Environmental Science: Environment pollution

Environmental Pollution Environmental Pollution        Pollution is the harmful alteration of our environment Pollutants – either unwanted by-products or our activities or the obnoxious residues of things we have made, used, and thrown away Air Pollution Water Pollution Soil Pollution Global Warming Noise Pollution Sources of Pollution Types of Pollution  Air pollution – Most air pollution is caused by the burning of fossil fuels  Water pollution – – – – – – – – Organic sewage Eutrophication Infectious agents Organic chemicals Inorganic and miscellaneous chemicals Sediments from land corrosion Radioactive substances Waste heat from power plants and industry Types of Pollution—Continued  Soil pollution – Pesticides – chemicals used to kill insects defined as pests – Herbicides – chemicals used to kill plant life, particularly weeds – Chemical wastes – Radioactive fallout – Acid rain – Garbage  Global warming – Since the late 1800’s the average global surface temperature has increased about 0.75 degrees C – Most warming has occurred since 1950 Environmental Depletion  The Dwindling Natural Resources – No nation is self-sufficient in the modern world  Energy Production and Consumption – Energy consumption per capita is higher in the United States than it is in any other country in the world – Consumption is growing more rapidly than production Environmental Depletion  Over the course of human history, nearly half of the earth’s forests have been depleted, most of which has occurred since 1970  Energy use per capita is increasing in most of the developing nations  In 1970, Americans drove their cars, vans, pickups, and SUVs 1.043 trillion miles; by 2004, the number rose to 2.72 trillion miles The Physical Threat  Air pollution can cause or contribute to: – – – – – – – – –   Permanent lung damage in children Fetal deaths Infant mortality Respiratory illness Cardiovascular disease Skin problems, ulcers, and liver and kidney damage Premature deaths Asthma attacks Lung cancer Exposure to toxic materials can also lead to sterility The depleted ozone layer raises the risk of skin cancer Threat to the Ecological Balance      The lust for more affluence and unrestrained population growth are ravaging the environment – Paul Ehrlich A number of species of animals and plants have disappeared People depend on biological diversity for the quality of their lives Photosynthesis – a natural process essential to life, resulting in the production of oxygen and organic materials Urbanization – the increasing concentration of people living in cities Other Problems   The Economic Costs – Damage to livestock, trees, and crops – Death of wildlife – Expense of pollution-control measures – Cost of medical care for those whose health is affected – Lost work time due to ill health – Expense of maintaining and refurbishing buildings and other structures that deteriorated because of pollution – Cost of restoring the quality of the air and of waterways Threat to World Peace Social Structural Factors  Population Growth – Population growth accelerates the consumption of earth’s natural resources – Any given area on earth has a limited carrying capacity – Threshold effect  The Industrial Economy – The U.S with about 4.6% of the world’s population, accounts for 22% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions – More than ¼ of all cars in the world are on U.S roads  The Politics of the Environment Social Psychological Factors  Attitudes and the Environment – Many people see the earth as a resource to be mined rather than as a trust to be cared for – 42% of Americans believe the government was doing about the right amount or too much to protect the environment  Values and the Environment – Quantitative colossalism – Individualism Types of Pollution  Water Pollution  Air Pollution  Soil Pollution  Noise Pollution 13 [...]... the Environment Social Psychological Factors  Attitudes and the Environment – Many people see the earth as a resource to be mined rather than as a trust to be cared for – 42% of Americans believe the government was doing about the right amount or too much to protect the environment  Values and the Environment – Quantitative colossalism – Individualism Types of Pollution  Water Pollution  Air Pollution. .. about the right amount or too much to protect the environment  Values and the Environment – Quantitative colossalism – Individualism Types of Pollution  Water Pollution  Air Pollution  Soil Pollution  Noise Pollution 13