4.3 Water, Air, & Land Resources
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Transcript 4.3 Water, Air, & Land Resources
4.3 Water, Air, & Land
Resources
The Water Planet
Water covers over half of Earth’s surface (71%)
Saltwater
Freshwater
< 1% of the water on Earth is useable to us
Pollution of Freshwater
Point Source
Pollution
Comes from a known source
or a specific location
Examples
Factory Pipes
Sewage treatment plant
Nonpoint Source Pollution
Does not have a particular
point of origin
Examples
Runoff often carries
nonpoint source pollution
Rainfall
Snow
Pollution in the Air
The chemical make up of the atmosphere helps to
maintain life on Earth
Atmosphere shields Earth from solar radiation
Fossil Fuel combustion is the major source of air
pollution
Cars
Coal
Oil burning power plants
Pollution in the Air
continued…
CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) destroy ozone layer
Problem? Increase health problems
CO2 amts. in the atmosphere have increased since
industrialization started in the 19th century
Carbon cycle has since been altered which in return
leads to unnatural warming of the atmosphere
Global Warming
Land Resources
Earth’s land provides soil & forests, as well as mineral & energy
resources
Irrigations
Farming new land (+)
Depleting groundwater (-)
Salinization (-) build up of salts in the soil
Mining (~500,000 in US)
Essential for mineral resources (+)
Messes up Earth’s surface (-)
Destroys vegetation (-)
What are land resources?
Soil to grow food
Forests for lumber, furniture, paper
Land Resources
continued…
Land for Disposal Sites
Landfills
When done correctly little damage is done
When done incorrectly harmful wastes leak into the soil
and groundwater
Clearing of trees by clear-cutting = damaged land
Removing all the trees from a forest
Destroys ecosystems
Motion Accelerates Erosion
Activity
4.4 Protecting Resources
How to Protect What We
Have
Water
1970S the Federal Govn’t
passed several laws to
prevent or decrease pollution
& protect resources
1972 Clean Water Act
1974 The Safe Drinking
Water Act
Air
1970 Clean Air Act (most
important air pollution law)
Increased use of alt. energy
sources help clear the air
Protecting the land resources
involves preventing pollution
& managing land resources
wisely.
How You Can Prevent
Water Pollution
How You Can Save
Energy
• Never pour household chemicals
down the drain / toilet (cleaners,
paints, thinners)
• Recycle
• Never dump toxic chemicals in the
gutter into the ground
• Use energy – saving fluorescent
bulbs
• Don’t put things that contain
hazardous substances in the trash
(batteries)
• Look for the Energy Star sticker
when you buy electric products
• Avoid using hazardous substances
in the beginning
• Let the sun in to warm rooms
• Turn off lights when you leave the
room. Turn off radio, TV, or
computer when not in use
Making an Oil Slick