Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science

Chapter 5Chapter 5

Notes #3Notes #3

Water - ReviewWater - Review

- Renewable resourceRenewable resource- constantly circulated by the water (hydrologic) cycleconstantly circulated by the water (hydrologic) cycle- 70% of Earth’s surface is water70% of Earth’s surface is water

- very small fraction of water is available for our usevery small fraction of water is available for our use

- Water makes up 60-70 & percent of the weight of all Water makes up 60-70 & percent of the weight of all living organismsliving organisms

Surface WaterSurface Water Dams/RiversDams/Rivers GroundwaterGroundwater

Water- ReviewWater- Review Water PollutionWater Pollution 2 underlying causes2 underlying causes

IndustrializationIndustrialization Human population growth/explosionHuman population growth/explosion

SolutionsSolutions 1. Desalinization/Desalination1. Desalinization/Desalination 2. Towing Water2. Towing Water 3. Water Conservation3. Water Conservation 4. Cleaning up polluted water4. Cleaning up polluted water 5. Wastewater Treatment Plant5. Wastewater Treatment Plant

Water - ReviewWater - Review Types of PollutionTypes of Pollution

Point PollutionPoint Pollution Nonpoint PollutionNonpoint Pollution

Examples of Pollution SourcesExamples of Pollution Sources Pathogens, heavy metals, Chemicals Pathogens, heavy metals, Chemicals

(organic/ inorganic), Physical agents, (organic/ inorganic), Physical agents, Radioactive wasteRadioactive waste

Artificial EutrophicationArtificial Eutrophication Biological MagnificationBiological Magnification Thermal PollutionThermal Pollution

Ocean PollutionOcean Pollution

85% of ocean pollution comes from 85% of ocean pollution comes from land activitiesland activities Oil spills, major disastersOil spills, major disasters Oil rigs, small leaksOil rigs, small leaks Runoff from riversRunoff from rivers Plastics, etc.Plastics, etc.

Ocean PollutionOcean Pollution Estuaries and coral reefs are the Estuaries and coral reefs are the

hardest hit by pollutionhardest hit by pollution Repeat – most ocean pollution comes Repeat – most ocean pollution comes

from coastal areasfrom coastal areas Get carried into oceans by riversGet carried into oceans by rivers

Ocean PollutionOcean PollutionOcean pollution preventionOcean pollution prevention

MARPOLMARPOL• International convention for the prevention International convention for the prevention

of pollution from shipsof pollution from ships• Prohibits the discharge of oil and disposal Prohibits the discharge of oil and disposal

or abandonment of plastics in ocean and or abandonment of plastics in ocean and coastal waterscoastal waters

Helsinki ConventionHelsinki Convention• 120 nations supporting control of ocean 120 nations supporting control of ocean

pollution that is land basedpollution that is land based

Ocean PollutionOcean Pollution Law of the Sea TreatyLaw of the Sea Treaty

• Ocean jurisdictionOcean jurisdiction• 134 nations signed, the US did not134 nations signed, the US did not

DetailsDetails• Coastal regions would own 22 km out from Coastal regions would own 22 km out from

shorelineshoreline ““territorial seas”territorial seas”

• Out to 370 km is a nation’s “exclusive Out to 370 km is a nation’s “exclusive economic zone”economic zone”

The nation has control over economic The nation has control over economic activity, environmental preservation, and activity, environmental preservation, and researchresearch