the environment around the world
TRANSCRIPT
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CONTENT
INTRODUCTON ............................................................. 3
POLLUTION. ................................................................. 4
HEALTH MATTERS ................................................... 11
OIL SPILL ..................................................................... 17
GLOBAL WARMING .................................................. 24
NATURAL DISASTER ................................................ 28
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ........................... 35
CONCLUSION ............................................................. 43
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INTRODUCTION
Over the last three decades there has been increasing global concern over the public health
impacts attributed to environmental pollution, in particular, the global burden of disease. The
World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about a quarter of the diseases facing mankind
today occurs due to prolonged exposure to environmental pollution. Most of these environment-
related diseases are however not easily detected and may be acquired during childhood and
manifested later in adulthood.
Improper management of solid waste is one of the main causes of environmental pollution and
degradation in many cities, especially in developing countries. Many of these cities lack solid
waste regulations and proper disposal facilities, including for harmful waste. Such waste may be
infectious, toxic or radioactive.
Municipal waste dumping sites are designated places set aside for waste disposal. Depending on
a city’s level of waste management, such waste may be dumped in an uncontrolled manner,
segregated for recycling purposes, or simply burnt. Poor waste management poses a great
challenge to the well-being of city residents, particularly those living adjacent the dumpsites due
to the potential of the waste to pollute water, food sources, land, air and vegetation. The poor
disposal and handling of waste thus leads to environmental degradation, destruction of the
ecosystem and poses great risks to public health.
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POLLUTION.
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability,
disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms.
Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light.
Pollutants, the elements of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or naturally
occurring contaminants. Pollution is often classed as point source or nonpoint source pollution.
The Blacksmith Institute issues an annual list of the world's worst polluted places. In the 2007
issues the ten top nominees are located in Azerbaijan, China, India, Peru, Russia, Ukraine and
Zambia.
Ancient cultures
Air pollution has always accompanied civilizations. According to a 1983 article in the journal
Science, "soot found on ceilings of prehistoric caves provides ample evidence of the high levels
of pollution that was associated with inadequate ventilation of open fires. The forging of metals
appears to be a key turning point in the creation of significant air pollution levels outside the
home. Core samples of glaciers in Greenland indicate increases in pollution associated with
Greek, Roman and Chinese metal production.
Official acknowledgement
King Edward I of England banned the burning of sea-coal by proclamation in London in 1272,after its smoke had become a problem. But the fuel was so common in England that this earliest
of names for it was acquired because it could be carted away from some shores by the
wheelbarrow. Air pollution would continue to be a problem in England, especially later during
the industrial revolution, and extending into the recent past with the Great Smog of 1952.
London also recorded one of the earlier extreme cases of water quality problems with the Great
Stink on the Thames of 1858, which led to construction of the London sewerage system soon
afterward.
It was the industrial revolution that gave birth to environmental pollution as we know it today.
The emergence of great factories and consumption of immense quantities of coal and other fossil
fuels gave rise to unprecedented air pollution and the large volume of industrial chemical
discharges added to the growing load of untreated human waste. Chicago and Cincinnati were
the first two American cities to enact laws ensuring cleaner air in 1881. Other cities followed
around the country until early in the 20th century, when the short lived Office of Air Pollution
was created under the Department of the Interior. Extreme smog events were experienced by the
cities of Los Angeles and Donora, Pennsylvania in the late 1940s, serving as another public
reminder.[7]
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Modern awareness
Pollution became a popular issue after World War II, due to radioactive fallout from atomic
warfare and testing. Then a non-nuclear event, The Great Smog of 1952 in London, killed at
least 4000 people. This prompted some of the first major modern environmental legislation, The
Clean Air Act of 1956.
Pollution began to draw major public attention in the United States between the mid-1950s and
early 1970s, when Congress passed the Noise Control Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water
Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.
Bad bouts of local pollution helped increase consciousness. PCB dumping in the Hudson River
resulted in a ban by the EPA on consumption of its fish in 1974. Long-term dioxin contamination
at Love Canal starting in 1947 became a national news story in 1978 and led to the Superfundlegislation of 1980. Legal proceedings in the 1990s helped bring to light Chromium-6 releases in
California--the champions of whose victims became famous. The pollution of industrial land
gave rise to the name brownfield, a term now common in city planning. DDT was banned in
most of the developed world after the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.
The development of nuclear science introduced radioactive contamination, which can remain
lethally radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years. Lake Karachay, named by the
Worldwatch Institute as the "most polluted spot" on earth, served as a disposal site for the Soviet
Union thoroughout the 1950s and 1960s. Second place may go to the area of Chelyabinsk
U.S.S.R. (see reference below) as the "Most polluted place on the planet".
Nuclear weapons continued to be tested in the Cold War, sometimes near inhabited areas,
especially in the earlier stages of their development. The toll on the worst-affected populations
and the growth since then in understanding about the critical threat to human health posed by
radioactivity has also been a prohibitive complication associated with nuclear power. Though
extreme care is practiced in that industry, the potential for disaster suggested by incidents such as
those at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl pose a lingering specter of public mistrust. One legacy
of nuclear testing before most forms were banned has been significantly raised levels of
background radiation.
International catastrophes such as the wreck of the Amoco Cadiz oil tanker off the coast of
Brittany in 1978 and the Bhopal disaster in 1984 have demonstrated the universality of such
events and the scale on which efforts to address them needed to engage. The borderless nature of
atmosphere and oceans inevitably resulted in the implication of pollution on a planetary level
with the issue of global warming. Most recently the term persistent organic pollutant (POP) has
come to describe a group of chemicals such as PBDEs and PFCs among others. Though their
effects remain somewhat less well understood owing to a lack of experimental data, they have
been detected in various ecological habitats far removed from industrial activity such as the
Arctic, demonstrating diffusion and bioaccumulation after only a relatively brief period of widespread use.
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Growing evidence of local and global pollution and an increasingly informed public over time
have given rise to environmentalism and the environmental movement, which generally seek to
limit human impact on the environment.
Forms of pollution
The major forms of pollution are listed below along with the particular pollutants relevant to
each of them:
Air pollution:- the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere. Common
gaseous pollutants include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
and nitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. Photochemical ozone and
smog are created as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react to sunlight. Particulate
matter, or fine dust is characterized by their micrometre size PM10 to PM2.5.
Light pollution:- includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference.
Littering:- the criminal throwing of inappropriate man-made objects, unremoved, onto
public and private properties.
Noise pollution:- which encompasses roadway noise, aircraft noise, industrial noise as
well as high-intensity sonar.
Soil contamination occurs when chemicals are released intentionally, by spill or
underground leakage. Among the most significant soil contaminants are hydrocarbons,
heavy metals, MTBE,[9] herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons.
Radioactive contamination, resulting from 20th century activities in atomic physics, suchas nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons research, manufacture and deployment.
(See alpha emitters and actinides in the environment.)
Thermal pollution, is a temperature change in natural water bodies caused by human
influence, such as use of water as coolant in a power plant.
Visual pollution, which can refer to the presence of overhead power lines, motorway
billboards, scarred landforms (as from strip mining), open storage of trash or municipal
solid waste.
Water pollution, by the discharge of wastewater from commercial and industrial waste
(intentionally or through spills) into surface waters; discharges of untreated domesticsewage, and chemical contaminants, such as chlorine, from treated sewage; release of
waste and contaminants into surface runoff flowing to surface waters (including urban
runoff and agricultural runoff, which may contain chemical fertilizers and pesticides);
waste disposal and leaching into groundwater; eutrophication and littering.
Pollutants
A pollutant is a waste material that pollutes air, water or
soil. Three factors determine the severity of a pollutant: its
chemical nature, the concentration and the persistence.
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Sources and causes
Air pollution produced by ships may alter clouds, affecting global temperatures.
Air pollution comes from both natural and man made sources. Though globally man madepollutants from combustion, construction, mining, agriculture and warfare are increasingly
significant in the air pollution equation.
Motor vehicle emissions are one of the leading causes of air pollution.[11][12][13] China, United
States, Russia, Mexico, and Japan are the world leaders in air pollution emissions. Principal
stationary pollution sources include chemical plants, coal-fired power plants, oil refineries,
petrochemical plants, nuclear waste disposal activity, incinerators, large livestock farms (dairy
cows, pigs, poultry, etc.), PVC factories, metals production factories, plastics factories, and other
heavy industry. Agricultural air pollution comes from contemporary practices which includeclear felling and burning of natural vegetation as well as spraying of pesticides and herbicides
About 400 million metric tons of hazardous wastes are generated each year The United States
alone produces about 250 million metric tons.[17] Americans constitute less than 5% of the
world's population, but produce roughly 25% of the world’s CO2, and generate approximately
30% of world’s waste. In 2007, China has overtaken the United States as the world's biggest
producer of CO2, while still far behind based on per capita pollution - ranked 78th among the
world's nation.
In February 2007, a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),representing the work of 2,500 scientists, economists, and policymakers from more than 120
countries, said that humans have been the primary cause of global warming since 1950. Humans
have ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions and avoid the consequences of global warming, a
major climate report concluded. But in order to change the climate, the transition from fossil
fuels like coal and oil needs to occur within decades, according to the final report this year from
the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Some of the more common soil
contaminants are chlorinated hydrocarbons (CFH), heavy metals (such as chromium, cadmium –
found in rechargeable batteries, and lead – found in lead paint, aviation fuel and still in some
countries, gasoline), MTBE, zinc, arsenic and benzene. In 2001 a series of press reportsculminating in a book called Fateful Harvest unveiled a widespread practice of recycling
industrial byproducts into fertilizer, resulting in the contamination of the soil with various
metals. Ordinary municipal landfills are the source of many chemical substances entering the soil
environment (and often groundwater), emanating from the wide variety of refuse accepted,
especially substances illegally discarded there, or from pre-1970 landfills that may have been
subject to little control in the U.S. or EU. There have also been some unusual releases of
polychlorinated dibenzodioxins, commonly called dioxins for simplicity, such as TCDD.
Pollution can also be the consequence of a natural disaster. For example, hurricanes often
involve water contamination from sewage, and petrochemical spills from ruptured boats or
automobiles. Larger scale and environmental damage is not uncommon when coastal oil rigs or
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refineries are involved. Some sources of pollution, such as nuclear power plants or oil tankers,
can produce widespread and potentially hazardous releases when accidents occur.
In the case of noise pollution the dominant source class is the motor vehicle, producing about
ninety percent of all unwanted noise worldwide.
Effects
Human health
Overview of main health effects on
humans from some common types of
pollution.
Adverse air quality can kill many
organisms including humans. Ozone
pollution can cause respiratory disease,
cardiovascular disease, throat
inflammation, chest pain, and
congestion. Water pollution causes
approximately 14,000 deaths per day,
mostly due to contamination of
drinking water by untreated sewage in
developing countries. An estimated 700million Indians have no access to a
proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children
die of diarrhoeal sickness every day. Nearly 500 million Chinese lack access to safe drinking
water. 656,000 people die prematurely each year in China because of air pollution. In India, air
pollution is believed to cause 527,700 fatalities a year. Studies have estimated that the number of
people killed annually in the US could be over 50,000.
Oil spills can cause skin irritations and rashes. Noise pollution induces hearing loss, high blood
pressure, stress, and sleep disturbance. Mercury has been linked to developmental deficits in
children and neurologic symptoms. Older people are majorly exposed to diseases induced by air
pollution. Those with heart or lung disorders are under additional risk. Children and infants are
also at serious risk. Lead and other heavy metals have been shown to cause neurological
problems. Chemical and radioactive substances can cause cancer and as well as birth defects.
Environment
Pollution has been found to be present widely in the environment. There are a number of effects
of this:
Biomagnification describes situations where toxins (such as heavy metals) may pass
through trophic levels, becoming exponentially more concentrated in the process.
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Carbon dioxide emissions cause ocean acidification, the ongoing decrease in the pH of
the Earth's oceans as CO2 becomes dissolved.
The emission of greenhouse gases leads to global warming which affects ecosystems in
many ways.
Invasive species can out compete native species and reduce biodiversity. Invasive plants
can contribute debris and biomolecules (allelopathy) that can alter soil and chemical
compositions of an environment, often reducing native species competitiveness.
Nitrogen oxides are removed from the air by rain and fertilise land which can change the
species composition of ecosystems.
Smog and haze can reduce the amount of sunlight received by plants to carry out
photosynthesis and leads to the production of tropospheric ozone which damages plants.
Soil can become infertile and unsuitable for plants. This will affect other organisms in the
food web.
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides can cause acid rain which lowers the pH value of soil.
Environmental health information
The Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program (TEHIP) at the United States
National Library of Medicine (NLM) maintains a comprehensive toxicology and environmental
health web site that includes access to resources produced by TEHIP and by other government
agencies and organizations. This web site includes links to databases, bibliographies, tutorials,
and other scientific and consumer-oriented resources. TEHIP also is responsible for the
Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET®) an integrated system of toxicology and environmental
health databases that are available free of charge on the web.
TOXMAP is a Geographic Information System (GIS) that is part of TOXNET. TOXMAP uses
maps of the United States to help users visually explore data from the United States
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Toxics Release Inventory and Superfund Basic
Research Programs.
Regulation and monitoring
To protect the environment from the adverse effects of pollution, many nations worldwide haveenacted legislation to regulate various types of pollution as well as to mitigate the adverse effects
of pollution.
Pollution control
Pollution control is a term used in environmental management. It means the control of emissions
and effluents into air, water or soil. Without pollution control, the waste products from
consumption, heating, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, transportation and other human
activities, whether they accumulate or disperse, will degrade the environment. In the hierarchy of
controls, pollution prevention and waste minimization are more desirable than pollution control.In the field of land development, low impact development is a similar technique for the
prevention of urban runoff.
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Practices
recycling
Pollution control devices
Dust collection systems
o Baghouses
o Cyclones
o Electrostatic precipitators
Scrubbers
o Baffle spray scrubber
o Cyclonic spray scrubber
o Ejector venturi scrubber
o Mechanically aided scrubber
o Spray tower
o Wet scrubber
Sewage treatment
o Sedimentation (Primary
treatment)
o Activated sludge biotreaters
(Secondary treatment; also
used for industrial
wastewater)
o Aerated lagoons
o Constructed wetlands (also
used for urban runoff)
Industrial wastewater treatment
o API oil-water separators
o Biofilters
o Dissolved air flotation (DAF)
o Powdered activated carbontreatment
o Ultrafiltration
Vapor recovery systems
Perspectives
The earliest precursor of pollution generated by life forms would have been a natural function of
their existence. The attendant consequences on viability and population levels fell within thesphere of natural selection. These would have included the demise of a population locally or
ultimately, species extinction. Processes that were untenable would have resulted in a new
balance brought about by changes and adaptations. At the extremes, for any form of life,
consideration of pollution is superseded by that of survival.
For humankind, the factor of technology is a distinguishing and critical consideration, both as an
enabler and an additional source of byproducts. Short of survival, human concerns include the
range from quality of life to health hazards. Since science holds experimental demonstration to
be definitive, modern treatment of toxicity or environmental harm involves defining a level atwhich an effect is observable. Common examples of fields where practical measurement is
crucial include automobile emissions control, industrial exposure (e.g. Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) PELs), toxicology (e.g. LD50), and medicine (e.g. medication
and radiation doses).
"The solution to pollution is dilution", is a dictum which summarizes a traditional approach to
pollution management whereby sufficiently diluted pollution is not harmful. It is well-suited to
some other modern, locally scoped applications such as laboratory safety procedure and
hazardous material release emergency management. But it assumes that the dilutant is in
virtually unlimited supply for the application or that resulting dilutions are acceptable in allcases.
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Such simple treatment for environmental pollution on a wider scale might have had greater merit
in earlier centuries when physical survival was often the highest imperative, human population
and densities were lower, technologies were simpler and their byproducts more benign. But these
are often no longer the case. Furthermore, advances have enabled measurement of concentrations
not possible before. The use of statistical methods in evaluating outcomes has given currency to
the principle of probable harm in cases where assessment is warranted but resorting to
deterministic models is impractical or unfeasible. In addition, consideration of the environment
beyond direct impact on human beings has gained prominence.
Yet in the absence of a superseding principle, this older approach predominates practices
throughout the world. It is the basis by which to gauge concentrations of effluent for legal
release, exceeding which penalties are assessed or restrictions applied. The regressive cases are
those where a controlled level of release is too high or, if enforceable, is neglected. Migration
from pollution dilution to elimination in many cases is confronted by challenging economicaland technological barriers.
Greenhouse gases and global warming
Historical and projected CO2 emissions by
country.
Source: Energy Information Administration.
Carbon dioxide, while vital for photosynthesis, is sometimes referred to as pollution, because
raised levels of the gas in the atmosphere are
affecting the Earth's climate. Disruption of the
environment can also highlight the connection
between areas of pollution that would normally be classified separately, such as those of water
and air. Recent studies have investigated the potential for long-term rising levels of atmospheric
carbon dioxide to cause slight but critical increases in the acidity of ocean waters, and the
possible effects of this on marine ecosystems.
HEALTH MATTERS
From the environmental evaluation conducted, it was determined that the dumpsite exposes the
residents around it to unacceptable levels of environmental pollutants with adverse health
impacts. A high number of children and adolescents living around the dumping site had illnesses
related to the respiratory, gastrointestinal and dermatological systems such as upper respiratory
tract infections, chronic bronchitis, asthma, fungal infections, allergic and unspecified
dermatitis/pruritis – inflammation and itchiness of the skin.
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Table 3 below summarizes the health results of the 328 children aged 2-18 years examined
The high levels of lead in the soil samples analyzed are negatively impacting on the communities
living near the dumpsite which is evidenced as well by the fact that half of the children examined
had blood lead levels equal to or exceeding the internationally accepted toxic levels (10 µg/dl of
blood). This in turn led to clinical symptoms such as headaches, chest pains and muscular
weakness being manifested in the children. Previous studies have established the percentage of
children with high blood lead levels (above 10 µg/dl of blood) in Waithaka, Kariobangi North
and Babadogo to be 5.8%, 10% and 15.2% respectively. These levels are far much less than
those found in children living in Dandora/Korogocho.
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Figure 2 below shows the distribution of the blood lead levels by age.
Blood samples collected from the children also indicated a significantly high level of certain
enzymes that collectively with other parameters or individually result in cellular damage in the
body or the presence of a disease process affecting the liver. High levels of creatinine
(breakdown product of creatine phosphate in muscle usually produced at a fairly constant rate bythe body depending on muscle mass) in some children examined indicated the need of closer
follow-up in order to determine the onset of renal disfunction.
Blood investigations confirmed that 50% of the children had low haemoglobinlevels while 30%
had size and staining abnormalities (microcytosis) of their red bloodcells (iron deficiency
anaemia – IDA), a condition brought about by heavy metal intoxication. Further, the blood film
studies indicated that 52.5% of the children hadmarked eosinophilia (increase in the number of
white blood cells mostly associatedwith allergic reactions) a condition that could lead to chronic
rhinitis (irritation of thenasal cavity), asthma, allergic conjunctivitis and dermatitis.
Environmental Pollution
Effects on Humans
We know that pollution causes not only
physical disabilities but also psychological
and behavioral disorders in people.
We are discussing the effects of air pollutionand specific air pollutants in more detail in
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the Air Pollutants article.
The following pollution effects on humans have been reported:
Playing With Pollution
Air Pollution Effects
Reduced lung functioning
Irritation of eyes, nose, mouth and throat
Asthma attacks
Respiratory symptoms such as coughing and
wheezing
Increased respiratory disease such as bronchitis
Reduced energy levels
Headaches and dizziness
Disruption of endocrine, reproductive and immune systems
Neurobehavioral disorders
Cardiovascular problems
Cancer
Premature death
Water Pollution Effects (3)
Waterborne diseases caused by polluted drinking water:
Typhoid
Amoebiasis
Giardiasis
Ascariasis
Hookworm
Waterborne diseases caused by polluted beach water:
Rashes, ear ache, pink eye
Respiratory infections
Hepatitis, encephalitis, gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, vomiting, and stomach aches
Conditions related to water polluted by chemicals (such as pesticides, hydrocarbons, persistent
organic pollutants, heavy metals etc):
Cancer, incl. prostate cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Hormonal problems that can disrupt reproductive and developmental processes Damage to the nervous system
Liver and kidney damage
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Damage to the DNA
Exposure to mercury (heavy metal):
o In the womb: may cause neurological problems including slower reflexes,
learning deficits, delayed or incomplete mental development, autism and brain
damage
o In adults: Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, heart
disease, and even death
Soil Pollution Effects
Causes cancers including leukaemia
Lead in soil is especially hazardous for young children causing developmental damage to
the brain
Mercury can increase the risk of kidney damage; cyclodienes can lead to liver toxicity Causes neuromuscular blockage as well as depression of the central nervous system
Also causes headaches, nausea, fatigue, eye irritation and skin rash
Other notes:
Contact with contaminated soil may be direct (from using parks, schools etc) or indirect
(by inhaling soil contaminants which have vaporized)
Soil pollution may also result from secondary contamination of water supplies and from
deposition of air contaminants (for example, via acid rain)
Contamination of crops grown in polluted soil brings up problems with food security
Since it is closely linked to water pollution, many effects of soil contamination appear to
be similar to the ones caused by water contamination
An Extreme Oil Pollution Case
Pollution of pristine Ecuador rainforest by Texaco / Chevron oil corporation represents perhaps
one of the most outrageous cases of oil pollution ever.
Some levels of pollutants left by the company on its sites of oil exploration have been calculated
to exceed the US safety standards by as much as 1,000 times, causing such side effects as
children born with fused fingers and deformed eyes, high cancer rates, etc.
Environmental Pollution Effects on Animals
Effects of Pollution on Animals - Air Pollution
Acid rain (formed in the air) destroys fish life in lakes and streams
Excessive ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun through the ozone layer in the upper
atmosphere which is eroded by some air pollutants, may cause skin cancer in wildlife
Ozone in the lower atmosphere may damage lung tissues of animals
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Effects of Pollution on Animals - Water Pollution
Nutrient pollution (nitrogen, phosphates etc) causes
overgrowth of toxic algae eaten by other aquatic animals,
and may cause death; nutrient pollution can also cause
outbreaks of fish diseases
Chemical contamination can cause declines in frog
biodiversity and tadpole mass
Oil pollution (as part of chemical contamination) can negatively affect development of
marine organisms, increase susceptibility to disease and affect reproductive processes;
can also cause gastrointestinal irritation, liver and kidney damage, and damage to the
nervous system
Mercury in water can cause abnormal behavior, slower growth and development, reduced
reproduction, and death Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may cause declines, deformities and death of fish
life
Too much sodium chloride (ordinary salt) in water may kill animals
Effects of Pollution on Animals - Soil Pollution
Can alter metabolism of microorganisms and arthropods in a given soil environment; this
may destroy some layers of the primary food chain, and thus have a negative effect on
predator animal species
Small life forms may consume harmful chemicals which may then be passed up the food
chain to larger animals; this may lead to increased mortality rates and even animal
extinction
Environmental Pollution
Effects on Trees and Plants
Air Pollution
Acid rain can kill trees, destroy the leaves of plants, can infiltrate soil by making it
unsuitable for purposes of nutrition and habitation
Ozone holes in the upper atmosphere can allow excessive ultraviolet radiation from the
sun to enter the Earth causing damage to trees and plants
Ozone in the lower atmosphere can prevent plant respiration by blocking stomata
(openings in leaves) and negatively affecting plants’ photosynthesis rates which will stunt
plant growth; ozone can also decay plant cells directly by entering stomata
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Water Pollution
May disrupt photosynthesis in aquatic plants and thus affecting ecosystems that depend
on these plants
Terrestrial and aquatic plants may absorb pollutants from water (as their main nutrient
source) and pass them up the food chain to consumer animals and humans
Plants may be killed by too much sodium chloride (ordinary slat) in water
Plants may be killed by mud from construction sites as well as bits of wood and leaves,
clay and other similar materials
Plants may be killed by herbicides in water; herbicides are chemicals which are most
harmful to plants
Soil Pollution
May alter plant metabolism and reduce crop yields (14)
Trees and plants may absorb soil contaminants and pass them up the food chain
Environmental Pollution Effects on Wider Environment
Apart from destroying the aquatic life in lakes and streams, acid rain can also corrode metals,
damage surfaces of buildings and monuments, and cause soil acidification.
Pollution of water may cause oxygen depletion in marine environments and severely affect thehealth of whole ecosystems.
OIL SPILL
What’s an oil spill?
Oil spills happen when people make
mistakes or are careless and cause an oil
tanker to leak oil into the ocean. Thereare a few more ways an oil spill can
occur. Equipment breaking down may
cause an oil spill. If the equipment
breaks down, the tanker may get stuck
on shallow land. When they start to
drive the tanker again, they can put a
hole in the tanker causing it to leak oil.
When countries are at war, one country may decide to dump gallons of oil into the other
country’s oceans.
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Terrorists may cause an oil spill because they will dump oil into a country’s ocean. Many
terrorists will do this because they are trying to get the country’s attention, or they are trying to
make a point to a country.
Illegal dumpers are people that will dump crude oil into the oceans because they do not want to
spend money on decomposing their waste oil. Because they won’t spend money on breaking up
the oil (decomposing it) they will dump oil into the oceans, which is illegal.
Natural disasters (like hurricanes) may cause an oil spill, too. If a hurricane was a couple of
miles away, the winds from the hurricane could cause the oil tanker to flip over, pouring oil out.
What affects do oil spills have on animals?
Birds die from oil spills if their feathers are covered in oil. The bird will then be poisoned
because it will try to clean itself. Animals may die because they get hypothermia, causing their
body temperature to be really low. They may die from really low body temperature. Oil may also
cause the death of an animal by entering the animal’s lungs or liver. The animal will then be
poisoned by the oil. Oil also can kill an animal by blinding it. The animal will not be able to see
and be aware of their predators. If they are not aware of other animals, they may be eaten.
Oil spills sometimes are the reason for animals becoming endangered. This means that a certain
type of animal is getting so small that it is in danger of becoming extinct.
Sea Birds
Seabirds are strongly affected by oil spills. A seabird may get covered in the oil. The thick black
oil is too heavy for the birds to fly, so they attempt to clean themselves. The bird then eats the oil
to clean its feathers and poisons itself. If workers have found sea birds that are not dead because
of oil, they will take the birds to a cleaning center or captivity where they are kept in a facility
because they can not live in the wild on their own. Animals that are in captivity because of an oil
spill will be cleaned by professionals and volunteers. When a bird is in captivity, the oil will be
flushed from its eyes, intestines, and feathers. The bird will be examined for any more injuries
like broken bones, and it will take a medicine to prevent any more damage.
After the bird seems healthier, it will take a test on its abilities to float in the water and keep
water away from its body. As soon as the bird passes its test, it will soon be let out into the wild.
Sea Otters
Sea otters are affected by oil in many ways. The otters’ bodies may get
covered in oil, which causes build up in the otters’ air bubbles. These air
bubbles are located in their fur and help them survive the cold oceans. They
act like a covering for their body and help the otters to float. When oilbuilds up in the air bubbles, the otters may die of low body temperature.
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Many sea otters are being placed in captivity after an oil spill until the otters are cleaned and
ready to live in the ocean again.
Killer Whales
Oil spills are one of the many ways killer
whales have become endangered. The oil
may be eaten or enter the whale’s blowhole.
A blowhole is a hole to help them breath.
Whales will rise up over the water to take a
breath. If the blowhole is plugged with oil,
the whale can not breathe. The main reason
for whales dying because of a spill happens
when they eat a fish that swam through theoil. If a fish swam through the oil, the whale
will eat the oil along with the fish. Because
the whale has eaten the oil, it will be
poisoned, and it will die.
Small Organisms
Many people don’t realize all the animals in the ocean that oil spills affect. Plankton, larval fish,
and bottom dwelling organisms are strongly affected. Even seaweed, clams, oysters, and mussels
can be affected by oil spills. Only off- shore accidents can really cause the death of these smallliving creatures because this is mainly the home for these small organisms.
When hundreds of plankton die because of oil, that specie of animal may become extinct. Then,
fish won’t be able to eat the plankton, so they will become extinct. A killer whale could then
become extinct because it can’t eat the fish.
This is what happens when a specie from animal becomes extinct of a large oil spill. The oil
spills can damage the entire food chain in the area.
What is the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill?
The Exxon Valdez incident was a major oil spill. This oil spill took place on March 23, 1989 at
Prince William Sound in Alaska.
How did it happen?
The drivers of the Exxon Valdez noticed icebergs in their planned route. Instead of trying to
weave through the icebergs, they decided to go in another direction. On the new route, the oil
tanker hit shallow land. The shallow land was not a beach, it was called Bligh Reef.
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Imagine an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The Exxon Valdez spilled about 125 Olympic-sized
swimming pools. You also can think of it as 108 homes or 430 classrooms. 797 living rooms or 9
school gyms can explain about how much oil was spilled by the Exxon Valdez.
How did the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill affect the animals at Prince William Sound?
The Exxon Valdez affected many animals at Prince William Sound in Alaska. The spill greatly
affected sea otters and sea birds. There were about 2,800 sea otters and 250,000 seabirds killed
by the spill. Harbor seals, bald eagles, killer whales, and salmon were also greatly affected by the
spill.
Many people complained about the large amount of sea otters dumped in crude oil because
Prince William Sound was a tourist attraction. Many people came to Prince William Sound to
visit the animals.
How many animals are recovering after ten years?
The table below shows all the animals that are not recovering, recovered, recovering, and that the
recovering is unknown. It shows that only two species had recovered ten years after the spill. It
also shows how many animals are still recovering ten years later.
Not RecoveringAnimals
Recovered Animals Recovering Animals Recovering isunknown
Common Loon Bald eagle Black oystercatcher Cutthroat trout
Cormorant River otter Common murre Dolly Varden
Harbor Seal Marbled murrelett Kittlitz murrelet
Harlequin Duck Mussel Rockfish
Killer Whale Pacific Herring
Pigeon Quillemont Pink Salmon
Sea otterSockeye Salmon
How long did it take to clean the up spill?
Because the spill impacted 1,300 miles, it took the Exxon Valdez Company four summers to
clean up the spill. Some oil may still remain on the beaches. It took 10,000 workers, 1,000 boats,
100 airplanes, and the Navy, Army, and Air Force to clean up the spill. Exxon spent about $2.1
billion for the clean up.
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The oil flow of the Exxon Valdez
Look at the diagram below. This diagram shows where the oil flowed and how far it flowed
through Alaska. The map also tells you where the oil spill started in Alaska, which would be in
Prince William Sound.
What is a doubled hulled ship?
A doubled-hulled ship is used for taking oil
from one place to another. This boat contains
two layers. One layer is where the oil is stored.
Another layer surrounds it. If there were acrack in the boat, it wouldn’t have a large
affect on the animals because not that much oil
would spill as if it was a regular tanker. The
crack would have to go through another layer
in order to get to the oil.
Look at the diagram to the left, and it will give
you an idea of what a doubled-hulled ship looks like. As you see, the boat has two layers. The
middle layer holds all the oil. When there is a crack
in the outer layer, it won’t cause any oil to spill
out.
If you look at the regular tanker to the right, you
will see that there only has to be one crack in the
tanker in order to leak. This shows that a doubled-
hulled ship will not have such a large chance of
causing a spill.
A Doubled Hulled Ship
An Oil Tanker
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Why didn’t the Exxon Valdez have a double hull?
If the Exxon Valdez were a doubled-hulled ship, the chance of an oil spill would be 60% smaller.
They wouldn’t have a great spill in the ocean.
If the chances of a spill would be much smaller, why didn’t the Exxon Valdez buy a doubled -
hulled ship? A doubled-hulled ship costs $300,000,000 in America. A regular oil tanker costs
about $200,000,000. The Exxon company decided to wait until the year 2015 in order to buy a
doubled-hulled ship. The Law says that every tanker must be a double hull ship by 2015.
Were there any other major spills around the world?
There have been other major spills around the world. The table below gives you a few oil spills
that have occurred around the world. As you see, these oil spills have occurred in many different
places. None of them seem to be near each other. You can also see how of the largest spills
occurred in the 90’s.The table shows you that many spills have spi lled over 10,000 tons of oil.
What
Year?
Where did it occur? What tanker
was it?
How much oil did it
spill (in tons)?
1983 The Persian Gulf Nowruz Oil Field 600,000
1983 South Africa Castillo De
Belluer
250,000
1988 The Monongahela
River
Storage Tank 3,800,000
1993 Off The Shetland
Islands
Braer 26,000,000
1996 Off SW Wales Sea Empress 18,000,000
2001 Galapagos Islands Jessica 240,000
There has recently been an oil spill on May 9, 2001 in the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos
Islands are located off the coast of Ecuador. The tanker, Jessica, tipped over pouring 240,000
gallons of oil into the ocean.
Workers used chemicals to break down the oil. If the oil is able to reach the bottom of the ocean,
it might take at least two years to clean. Sea lions, pelican, seagulls, sea urchins, and seaweed
have been affected by this spill. Workers used soap to clean the fur and feathers of hurt animals
and milk for the animals’ heads because it wouldn’t hurt the animals’ eyes.
A couple months after the Jessica oil spill, scientists are studying different things about the spill.
Some scientists are studying 650 different sites and seeing which sites were affected by the spill.They are trying to find out where the oil impacted and the animals that were and weren’t af fected
so they can learn more about the effects of oil spills.
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How do they clean up the oil on the beaches or the water after a spill?
There are many ways to stop the spread of oil in
the ocean. Workers can place a boom around the
tanker that is spilling oil. Booms collect the oil
off the water. A boom may be placed
somewhere before an oil spill. They can be
placed around an entrance to the ocean, like a
stream. They also can be placed around a habitat
with many animals living there. These booms
will absorb any oil that flows around it.
The workers can also use skimmers. Skimmers
are boats that can remove the oil off the water.Sorbents are sponges that can collect the oil. An airplane can fly over the water dropping
chemicals into the ocean. The chemicals can break down the oil into the ocean.
They also can burn freshly spilled oil with fireproof booms to contain the oil. They might not
decide to burn the oil because this method causes air pollution.
There are just a few ways to clean the oil off the beaches. Workers can use high or low pressure
hoses to spray the oil that is on the beaches. Vacuum trucks may be driven on the beaches to
vacuum up the oil. They can also simply use shovels or road equipment to collect all the oil off
the beaches.
The method they use to clean the beaches or oceans depends on many things. They have to look
at the weather, the type and amount of oil spilled, if people live in that area, what types of
animals live in that area, and many more things. In some situations, they may not react to a spill.
It may not be helpful or it would just cause even more damage to that habitat.
How do they clean animals after a spill?
Birds
There are many ways that animals are cleaned after an oil spill. When birds arrive at the cleaning
center, the oil is flushed from the eyes and the intestines. They will also be examined for any
broken bones, cuts, or any other injuries. Next, they will get a stomach-coating medicine to
prevent any more oil from entering birds’ stomachs. Birds will then be warmed and placed in a
quiet area.
Birds need to eat so they have some nutrition while they are recovering. Some animals might eat
off a pan. Others may be forced to eat by a worker before they can feed themselves.
When a bird appears to be normal, it is allowed to swim. The bird will then trim and clean its
own feathers to bring them back to their normal body structure. This will help the bird swim
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again. Next, the bird will have to pass a waterproof test. If the bird passes, it will slowly be
introduced to the temperatures outside. In the test, the bird must show the ability to float and the
ability to keep the water away from its body. Before they let the bird go, they must check it to
make sure that its muscular structure is average for its species and the birds have no disease.
Then the birds are released into the wild.
Sea Otters
When sea otters are taken to a cleaning facility, the heavy oiled otters will be washed first.
Workers will wash the otters with warm water because they hope it will break down the oil. The
warm water also can warm the otters up. The otters also will get medical treatment while they
are being cleaned. The otters will then have to wait so they can dry.
After their fur is dry, they have to stay a few more days so the workers are sure of no diseases orbroken bones.
Helping and Saving the Sea Life Today
Have you ever stopped to think what you use oil for? Every one uses oil a lot. The whole world
uses nearly three billion gallons of oil every day. We all use it to fuel our cars, trucks, buses, and
even to heat our homes. If you have touched a chain on a bicycle, you have touched some oil.
The black stuff that appears on your fingers is an oil that makes the chains on your bike run
smoothly. We use oil to make asphalt which can help us pave our roads. You can get examples
of oil at a toy store, a hardware store, or a drugstore, because oil is made into plastics, whichcould be any of your toys or CD players. Oil is also used in medicines, ink, paints, and to create
some electricity. We all can help stop oil spills happening in the oceans. If you use less oil, then
less will have to be transported. We can use less oil by not using our cars when we can walk or
ride a bike. We also can use less oil by paving the roads with cement. That way we are not using
oil.
Think about how many lights you have in your house. Also think about all the electronics like
computers or televisions. All of these things use electricity. If we all were to turn off lights,
computers, or televisions when not in use, we wouldn’t be using as mush oil to create the
electricity throughout the house.
GLOBAL WARMING
What is global warming?
Global warming is when the earth heats up (the temperature rises). It happens when greenhouse
gases (carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane) trap heat and light from the sun
in the earth’s atmosphere, which increases the temperature. This hurts many people, animals,
and plants. Many cannot take the change, so they die.
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What is the greenhouse effect?
The greenhouse effect is when the temperature rises because the sun’s heat and light is trapped in
the earth’s atmosphere. This is like when heat is trapped in a car. On a very hot day, the car gets
hotter when it is out in the parking lot. This is because the heat and light from the sun can get
into the car, by going through the windows, but it can’t get back out. This is what the
greenhouse effect does to the earth. The heat and light can get through the atmosphere, but it
can’t get out. As a result, the temperature rises.
The sun’s heat can get into the car through the windows but is then trapped. This makes what
ever the place might be, a greenhouse, a car, a building, or the earth’s atmosphere, hotter. This
diagram shows the heat coming into a car as visible light (light you can see) and infrared light
(heat). Once the light is inside the car, it is trapped and the heat builds up, just like it does in the
earth’s atmosphere.
Sometimes the temperature can change in a way that helps us. The greenhouse effect makes the
earth appropriate for people to live on. Without it, the earth would be freezing, or on the other
hand it would be burning hot. It would be freezing at night because the sun would be down. We
would not get the sun’s heat and light to make the night somewhat warm. During the day,
especially during the summer, it would be burning because the sun would be up with no
atmosphere to filter it, so people, plants, and animals would be exposed to all the light and heat.
Although the greenhouse effect makes the earth able to have people living on it, if there gets to
be too many gases, the earth can get unusually warmer, and many plants, animals, and people
will die. They would die because there would be less food (plants like corn, wheat, and other
vegetables and fruits). This would happen because the plants would not be able to take the heat.
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This would cause us to have less food to eat, but it would also limit the food that animals have.
With less food, like grass, for the animals that we need to survive (like cows) we would even
have less food. Gradually, people, plants, and animals would all die of hunger.
What are greenhouse gasses?
Greenhouse gasses are gasses are in the earth’s atmosphere that collect heat and light from the
sun. With too many greenhouse gasses in the air, the earth’s atmosphere will trap too much heat
and the earth will get too hot. As a result people, animals, and plants would die because the heat
would be too strong.
What is global warming doing to the environment?
Global warming is affecting many parts of the world. Global warming makes the sea rise, and
when the sea rises, the water covers many low land islands. This is a big problem for many of
the plants, animals, and people on islands. The water covers the plants and causes some of them
to die. When they die, the animals lose a source of food, along with their habitat. Although
animals have a better ability to adapt to what happens than plants do, they may die also. When
the plants and animals die, people lose two sources of food, plant food and animal food. They
may also lose their homes. As a result, they would also have to leave the area or die. This
would be called a break in the food chain, or a chain reaction, one thing happening that leads to
another and so on.
The oceans are affected by global warming in other ways, as well. Many things that arehappening to the ocean are linked to global warming. One thing that is happening is warm
water, caused from global
warming, is harming and
killing algae in the ocean.
Algae is a producer that you
can see floating on the top of
the water. (A producer is
something that makes food for other animals through photosynthesis, like grass.) This floating
green algae is food to many consumers in the ocean. (A consumer is something that eats the
producers.) One kind of a consumer is small fish. There are many others like crabs, some
whales, and many other animals. Fewer algae is a problem because there is less food for us and
many animals in the sea.
Global warming is doing many things to people as well as animals and plants. It is killing algae,
but it is also destroying many huge forests. The pollution that causes global warming is linked to
acid rain. Acid rain gradually destroys almost everything it touches. Global warming is also
causing many more fires that wipe out whole forests. This happens because global warming can
make the earth very hot. In forests, some plants and trees leaves can be so dry that they catch onfire.
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What causes global warming?
Many things cause global warming. One thing that causes global warming is electrical pollution.
Electricity causes pollution in many ways, some worse than others. In most cases, fossil fuels
are burned to create electricity. Fossil fuels are made of dead plants and animals. Some
examples of fossil fuels are oil and petroleum. Many pollutants (chemicals that pollute the air,
water, and land) are sent into the air when fossil fuels are burned. Some of these chemicals are
called greenhouse gasses.
We use these sources of energy much more than the sources that give off less pollution.
Petroleum, one of the sources of energy, is used a lot. It is used for transportation, making
electricity, and making many other things. Although this source of energy gives off a lot of
pollution, it is used for 38% of the United States’ energy. Global Warming Solutions
Obviously there is no one magic solution to the problem of global warming. There are instead
hundreds of questions that need to be asked and addressed so as to create an overall Earth plan
that will develop our planet wisely. The changes we can make, both large and small when
combined will curtail global warming for the better. In this section we discuss the latest green
designs, products and ideas as yet undeveloped
that will reduce environmental damage overall.
We plan to offer honest value comparisons of products such as hybrid cars. If the carbon
footprint made from producing a hybrid is ten
times larger than that it erases it is news that
should be shared. Compact florescent lights are
great energy savers but are all of these exactly
what they claim to be? And furthermore will
light emitting diodes render CFLs obsolete
before they are universally adapted.
As always the future holds a newer and
possibly better design. We will be bringing you
articles examining what will come and those
products that are already available but await
widespread acceptance. Developments in mass
renewable energy production in such areas as
solar and wind power are of interest to all. We
will also be looking back at past successful use of these energy choices. Zenith sold tiny
windmills in the late 1930s that would charge a car battery that in turn would run a radio for
days. Has the technological upgrade been utilized?
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We will find solutions to the problem of global warming by asking countless questions about the
processes we rely upon to live. We answer these questions on a personal level by changing the
habits, which build each of our carbon footprints and on a global level by insisting that social
and governmental structure acknowledge the need for environmental protection.
NATURAL DISASTER
A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard (e.g., flood, tornado, hurricane, volcanic
eruption, earthquake, heatwave, or landslide). It leads to financial, environmental or human
losses. The resulting loss depends on the vulnerability of the affected population to resist the
hazard, also called their resilience. This understanding is concentrated in the formulation:
"disasters occur when hazards meet vulnerability." Thus a natural hazard will not result in a
natural disaster in areas without vulnerability, e.g. strong earthquakes in uninhabited areas. The
term natural has consequently been disputed because the events simply are not hazards or
disasters without human involvement. A concrete example of the division between a natural
hazard and a natural disaster is that the 1906 San Francisco earthquake was a disaster, whereas
earthquakes are a hazard. This article gives an introduction to notable natural disasters, refer to
the list of natural disasters for a comprehensive listing.
Geological disasters
Avalanches
Notable avalanches include:
The 1910 Wellington avalanche
The 1910 Rogers Pass avalanche
The 1954 Blons avalanches
The 1999 Galtür Avalanche
The 2002 Kolka-Karmadon rock ice slide
Earthquakes
An earthquake is a sudden shake of the Earth's crust caused by the tectonic plates colliding. The
vibrations may vary in magnitude. The underground point of origin of the earthquake is called
the "focus". The point directly above the focus on the surface is called the"epicenter".
Earthquakes by themselves rarely kill people or wildlife. It is usually the secondary events that
they trigger, such as building collapse, fires, tsunamis (seismic sea waves) and volcanoes, that
are actually the human disaster. Many of these could possibly be avoided by better construction,
safety systems, early warning and evacuation planning.Earthquakes are caused by the discharge
of energy accumulated along geologic fault.
Some of the most significant earthquakes in recent times include:
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The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, the third largest earthquake in recorded history,
registering a moment magnitude of 9.1-9.3. The huge tsunamis triggered by this
earthquake cost the lives of at least 229,000 people.
The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami registered a moment magnitude of 9.0. The
death toll from the earthquake and tsunami is over 13,000, and over 12,000 people are
still missing.
The 8.8 magnitude February 27, 2010 Chile earthquake and tsunami cost 525 lives.
The 7.9 magnitude May 12, 2008 Sichuan earthquake in Sichuan Province, China. Death
toll at over 61,150 as of May 27, 2008.
The 7.7 magnitude July 2006 Java earthquake, which also triggered tsunamis.
The 7.6-7.7 2005 Kashmir earthquake, which cost 79,000 lives in Pakistan.
Volcanic eruptions (S.C.S)
Volcanoes can cause widespread destruction and consequent disaster through several ways. The
effects include the volcanic eruption itself that may cause harm following the explosion of the
volcano or the fall of rock. Second, lava may be produced during the eruption of a volcano. As it
leaves the volcano, the lava destroys many buildings and plants it encounters. Third, volcanic ash
generally meaning the cooled ash - may form a cloud, and settle thickly in nearby locations.
When mixed with water this forms a concrete-like material. In sufficient quantity ash may cause
roofs to collapse under its weight but even small quantities will harm humans if inhaled. Since
the ash has the consistency of ground glass it causes abrasion damage to moving parts such as
engines. The main killer of humans in the immediate surroundings of a volcanic eruption is the
pyroclastic flows, which consist of a cloud of hot volcanic ash which builds up in the air above
the volcano and rushes down the slopes when the eruption no longer supports the lifting of the
gases. It is believed that Pompeii was destroyed by a pyroclastic flow. A lahar is a volcanic
mudflow or landslide. The 1953 Tangiwai disaster was caused by a lahar, as was the 1985
Armero tragedy in which the town of Armero was buried and an estimated 23,000 people were
killed.
A specific type of volcano is the supervolcano. According to the Toba catastrophe theory 70 to
75 thousand years ago a super volcanic event at Lake Toba reduced the human population to10,000 or even 1,000 breeding pairs creating a bottleneck in human evolution. It also killed three
quarters of all plant life in the northern hemisphere. The main danger from a supervolcano is the
immense cloud of ash which has a disastrous global effect on climate and temperature for many
years.
Hydrological disasters
Floods
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directivedefines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water. In the
sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Flooding may
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result from the volume of water within a body of water, such as a river or lake, which overflows
or breaks levees, with the result that some of the water escapes its usual boundaries. While the
size of a lake or other body of water will vary with seasonal changes in precipitation and snow
melt, it is not a significant flood unless such escapes of water endanger land areas used by man
like a village, city or other inhabited area.
The Limpopo River, in southern Mozambique, during the
2000 Mozambique flood
Some of the most notable floods include:
The Huang He (Yellow River) in China floods
particularly often. The Great Flood of 1931 caused between800,000 and 4,000,000 deaths.
The Great Flood of 1993 was one of the most costly floods in United States history.
The 1998 Yangtze River Floods, in China, left 14 million people homeless.
The 2000 Mozambique flood covered much of the country for three weeks, resulting in
thousands of deaths, and leaving the country devastated for years afterward.
The 2005 Mumbai floods which destroyed 1094 people.
The 2010 Pakistan floods, damaged crops and the infrastructure, while claiming many
lives.
Tropical cyclones can result in extensive flooding and storm surge, as happened with:
Bhola Cyclone, which struck East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1970,
Typhoon Nina, which struck China in 1975,
Hurricane Katrina, which struck New Orleans, Louisiana in 2005, and
Cyclone Yasi, which struck Australia in 2011
Limnic eruptions
A cow suffocated by gases from Lake Nyos after a limnic eruption
A limnic eruption occurs when a gas, usually CO2, suddenly erupts from
deep lake water, posing the threat of suffocating wildlife, livestock and
humans. Such an eruption may also cause tsunamis in the lake as the
rising gas displaces water. Scientists believe landslides, volcanic
activity, or explosions can trigger such an eruption. To date, only two
limnic eruptions have been observed and recorded:
In 1984, in Cameroon, a limnic eruption in Lake Monoun causedthe deaths of 37 nearby residents.
At nearby Lake Nyos in 1986 a much larger eruption killed
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between 1,700 and 1,800 people by asphyxiation.
Tsunamis
The tsunami caused by the December 26, 2004,
earthquake strikes Ao Nang, Thailand.
Tsunamis can be caused by undersea earthquakes as the
one caused in Ao Nang, Thailand, by the 2004 Indian
Ocean Earthquake, or by landslides such as the one
which occurred at Lituya Bay, Alaska.
Ao Nang, Thailand (2004). The 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake created the Boxing Day
Tsunami and disaster at this site.
Lituya Bay, Alaska (1953).
2010 Chile earthquake
On October 26, 2010, a tsunami occurred at Sumatra, Indonesia
On March 11, 2011, a tsunami occurred near Fukushima, Japan and spread through the
Pacific.
Meteorological disasters
Young steer after a blizzard, March 1966
Blizzards
Blizzards are severe winter storms characterized by low
temperature, strong winds, and heavy snow. The difference
between a blizzard and a snow storm is the strength of the
wind. To be a considered a blizzard, the storm must have
winds in excess of 35 miles per hour, it should reduce the visibility to 1/4 miles, and must last for
a prolonged period of 3 hours or more. Ground blizzards require high winds to stir up snow that
has already fallen, rather than fresh snowfall. Blizzards have a negative impact on local
economics and can terminate the visibility in regions where snowfall is rare.
Significant blizzards include:
The Great Blizzard of 1888 in the United States
The 2008 Afghanistan blizzard
The North American blizzard of 1947
The 1972 Iran blizzard resulted in approximately 4,000 deaths and lasted for 5 to 7 days.
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Cyclonic storms
Cyclone, tropical cyclone, hurricane, and typhoon are different names for the same phenomenon
a cyclonic storm system that forms over the oceans. The deadliest hurricane ever was the 1970
Bhola cyclone; the deadliest Atlantic hurricane was the Great Hurricane of 1780 which
devastated Martinique, St. Eustatius and Barbados. Another notable hurricane is Hurricane
Katrina which devastated the Gulf Coast of the United States in 2005.
Droughts
Well-known historical droughts include:
1900 India killing between 250,000 and 3.25 million.
1921-22 Soviet Union in which over 5 million perished from starvation due to drought
1928-30 northwest China resulting in over 3 million deaths by famine.
1936 and 1941 Sichuan Province China resulting in 5 million and 2.5 million deaths
respectively.
As of 2006, states of Australia including South Australia, Western Australia, New South
Wales, Northern Territory and Queensland had been under drought conditions for five to
ten years. The drought is beginning to affect urban area populations for the first time.
With the majority of the country under water restrictions.
In 2006, Sichuan Province China experienced its worst drought in modern times with
nearly 8 million people and over 7 million cattle facing water shortages.
12-year drought that was devastating southwest Western Australia, southeast SouthAustralia, Victoria and northern Tasmania was "very severe and without historical
precedent".
Hailstorms
Hailstorms are rain drops that have formed together into ice. A particularly damaging hailstorm
hit Munich, Germany, on July 12, 1984, causing about 2
billion dollars in insurance claims.
Heat waves
The worst heat wave in recent history was the European
Heat Wave of 2003.
Hurricane Katrina
A summer heat wave in Victoria, Australia, created
conditions which fuelled the massive bushfires in 2009.Melbourne experienced three days in a row of temperatures
exceeding 40°C with some regional areas sweltering
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through much higher temperatures. The bushfires, collectively known as "Black Saturday", were
partly the act of arsonists.
The 2010 Northern Hemisphere summer resulted in severe heat waves, which killed over 2,000
people. It resulted in hundreds of wildfires which causing widespread air pollution, and burned
thousands of square miles of forest.
Tornadoes
A tornado (often referred to as a twister or, erroneously, a cyclone) is a violent, dangerous,
rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus
cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. Tornadoes come in many shapes and sizes,
but are typically in the form of a visible condensation funnel, whose narrow end touches the
earth and is often encircled by a cloud of debris and dust. Most tornadoes have wind speeds lessthan 110 miles per hour (177 km/h), are approximately 250 feet (80 m) across, and travel a few
miles (several kilometers) before dissipating. The most extreme can attain wind speeds of more
than 300 mph (480 km/h), stretch more than two miles (3 km) across, and stay on the ground for
dozens of miles (more than 100 km).
Fires
Wildfires are an uncontrolled fire burning in wildland areas. Common causes include lightning
and drought but wildfires may also be started by human negligence or arson. They can be a
threat to those in rural areas and also wildlife.
Notable cases of wildfires were the 1871 Peshtigo Fire in the United States, which killed at least
1700 people, and the 2009 Victorian bushfires in Australia.
Health disasters
Epidemics
The A H5N1 virus, which causes Avian influenza
An epidemic is an outbreak of a contractible disease
that spreads at a rapid rate through a human
population. A pandemic is an epidemic whose spread
is global. There have been many epidemics throughout
history, such as Black Death. In the last hundred years,
significant pandemics include:
The 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, killing an estimated 50 million people worldwide
The 1957-58 Asian flu pandemic, which killed an estimated 1 million people
The 1968-69 Hong Kong flu pandemic
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The 2002-3 SARS pandemic
The AIDS pandemic, beginning in 1959
The H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu) Pandemic 2009-2010
Other diseases that spread more slowly, but are still considered to be global health emergencies
by the WHO include:
XDR TB, a strain of tuberculosis that is extensively resistant to drug treatments
Malaria, which kills an estimated 1.6 million people each year
Ebola hemorrhagic fever, which has claimed hundreds of victims in Africa in several
outbreaks
Famines
In modern times, famine has hit Sub-Saharan Africa the hardest, although the number of victims
of modern famines is much smaller than the number of people killed by the Asian famines of the
20th century.
Space disasters
Fallen trees caused by the Tunguska meteoroid of the
Tunguska event in June 1908.
Impact events
One of the largest impact events in modern times was the
Tunguska event in June 1908.
Solar flares
A solar flare is a phenomenon where the sun suddenly releases a great amount of solar radiation, much more than normal. Some known solar flares include:
An X20 event on August 16, 1989
A similar flare on April 2, 2001
The most powerful flare ever recorded, on November 4, 2003, estimated at between X40
and X45
The most powerful flare in the past 500 years is believed to have occurred in September
1859
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Gamma ray burst
Gamma ray bursts are the most powerful explosions that occur in the universe. They release an
enormous amount of energy in milliseconds or longing for ten seconds. They release the same
energy that the Sun would have given in its whole life or even more than that. Gamma ray bursts
are not rare events because they occur about once every day and are detected by telescopes both
on Earth and in space. Mostly large masses of stars, bigger than the Sun, can produce a GRB. A
GRB of distances nearer than 8000 light years may cause a concern to life on Earth. Mainly
Wolf-Rayet stars WR 104 can produce GRB. Astronomers do believe that the Ordovician –
Silurian extinction, the second most destructive extinction on Earth, might have been due to a
GRB.
Protection by international law
International law, for example Geneva Conventions defines International Red Cross and Red
Crescent Movement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, requires that
"States shall take, in accordance with their obligations under international law, including
international humanitarian law and international human rights law, all necessary measures to
ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk, including the
occurrence of natural disaster." And further United Nations Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs is formed by General Assembly Resolution 44/182.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Environmental protection is a practice of protecting the environment, on individual,
organizational or governmental level, for the benefit of the natural environment and (or) humans.
Due to the pressures of population and our technology the biophysical environment is being
degraded, sometimes permanently. This has been recognized and governments began placing
restraints on activities that caused environmental degradation. Since the 1960s activism by the
environmental movement has created awareness of the various environmental issues. There is
not a full agreement on the extent of the environmental impact of human activity and protection
measures are occasionally criticized.
Academic institutions now offer courses such as environmental studies, environmental
management and environmental engineering that study the history and methods of environmental
protection. Protection of the environment is needed from various human activities. Waste,
pollution, loss of biodiversity, introduction of invasive species, release of genetically modified
organisms and toxics are some of the issues relating to environmental protection.
Evolving approaches to environmental protection
Discussion concerning environmental protection often focuses on the role of government,legislation and enforcement, however in its broadest sense environmental protection may be seen
to be the responsibility of all people and not simply that of government. Decisions that impact on
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the environment will ideally involve a broad range of stakeholders including industry,
indigenous groups, environmental group and community representatives. Gradually
environmental decision-making processes are evolving to reflect this broad base of stakeholders
and are becoming more collaborative in many countries.
Environmental protection is influenced by three interwoven factors: environmental legislation,
ethics and education. Each of these factors plays its part in influencing national level
environmental decisions and personal level environmental values and behaviours. For
environmental protection to become a reality it will be important for societies to develop each of
these areas that together will inform and drive environmental decisions. Although environmental
protection is not simply the role of government agencies they are however generally seen as
being of prime importance in establishing and maintaining basic standards that protect both the
environment and the people interacting with it.
Outlined below are several approaches to environmental protection that are currently evolving.
Further discussion on approaches to environmental protection is included on the pages related to
natural resource management, environmental governance and environmental law.
Voluntary Environmental agreements
In industrialised countries voluntary environmental agreements often provide a platform for
companies to be recognised for moving beyond the minimum regulatory standards and thus
support the development of best environmental practice. In developing countries such as
throughout Latin America, these agreements are more commonly used to remedy significantlevels of non-compliance with mandatory regulation. The challenges that exist with these
agreements lie in establishing baseline data, targets, monitoring and reporting. Due to the
difficulties inherent in evaluating effectiveness their use is often questioned and indeed the
environment may well be adversely affected as a result. The key advantage of their use in
developing countries is that their use helps to build environmental management capacity.
Ecosystems approach
An ecosystems approach to resource management and environmental protection aims to consider
the complex interrelationships of an entire ecosystem in decision making rather than simplyresponding to specific issues and challenges. Ideally the decision-making processes under such
an approach would be a collaborative approach to planning and decision-making that involves a
broad range of stakeholders across all relevant government departments as well as
representatives of industry, environmental groups and community. This approach ideally
supports better exchange of information, development of conflict resolution strategies and
improved regional conservation.
International Environmental Agreements
Many of the earth’s resources are especially vulnerable because they are influenc ed by humanimpacts across many countries. As a result of this many attempts are made by countries to
develop agreements that are signed by multiple governments to prevent damage or manage the
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impacts of human activity on natural resources. This can include agreements that impact on
factors such as climate, oceans, rivers and air pollution. These international environmental
agreements are sometimes legally binding documents that have legal implications when they are
not followed and at other times are more agreements in principle or as codes of conduct. These
agreements have a long history with some multinational agreements being in place from as early
as 1910 in Europe, America and Africa. Some of the most well known multinational agreements
include: the Kyoto Protocol, Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer and Rio
Declaration on Development and Environment.
Environment - how can you help protect it?
Our planet is in trouble! Almost every day we seem to hear
of yet another problem affecting the environment - and what
a list of problems! - pollution, acid rain, climate change, thedestruction of rainforests and other wild habitats, the
decline and extinction of thousands of species of animals
and plants....and so on.
Nowadays, most of us know that these threats exist and that
humans have caused them. Many of us are very worried
about the future of our planet and unless we can find a way
of solving the problems we have made then the environment
will suffer even more.
It all sounds so sad - but we certainly mustn't despair! Every one of us, whatever age we are can
do something to help slow down and reverse some of the damage. We cannot leave the problem-
solving entirely to the experts - we all have a responsibility for our environment. We must learn
to live in a sustainable way i.e. learn to use our natural resources which include air, freshwater,
forests, wildlife, farmland and seas without damaging them. As populations grow and lifestyles
change, we must keep the world in a good condition so that future generations will have the
same natural resources that we have.
This factsheet covers just a few examples of the threats to our environment such as;
Waste
Rainforests (Deforestation)
Pollution
The Ozone Layer
The Greenhouse Effect
Endangered Habitats and their Wildlife
And how to create your own wildlife garden
With each of these topics there are great ideas to help you to do something about them.
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Waste
We humans create such a lot of rubbish! We now produce just under half a tonne per person each
year. Most of this is taken away by dustmen and buried in enormous landfill sites or burned in
incinerators - both of these actions can be dangerous for
the environment. Is all our rubbish really rubbish? If you
think about it, much of what we throw away could be
used again. It makes sense to reuse and recycle our
rubbish instead of just trying to solve the problem of
where to put it! Encouragingly rates of recycling have
increased so that we recycle 35% of our household
rubbish, although we could recycle up to 80%. Much of
our waste is made up of glass, metal, plastic and paper.
Our natural resources such as trees, oil, coal andaluminium are used up in enormous amounts to make these products and the resources will one
day be completely used up. We must cut down on energy use.
Ideas to Help
Sort out your rubbish. Organic matter e.g. potato peelings, left over food, tea leaves etc.
can be transferred straight to a compost heap in the garden and used as a good, natural
fertiliser for the plants. Aluminium cans, glass bottles and newspapers etc. are often
collected from our doorsteps these days, but other items such as plastic bottles, juice
cartons and cardboard may not be, in which case they can be taken to nearby recycling
banks. Find out where they are by asking your local council or library.
Use recycled paper to help save trees. Everyone in Britain uses about 6 trees worth of
paper every year. Chlorine bleach is usually used to make newspapers and this pollutes
rivers. It's better to use unbleached, recycled paper whenever you can.
Take your old clothes to charity shops. Some are sold, others are returned to textile mills
for recycling.
Try to avoid buying plastic. It's hard to recycle. One way to cut down on plastic is to
refuse to use carrier bags offered by supermarkets and
use strong, long lasting shopping bags instead, or re-useplastic bags over and over again, until they wear out
and then recycle them.
Don't buy over-packed goods. Many things we
buy have unnecessary amounts of plastic and paper
around them.
Rainforests (Deforestation)
Rainforests are valuable habitats. About half of all the species of animals and plants in the world
live in rainforests with a possible 50,000 species a year becoming extinct. Thousands of
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rainforest plants contain substances that can be used in medicines and the tribal people of the
forests have great knowledge of them. Rainforests are also important because they provide us
with oxygen and help to regulate the world's climate and atmosphere.
Yet despite their value, an area of rainforest the size of Britain is destroyed every year, and this
is called deforestation. One and a half acres are cleared every second, an area about the size of a
football pitch. They are cut down to make way for 'civilised man' to provide timber, grow crops
and graze cattle. Sometimes they're burnt down to make space to grow soya, an animal feed and
to grow palm oil, a bio-fuel used as an alternative to petrol and diesel, as well as being used as an
ingredient in many foods.
Ideas to Help
Never buy products made up of tropical hardwoods e.g. mahogany and teak. It is better tobuy only pine, oak, ash or beech because they can be replaced.
Garden and flower shops sometimes sell rainforest orchids that have been imported,
although endangered ones have been protected since 1973. If you buy an orchid, check
that it has been grown in Britain.
Some parrots and macaws are unfortunately still imported. If you want a parrot as a pet,
make sure it has been hatched in Britain.
Eating a beefburger may be helping to destroy the rainforest! Most burgers in Britain are
made from European cattle. However, the cattle are often fed on soya beans and a lot of
that comes from Brazil where large areas of forest have been destroyed to make soya
fields. Before buying a burger, ask where the cattle came from and what they were fed
on. Try a veggie burger for a change!
Pollution
The air, water and soil of habitats all over the world have
been, and are still being polluted in many different ways.
This pollution affects the health of living things. Air is
damaged by car and lorry fumes, and power stations
create acid rain which destroys entire forests and lakes.When fossil fuels i.e. oil, gas and coal are burned to
provide energy for lighting, cooking etc. they form
polluting gases.
Oils spills pollute sea water and kill marine life; chemical
waste from factories and sewage works, and artificial fertilisers from farmland, pollute river
water, killing wildlife and spreading disease.
The careless or deliberate dumping of litter in the environment is not only unsightly butdangerous for wildlife too.
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Ideas to Help
Don’t drop litter.
Use less energy by switching off lights when rooms are not in use, not wasting hot water,
not overheating rooms and not boiling more water than necessary when making a cup of
tea!
Use a bicycle or walk instead of using a car for short trips.
If you spot pollution, such as oil on the beach, report it to the local council. If you suspect
a stream is polluted, report it to the local Environmental Health Officer.
If you use chlorine-based bleach or detergents containing phosphates you are contributing
to water pollution. Try to buy 'environmentally-friendly' products which don't contain
these.
Organic foods are produced without the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides,
preventing these pollutants from contaminating habitats and entering the food chain.
The Ozone Layer
Fifteen to thirty miles above the Earth lies the stratosphere, a broad band of gases and one of
these gases is ozone. It's only a small part of the stratosphere but very important because it
prevents too many of the sun's ultra violet rays from reaching us. Too many ultra violet rays can
give us skin cancer and destroy plankton, the important microscopic life in the sea. In the 1980s
it was discovered that 'holes' were appearing in the ozone layer above the Antarctic and Arctic.
CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) are gases used in the manufacture of aerosols and fridges, and theyare believed have been responsible for destroying the ozone layer. In 1987 the Montreal
Protocol was introduced and later signed up to by 120 countries who agreed to half their CFC
emissions by the year 2000.
We now know that apart from destroying the ozone layer, CFCs contribute significantly to the
greenhouse effect. Even though they have been banned, their long atmospheric lifetime of 20 to
100 years will continue to contribute to the greenhouse effect until they finally are broken down
by the sun.
Ideas to Help
If you know of anyone getting rid of an old fridge, tell them that the CFCs can be drained
out and recycled - contact the local council and they will dispose of the fridge safely.
New fridges do not contain CFCs.
The Greenhouse Effect
Certain gases in the atmosphere, mainly carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and
fluorocarbons, act like the glass in a greenhouse, allowing sunlight through to heat the Earth'ssurface but trapping some of the heat as it radiates back into space. Without this the Earth would
be frozen and lifeless. However, owing to Man's activities,'greenhouse gases' are building up in
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the atmosphere, causing a greater amount of heat to be reflected back to Earth. The result is an
increase in average world temperatures and is already causing more droughts, flooding and
extreme weather conditions such hurricanes.
Ideas to Help
Don't waste electricity or heat. Electricity and heating are produced by burning coal, oil
and gas and this action gives off carbon dioxide.
Car fumes produce carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide - so try to cut down on car
journeys if possible. Use a bike or walk - it's good exercise for you too!
Recycle as much of your waste as you can. Methane, the most effective 'greenhouse gas',
is released into the air as the rubbish in landfill sites rots.
Cut down on how much meat you eat. Meat consumption has risen and farm animals,
especially cattle produce methane. Not only that but they are frequently fed soya whichis often grown on land where rainforests have been destroyed. We need the rainforests to
absorb carbon dioxide and remove it from the air.
Endangered Habitats and their Wildlife
Wild habitats all over the world are fast disappearing. Forests
are being cut down, rivers and seas polluted, heathlands built
on, hedgerows pulled up, ponds filled in - the destruction
seems endless. As the habitats decrease, so do their
communities of animals and plants. Habitat destruction is one
of the main reasons why many species face extinction. Habitats
are commonly split up and animals can't get from one part to
another, unless wildlife 'corridors' are provided. Other reasons
for their demise include the hunting of animals and collection
of plants. Now they are facing a new threat, that of climate
change.
A report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) shows nearly one thirdof amphibians, more than one in eight birds and nearly a quarter of mammals are threatened with
extinction. 869 species are already described as being extinct or extinct in the wild, i.e.
disappeared from the earth forever.
Ideas to Help
In many countries souvenirs made from rare wildlife are available - never buy shells,
coral or things made from elephant ivory, rhino horn or cat skin etc.
Try to reduce your 'carbon footprint'.
Remember that British habitats and wildlife are under threat too. The destruction of wood
land, pollution of rivers and ponds, the use of pesticides and herbicides have all
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contributed to the reduction in the amount of wildlife in Britain. Many animals and plants
are endangered e.g. red squirrels, otters, barn owls, golden eagles, natterjack toads, many
species of butterflies and dragonflies, orchids - to name just a few. If you have a garden
at home, you could transform it into a mini nature reserve for wildlife. The same could be
done in your school grounds.
Here are just a few ideas to create a wildlife garden
1. Make a pond. Even A small pond will attract frogs and toads
etc. Birds and foxes may use it for drinking.
2. Make a wildflower meadow. Wildflower plants and seeds
may be bought from garden suppliers and, if planted correctly, a
colourful meadow will result, attracting birds, butterflies andother insects.
3. Provide logs and stones and allow a few autumn leaves to remain lying around. These
provide shelter for minibeasts and perhaps small mammals such as shrews and mice. An over-
neat garden will not be attractive to wildlife.
4. Feed the birds during winter and put up nest boxes for robins and blue tits etc. to use in
spring.
5. If your garden is big enough, you could plant a small wood. Always grow native trees such
as oak, ash or birch - these attract more insects than foreign trees.
6. Hedgehogs are useful to have in the garden as they
eat slugs. Encourage them to stay by providing them
with tinned cat or dog meat, water and a safe place to
hibernate in winter, such as a pile of logs, stuffed with
hay and leaves.
7. Avoid using chemical sprays in the garden - some of
these can be poisonous to wildlife. It's best to let the
birds eat the cabbage-munching caterpillars, the hedgehogs and toads deal with the lettuce-loving
slugs and the ladybirds dine on the rose-ravaging greenfly!
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CONCLUSION
This pilot study has linked environmental pollution to public health. Soil samples analyzed from
locations adjacent and within the dumpsite show high levels of heavy metals emanating from the
site in particular lead, mercury, cadmium, copper and chromium. At the same time, a medical
evaluation of the children and adolescents living and schooling near the dumpsite indicates a
high incidence of diseases that are associated with high exposure levels to these metal pollutants.
For example, about 50% of children examined who live and school near the dumpsite had
respiratory ailments and blood lead levels equal to or exceeding internationally accepted toxic
levels (10 µg/dl of blood), while 30% had size and staining abnormalities of their red blood
cells, confirming high exposure to heavy metal poisoning.