Pollution project file in this file school
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- 2. Greenhouse effect Ozone depletion acidification smog formation eutrophication human health ecosystem health 2
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- 4. EPA uses six "criteria pollutants" as indicators of air quality EPA established for each of them a maximum concentration above which adverse effects on human health may occur. 4
- 5. Based on current water quality standards, over 70 percent of our rivers, 68 percent of our estuaries and 60 percent of our lakes now meet legislatively mandated goals. Some of the risks include pollutant runoff from agricultural lands stormwater flows from cities About 40,000 times each year, sanitary sewers overflow and release raw sewage to streets and waterbodies. 5
- 6. seepage into ground water from nonpoint sources the loss of habitats such as wetlands. we cannot always eat what we catch because fish flesh is contaminated by the remaining discharges and sources of toxic substances. Microbial contamination of drinking water still presents problems in many communities. 6
- 7. Point sources are direct discharges to a single point; examples include discharges from sewage treatment plants, injection wells,and some industrial sources. 7
- 8. Non-point sources are diffused across a broad area and their contamination cannot be traced to a single discharge point. Examples include runoff of excess fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides from agricultural lands and residential areas; oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production; and sediment from improperly managed construction sites, crop and forest lands, and eroding stream banks. 8
- 9. THANK YOU 9
Editor's Notes
- #2: Air pollution can cause a variety of impacts. Greenhouse effect: described in a previous module Ozone depletion: described in a previous module Acidification: described here Smog formation: described here Eutrophication: a condition in an aquatic ecosystem where high nutrient concentrations stimulate blooms of algae (e.g., phytoplankton). Human and ecological health effects: All of the above + other toxic pollutant releases have human and ecological health effects.
- #3: Source: http://www.epa.gov/air/oaqps/takingtoxics/p1.html#1 Scientists estimate that millions of tons of toxic pollutants are released into the air each year. Most air toxics originate from manmade sources, including both mobile sources (e.g., cars, buses, trucks) and stationary sources (e.g., factories, refineries, power plants). However, some are released in major amounts from natural sources such as forest fires. Routine emissions from stationary sources constitute almost one-half of all manmade air toxics emissions.
- #5: Source: http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/agents/agents21.html Earth, as photographs taken from space clearly show, is the Water Planet. Water covers two-thirds of the planet's surface, and some of its subsurface too. It is essential to all forms of life and plays a vital role in the processes and functioning of the Earth's ecosystems. Water is the common element that links ecosystems. It links forest ecosystems of the interior mountains with the bays and estuaries along the coasts. It transports food, nutrients and other biologically important materials and organisms. It dilutes, moves and removes wastes; it cools organisms and the land, maintaining the climactic conditions that support and sustain life. Finally, water supplies energy to ecosystems because, through cooling and its motion, water saves energy that organisms and ecosystems would otherwise need to expend. People all over the planet are dependent on water to grow food, generate power, cool the machines of industry, carry wastes and much more. People use water in their personal lives for bathing and cleaning, recreating, drinking, cooking, gardening, and just for the pleasure of watching it. Water also provides habitat for fresh and salt water living resources. More than 97 percent of the Earth's water is saltwater in our oceans and salt lakes; water in icecaps/glaciers adds about 2.O percent more. Therefore, fresh water is very limited - water in lakes, streams and rivers makes up less than 0.01 percent of the Earth's water. Ground water - fresh water under the planet's surface-makes up another O.6 percent. In the United States over 250 million people depend on the freshwater in our rivers, lakes, streams and ground water supplies for their drinking water.