1. Human Impact
SC.912.L Predict the impact of individuals on environmental systems and examine how human lifestyles affect sustainability.
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2. What do I need to know?
how the actions of humans may impact environmental systems and affect sustainability
the costs and benefits of renewable and nonrenewable resources
environmental policy decisions should be made after adequate monitoring of environmental parameters
how the environment and personal health are related

3. Humans & Ecosystems humans are part of the Earth's ecosystem
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human activities can either deliberately or inadvertently alter the balance of an ecosystem
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4. What Do You Think? How do human activities affect the environment?
Will you change your perspective or will you feel the same way?
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5. Ecological Footprint How many planets would you need?
What effect does human consumption have on the life system?

6. Sustainability
meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of the Earth’s supporting ecosystems
stabilizing the currently disruptive relationship between earth’s two most complex systems—human culture and the living world
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7. Impact on Ecosystems: Deforestation
caused by demand for wood products, need for space, farmland, housing, roads
causes habitat fragmentation
animals & plants are forced into confined areas
loss of biodiversity
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8. Impact on Ecosystems: Global Warming
use of fossil fuels by humans seems to be increasing CO2 levels in the air
CO2 prevents heat from escaping, causes slight world wide temperature increases
Rising water temperatures causes coral bleaching
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9. Environmental Decision Making: Solving Global Warming
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10. Impact on Ecosystems: Ozone Depletion
caused by aerosol chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
escape into atmosphere, reacts breaking down the ozone (O3), a protective atmospheric layer)
UV rays penetrate the atmosphere and cause harm to many organisms
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11. Five Human Impacts on Environment
Video Guiding Questions:
What are four categories of ecosystem services?
Complete the following table summary.
Effect on Environment
Biodiversity
Deforestation
Desertification
Global Warming
Invasive Species
Overharvesting
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12. Natural Resources non-renewable renewable
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13. Source: http://education.fcps.org

14. Source: http://education.fcps.org

15. Environmental Change & Health
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16. Show What You Know
Salt water is an abundant resource but is unusable for irrigation and drinking. As demands on freshwater sources increase, the use of desalination processes to remove salt from ocean water is increasing. A concern of desalinating water is the large amounts of recovered salts that are returned to the ocean. Which of the following describes the most likely impact of desalination on the surrounding ocean environment?
Methane gas would pollute the ocean environment as shoreline organisms begin to die and decay.
Alteration in ocean salt levels would cause loss of species and unbalanced populations in marine food webs.
Nonrenewable resources in the ocean environment would become depleted and upset the ecosystem’s balance.
Increased levels of salts and minerals in the ocean would result in overpopulation of marine bivalves due to strengthened shells.

17. Show What You Know
A developer wants to build a new housing development in or around a large city.
Which of the following plans would be least harmful to the environment?
Clearing a forested area outside of the city to build houses.
Building a neighborhood in a meadow at the edge of the city.
Building apartments at the site of an abandoned factory in the city.
Filling a wetland area and building oceanfront condominiums.

18. Show What You Know
Human expansion often has a negative impact on the environment. However, these effects can be minimized to achieve sustainability. Which of the following best describes an action that will help meet this goal?
Allowing new construction only in areas that are not near freshwater supplies
Fining companies that use nonrenewable resources to operate
Monitoring environmental systems to learn how human activities affect them
Growing large quantities of the same crop in a given field each year

19. Show What You Know
The choices that humans make everyday affect the environment. Sometimes, our lifestyles can harm the environment rather than protect it. Which of the following would be most helpful in protecting the environment and achieving sustainability?
Buying paper products made from harvested trees
Buying fewer mass produced products
Using natural gas as a fuel source instead of petroleum
Using solar energy to generate electricity

20. Show What You Know
The activities that take place to meet human needs can often be harmful to ecosystem. By developing sustainable practices, however, we can help protect our environment. Which of the following changes would be most helpful in reaching sustainability?
Building more water treatment facilities
Planting trees to replace those that are cut down by logging
Tilling soil to improve soil fertility and increase crop production
Using natural gas for fuel instead of burning petroleum