Environmental protection

Agnieszka Zwolińska and Antek Sadkowski

What is the environmental protection?

It is a practice of protecting the natural environment on individual, organizational or governmental levels, for the benefit of both the natural environment and humans.

The phenomenon of decline in the concentration of ozone ( O3) in the stratosphere, Earth's Atmosphere . Stratospheric ozone absorbs some ultraviolet radiation reaching Earth from the sun. Some types of ultraviolet radiation are harmful to living organisms because they can damage cells (burns) and the genetic material of cells. In humans and animals may induce neoplasia. The formation of the hole is usually associated with anthropogenic emissions of CFCs .

Ozone hole

Air pollution Air pollutants are the main causes of

global environmental threats. There is the air pollution when the level of all the gas substances (solid or liquid) is higher than the average content.

The growing demand for energy made from burning the main source of atmospheric pollutants of anthropogenic origin. The most important are:

• sulfur dioxide (SO2)

• nitrogen oxides (NxOy)

• carbonaceous particulate matter (X2)

• Volatile organic compounds (benzopyrenes)

• Carbon monoxide (CO)

• Carbon dioxide (CO2)

• tropospheric ozone (O3)

• lead (Pb)

• dust suspended

low emission

chemical conversion of fuels

extraction and transport of raw materials

chemical industry

refining industry

metallurgical industry

cement

the storage of raw materials

The sources of air pollution

Natural sources of air pollution • volcanoes

• chemical weathering of rocks

• steppe and forest fires

• lightning

• cosmic dust

• biological processes

Air pollutants are absorbed in humans mainly during breathing. Contribute to the formation of respiratory diseases , as well as reproductive disorders and allergies. In the cultural environment of human air pollution cause corrosion of metals and construction materials. They act negatively also on the world of plants , disrupting the processes of photosynthesis , transpiration and respiration . Secondarily contaminate water and soil . The global impact on climate change. Air pollution also increase the acidity of drinking water. This causes an increase in the content of lead, copper , zinc, aluminum , cadmium and even in the water supplied to our homes . The acidified water damage water installations , flushing of the various toxic substances.

Acid rain

Is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses elevated levels of hydrogen ions (low pH). It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals and infrastructure. Acid rain is caused by emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, which react with the water molecules in the atmosphere to produce acids.

Each person annually produces a large amount of garbage, of which only a small part will be decomposed. The rest will have to be stored for many years. Add to this industrial waste, including radioactive and toxic that inappropriate storage can lead to contamination of the soil.

An excessive amount of garbage

How to protect the environment?

1. Use both sides of paper for writing or drawing. In this way you protect the tree before cutting and you produce less garbage!

2. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Take a short shower than a bath. Tighten the taps. In this way you save water!

3. Switch off the lights when you leave a room, turn off the TV, radio, computer, when you no longer use them. In this way you save energy!

4. Going shopping bring your own bag instead of bringing the store plastic bags. In this way, you produce less garbage!

5. Try to use environmentally friendly means of transport. If you have to overcome the short distance walk on foot or ride a bicycle. In this way you will help to lower poisoning the air!

6. Talk to your parents and friends about what you can do together to protect the environment. In this way you impact on someone's consciousness, teach others how to be environmentally friendly!