Human Impact on the Environment

Hi All! Today you are learning about how humans impact the environment! Did you know there are only 26 days of school left? Be sure to complete today's assignment and make sure your wizer assignments from the past week are also submitted. See you all on Monday. Air, Soil, Water and Noise Pollution Screencastify if the embedded video fails Air Pollution Air pollution comes from a lot of different sources. Fossil fuels like coal, gas, and oil release particles of soot and dust when they're burned. Power plants, factories, and even the furnaces and stoves we use to heat homes and offices add to the air pollution. Cars burn gasoline, and that also adds a lot of dangerous chemicals to the air. Smog is a mixture of fog or haze combined with smoke and other air pollutants . What can you INFERfrom the fact that smog mainly affects cities? People foolishly built cities in areas with heavy smog. Air pollution never affects rural areas. People in cities drive more often than people in rural areas. Air pollution is most serious in areas with many homes, factories, and offices. Which of these is an OPINION about air pollution? It's the biggest threat that humans face. It can be caused by burning fossil fuels. Not all air pollution comes from man-made sources. Humans can take steps to decrease the pollution they release. According to the graph above, which source contributes the greatest amount of air pollution? running factories burning fossil fuels driving cars To reduce air pollution, people can ride bikes and walk for transportation. They can drive hybrid cars as an alternative to traditional gas powered vehicles. People can also insulate their homes, so they don't need so much energy to heat and cool. Every little bit of electricity we save means less that has to be produced by burning fossil fuels. How can insulating your home prevent air pollution? It blocks out harmful gases and smog. It prevents your furnace from releasing gases into the atmosphere. It reduces the amount of energy you need to heat and cool your home. It collects solar energy, which does not pollute the atmosphere. Water Pollution Pollution can enter a body of water in a few ways: as acid rain; as eroded soil; as runoff containing fertilizers and pesticides; as chemicals released from industries; or as sewage and other wastes from cities and towns.Quite a bit of water pollution is created by each of us as we go about our business from day to day. Simple activities like flushing waste down our toilets, washing our cars and using laundry detergent in our washing machines release pollutants into the groundwater. Which pollutant is most commonly released into waterways by families and individuals? Laundry detergent Pesticides Acid rain Fertilizers According to the graph above, what percentage of ocean pollution comes from litter? 5% 10% 20% 30% What can youinfer is the most reasonable way to help prevent water pollution? By being careful with household chemicals you dump down the sink. By refusing to use products made in large factories. By nevertaking a bath or shower for more than 10 minutes. By drinking as little water as possible. Erosion The migration of sand down the beaches is a natural process. However, humans can increase coastal erosion with construction on or near the beaches. According to the diagrams, what affect does building a dam have on the beaches? It adds sand to the beaches. It creates deltas where the river enters the ocean. It stops sand from reaching the beaches. It has not affect on the beaches. Humans also increase the rate of erosion if they remove plants and trees.Which of the following statements explains how plants and trees help reduce erosion? Trees give birds a place to live. Trees provide shade on sunny days. Plant roots hold soil together. Plants and bushes stop animals from digging. Humans have a negative impact on the environment, but we also have a positive impact. Below you're going to explore one scenario of that. Reintroduction of Wolves in Yellowstone Discover the history of wolves in Yellowstone, including what happened to the ecosystem when they were eradicated and when they were reintroduced Jan 12, 1995 Reintroduction of Wolves in Yellowstone Tropic Cascade Screencastify if embedded video fails Directions:Read the background below, then analyze the graphs to develop a deeper understanding of what is happening in the ecosystem. Work with your table partner, but be sure to record your own responses. Use the graphs to answer the following questions: We have identified that wolves are a predator of elk. Describe the general trend of the elk and wolf populations between 1993 and 2003. Based on the graphs, what year do you think wolves were introduced to Yellowstone? Explain why you think this. Using information from the graphs, describe what happens to the wolf and elk populations in 2005. Indicate what you think might have happened during this year to cause this change. In 2010, the wolf population was lower than in previous years. Make a prediction about the elk population in the years beyond 2010 if the wolf population continues to stay at the 2010 level. Examine the graphs below and use them to answer questions Use information from the graphs to describe the change in the size and growth of the trees and the population of elk during the data collection periods depicted in the graphs. What can you infer about the relationship between elk population and tree growth? Use the graphs to answer the following questions: Describe what happened to beaver colonies after 1995 (when wolves were reintroduced). Then describe the relationship between the number of beaver colonies and the willow tree ring area After about 1999, the willow tree ring area started to decrease again. What might account for this decrease? Based on what you know about tree growth and elk population, use data from the graphs to make a statement about how the elk population impacts the beaver population. In your answer, address why there was a lag between the change in elk population and the change in beaver population. Lesson Reflection