1. Environmental Issues in Latin America
SS6G2a. Explain the major environmental concerns of Latin America regarding the issues of air pollution in Mexico City, Mexico, rainforest destruction in Brazil, and oil-related pollution in Venezuela

2. Mexico City air pollution
Problem: 1 of the world’s worst areas of air pollution
Causes:
crowded city – older cars, factories
City is built in bowl-shaped crater of extinct volcano
thin air because of high elevation – air pollution gets trapped. Sun + dirty air = smog
Solutions:
Drivers leave cars at home 1 day/week
Car inspections and repairs
Factories closed on days of bad pollution
Improve fuels
Increase cars that burn less exhaust

3. 1. How does geography play a role in Mexico City’s air pollution problem? 2. What are the main sources of air pollution in Mexico City? 3. How is the government trying to reduce air pollution? 4. Which solution is hardest for businesses?

4. Brazil Rainforest Destruction
More than ½ of Brazil is covered by rainforest
Home to 40,000 types of plants and 1000s of animals
Valuable:
Medicines are made from plants
Products – brazil nuts, cocoa, rubber
20% of oxygen is produced by Brazilian rainforests
Indigenous people live in rainforest

5. Problem: threatened by human activity
Animals, plants, and people threatened with extinction
Selling timber – deforestation (then grow crops like soybeans/cattle on bare land)
200,000 acres lost
Solution: laws control number of trees that can be cut BUT… not much money spent on enforcing laws

6. 5. What problems are associated with deforestation. 6
5. What problems are associated with deforestation? 6. Why does deforestation increase when the value of crops and cattle goes up? 7. What is the main crop grown in deforested areas? 8. What does the world get 20% of from the rainforest?

7. Use graph on p. 18 of CRCT Test Prep and answer q. 17-20

8. Venezuela oil-related pollution
Venezuela is 1 of the largest producers of oil and natural gas in the world
$$$ from oil sales accounts for ½ the government funds
Caribbean Sea has become polluted with oil from spills
Venezuela produces high levels of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels – causes breathing problems for kids and elderly and global warming
Lake Maracaibo is sinking 3 inches/year due to oil extraction – dike had to be built to keep the lake from flooding

9. 9. What problems are caused by oil production in Venezuela. 10
9. What problems are caused by oil production in Venezuela? 10. Why doesn’t the government want to stop oil production? 11. Whose breathing is affected most by too much carbon dioxide? 12. What does too much carbon dioxide cause?