Human Impact on the Human Impact on the EnvironmentEnvironment

Our actions today do impact the future!

How does human pop’n growth How does human pop’n growth affect the environment?affect the environment?

1. Our population is rising b/c we can alter our environment

2. Improved health care, hygiene, and large food supply

3. Humans have a carrying capacity just like other organisms

4. We are using more resources, producing more waste, taking up more space

5. WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO CONTROL POPULATION GROWTH!

What are the natural processes that What are the natural processes that occur on our planet?occur on our planet?

1. Process #1: MAINTAINING AIR QUALITY

• Biotic: RECYCLING of O2 and CO2 by plants and animals

• Abiotic: Rain cleans air

2. Process #2: SOIL FORMATION• Soil forms from EROSION and decaying

organisms• Roots of plants help keep down soil so it doesn’t

blow away

What are the natural processes that occur on our planet?What are the natural processes that occur on our planet?

3. Process #3: THE WATERWATER CYCLE

• Evaporation Clouds Rain

• Fresh water supply is maintained

Thursday, June 12, 9:34:04 AM

Click on the water cycle below to see it animated

3. Process #3: THE WATER CYCLE• Evaporation Clouds Rain

• Fresh water supply is maintained

What are the natural processes that occur on our planet?

4. Process #4: WASTE REMOVAL AND RECYCLING OF NUTRIENTS• DECOMPOSERS put nutrients back in soil• So minerals are RECYCLED through food

chains

5. Process #5: FLOW OF ENERGY

• Energy is passed through environment but NOT RECYCLED

• Always need a constant source of energy (THE SUN!!)

What are the natural processes that occur on our planet?

Thursday, June 12, 9:34:04 AM

1. Industrialization is the development of an economy in which machines machines produce many of the products people use.

WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON NATURAL PROCESSES

• Pollution of air and water• Increased demand for energy,

water, and fossil fuels• EX: Nuclear Power Plants

• Cause thermal pollution of waterways

• Disposal of radioactive wastes big problem

• Solution: Practice the 3 R’s• Use alternative sources of

energy• Reuse and recycle materials

already made

Industrialization:

What is the What is the impact of technologyimpact of technology on natural processes? on natural processes?

2. WATER POLLUTION: Brain pop video (3:16 min)

• Depletion of O2 in water:• Cause: by dumping of sewage and animal parts• Result: Can act as fertilizer for some bacteria

and algae and they will consume all available O2

• TOXIC WASTES:• Cause: Fertilizers and

pesticides used get into water supply

• Result: Organisms are poisoned

• Organisms higher on the food chain absorb more toxins (ex. mercury and DDT) since they eat more

• Bioaccumulation

What is the What is the impact of technologyimpact of technology on natural processes? on natural processes?

Bioaccumulation

What is the What is the impact of technologyimpact of technology on natural processes? on natural processes?

• Thermal pollution:• Cause: Warmed water from power plants

dumped back into lakes and rivers• Result: Less dissolved O2 in warmer

water causing organisms to suffocate• Solutions for Water Pollution:

1.Use alternative pest control instead of pesticides• Sterility treatments, hormone controls• Add a natural predator

2.Stop dumping things into water that shouldn’t be there!

3. AIR POLLUTION

• Cause #1: Burning wastes• Result: waste materials end

up in water cycle anyway and make acid rain

• Cause #2: Burning Fossil Fuels – Brain Pop Video (3:33)

• Result: adds too much CO2, sulfur and other harmful gases into air and make acid rain

• Acid Rain causes much damage to organisms that cannot survive in low pH

• Solutions for Air pollution:• Set limits for how much a

factory can burn

How do pollutants affect the atmosphere?How do pollutants affect the atmosphere?

1.1. GLOBAL WARMING GLOBAL WARMING • CAUSE:CAUSE:• ““Greenhouse GasesGreenhouse Gases” trap sun’s heat to keep our ” trap sun’s heat to keep our

planet warm planet warm

• EX:EX: CARBON DIOXIDE CARBON DIOXIDE ( CO( CO22))

• Greenhouse Gases have Greenhouse Gases have increasedincreased since early since early 1900’s b/c of 1900’s b/c of industrializationindustrialization• BURING FOSSIL FUELS PUTS EXCESS BURING FOSSIL FUELS PUTS EXCESS

COCO22 INTO THE ATMOSPHERE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE

• As a result avg. Earth As a result avg. Earth temp is increasingtemp is increasing

A. POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING:

• Change in climate patterns• Melting of ice caps could cause flooding• Flooding of coastal regionsFlooding of coastal regions• Increase in the rate of species lossIncrease in the rate of species loss

B. SOLUTIONS TO STOP GLOBALWARMNG:• PLANT TREES b/c they use CO2 (act as

carbon tanks)• STOP cutting down trees• Find alternative fuel sources that do not

release CO2 into air

How do pollutants affect the atmosphere?How do pollutants affect the atmosphere?2.2. OZONE LAYER DEPLETION OZONE LAYER DEPLETION Brain Brain

Pop Video (2:58)Pop Video (2:58)

• OZONE OZONE LAYER PROTECTS US FROM LAYER PROTECTS US FROM HARMFUL RADIATION FROM SUNHARMFUL RADIATION FROM SUN

A.A. CAUSES OF DEPLETION:CAUSES OF DEPLETION:• Release of Release of CFC’CFC’s into atmospheres into atmosphere• Come from refrigerators, air Come from refrigerators, air

conditioners, and aerosol cans conditioners, and aerosol cans

B.B. EFFECTS OF OZONE EFFECTS OF OZONE DEPLETION:DEPLETION:

• Excess radiation can causes:Excess radiation can causes:• Genetic Genetic mutationsmutations• More skin More skin cancercancer• Destroy producers Destroy producers in oceansin oceans• CFC’S no longer used in those thingsCFC’S no longer used in those things

Ozone Depletion

protects from UV rays

Effects of loss of OzoneEffects of loss of Ozone

Wrinkles & SKIN CANCER

Actions being taken by humans to reduce or repair damage to the environment include:

1. Recycling wastes2. Conserving available resources nonrenewable; any

resource, such as fossil fuels and minerals, that cannot be replaced and renewable; resources, such as our food supply and solar energy, which, given time, can be replaced

3. Using cleaner resources (ex: solar over fossil fuels)4. Protection of habitats and endangered species5. Use of biological controls instead of pesticides and

herbicides6. Farming native plants (ex: cocoa in the rainforest)7. Planting trees to replace those cut down.8. Rotating crops or planting cover crops to reduce

soil loss.

What Can You Do?What Can You Do?

Keep pets indoors Choose tap over bottled water Adjust two degrees

-To help out locally and globally you can also volunteer or donate to the American Museum of Natural History’s Center for Biodiversity and Conservation

Humans now rely upon just 14 species of mammals and birds to supply 90% of all animal-derived foods

Reliance upon modern varieties of rice has caused more than 1,500 local rice varieties in Indonesia to become extinct

Choose green energy