Environmental Effects of Overpopulation

Renewable resources are unlimited.

• Wind• Solar• Water

Nonrenewable resources are limited.

• Coal• Oil• Natural Gas

Fossilfuels

Palm Springs, CA

Kern County, CA

Flaring natural gas

Moon:Nighttime = -150o C (-238o F)

Earth (Beverly Hills):Nighttime = 5o C (40o F)

Why is the moon so much colder at night?

Earth

heat

heat

Some heat escapes into space Some heat

naturally trapped by CO2 and other greenhouse gases

The Natural Greenhouse Effect is good for life on Earth.

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2CO2

CO2

CO2

heatheat

heat

Earth

CO2, Methane, other greenhouse gases

Earth

heat heatheat

Excess CO2 in atmosphere

Less heat escapes into space

More heat trapped near Earth’s surface

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2 CO2

CO2

CO2CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2CO2

CO2

heatheat

heat

Global Climate ChangeEffect

• Main Cause: CO2 released from burning of fossil fuels• Effects: Too much heat trapped near the earth’s surface

may change climate patterns.• Solutions: Reduce use of fossil fuels and air pollution,

plant trees, use alternative energy sources.

• Cause:– Air pollution from

burning fossil fuels combines with rain water.

• Effects:– Ecosystems more acidic– Kills plant and animal life

• Solutions:– Reduce fossil fuel usage

and air pollution.– Add buffer (base) to

waterways

Acid Rain

Crushed limestone is being added to this lake to raise the pH

SO2

NO

NO

Nitric acid

Sulfuric acid

Ozone Layer Depletion• Cause:

– CFCs (air pollution) removes ozone.

– More UV radiation reaches the surface

• Effects: – Crop damage – Skin cancers – Eye damage

• Solution: – Regulate CFCs in factory

waste– plant trees.

UV

Ozone layer blocks UV radiation from the sunOzone layer

CFCs

UV

Smog

• Causes:– Particulates rise into air and react with sunlight to make air

pollution• Effects:

– Poisonous to plant and animal life (respiratory illness).• Solutions:

– Reduce use of fossil fuels– Plant trees

Deforestation• Causes:

Harvesting/destroying forests for:– Wood demand– Creating farmland

• Effects:– Species extinction– Less CO2 removed

• Solutions:– Recycle!– Improved farming

practices and technology.

Amazon “jungle”This used to be part of the Amazon rainforest, but rain and wind blew away much of the topsoil…creating a desert-like area.

Invasive Species• Cause:

– Foreign species introduced to new environment.

• Effects:– Foreign species

outcompete or prey on native species.

– Economic damage• Solutions:

– Laws preventing foreign plants and animals into new countries

Zebra mussels

Kudzu vines

Kudzu vines

Biomagnification

• Causes: Pollution in the environment.

• Effects:– Pollutants accumulate in fat

of organisms– Pollutants move up the food

chain• Solutions:

– Reduce water pollution– More organic farming

Pollutants and their sources1) Carbon dioxide: Burning oil, coal, natural gas for energy. Decay and

burning of tropical forests.

2) Sulfur dioxide: Burning coal to generate electricity.

3) Hydrogen fluoride and silicon tetra fluoride: Aluminum and phosphate fertilizer production, oil refineries, and steel manufacturing.

4) Ozone: Chemical reactions of sunlight on automobile exhaust gases. Ozone is a major pollutant in smog.

5) Methane: Burning fossil fuels, livestock waste, landfills and rice production.

6) Nitrous oxides: Burning fossil fuels and automobile exhausts.

7) Chlorofluorocarbons: Air conditioners, refrigerators, industrial foam.