Environment

All life, not only human life, on our planet

depends on three basic elements :

• AIR

• WATER

• SOIL

• water pollution

• air pollution

• soil pollution

• acid rain

• holes in the ozone layer

• greenhouse effect

• Over the years, the human race has exploited the Earth and polluted the environment.

• The situation is critical and we must find solution to the most serious aspects facing us today :

• chemical substances are released into chemical substances are released into the waterthe water

• chemicals fromchemicals from

factoriesfactories• oil from shipsoil from ships• detergents fromdetergents from

householdshouseholds

• Fertilizers - chemicals we use to have bigger Fertilizers - chemicals we use to have bigger crops,crops,

• pesticides- chemicals we use to kill the insectspesticides- chemicals we use to kill the insects

• and waste dumps ( whether legal or forbidden)and waste dumps ( whether legal or forbidden)

• pollute the soilpollute the soil

• Cars produce exhaust fumesCars produce exhaust fumes

• Airplanes use huge amount of oxygen Airplanes use huge amount of oxygen and release carbon dioxideand release carbon dioxide

• Factories and power plants release Factories and power plants release chemicals into the airchemicals into the air

Acid rainAcid rain• Smoke from factories and power plants Smoke from factories and power plants

mixes with water in clouds and becomes mixes with water in clouds and becomes sulphurous or nitric acid which falls in sulphurous or nitric acid which falls in raindrops.raindrops.

• This harmful rain – ACID RAIN – destroys This harmful rain – ACID RAIN – destroys plants, trees and pollutes the soilplants, trees and pollutes the soil..

Holes in the ozone layerHoles in the ozone layer• The ozone layer is a layer in The ozone layer is a layer in

the atmosphere high above the atmosphere high above the surface of the Earththe surface of the Earth

• It helps to protect the It helps to protect the EarthEarth from the sun’s from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation.ultraviolet radiation.

Holes in the ozone layerHoles in the ozone layer• When holes appear in When holes appear in

the ozone layer, the ozone layer, UV radiation can damage our

skin and cause skin cancer

harmful ultraviolet harmful ultraviolet radiation reaches radiation reaches the the EarthEarth

Holes in the ozone layerHoles in the ozone layer

Companies now make Companies now make aerosols that don’t aerosols that don’t contain CFCs, and these contain CFCs, and these are often marked are often marked ozone-friendly.ozone-friendly.

The holes are caused byThe holes are caused bysubstances called CFCssubstances called CFCs(chlorofluorocarbons). (chlorofluorocarbons).

CFCs were used inCFCs were used in refrigerators, aerosolrefrigerators, aerosol cans and in the cans and in the manufacture of some manufacture of some plastic products.plastic products.

Greenhouse effectGreenhouse effect

but but carbon dioxidecarbon dioxide and and other gases in the other gases in the atmosphere atmosphere traptrap the sun’s heat the sun’s heat working like glass in a working like glass in a greenhousegreenhouse

• Normally, heat from the sun Normally, heat from the sun warms the Earth and then warms the Earth and then escapes back into spaceescapes back into space

Greenhouse effectGreenhouse effect

• People and animals breathe in oxygen People and animals breathe in oxygen and breathe out COand breathe out CO22. .

• Trees take COTrees take CO22 from the air from the air and produce oxygen.and produce oxygen.

• We also produce COWe also produce CO22 when we burn coal, when we burn coal,oil, petrol, gas or wood. oil, petrol, gas or wood.

• In the last few years people have In the last few years people have burned huge areas of rainforests. burned huge areas of rainforests.

• This means that there are fewer trees This means that there are fewer trees and consequently and consequently

more carbon dioxide.more carbon dioxide.

• Where does the Where does the CARBONCARBON DIOXIDEDIOXIDE come from? come from?

Greenhouse effectGreenhouse effect

• this process is called the this process is called the

GLOBAL WARMINGGLOBAL WARMING

• When the heat from the sun does not escape When the heat from the sun does not escape back to space, it warmback to space, it warmss up the Earth. up the Earth.

Greenhouse effectGreenhouse effect

Increasing global temperature will have some Increasing global temperature will have some consequences:consequences:

• sea level risesea level rise

• melting of polar ice capsmelting of polar ice caps

Greenhouse effectGreenhouse effectGLOBAL WARMINGGLOBAL WARMING

• iincreasing sea level ncreasing sea level willwill cause cause floods in coastal areasfloods in coastal areas

• drought in some parts of the worlddrought in some parts of the world

Endangered plants and Endangered plants and animal speciesanimal species

• Earth's ecosystems have been affected Earth's ecosystems have been affected by different human activities,by different human activities,

• They have to be protected in national They have to be protected in national parks, zoos, botanical gardens and parks, zoos, botanical gardens and game reservesgame reserves..

so many plant and animal species are so many plant and animal species are in danger of extinctionin danger of extinction..

What can What can wewe do about it? do about it?

• One person alone One person alone cannot save the Earth cannot save the Earth but still there are but still there are things we can change things we can change together in order to together in order to help the Earth help the Earth recover.recover.

THINK GLOBALLYTHINK GLOBALLY,, ACT LOCALLY ACT LOCALLY

What can What can wewe do about it? do about it?

• Save water and energySave water and energy

• Compost organic trashCompost organic trash

• Separate dangerous Separate dangerous waste and waste that waste and waste that can be recycledcan be recycled

• Buy environment Buy environment friendly productsfriendly products

• Use public transportUse public transport

THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLYTHINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY

What can What can wewe do about it? do about it?

• Use alternative sources of energyUse alternative sources of energy

THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLYTHINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY

• wind generatorswind generators

• solar panelssolar panels