Grouping Environmental Problems

Three Main Categories •Resource Depletion

•Pollution•Loss of Biodiversity

Resource Depletion

• Natural Resources: Any natural material used by humans

• Classified as renewable or nonrenewable–Renewable: replaced quickly by natural processes–Nonrenewable: resource that are present in fixed

amounts (within human time scale)

• Create a list of renewable or nonrenewable resources

Pollution• Pollution: undesired change in the air, water or soil

that adversely effects the health, survival or activities of humans & other organisms

• 2 General Types–Biodegradable pollutants: can be broken down by

natural process–Nonbiodegradable pollutants: cannot be broken

down by natural process

Create a list of pollutants

Loss of Biodiversity

• Biodiversity: number and variety of species that live in an area• Extinction: natural process

• Create a list of extinct species or endangered

Weekly Article Assignment

• Due every Friday • Find a news article from any source

ANY QUESTIONS?