissions at all
India and China, which have ratified the protocol,
are not required to reduce carbon emissions under
the present agreement despite their relatively large populations.
Developed nations (like USA) can meet required reductions by
purchasing emission reductions from elsewhere and funding
developing countries for climate related studies, projects, and
technology

40. KYOTO is “OLD NEWS”! Standards set by Kyoto will expire in 2012.
United Nations Meetings on Global Climate Change
Dec countries met in Bali, Indonesia and set “Road Map” for negotiations on a replacement for Kyoto Accords
March 29-April 8, 2009 – Bonn, Germany
Sept-Oct Bangkok, Thailand
December Copenhagen, Denmark

41. What is a CARBON FOOTPRINT?
What is a CARBON FOOTPRINT?
A ____________________ =
the total set of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product

42. The US is no longer the #1 CO2 emitter
but we contribute to the problem.

43. Even if you don’t “believe” in global warming . . .
Even if you don’t “believe” in global warming . . .
Even if countries can’t agree on emission levels …
we should still work to reduce our emissions of global warming gases BECAUSE . . .

44. THINGS WE DO TO “FIX GLOBAL WARMING” make sense anyway!
THINGS WE DO TO “FIX GLOBAL WARMING” make sense anyway!
Fossil fuels are a limited resource…
eventually they will be gone!

45. THINGS WE DO TO “FIX GLOBAL WARMING” make sense anyway!
Our supply of fossil fuels is dependent on
countries that are not “friendly” to the U.S.

46. THINGS WE DO TO “FIX GLOBAL WARMING” make sense anyway!
Brookings Register
Drilling for and transporting fossil fuels has negative environmental consequences

47. THINGS WE DO TO “FIX GLOBAL WARMING” make sense anyway!
Drilling and transporting fossil fuels has negative
environmental consequences
Brookings Register

48. THINGS WE DO TO “FIX GLOBAL WARMING” make sense anyway!
Images from:
Innovation and alternative energy technologies for automobiles and power generation are good for our economy

49. GLOBAL WARMING HOW DO WE HELP?
Develop a National energy policy that emphasizes
use of alternative renewable energy sources
Watch your carbon footprint
Cut down on activities that use fossil fuels
Drive automobiles with increased fuel efficiency
OR run on alternative fuels
Cut down on CO2 emissions
(with or without the Kyoto accord)
Recycle
(uses less energy than starting from scratch)
Reduce deforestation (plants use CO2)

50. WHAT DO WE DO WITH OUR TRASH?
According to the
Environmental Protection Agency,
the average American produces
about 4.4 pounds of garbage a day.
That adds up to a approximately
220 million tons of garbage each
year for all of us.
This only takes into consideration
the average household member
and does not count industrial waste
or commercial trash.

51. PICTURE THIS:
It would bury more than 990,000 football fields under six-foot high piles of waste..
. . . and that’s just the United States!

52. TRASH KILLS It has been estimated that over
a million sea-birds and 100,000
marine mammals and sea turtles
are killed each year by ingestion
of plastics or entanglement.

53. PLASTIC IS FOREVER! PLASTIC IS MADE FROM FOSSIL FUELS!
PLASTIC IS FOREVER!

54. PACIFIC OCEAN GARBAGE GYRE
Covers an area twice the size of TEXAS
Estimated to contain
over 100 million tons
of debris
See a video
From: YOUTUBE

55. We Can’t Just Keep Piling it up in Landfills
We have to:
_____________
Plastic recycling video

56. QUOTES This we know... the earth does not belong to man,
man belongs to earth. All things are connected,
like the blood which connects one family.
Whatever befalls the earth befalls the children of
the earth. Man did not weave the web of life –
he is merely a strand in it.  Whatever he does to
the web, he does to himself.
~ Chief Seattle, 1854

57. QUOTES
If you want to see an endangered species, get up and look in the mirror. ~  John Young, former Apollo astronaut
A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children. ~ John James Audubon,
It's not easy being green. ~  Kermit the Frog

58. WE NEED TO START CONSIDERING THE EFFECTS ON OUR PLANET WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS!