How Humans Impact the Environment and What We Can Do to Help Reduce Our Impact

By: 4th Block Honors Biology

Acid Rain

Chris, Lewis, Faith2/19/13Block 4

Acid rain• Acid rain can wear away metals

and stone • It is a weak acid• It contains low ph to 4-6• It damages buildings, and kills

plants • The gases from burning fuels mix

with the rain• Acid rain has been around for

200 years

Causes and Effects of Acid Rain

• is caused by emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide which react with the water molecules in the atmosphere to produce acids

• Human burning fossil fuels • It decays building, statues, and

sculptures• Acid rain can kills plants and

trees

Possible solutions or sustainable practices

• Converse energy• Carpool, walk or bike instead of

driving• Alternative energy resources• Clean up smokestacks and

exhaust pipes

Habitat Destruction

By: Mary Kathryn High, Nick Ellis, Josh Whitley

What is habitat destruction? • Habitat Destruction is when humans or other species take

over or destroy the home of another. • It is mainly caused by human activity due to harvesting,

natural resources for industry production and urbanization. • Habitat Destruction is one of the main threats to biodiversity.

Causes of Habitat Destruction• Logging • Agriculture• Building Road and Cities• Forest Fires • Dams • Mining• Alien Invasions • Natural Environment Changes

Solutions• Make T-shirts made of hemp• Wear synthetic fabrics• Recycle water bottles to make

clothes• Use jeans as house insulation• Use vinyl billboards to make

purses• Use pig urine to make plastic

plates

Introducing InvasiveSpecies

Eynde Frazier, Adan Ruiz, & Courtney Sholar

2/15/2013Period 4

The Environmental Problem• An invasive species is a non-native species whose

introduction does (or is likely to) cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health

• They are harmless plants and/or animals that humans transport around the world either accidently or intentionally; introduced into new habitats, these organisms reproduce rapidly, they increase their populations because their new habitat lacks the parasites and predators that control their population “back home”

• because of their lack of a death rate, the domination of their species can potentially damage nature

Courtney Sholar

Human Causes

• Verify that the plants you are buying for your yard or garden are not invasive

• When boating, clean your boat thoroughly before transporting it to a different body of water

• Clean your boots before you hike in a new area to get rid of hitchhiking weed seeds and pathogens.

• Don't "pack a pest" when traveling. Fruits and vegetables, plants, insects and animals can carry pests or become invasive themselves

• Don’t move firewood, clean your bags and boots after each hike, and throw out food before you travel from place to place

• Don't release aquarium fish and plants, live bait or other exotic animals into the wild 

• Volunteer at your local park, refuge or other wildlife area to help remove invasive species

Eynde Frazier

Human causes & Environmental effects

• Because they bring them from around the world

• Leafy spurge effects millions of grasslands in (Northern Great Plains) by infesting them.

Adan Ruiz

Global Warming

By: Taylor DavisJuan Borja

Joseph Barnes

Information• Global warming is the process of

greenhouse gases trapping heat from the sun. This trapped heat causes extreme climate changes.

• Global warming first occurred in the 19th century as fossil fueled vehicles were created.

Causes and Effects

Cause• Emissions from fossil fuels• Greenhouse gasses trap heat • DeforestationEffects• Sea level rising• Ice caps are melting • Precipitation is increasing

Sustainable Practices

• Phasing out fossil fuel energy• Boosting energy efficiency • Managing forest and agriculture• Developing and deploying new low-carbon

and zero-carbon technologies• Exploring nuclear energy

Biodiversity lossKiara Pitt, Brittany Bullock, and

Teddy BlumeFebruary 19, 2013

Block: 4

Kiara PittResources: www.goggle.com, and www.gloalissues.org

Biodiversity loss means the loss of biomass and biological diversity in an environment.

When biodiversity declines severely, we call the result desertification.

Ex. Fish stocks and dwindling, and forest loss.

Causes and Effects Brittany Bullock

Rainforestconservation.org

Cause EffectHuman Population Growth

Unceasing search for arable land for food production, livestock grazing, wood for fuel, construction, and energy

Habitat Destruction

Reduce local population numbers

Agriculture Wild land gets tuned to crops.Mass diversions of water from lakes rivers and underground aquifers

SolutionsTeddy Blume

www.google.com and www.ecological-problems.blogspot.com

Stopping deforestation Reduce environmental pollution Protecting native species Stop climate change from running

out of control

PESTICIDE OVERUSE!

BY: RJ COSIMENONICK TAYLOR

LOGAN FRIESEN

PESTICIDES!

• PESTICIDES ARE A REPELLENT THAT KEEPS BUGS OFF OF PLANTS AND WHATEVER ELSE PEOPLE SPRAY IT ON. RJ

• DDT IS A PESTICIDE THEY USED THEN HAD TO BAN DUE TO ENDANGERMENT

CAUSES & EFFECTS ON ENVIRONMENT

• CAUSES : FARMERS PUT PESTICIDES ON PLANTS TO STOP INSECTS FROM DAMAGING OR DESTROYING CROPS!

• USE PESTICIDES ON LARGE FARMS!• EFFECTS : THEY HARM USEFUL INSECTS

LIKE BEES!• KILLS WEED AND FUNGI WHILE THEY’RE

DOING IMPORTNANT JOBS!• PESTICIDES CAN SPREAD TO OTHER

AREAS!• CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS ON ORGANIC

FARMS! LOGAN

SOLUTIONS• STOP USING SUCH HARMFUL

PESTICIDESPESTICIDES FROM GETTING INTO WATER STREAMS!

• HAVE SMALLER BOUNDARIES TO PUT THEM ON!

• !• USE LESS PESTICIDES!• GROW VEGETATION TO STOP NICK

Land Pollution

By Chris Tinder, Taylor Battle, Cheyenne Carico

General Research • Land pollution is the deposition of solid

or liquid waste materials on land or underground in a manner that can contaminate the soil and groundwater, threaten public health, and cause unsightly conditions and nuisances.

Taylor BattleResearch: www.britannica.com

Causes and Effects• Land pollution is caused by toxic

chemicals, human waste and pest control substances.

• This leads to plants dying, soil loses vital nutrient for plant growth, and can kill vital animals and plant species if it gets into water sources.

Chris TinderResource: www.ehow.com

Possible Solutions• 3 R’s Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.• Reduce the amount of toxic waste

that is released into the environment

• Find safer pest control substances for the environment.

Cheyenne CaricoResource: Library Books

Air PollutionBy: Justin Coley, Shy Barnes, Kailey Aycock

Air pollutants- are dangerous things that make the air unclean and come in the form of gases and particles.

Air pollutants are outdoors and in indoors. In 1952, London England experienced the

“Smog Disaster” killing four thousand people in effect of the high concentrations of pollutions.

Why it’s an issue…

Burning fossil fuels, coals that release nitrogen and sulfur compounds into the atmosphere create Air pollution.

Another example of a cause of air pollution is house hold cleaning products ore painting supplies people use everyday.

The environmental effects are chemical reaction involving air pollutant can create acidic compounds which can cause harm to vegetation and buildings.

Causes of air pollution

Solutions: Stop littering, don’t burn your trash, tires, leaves ect.

Practices: Eat more natural foods, instead of packaged, processed foods.

Carpooling, to burn less gas.Use recyclable items and eco-friendly light bulbs

Possible Solutions & Sustainable Practices