Transcript Environmental Problems

United States
Environmental Issues
Review of Environmental
Issues
Causes and Effects
Environmental Problems:
Cause and Effects
• Climate Change
– Causes:
• Added Carbon Dioxide
• Human activities
– Effects
• Coastal flooding
• Increase sea levels
• Temperatures will rise
and become extreme
• Broaden the range of
some diseases, pest,
insects
• Destroy forest
Environmental Problems:
Cause and Effects
• Ozone Depletion:
– Causes
• Chemicals containing
chlorine and bromine
• CFC’s
(chlorofluorocarbons)
– Effects
• Depletion of the Ozone
Environmental Problems:
Cause and Effects
• Acid Rain
– Causes
• Nitrogen and sulfur
emitted through the
burning of fossil fuels
– Effects
• Acids leach nutrients
from trees
• Kills off fish
• Destroys lakes and
forest
Environmental Problems:
Cause and Effects
• Water pollution
– Causes
• Acid Rain
• DDT
• Oil Spills
– Effects
• 15% world does not
have access to safe
drinking water
• Global weather patterns
shift
Environmental Problems:
Cause and Effects
• Deforestation
– Causes
• Clearing of trees
• Poor farming practices
• Cattle grazing
– Effects
• Soil erosion
• Reduced vegetation
• Reduction in arable
land
• Up the pace of climate
change
Environmental Problems:
Cause and Effects
• Biodiversity
– Causes
•
•
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Deforestation
Water pollution
Acid rain
Ozone depletion
Climate change
– Effects
• Loss of new medicines,
food, technologies
• Loss of ecosystems
Environmental Problems:
Cause and Effects
• Contributors to
pollution
– Power Plants
– Coal Factories
– Oil Industry
• Older outdated
factories emit more
pollutants into the air
Environmental Problems:
Cause and Effects
• Fertilizers
– Along the Mississippi
• Wash into Gulf of
Mexico
• Promote the growth of
algae
– Florida
• Used in sugarcane
fields
• Killed plants and wildlife
in the everglades
Environmental Problems:
Cause and Effects
• Dams
– Columbia and Snake
rivers
• Block the path of
migrating salmon
– Population growth
• Fight between Arizona
and California for water
– Ecosystems are
destroyed
Environmental Problems:
Solutions
• Alternative energy
resources for
– Solar Power
– Wind Power
• Eco-Friendly:
– Cars
– Factories
– Products
• Joining the International
Community in the
protection of the earth
• Conservation
Exxon Valdez Accident in Alaska
• Place: Prince William
Sound, Alaska
• Oil Tanker ran aground
• Although actions were
taken to stop the spread
the oil spread hundreds
of miles along the
Alaskan coast line
• “The clean-up is not
proceeding well” Exxon
Shipping president, Frank
Larossi
Exxon Valdez Accident in Alaska
• In 2004, a federal judge
in Alaska ordered
Exxon to pay $4.5bn in
damages for the Valdez
oil spill, the largest in
US history. It emerged
that the Exxon Valdez
had dumped 11 million
US gallons of crude oil
and contaminated
about 1,300 miles of
coastline.
• 250,000 seabirds, nearly
3,000 sea otters, 300
harbor seals, 250 bald
eagles and up to 22
killer whales died as a
result of the spill.
Exxon Valdez Accident in Alaska
• Exxon captain, Joseph
Hazelwood, admitted
drinking vodka before
boarding the vessel, but
was subsequently
acquitted of operating a
ship while intoxicated.
• The Exxon Valdez was
repaired and renamed
the Sea River
Mediterranean and is
working in the Atlantic
although it is banned
from returning to
Alaska.