Slide 1 / 144 Slide 2 / 144 7th Grade Natural Resources and Human Impact 2015-11-02 www.njctl.org Slide 3 / 144 Natural Resources and Human Impact Table of ontents Slide 4 / 144 Natural Resources lick on the topic to go to that section Renewable vs Nonrenewable Resources Geological Processes Human Impacts Reducing our Ecological Footprint Natural Resources Return to Table of ontents Slide 5 / 144 Natural Resources Natural resources are an essential part of life on Earth. When you hear the term "natural resources", what ideas pop into your mind? Write them below. Slide 6 / 144 What are natural resources? Natural resources, such as oxygen, food and water keep us alive.
Slide 7 / 144 What are natural resources? Other natural resources like the sun, wind and oil provide us with energy that can be used for food, electricity and transportation. Slide 8 / 144 What are natural resources? Products and goods that we use every day are manufactured using natural resources as raw materials. What are some different ways that trees are used to create products that we use every day? Slide 9 / 144 What are natural resources? ased on this information about natural resources, can you come up with a definition? Slide 10 / 144 Natural Resources natural resource is a living or non-living part of nature that supports life on Earth. Natural resources are: Slide 11 / 144 iotic vs biotic Natural resources can be categorized as living or nonliving. Slide 12 / 144 iotic vs biotic ircle all of the abiotic natural resources. Living components, like a cotton plant, are called biotic. od Iron Nonliving components, like sunshine or water, are abiotic. Wind Pine forest Sunlight amboo
Slide 13 / 144 1 lothes are an example of a natural resource because you need them to protect you from outside elements. Slide 14 / 144 2 iotic and abiotic components of an environment... (Select all that apply. ) can serve as natural resources are fundamentally different are basically the same thing help us in our daily lives Slide 15 / 144 3 Vegetables provide food for many different organisms. They are. Slide 16 / 144 Sources of Natural Resources Most of the natural resources that humans and animals depend on come from the four "spheres." biotic abiotic Slide 17 / 144 tmosphere Slide 18 / 144 Sources of Natural Resources With a partner, brainstorm products from the atmosphere. Write some class ideas below. The atmosphere is composed of different gaseous elements that are natural resources essential for life.
Gaseous nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into ammonia and nitrates by bacteria. mmonia and nitrates are used by plants to grow. Humans and animals eat plants to survive! Slide 19 / 144 Nitrogen in the tmosphere Slide 20 / 144 Oxygen in the tmosphere Humans and animals need to breathe in the oxygen in the air in order to complete cellular respiration. Respiration is needed for cells to create proteins, to grow and to repair themselves. Without oxygen our cells would die and, therefore, so would we! Slide 21 / 144 Slide 22 / 144 tmospheric Weather: Wind Weather occurs in the lowest part of the atmosphere (called the troposphere) and produces wind. This wind can be a natural resource as its energy can be changed into electrical energy. The hydrosphere includes all of the water in Earth's atmosphere and on its surface. The water is continuously moved between the air and land through the water cycle. Hydrosphere Slide 23 / 144 Sources of Natural Resources Slide 24 / 144 Hydrosphere: Water With a partner, brainstorm products from the hydrosphere. Write some class ideas below. Water is a natural resource that we use everyday for: drinking (fresh water) washing and cooking agriculture (farming) energy for electricity production industry and manufacturing goods How do each of these activities support human life?
Slide 25 / 144 4 Natural resources can be found in the lithosphere, atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere. Slide 26 / 144 5 Gaseous nitrogen is found in the air and therefore cannot interact with plants that are on the ground. Slide 27 / 144 6 Oxygen is. (Select all that apply.) Slide 28 / 144 7 Natural resources from the atmosphere include all of the following except: a gas found in the atmosphere used only by humans essential for perspiration (sweat) needed to grow muscle cells oxygen used for respiration coal used for energy wind used for energy nitrogen used for plant growth Slide 29 / 144 Slide 30 / 144 8 Water is an important natural resource from the lithosphere. Lithosphere The lithosphere is the outermost crust of Earth. It is 15km - 300km thick and is a rich source of various natural resources. Source: physicalgeography.net
Slide 31 / 144 Sources of Natural Resources With a partner, brainstorm products from the lithosphere. Write some class ideas below. Slide 32 / 144 Natural Resources in the Lithosphere Natural resources that come from the lithosphere include: soil to grow plants that we eat fossil fuels (such as coal, oil and gas) stone, sand and gravel elements and minerals (i.e. silver, copper, salt, lead, aluminum, zinc, gold, diamond, iron, etc...) provides power for vehicles, machines used in agriculture, industry and our homes often used in construction What are some possible ways we could use these natural resources? lick on the box for some examples. has a wide range of uses including machine parts, steel products, and electrical equipment The biosphere is the area of Earth's surface that can support life. It includes the lithosphere, hydrosphere and the lower atmosphere. Slide 33 / 144 iosphere Slide 34 / 144 Sources of Natural Resources With a partner, brainstorm products from the biosphere. Write some class ideas below. ll biotic parts of nature such as plants and animals live in the biosphere. Source: ucar.edu Slide 35 / 144 iosphere What natural resources from the biosphere are pictured below? How could each be used? lick on each images for the answers. Timber from forests can be used as construction material for houses. Plants provide food for humans and animals. Slide 36 / 144 The Sun The Sun is not in any of the previously mentioned spheres because it is not a part of Earth. espite this, it is still a valuable natural resource. How does our Sun help support life here on Earth? Think about other topics we have covered in science this year. iscuss with your table and then click on the picture to find out! nimals themselves can be resources because they support plant growth. Wood and other organic matter provide energy. to harness energy (solar panels) to grow plants for food to support human health (Vitamin )
Slide 37 / 144 Natural Resource ategories Natural resources can be divided into the following categories: Slide 38 / 144 9 Natural resources that can provide energy can be found in which "sphere"? (Select all that apply.) Forest Resources Energy Resources Water Resources Food Resources tmosphere Lithosphere Hydrosphere iosphere Mineral Resources We will discuss these categories in detail later in this unit! Slide 39 / 144 10 The biosphere supports living components of nature. Slide 40 / 144 11 Soil, fossil fuels, minerals and gravel can all be found in the. biosphere hydrosphere lithosphere atmosphere Slide 41 / 144 Slide 42 / 144 12 The biosphere. (Select all that apply.) includes part of the atmosphere supports life includes the outer crust of Earth does not include water Renewable vs Nonrenewable Resources Return to Table of ontents
Slide 43 / 144 Renewable vs. Nonrenewable What is the difference between the words renewable and nonrenewable? The pictures below show library books and rechargeable batteries. One is renewable and one is nonrenewable. Which is which? How can you use this example to define the two terms? Slide 44 / 144 Nonrenewable Resources Nonrenewable resources are those that form over very long periods of time and can take millions of years to regenerate. ecause they take so long to form, nonrenewable resources are considered to be irreplaceable. Once we use them up, they are essentially gone! Slide 45 / 144 Renewable Resources On the other hand, renewable resources can be replenished or reproduced over a short period of time. Slide 46 / 144 Renewable vs Nonrenewable Renewable and nonrenewable resources often refer to energy sources. lick here to watch a video comparing renewable and nonrenewable energy. This is a bamboo forest in Kyoto, Japan. amboo grows incredibly quickly and, thus, is a renewable resource. It has been known to grow up to 250 cm (98 in) in just 24 hours! amboo has many uses, including cooking, medicine and construction. s you watch, answer the following questions: What are three examples of renewable energy sources? Why is coal considered nonrenewable? Over millions of years, intense pressure and temperatures turns buried vegetation into coal. Slide 47 / 144 13 nonrenewable resource can be replenished, but it would take a very long time. Slide 48 / 144 14 Which of the following is an example of a natural resource that is renewable? natural gas iron ore deposits copper radiation from the sun
Slide 49 / 144 15 Plants are a nonrenewable resource. Slide 50 / 144 istribution of Natural Resources None of the resources on Earth, renewable or nonrenewable, are evenly distributed. This means that there are many areas of this world that do not have easy access oil, precious metals or natural gas. dditionally, there are just as many people who do not have access to clean drinking water or plants for food. Slide 51 / 144 Oil Reserve istribution Oil is not evenly distributed around the world. What types of struggles can this lead to? Slide 52 / 144 griculture istribution Even land used for agriculture varies by location. Why is it not possible to have agriculture everywhere? Oil Reserves by ountry Slide 53 / 144 Minerals istribution Slide 54 / 144 Freshwater istribution The map shows the amount of water available to people worldwide. ifferent minerals can be found all over the world. lot of these minerals, such as frican diamonds, are shipped to other regions. What areas of the world do not have access to much freshwater? Why do you think this may be?
Slide 55 / 144 Water Use: US This map shows water usage in the United States. How much water does your state use? How does this compare to other states? Slide 56 / 144 Water Use: US In what ways do you think we are using water? How many categories can you come up with? Write them below and then click in the box to see the distribution of water usage in the United States. Slide 57 / 144 Water Usage There are many products that have "hidden" water requirements. For example, raising livestock consumes a large a mount of water. So, every time you eat a hamburger, it costs up to 18,000 gallons of water! Slide 58 / 144 16 Renewable resources are evenly distributed while nonrenewable resources are not. lick here to check your knowledge about water requirements for different products. Slide 59 / 144 Slide 60 / 144 Geological Processes Many of the nonrenewable natural resources that we use were formed millions of years ago due to geological processes, or changes to the materials that make up Earth. Geological Processes It took millions of years for this iron deposit to form. If we extract it faster than it can be replaced, there will be no more iron here. Return to Table of ontents
Slide 61 / 144 Geological Processes Geological processes that affect natural resource formation include: Igneous processes (involves lava or magma) Metamorphic processes (involves heat or pressure) Surface processes Sedimentary processes (involves sediment) Slide 62 / 144 Igneous Processes Igneous processes involve the cooling and solidification of magma or lava. This can result in many mineral resources. This granite formed when magma cooled slowly underground, an igneous process. iamond crystals form at depths of 200 km as a result of intense pressure. Magma then carries the crystals to the surface of Earth. Source: mnh.si.edu Slide 63 / 144 Hydrothermal ctivity s some magma cools and crystallizes, hot water solutions rich with materials are released. These hydrothermal fluids may seep through cracks in the Earth and produce deposits of important minerals. Slide 64 / 144 Hydrothermal ctivity Hydrothermal fluids are found in the deep ocean as well on Earth's surface in active hot springs. Large deposits of gold, lead, zinc and silver in the United States are due to hydrothermal activity. Source: web-japan.org These hydrothermal areas can be rich in sulfide deposits. "hyrdro" = water "thermal" = heat Slide 65 / 144 17 Igneous processes that form natural resources may involve. (Select all that apply. ) Slide 66 / 144 18 Hydrothermal activity in the deep ocean and in hot springs is a source of. diamonds magma sulfide ammonium hydrothermal fluids magma crystals cooling and solidification of lava
Slide 67 / 144 19 iamonds are formed at great depths (~200km) and the crystals are carried to the surface by magma. Slide 68 / 144 Metamorphic Processes ontact metamorphism occurs when hot magma seeps into surrounding cooler rock. This causes the surrounding rock to change its form and composition. Some metallic minerals associated with contact metamorphism are zinc, lead, copper and iron. Slide 69 / 144 Surface Processes Weathering is a surface process that is eventually responsible for the creation of soil. The materials left over after the rock breaks down are eventually combined with organic material creating soil. Slide 70 / 144 Surface Processes Physical weathering breaks rocks into smaller fragments with the same chemical makeup as the parent rock. Weathering occurs without the rocks moving, so it should not be confused with erosion. Example: When water freezes in rock cracks, it expands and breaks the rock into pieces. Slide 71 / 144 Surface Processes Slide 72 / 144 Surface Processes hemical weathering results in the production of new minerals with a different chemical composition. Example: cid rain reacts with rock, causing a chemical change to occur. Freshwater used for human and animal consumption is also affected by surface processes. This water can be found in lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands. an you think of a process that would change the quality of freshwater available for human consumption?
Slide 73 / 144 Surface Processes Slide 74 / 144 Surface Processes When it rains, water also seeps into the soil and down into the rocks beneath. This water becomes stored beneath Earth's surface. Rocks that are more porous (like a sponge) hold more water.this underground layer of water-bearing rock is called an aquifer. Slide 75 / 144 Sedimentary Processes Fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) are a natural energy resource that contain solar energy preserved from millions of years ago! When prehistoric animals and plants died, their remains were trapped in sedimentary layers of rock that accumulated with time. Slide 76 / 144 20 ontact metamorphism occurs when cool rock surrounds hot. rock air magma Source: www.fi.edu The layers at the bottom were changed by intense heat and pressure and became fossil fuel deposits. This can be extracted today by drilling deep into the land and ocean floor. water Slide 77 / 144 21 Physical and chemical weathering produces soil. Slide 78 / 144 22 mineral that undergoes chemical weathering will produce smaller identical minerals.
Slide 79 / 144 23 To extract oil, one would only need to drill into Earth's surface until a sedimentary layer that is about 20 years old is reached. Slide 80 / 144 24 The amount of water stored underground depends on which of the following? (Select all that apply. ) How porous the rock is Surface processes Rainwater The water cycle Slide 81 / 144 Slide 82 / 144 Natural Resources and Population Human Impacts s the human population grows, does the demand for natural resources increase or decrease? The demand for natural resources increases. Return to Table of ontents Slide 83 / 144 Natural Resources and Population The increased demand on natural resources results in a significantly altered biosphere. This impacts natural habitats and species survival. Slide 84 / 144 Natural Resource ategories Recall the 5 categories of resources and list them in the circles below. Refer to slide #38 if you get stuck. Humans impact each of these categories.
Slide 85 / 144 Natural Resource ategories an you think of examples of how humans impact each of the categories? Write your ideas in the boxes. Forest Resources Water Resources Energy Resources Slide 86 / 144 Forest Resources When large expanses of forests are cut down it is called deforestation. eforestation occurs for a variety of reasons. How many can you think of? Food Resources Mineral Resources Source: worldwildlife.org Large expanses of forests are cut down to provide lumber for fuel, wood and paper products. Slide 87 / 144 eforestation Slide 88 / 144 eforestation s the world population continues to increase, there is a demand for more food. s a result, deforestation occurs in order to use the land for agriculture or cattle grazing. Forests are also cut down in order to extract minerals such as copper and gold from the Earth. Slide 89 / 144 Impacts of eforestation Much of the deforestation occurs in rainforests and in underdeveloped, poorer countries. There are many consequences to deforestation. rainstorm some positive and negative results below. Good ad Slide 90 / 144 eforestation & Global Warming ll plants conduct photosynthesis. s part of this process, plants take in carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen. dditionally, clearing forests by burning adds a lot of extra carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Think about what you know about global warming. oes deforestation make global warming more or less intense? lick below to check your answer. Removing entire forests increases O 2 in the atmosphere. This holds in more of the sun's energy, making the global temperature increase.
Slide 91 / 144 eforestation & iodiversity Slide 92 / 144 eforestation & iodiversity Rainforests are home to some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth. Healthy biodiversity plays an important role in: medical discoveries protection of water resources recovery from disasters climate stability crop development We lose about 50,000 species a year due to the destruction of the rainforest habitat. Slide 93 / 144 eforestation & The Water ycle Trees are a part of the water cycle. Water is absorbed by the roots and evaporated from the leaves into the atmosphere. How will removing trees affect the water cycle? lick below to check your answer. Slide 94 / 144 eforestation & Soil Erosion The roots of trees help to stabilize the soil. lso, forests are filled with a layer of leaf litter that protects the soil underneath. When deforestation occurs, the soil is unprotected and easily washes away with wind or water. When trees are cut down, not as much water is added to the atmosphere. This can lead to dryer climate and even drought conditions. This area has been cleared of trees and most ground cover. Soil erosion will happen easily and can even lead to a landslide. Slide 95 / 144 25 eforestation may result in which of the following? (Select all that apply. ) Slide 96 / 144 26 The use of natural resources has with time due to the growth of the human population on Earth. more medical discoveries endangered species increased increased standard of living for some people decreased changes in climate not changed
Slide 97 / 144 27 The amount of both carbon dioxide and moisture in the atmosphere increases as deforestation increases. Slide 98 / 144 28 The of trees holds soil together helping to prevent. leaves, floods roots, landslides leaves, soil loss roots, biodiversity Slide 99 / 144 29 eforestation only has negative impacts for humans and animals on Earth. Slide 100 / 144 Water Overuse s a result of water overuse, stores of water (aquifers) are being depleted faster than they can be refilled. The map below shows areas of the country that have seen a drop in the amount of groundwater that is available. image from ga.water.usgs.gov Slide 101 / 144 Water Resources lthough water is considered a renewable resource, areas of the world often experience water shortages. What activities can you think of that would lead to a shortage? Slide 102 / 144 Water Overuse Humans in many developed countries like the United States often overuse water. This can happen in every day activities like showers and brushing your teeth. It can also happen in agriculture and in the production of goods in factories and power plants. How much water do you use every day? lick here to calculate your water usage.
Slide 103 / 144 Water Pollution Without water, humans and all other animals would cease to exist. espite this, a large amount of our water here on Earth gets polluted! This water is often polluted by pesticides being sprayed on crops, sewage, or chemical waste from industries. Slide 104 / 144 30 Humans will always have enough water because it is a renewable resource. Slide 105 / 144 31 Which of the following activities may lead to water pollution and overuse? (Select all that apply. ) Slide 106 / 144 32 Groundwater has depleted in the last several decades as indicated by decreased water levels in. agriculture mining manufacturing lakes aquifers oceans rivers Slide 107 / 144 Mineral Resources Minerals are extracted from the lithosphere through mining activities. Mining operations deplete the available land that could be used for agriculture or habitats. Slide 108 / 144 Impacts of Mining Mining operations also lead to the pollution of soil and surface water due to chemicals used in the mining process. Taking metals out of rock (a process known as smelting) also leads to atmospheric pollution.
Slide 109 / 144 Food Resources Today's food resources come from three main sources: agriculture, animals and fishing. The production of food is often unable to keep up with the expanding population. To keep up with the increasing need for food, forests, grasslands and wetlands are cleared for farmland. This has the same effects as deforestation. Slide 110 / 144 The Loss of Fertile Soil Each time a farmer plants and harvests a crop, the soil that is left behind has less nutrients than it did at the start. Over time, these nutrients will be replenished naturally. ecause of the increased demand for food, however, these fertile soils are being depleted faster than they can recover. Slide 111 / 144 Impacts of Livestock Slide 112 / 144 Impacts of Overfishing n increase in the demand for food for livestock requires more land and water. Eating livestock (meat) requires more land per unit of food than eating grains. Overfishing occurs when more so many fish are taken that the fish population does not recover. If a certain species of marine life collapses, it can affect other marine organisms. s a result, many people in poor, underdeveloped countries do not get enough to eat. This impacts the health of our oceans and marine ecosystems. Slide 113 / 144 33 iodiversity and available land for habitats are at risk due to. (Select all that apply. ) Slide 114 / 144 34 gricultural practices ensure that there is plenty of food for everybody on the planet. deforestation mining agriculture water use
Slide 115 / 144 Energy Resources Make a list of the things in your life that rely on fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas. Slide 116 / 144 Fossil Fuels Many things that we use on a daily basis rely on the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. This provides us with energy for transportation, electricity, and industry. s population increases, the demand for these fossil fuels increases as well. re these resources renewable or nonrenewable? Slide 117 / 144 Effects of Fossil Fuels urning fossil fuels results in poor air quality due to the release of pollutants like carbon monoxide and sulfur. This can lead to smog and acid rain. Slide 118 / 144 Impact of rilling rilling for oil can potentially lead to oil spills that pollute the land and water. This has dire consequences for species that live near oil rigs, including humans. What effect can this have on an ecosystem? Not all oil rigs are on land. lick here to see how humans drill for oil underwater. Effects of acid rain, woods, Jizera Mountains, zech Republic Slide 119 / 144 Fossil Fuels and Global Warming urning fossil fuels also releases large amounts of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) into the atmosphere. This contributes to global warming. In 2010, a large oil spill occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. lick here to see some of the effects of this disastser. Slide 120 / 144 35 The quality and amount of soil can be affected by which of the following human activities? (Select all that apply. ) We will be spending much more time discussing global warming and global climate change in the next unit! mining deforestation agriculture burning fossil fuels
Slide 121 / 144 36 Overfishing only affects the specific fish that is caught. Slide 122 / 144 37 When humans burn fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas, pollutants like and sulfur enter the atmosphere and may lead to and acid rain. oil, smog carbon dioxide, smelting carbon monoxide, smog pesticides, oil spills Slide 123 / 144 Slide 124 / 144 38 urning fossil fuels and deforestation are both human activities that contribute to rising global temperatures. Reducing our Ecological Footprint Return to Table of ontents Slide 125 / 144 Ecological Footprint This photo was taken at a Florida state park. an you describe the meaning of the quotation? Slide 126 / 144 Ecological Footprint The amount of Earth's resources that we use leaves a "footprint" on Earth. What does this mean? What is an ecological footprint? Just like a footprint in the sand, this mark that we leave on the Earth will remain for a long time. Source: www.floridastateparks.org
Slide 127 / 144 Ecological Footprint The ecological footprint of humans is how much land and water a population requires to produce all the resources it consumes and to absorb the waste it generates. The larger our footprint, the larger the demand for Earth's resources and the larger the damage on the environment. Slide 128 / 144 Ecological Footprint Per apita ifferent countries have different populations. For example, there are many more people living in the United States than anada, olivia, and most other countries in the world. ecause of this, a country's ecological footprint is determined per capita. Per capita means the ecological footprint is divided by the population of a country to determine the average per person. larger footprint per capita means that a larger demand is being placed on Earth's resources. lick on the Earth to calculate your ecological footprint! Slide 129 / 144 39 Our ecological footprint has been increasing with time as we require less natural resources due to advancements in technology. Slide 130 / 144 40 Ecological footprint per capita refers to the footprint of a nation divided by its. biodiversity land area population national debt Slide 131 / 144 41 Having a large ecological footprint per capita always means that the country has a large population. Slide 132 / 144 Ecological Footprint per apita Map The ecological footprint per capita map on the next slide is based on five demands we place on Earth: griculture (crops and grazing) Forestry products arbon use (from burning fossil fuels) Fishing Land use (for urban development, mining, industrial land use, and residential)
Slide 133 / 144 Ecological Footprint per apita Map Slide 134 / 144 Ecological Overshoot We are currently in a state of ecological overshoot. This means that we are using more natural resources than can be replenished. Source: www.wwf.panda.org The darker a country is shaded, the larger ecological footprint per capita. How does the US compare to the rest of the world? Slide 135 / 144 Looking Forward If we continue our current behaviors, what are some possible outcomes for the planet? Let's brainstorm some ideas and list them here... Look at the biocapacity line. escribe what is happening. Look at the ecological footprint line. escribe what is happening. lick here to watch a video about ecological overshoot. Slide 136 / 144 Looking Forward If we continue activities that place us in a state of ecological overshoot, we might run out of precious resources. There is no guarantee that there will be enough natural resources to sustain life on Earth in the future! We need to make a shift from non-sustainable activities and technologies to those that will do less harm to our Earth. Slide 137 / 144 What hanges Should We Make? So are we just supposed to stop living the way we do? Is the solution to get rid of all of our cars? Slide 138 / 144 Sustainability While we might be able to reduce our use of some resources, others (such as food and water) are essential for life. This is where sustainability comes in. To be sustainable we must be able to meet our current resource demands while at the same time ensuring two things: Should we stop growing food and using water? 1) Resources are protected from being completely used up. 2) Ecosystems and environments remain healthy and negative impacts from humans are reduced. Should we throw out our phones, computers, lights and TVs and simply not use any more electricity?
Slide 139 / 144 42 Sustainability means that we are meeting our demands while protecting our resources. Slide 140 / 144 43 Sustainability solutions require both individual effort and city, state, nation and world effort. Slide 141 / 144 Sustainable Solutions Project Slide 142 / 144 Sustainable Solutions Venn iagram To protect our environment, many cities have started sustainability efforts. In your group, research sustainable efforts and report your findings in a poster. ased on your research, the list that follows on the next page are just a few examples of working sustainable solutions. For each, identify what aspect of the environment it helps to reduce human impact (air quality, food, etc) and place it in the Venn diagram appropriately. Sustainability Slide 143 / 144 Slide 144 / 144 Sustainable Solutions for Venn iagram IR WTER use cleaner energy sources (biofuels) improve water treatment plants use renewable energy sources (wind, solar) reduce meat consumption install catalytic converters in vehicles recycle materials use energy efficient bulbs and appliances recycle water build rain water collection systems use indigenous plants reduce the use of fossil fuels update water pipes protect and build greenspaces and parks rotate crops use solar panels (for hot water and lighting) improve non-vehicle transportation options (for bikers and pedestrians) FOO IOIVERSITY