Pollution. Let s be part of the solution!

Transcription

1 Pollution Let s be part of the solution!

2 Pollution Making the environment s land, air, or water unsuitable for use by adding substances faster than it can be dispersed, diluted, decomposed, recycled, or stored in a harmless form.

3 Point Source Pollution any single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged, such as a pipe, ditch, ship or factory smokestack (Hill, 1997). Factories and sewage plants are 2 common sources

4 Point Source Pollution Pulp/paper mills, chemical, electronic, and automobile manufactures discharge pollutants(effluents) Large livestock farms

5 Non Point Pollution Most occurs as runoff Heavy rainstorms flow across parking lots picking up oil and fluids left by the cars Flows from streams to rivers to oceans

6 Non Point Pollution Coastal Population explosions Although the concentration of pollutants from runoff are lower than point source, the total amount may be higher

7 Air CO 2 is produced by cars, planes, and power plants by burning fossil fuels Industrial plants emit particulate matter, like sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and other dangerous gases

8 Air Methane swamps and livestock Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)- refrigerants and aerosols deplete the ozone layer Smog/smoke

9 Water Ocean litter from ships, trash from city streets, storm drains, and landfills that lead to streams and river end up in the sea It degrades slowly and follows the currents where it accumulates or washes up on beaches

10 Water Toxic discharges from sewage and industrial waste Fertilizers and pesticides

11 Land/Soil Dumping oil and antifreeze from cars instead of recycling or properly disposing of them Deforestation and soil erosion Agriculture/Mining /Overcrowded landfills

12 Pesticides And Fertilizers Use of pesticides and fertilizers have increased 26 times in the past 50 years The runoff pollutes the land and water, including our ground water Pesticides kill beneficial insects, soil bacteria and fish

13 Pesticides And Fertilizers An overabundance of nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer runoff (eutrophication) cause algae blooms which deplete the water of O 2 and kill the aquatic life

14 Pesticides And Fertilizers Some of the algal bloom species (red and brown tides) produce deadly toxins Poisons shellfish and people who eat them

15 Light Pollution Artificial lights disrupts circadian rhythms Sea turtles follow artificial light thinking they are following moonlight toward the sea and die

16 Noise In the Artic, sounds from oil and gas explorations are so loud they affect the feeding and breeding of the sea life like belugas and bowhead whales Also Loud industrial machines

17 Decomposition Works best if exposed to light, O 2, and H 2 0, and warmer temps aerobic More efficient than anaerobic Landfills are covered with dirt

18 Plastic Plastic bottles can take up to 450 years to decompose Produce toxic chemicals like bisphenol A and polystyrene Plastic in seawater act as sponges and accumulate chemicals from outside sources

19 Plastic 44% seabirds eat plastic 267 marine species affected some swallow thinking it is a jelly fish

20 Radioactive Nuclear plants accidents/malfunctions Improper nuclear waste disposal Causes cancer, birth defects, infertility and affects the air and water

21 Acid rain Sulfur dioxide from industry/volcanoes Keeps sunlight out and cools the earth Nitrogen oxides from burning fossil fuels

22 Acid rain Acid rain leaches toxic aluminum from the soil which at high concentrations are deadly Weakens trees and contributes to air pollution

23 Disposable Baby Diapers 500 years to decompose 20 billion dumped in landfills a year/3.5 million tons The untreated waste contaminates ground water Release Dioxins and toxic chemicals

24 Cars years Rubber tires 500 years Engine block 1000 years Polyethylene seat cushions

25 Nylon Fabric years

26 Aluminum Cans years Recyclable almost everywhere

27 Styrofoam 500 years Also produces polystyrene

28 Batteries 100 years

29 Vegetables Paper Cotton T-shirt Orange peels Tree leaves Wool socks Plastic-coated paper milk cartons Leather shoes Nylon fabric Tin cans Aluminium cans Glass bottles Styrofoam cup Plastic bags 5 days 1 month 2 5 months 6 months 6 months 1 year 1 5 years 5 years years years years years 1 million years 500 years to forever 500 years to forever

30 Decomposition Times Cigarette Butts years; Monofilament Fishing Line years; Rubber-Boot Sole years; Foamed Plastic Cups - 50 years; Leather shoes years; Milk Cartons - 5 years; Plywood years; Painted board - 13 years; Cotton Glove - 3 months; Cardboard - 2 months; Styrofoam - It does not biodegrade;

31 Nylon Fabric years; Tin can - 50 years; Ropes months; Waxed milk carton - 3 months; Aluminum cans years; Train tickets - two weeks, Canvas products - 1 year; Batteries years; Lumber years, Sanitary Pads years; Wool Clothing years; Tinfoil - It does not biodegrade.

32 Composting Food scrapes and yard waste make up to 20-30% of what we throw away It is great for your soil and helps plants to grow

33 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Reducing our carbon footprint Reduce the amount of trash we throw away Reuse whatever we can Recycle