Our World is beautiful!!

Let´s work to

save it.

Environmental Project

This document will be used to get the necessary information to start the project.

1. The first step is to read and

analyze the useful information according to the assigned topics.

2. Then you have to summarize in a chart , like the one at the end of this document, all the main ideas.

3. Start to create a document in which you’re going to keep all the important information to develop the project.

4. Remember to write in your own words the main ideas, because this project will be available in the library as a resource for future generations.

What is the Environment?

The environment is something you are very familiar with. It's everything that makes up our surroundings and affects our ability to live on the earth—the air we breathe, the water that covers most of the earth's surface, the plants and animals around us, and much more.

In recent years, scientists have been carefully examining the ways that people affect the environment. They have found that we are causing air pollution, deforestation, acid rain, and other problems that are dangerous both to the earth and to ourselves. These days, when you hear people talk about “the environment”, they are often referring to the overall condition of our planet, or how healthy it is.

Abiotic Components

In biology, abiotic components are non-living chemical and physical factors in the environment. Abiotic phenomena underlie all of biology. Abiotic factors, while generally downplayed, can have enormous impact on evolution. Abiotic components are aspects of geodiversity. They can also be recognized as "abiotic pathogens"

From the viewpoint of biology, abiotic influences may be classified as light or more generally radiation, temperature, water, the chemical surrounding composed of the terrestrial atmospheric gases, as well as soil. The macroscopic climate often influences each of the above. Not to mention pressure and even sound waves if working with marine, or deep underground, biome.

Those underlying factors affect different plants, animals and fungi to different extents. Some plants are mostly water starved, so humidity plays a larger role in their biology. Many archaebacteria require very high temperatures, or pressures, or unusual concentrations of chemical substances such as sulfur, because of their specialization into extreme conditions. Certain fungi have evolved to survive mostly at the temperature, the humidity, and stability.

For example, there is a significant difference in access to water as well as humidity between temperate rainforests and deserts. This difference in water access causes a diversity in the types of plants and animals that grow in these areas.

Environmental Factors

Every animal and algae on the shore is affected by a range of environmental and biological factors. Every organism has the capacity to cope with a particular range within those factors. If a situation occurs that overly stresses an organism, it may cope for a short while but will ultimately die. If its offspring are not capable of existing in the new environment, then that species will be unable to remain established on that shore.

Some of these factors are:

the effects of latitude, the role of water currents in

determining water temperature and where plankton drift,

how wind affects wave and swell size,

the effects of wave strength and battering,

how tides determine the height at which an organism lives on shore,

how the desiccating and drying effect of the sun as well as air temperature is a major limiting factor on vertical distribution on a shore,

the effects of whether the substrate is hard, sandy or muddy, and

for some shores how salty or saline is the water which surrounds the organism at high tide.

POLLUTION

Air pollution in Guatemala is mainly from motor vehicles, which increase in number each year. A 1995–1996 study conducted in Guatemala City by the San Carlos University and the Central American Ecological Program showed that atmospheric concentrations of particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone all exceeded WHO standards.

A standard for leaded gasoline was issued in 1991 by the Ministry of Energy and Mines, which regulates gasoline imports to ensure that lead concentrations do not exceed 130 mg/l.

Guatemala is an agricultural country, with 32% of its territory devoted to farming. Almost 2 million people live in direct contact with pesticides. In 1994 a total of 5.7 million kg (0.5 kg per capita) of pesticides were imported. The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance periodically checks for traces of pesticides in food for human consumption. Of 72 samples analyzed in 1995, only 2 had levels exceeding the limits set by FAO/WHO.

The use of pesticides results in a sizable number of accidental work-related poisoning cases each year. Although the exact number of acute cases of pesticide poisoning is unknown, according to IGSS reports there were 282 cases in 1993, 237 in 1994, and 80 in 1996.

Environmental Pollution Effects on

Humans

We know that pollution causes not only physical disabilities but also psychological and behavioral disorders in people.

The following pollution effects on humans have been reported:

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

Acid Rain

What is Acid Rain?

Acid rain is a result of air pollution. When any type of fuel is burnt, lots of different chemicals are produced. The smoke that comes from a fire or the fumes that come out of a car exhaust don't just contain the sooty grey particles that you can see - they also contains lots of invisible gases that can be even more harmful to our environment. Power stations, factories and cars all burn fuels and therefore they all produce polluting gases. Some of these gases (especially nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide) react with the tiny droplets of water in clouds to form sulphuric and nitric acids. The rain from these clouds then falls as very weak acid - which is why it is known as "acid rain". The release of sulphur dioxide can also occur naturally when a volcano erupts.

How acidic is acid rain?

Acidity is measured using a scale called the pH scale. This scale goes from 0 to 14. 0 is the most acidic and 14 is the most alkaline (opposite of acidic). Something with a pH value of 7, we call neutral, this means that it is neither acidic nor alkaline. Very strong acids will burn if they touch your skin and can even destroy metals. Acid rain is much, much weaker than this; it is never acidic enough to burn your skin. Rain is always slightly acidic because it mixes with naturally occurring oxides in the air. Unpolluted rain would have a pH value of between 5 and 6. When the air becomes more polluted with nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide the acidity can increase to a pH value of 4. Some rain has

even been recorded as being pH2. Vinegar has a pH value of 2.2 and lemon juice has a value of pH2.3. Even the strongest recorded acid rain is only about as acidic as lemon juice or vinegar and we know that these don't harm us - so why do we worry about acid rain?

The effects of acid rain

Acid rain can be carried great distances in the atmosphere, not just between countries but also from continent to continent. The acid can also take the form of snow, mists and dry dusts. The rain sometimes falls many miles from the source of pollution but wherever it falls it can have a serious effect on soil, trees, buildings and water. In the 1970s the effects of acid rain were seen at their worst. Forests all over the world were dying and in Scandinavia the fish were dying; lakes looked crystal clear but contained no living creatures or plant life. Many of Britain's freshwater fish were threatened; their eggs were damaged and deformed fish were hatched. This in turn affected fish-eating birds and animals.

Deforastation Causes

Imagine the future if the rate of deforestation occurs at a rate of just 15 hectares annually? At that rate in just 30 to 40 years the worlds forests will have been turned into arid barren wasteland useless for any purpose. Climate change would increase dramatically and many millions of species, possibly us included would be extinct. Bleak, yet that is the reality of what we are facing unless we take action to put a stop to it now.

The Top Five Causes of Deforestation

There are many different causes for deforestation and they vary widely from location to location. The top 5 include logging (both legal and illegal), industrialization, agriculture, oil exploitation and human disasters. All can be tackled but it is unlikely we will ever get rid of deforestation altogether but as long as we replace what is lost and manage the vast majority of forests sustainably we can solve the problem and prevent forests shrinking further and perhaps even allow areas to be planted in order to bring back what has already been lost. Well-managed woodlands can actually grow whilst supplying timber on a commercially viable scale. Forest fires can be started naturally or deliberately and are becoming more common as temperatures rise. Large areas can go up in flames very quickly threatening not only forests but also crops and homes nearby. Education may help in teaching people not to start fires in vulnerable areas and forest fire fighting equipment and expertise will help to put out these fires quickly and reduce the amount of damage. Many areas recover quickly from fire as seeds and some plants and animals have natural defense

mechanisms that protect them during fires. This recovery can be aided by replanting and leaving the areas surrounding untouched allowing the plants and animal to recover and recolonize. Illegal logging is difficult to tackle yet

governments need to have legislation and effective means of enforcing that legislation in order to protect their forests and natural resources. In countries that are struggling with these issues outside help and cooperation maybe needed if possible. Legal logging need to be tightly monitored to ensure it is done in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way as possible ensuring that workers and those who protect the forests are paid a decent wage. Money can also be raised through tourism to these beautiful and diverse places. Again the right legislation and enforcement is required, though this is difficult to achieve in some places it should be worked towards if possible. Ideally a balance will be struck between supplying what is needed and protecting the habitat for wildlife. This is possible through sustainable management and replanting programs. The need of land for agriculture, industrial and living purposes is an ever-increasing pressure on wild areas and forests and a major contributor to deforestation. This is one issue that is not easily resolved. Again a balance needs to be struck between the

need to have and preserve a certain amount of forested land and development. Ultimately we have to accept that the planet can only support and physically have room for a certain number of people and the expansion in our numbers cannot and will not go on forever. Can deforestation be stopped? The answer to this rests with us, it is this generation at the eleventh hour who have the knowledge and ability to act. If we leave it to the next generation it will

simply be to late and the forests won�t be there to save. There are many differing groups that will have to work together to achieve an end to deforestation environmental and conservation groups, governments, consumers, corporations as well as those who actually work in the forests. We need each and every one of us to take a stand and do our bit.

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.

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. 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.

The squiggle lines coming from the sun are visible light and the lines and arrows inside the car are infrared light.

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 are happening 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 on fire.

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.

Some other examples of using

energy and polluting the air are:

Turning on a light Watching T.V. Listening to a stereo Washing or drying clothes Using a hair dryer Riding in a car Heating a meal in the microwave Using an air conditioner Playing a video game Using a dish washer

When you do these things, you are causing more greenhouse gasses to be sent into the air. Greenhouse gasses are sent into the air because creating the electricity you use to do these things causes pollution. If you think of how many times a day you do these things, it’s a lot. You even have to add in how many other people do these things! That turns out to be a lot of pollutants going into the air a day because of people like us using electricity. The least amount of electricity you use, the better.

When we throw our garbage away, the garbage goes to landfills. Landfills are those big hills that you go by on an expressway that stink. They are full of garbage. The garbage is then sometimes burned. This sends an enormous amount of greenhouse

gasses into the air and makes global warming worse.

Another thing that makes global warming worse is when people cut down trees. Trees and other plants collect carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a greenhouse gas.

Carbon dioxide is the air that our body lets out when we breathe. With fewer trees, it is harder for people to breathe because there is more CO2 in the air, and we don’t breathe CO2, we breathe oxygen. Plants collect the CO2 that we breathe out, and they give back oxygen that we breathe in. With less trees and other plants, such as algae, there is less air for us, and more greenhouse gases are sent into the air. This means that it is very important to protect our trees to stop the greenhouse effect, and also so we can breathe and live.

This gas, CO2, collects light and heat (radiant energy), produced by the sun, and this makes the earth warmer. The heat and light from the sun is produced in the center of the sun. (The sun has layers just like the earth.)

This layer is called the core. Just like a core of an apple, it is in the middle. Here there is a very high temperature, about 27,000,000°F. This heat escapes out of this layer to the next layer, the radiative zone. This layer is cooler, about 4,500,000°F. Gradually, the heat and light will pass through the convection zone at a temperature of around 2,000,000°F. When it gets to the surface, the temperature is about 10,000°F. Finally, the heat and light is sent into space. This is called radiant energy (heat and light). The radiant energy reaches the earth’s atmosphere. As a result of this process we get light and heat. When you pollute, you send chemicals into the air that destroy our atmosphere, so more heat and

light cannot escape from the earth’s atmosphere.

What are people doing to stop global warming?

People are doing many things to try to stop global warming. One thing people are doing is carpooling. Carpooling is driving with someone to a place that you are both going to. This minimizes the amount of greenhouse gases put into the air by a car.

Another thing that people are doing is being more careful about leaving things turned on like the television, computer, and the lights. A lot of people are taking time away from the television, and instead, they are spending more time outdoors. This helps our planet out a lot. Now, more people are even riding busses, walking to school, and riding their bikes to lower the amount of greenhouse gases in the air. Planting trees and recycling also helps. If you recycle, less trash goes to the dump, and less trash gets burned. As a result, there are fewer greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere.

Watch what you buy. Many things, such as hairspray and deodorant, now are made to have less of an impact on the atmosphere. Less greenhouse gasses will rise into the air, and global warming will slow down.

when car exhaust, pollution from homes, and pollution from factories mixes in the air and has a chemical reaction. The sun’s heat and light add to the reaction.

Cars, buses, and trucks are also responsible for over 50% of dangerous chemicals let into the air. Some of these chemicals can cause cancer, birth defects, trouble breathing, brain and nerve damage, lung injures, and burning

The dirty yellow color on outside is the surface. The light and dark yellow colored area is the convection zone. The orange colored area is the radiative zone, and the red colored area is the core. The squiggle lines represent radiant energy.

eyes. Some of the pollutants are so harmful that they can even cause death.

What are some of the other dangerous chemicals?

Kids can help stop global warming, too!!

Although adults do many things to help stop global warming, kids can do just as much. Kids can’t do hard things like making a law, but we can do easier things like not watching as much TV. You can listen to your parents when they say, turn off your lights or go play outside. Listening to them and actually trying to help can help you, your environment, and the world.

CHART TO SUMMARIZE YOUR INFORMATION

Topic Main

Ideas Important components

Possible solutions

This is just an example but you can do it as you want.

Be creative!!

If we want, we can do

something important to save

the world.