human impact on the environment: why should we care, what can we do?

The Human Impact on the Environment : 

Why should we care? What can we do? The Human Impact on the Environment

So Many People : 

So Many People According to John W. Kimball (2010), right now there are approximately 6.9 billion people in the world. Experts predict that the number of people will continue to grow because better medicine and nutrition allow people to live longer. By 2050 the Earth may have as many as 9.6 billion people! All those people: Consume a lot of water, food, building supplies and fossil fuels. Make a lot of TRASH!

Deforestation and Over-farming : 

Deforestation and Over-farming People need room to live, so we cut down trees and pave over land to make houses, businesses and roads. This destroys animal habitats and disrupts ecosystems. People need food, so we cut down trees and plow up the ground to make large commercial farms. These farms often use pesticides that pollute the soil and water. When the land is plowed, good topsoil is washed away and the soil becomes poor. Too many farm animals pass a lot of gas. This methane gas adds to the greenhouse effect.

Deforestation and Over-farming : 

Deforestation and Over-farming People use a lot of paper these days, so thousands of trees are cut down daily to supply that need. All these trees are needed to take CO2 out of the air and put oxygen back! (Watkins, 2003)

What do you think? : 

What do you think? On your reading/viewing paper, tell how the growing population is affecting our environment.

Water Pollution : 

Water Pollution Chemicals used for farming and in factories often make their way into water supplies such as oceans, rivers, ponds and groundwater (Watkins, 2003). Animals that live in the water may die or become contaminated. Predators of these animals may be affected when they consume the contaminated water animals.

Air Pollution : 

Air Pollution Air pollution is caused by several factors including: Exhaust from cars. Waste from factories that burn fossil fuels for energy. Methane gas released from farm animals. Air pollution adds to unwanted climate changes caused by global warming (Watkins, 2003).

Acid Rain : 

Acid Rain Acid rain happens when pollution from the air mixes with rain. This rain eventually runs into water supplies and affects the animals (Watkins, 2003). This has caused many animals, such as the bald eagle, to become endangered.

Let’s Think! : 

Let’s Think! Answer these questions on your viewing/thinking guide. How does water become polluted? How does this affect our ecosystems?

Trash : 

Trash The average American alone produces 4.5 pounds of trash per day (Council, 2010). This trash is either burned by individuals, which causes air pollution, or it is stored in landfills until the garbage decays. This can take hundreds of years. Trash can be reduced when people use fewer disposable materials, reuse items, or recycle trash.

Let’s Think : 

Let’s Think Complete these questions on your thinking/viewing guide. Do you recycle at home? If not, how could you convince your parents to help you start? Write three good persuasive points to convince your parents to let you recycle at home. If you already recycle, explain what you recycle and how you do it.

Over Fishing : 

Over Fishing Fishing by industrial fishing fleets can catch huge amounts of fish at one time. These fishing boats unintentional catch other fish by accident. These fishermen also accidentally destroy coastal and ocean-floor breeding habitats. This has caused many species of fish to become endangered (Jeantheau, 2005).

Over Hunting : 

Over Hunting Today, hunting is a major threat to about a third of the threatened mammals and birds worldwide. The mammals most at risk from overexploitation are big and reproduce slowly, such as larger antelopes and elephants (Society, 2002).

Let’s think! : 

Let’s think! Answer these questions on your thinking/viewing guide. What endangered animals do you know about that are being hunted? Why do you think people still hunt these animals even though they are endangered?

Some Simple Suggestions : 

Some Simple Suggestions Here are some ideas from kids like you. Click the link to find out how you can help our plant every day!

Let’s think! : 

Let’s think! Answer these questions on your thinking/viewing guide. Which of the suggestions on the Kids Health website do you think you can use in your everyday life?

References : 

References Clean Air Council. (2010). Waste and recycling facts. Retrieved from http://www.cleanair.org/Waste/wasteFacts.html Jeantheau, M. (2005). Pretty mermaids are always over fishing for complements: the causes and effects of overfishing. Retrieved from http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/06-07/overfishing-article.htm Kimball, J. W. (2011). Population growth. Retrieved from http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Populations.html Society for Conservation Biology. (2002). Wildmeat: overhunting threatens species and people. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/05/020530073400.htm Watkins, J. (2003). Human impact. Retrieved from http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/themes/geography/imp.cfm