EnvironmentWhat is the environment?

The natural environment encompasses all living & and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth

Questions to consider1. What is nature worth?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TartoYpK1yI

2. In your opinion, what is the most pressing environmental issue today?

Animal Issues3. What is “the cove?”

http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/other/videos/blood-dolphins-return-to-the-cove.htm

4. Discuss the significance of “Blackfish”http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-opi

nion/keeping-animals-in-captivity-for-our-own-entertainment-must-stop-20131126-2y7uz.html

What is the purpose of these commercials?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suE_WJWUEVshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbq0lDeUd0E

Are they effective? Discuss

Air Issues5. Discuss the impact of air pollution

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1DNjJd2YfA

Discuss – What impact did air pollution have on the 2008 Olympic Games (held in China)?

6. How is air pollution a global issue?http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=UcWpkWBX04E

Climate Change7. What are the causes & effects of major

weather events?http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=lUJlWsw1sGU Sea Level Rising – the global sea level has risen by

8 in. since 1870 (EPA). As a result, there are 11 islands that may disappear (including Solomon Islands & Bangladesh)

(optional if time permits … ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdZhD8zhiS0

Oil Spills8.What is the impact of oil spills on animals?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHNtcqksWwg

What was the impact of the Exxon-Valdez spill?

(optional – if time permits…) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPAH8XUEMY4

Global Warming9. What is global warming?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJAbATJCugs

Discuss - How are politics related to global warming & different points of view?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agfoRVfr6no

Presidential Policies on the Environment10. Of the following four Presidents –

Theodore Roosevelt, LBJ, Nixon, or Carter – which one do you think had the biggest impact on the environment? Justify/defend your answer.

Theodore Roosevelt

John Muir & Conservation efforts of National Parks

Newlands Reclamation Act 1902 Allowed the federal gov’t to create irrigation

projects to make dry lands productiveYellowstone National Park (1872)Grand Canyon (1919)

LBJ’s “Great Society”Lyndon B. JohnsonWilderness

Preservation Act (1964)Protected 9.1 million

acres of nat’l forest from development

Water Quality Act (1965)Required states to

clean up rivers & lakes

Clean Air Act Amendments (1965)Established exhaust

emission standards for cars

Air Quality Act (1967)Set guidelines on air

pollution & increased federal gov’ts power to enforce clean air standards

Nixon’s PoliciesSilent Spring (1962)

Rachel Carson published; warned of the harmful effects of chemicals on the natural world

Led to Earth Day demonstrations

Clean Air Act (1970) Regulated levels of air

pollution Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) established (1970)

Carter’s PoliciesJ. CarterAlaska National

Interest Lands Conservation ActProtected more than

100 million acres of land & doubled the size of the nation’s park & wildlife refuge system

3-Mile IslandLove Canal, NY

Environmental disaster

Long-buried chemicals began seeping up through the ground

Exposure was linked to high rates of birth defects

Environmental IssuesClimate change

Global warmingGlobal dimmingFossil fuelsSea level riseGreenhouse gasOcean acidification

ConservationSpecies extinctionPollinator declineCoral bleachingPoachingEndangered species

EnergyEnergy conservationRenewable energyEfficient energy use

Environmental DegradationHabitat destruction

11. Of the 4 environmental issues listed, which one do you think we should be most concerned with & why?

Issues continued…Genetic engineering

Genetic pollutionGenetically modified food

controversies

Intensive farmingOvergrazingIrrigationEnvironmental effects of

meat production

OverpopulationBurial

Land degradationDesertification

Soil, Soil conservation, Soil Erosion, Soil Contamination, Soil salinization

Land useUrban sprawlHabitat fragmentationHabitat destruction

Nuclear IssuesNuclear powerRadioactive waste

12. Of these 6 issues, which one do you think is most concerning & why?

Issues continued…Ozone Depletion

Pollution

Water pollution Acid Rain Marine pollution Ocean dumping Oil spills Ocean acidification Wastewater

Air pollution Smog Indoor air quality

Resource Depletion Exploitation of natural resources

(over-consumerism) Fishing; Bottom trawling; Illegal &

unregulated fishing; Shark finning; Whaling

Logging / Clearcutting / Deforestation

Mining

Toxins Chlorofluorocarbons DDT Dioxin Heavy metals Herbicides Pesticides Toxic waste

GROUP PROJECTIn assigned groups, you will research one

of the following topics.Acid RainAir PollutionGlobal WarmingAnimal/Species ExtinctionDeforestationOzone DepletionOcean Issues

sea water rising, oil spills, wastewater, & pollution

TO DOResearch

Each group member needs to research for your topic If you don’t have a cell phone w/

Internet access, print your research

No Wikipedia Consider

World Wildlife Federation (WWF)

National Geographic IPCC EPA

Poster – bring your own!TitleAt least 5 Visuals (pictures,

charts, graphs, etc.)Background (5 W’s & How)Current Info & ResearchChanges in Policies, Future

Implications, Recommendations

PresentationEach group will present

their topic to the class