Sustainable Use of Resources

1. Sustainable Use of Resources • Using natural resources in a way that doesn’t deplete them • Plant a tree for every one cut down • Use biofuels • Alternative energies

2. Acid Rain • Causes: burning of fossil fuels and factories with smoke stacks release sulfur into the air making precipitation acidic.

3. Acid Rain Effects • Destroys plant tissues • Destroys aquatic ecosystems • Destroys many statues

4. Acid Rain on pH scale

5. Affects of Acid Rain

7. Acid Rain Solutions • Create laws that limit emissions from smoke stacks. • Create laws that mandate (force) factory owners to use scrubbers on smoke stacks • Use cleaner fuel sources

8. Most smoke stacks now have scrubbers!

9. Global Climate Change • Increase in the average temperature of the biosphere

10. The Evidence • In the past 120 years the average global temperature has risen .5 degrees Celsius • The 1990’s was the hottest decade on record

11. The Projections • Computer models suggest that the average global temperatures will increase by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius by 2050.

12. The Cause of Climate Change • Increased amounts of CO2 that enters the atmosphere, from burning of fossil fuels • Increased amounts of greenhouse gases like methane and CO2

15. The Effects of Climate Change • Polar ice caps will melt causing massive flooding

17. The Effects of Climate Change • More severe weather systems or storms

19. The Effects of Climate Change • Increased distribution of insects that carry deadly diseases - MALARIA

20. The Effects of Climate Change • The environmental change favors certain species like rodents, weeds, and insects

21. The Effects of Climate Change • Increased droughts

22. Solutions for Climate Change • Create laws that limit Carbon dioxide emissions – The Kyoto Treaty • Use hybrid cars • Limit your energy consumption • Educate people about the issues

23. Solutions for Climate Change • Use of alternative energies • Wind farms • Solar farms • Geothermal energy • Nuclear energy

24. Wind Farms

25. Solar Farms

26. Geothermal Energy

27. Nuclear Energy

28. Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy PROS: • Little greenhouse gas emissions • Readily available technology • Huge amount of energy is generated from one single plant

29. Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy CONS: • Risk of radioactive disaster • Radioactive waste • Heats up surrounding water often harming the ecosystem

30. Ozone Depletion • Ozone layer protects the earth from harmful UV rays

31. Without Ozone

33. Cause of Ozone Depletion • Emission of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) into the atmosphere

35. Effect of Ozone Depletion • Increase UV rays increases the skin cancer rates

36. Effect of Ozone Depletion • Other species of plants and animals may also be affected by UV radiation. The species genes will mutate sometimes causing cancer, death, or infertility.

37. Solution to Ozone Depletion • The use of CFC’s was banned by international law – Montreal Protocol of 1989

38. Ozone hole today!

39. Invasive Species

40. Invasive Species • Apparently harmless animals and plants that are transported around the world. • In their new habitats invasive species reproduce rapidly because they lack predators that keep their population in check.

41. Purple Loosestrife • Brought to America from Europe in the 1800’s as an ornamental plant. • Destroys native wetland ecosystems

42. Purple Loosestrife • No herbivores eat this flower so it grows very rapidly and displaces native plant species. Native cattails are endangered because Purple Loosestrife is taking up its space!

44. Zebra Mussels • Brought over on cargo ships during the 1980’s and are destroying the Great Lakes ecosystems

45. Zebra Mussels

47. Gypsy Moths • A native of Europe they were brought accidentally to the US in the 1880’s • They defoliate native trees like aspens

50. Sea Lamprey • Brought over from Europe on cargo ships the Sea Lamprey has killed many native fish in the Great Lakes