The Fate of A Polluted

Environment

Tara Hamashkur

Sawan Rahman

Environment is:

A source for food supply

A major source of medicines

An energy source

A source of recreation

Natural resource for industrial

products

In order to determine the extent of

environmental exposure to a

chemical, it is necessary to evaluate

that chemical’s environmental fate.

While the amount and frequency of a

chemical’s release, as well as the

environmental medium — air, water, or

soil — into which it’s released are

important

considerations, environmental fate is

determined by what happens after the

chemical has been released into the

environment.

One thing which sets us aside

from other species is our

tendency to leave visible scars

and remains after we have

pillaged the Earth's resources.

Even satellite pictures of the

Amazon reveal the damage

that the industrial exploitation

of natural resources can

inflict.

Air

, water

and land

Pollution,,

Overpopu

lation

Since 1990, yearly emissions of carbon dioxide have gone up by about 6 billion metric tons worldwide, Almost all of that increase is due to human activities.

Carbon dioxide takes 100 years to disperse in the atmosphere. Even if emissions are stopped today, we will still feel the effects for years to come.

During the 20th century alone, the average surface temperature of the world has increased by 1.2 to 1.4°F.

The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment has

concluded that in the past 50 years, the average

temperatures of Alaska, eastern Russia and

western Canada have increased as much as 7°F.

This rise is almost twice the global average.

The World Health Organization blames 150,000 deaths per year

on the effects of global warming including extreme

weather, drought, heat waves, decreased food production and

the increased spread of diseases like malaria

Continuing a trend of warming over the past few years, NASA scientists

say 2011 was the ninth warmest year in terms of average global

temperatures since 1980.

As global warming, the ice is disappearing gradually. The annual migrations of them

are turned into a and time, distance, the deep and even the race against disaster

Sea levels have risen between 4-8 inches worldwide during the last century, and

experts predict they could rise as much 2 feet in the next 100 years.

The livelihoods of nearly one billion people in some

100 countries are threatened by desertification

Desertification contributes to internal displacement

and international migration of people.

About 25 per cent of the Earth’s land, or 3.6 billion

hectares, is decertified.

By the 2050s, 50 per cent of agricultural land in Latin

America will be subject to desertification.

At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global

warming, migrating north to escape rising temperatures.

♣ Up to 90% of West Africa’s coastal

rainforests have disappeared since 1900.

♣ In South Asia, about 88% of the rainforests

have been lost.

♣ Amazon Rainforest with the highest tropical

deforestation rate between 2000 and 2005.

♣ Brazil has lost 90–95% of its Mata Atlântica

forest..

♣ Madagascar has lost 90% of its eastern

rainforests.

Between 1852 to 1947 about half

of the Earth's mature tropical

forests have been destroyed.

It’s predicted that by 2030, 80%

will have been lost.

Scientists estimate that all tropical

forests will be gone by the middle of

the 21st century

Deforestation

Deforestation cause damage to

habitat, biodiversity loss and

aridity.

It has adverse impacts on

atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Deforested regions typically

incur significant adverse soil

erosion and frequently degrade

into wasteland.

Overpopulation

The IAP has stated that many environmental problems, are aggravated by the population expansion..

Year Billion

1804 1

1927 2

1959 3

1974 4

1987 5

1999 6

2011 7

The population is expected to

reach between 8 and 10.5

billion between the year 2040,

and 2050..

Steve Jones: "Humans are 10,000

times more common than we

should be".

Disaster is a sudden, calamitous event bringing great

damage, loss, and destruction and devastation to life

and property. The damage caused by disasters is

immeasurable and varies with the geographical

location, climate and the type of the earth

surface/degree of vulnerability. This influences the

mental, socio-economic, political and cultural state of

the affected area.

Disaster

Phillipines: the Mount Pinatubo volcanic eruption

The 2004 Asian earthquake and tsunami

The 1925 Ellington, Missouri tornado

Bhopal : the Union Carbide gas leak

Chernobyl: Russian nuclear power plant explosion

Seveso Italian dioxin crisis

The Love Canal chemical waste dump, USA

The Three Mile Island, USA: The nuclear nightmare

The 1952 London smog disaster

Plastic bottles take 700 years to begin composting

90% of the cost of bottled water is due to the bottle itself

80% of plastic bottles are not recycled

38 million plastic bottles go to the dump per year in America from bottled water.

24 million gallons of oil are needed to produce a billion plastic bottles

Each year, more than 26 billion bottles are thrown away (less then 15% are recycled)

Studies have shown that chemicals called phthalates, which are known to disrupt testosterone and other hormones, can leach into bottled water over time.

According to the International Union for

Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 784 extinctions

have been recorded since the year 1500 (to the

year 2004).

Baiji River Dolphin Bubal Hartebeest

Golden Toad

Thylacine

Pyrenean Ibex Caribbean Monk Seal

Quagga Passenger Pigeon Javan Tiger

Tecopa Pupfish Dodo bird

Some scientists estimate that up to half of presently existing species

may become extinct by 2100..

Global warming and industrial pollution threaten to wipe out

almost a third of frog and toad species worldwide

“Water and air , the two essential fluids on which all life depends on have

become global garbage cans”

says; Jacques Cousteau

The USA is responsible for the 30.3% of world’s gas emissions

33% of Chinese people live in such polluted cities, that the air they

breath is equivalent to 2 cigarette packs per day.

Cars responsible for 40-90% of world’s air pollution

Polluted drinking waters are a problem for about half of the world’s population. currently 450million people face water stress. By 2025 it

may increase between 2.6 to 3.1 billion people.

Large hog farms emit hydrogen sulfide, a gas that most often causes flu-like

symptoms in humans, but at high concentrations can lead to brain damage.

1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage ,storm water, and industrial waste are discharged into US waters annually.

1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage ,storm water, and industrial waste are discharged into US waters annually.

Asian rivers are the most polluted in the world, they have 3times as many bacteria from human waste as the global average and 20times more lead than rivers in

industrialized countries

In 2004 water of china’s seven major rivers found to be undrinkable

30% of Ireland's rivers are polluted with sewage or fertilizers.

Each year there exists 250 million cases of water related diseases

40% of America’s rivers and 46% of America’s lakes are too polluted for

fishing, swimming, or aquatic life.

Coral reefs are highly sensitive to small changes in water temperature. Scientists say

if current CO2 emission trends continue, the world's coral reefs could be virtually

destroyed by 2050.

In the U.S. 41% of all insecticides are used on corn. Of these, 80% are used to treat

a pest that could be controlled simply by rotating a different crop for just one year.

Over 80% of items in landfills can be recycled, but they’re not

Prevent pollution

(air, water, noise)

Protect and respect the world's

natural, cultural, indigenous and

historical heritage

Support environmental

education and training.

Use water, energy and other

resources efficiently to reduce

waste.

Overpopulation.

More than 10 million trees

replanted in Tanzanian forests.

protect 250.000 acres of

rainforests, an area 300times

bigger than central park.

Forests, jungles, trees, plants…

Produce the Oxygen we breathe.

They are the lungs of the Earth

If we destroy them, we destroy ourselves.

Parks are one way of protecting ecosystem for future.

Ex: Yellowstone, widely held to be the first national park in the world.

USA has 54 national parks.

Green technology is

environmentally friendly and

is created and used in a way

that conserves natural

resources and the

environment.

The Nichols Bridge way extends over the

world's largest green roof to Millennium Park

People can find ways to lower human effects on ecosystem:

Ex1: Fish ladders are like artificial river rapids.

Repair of ecosystem

Ex2: when mines are dug ,the land is

damaged. in this case reclamation or

phytoremidiation is practiced.

Develop renewable energy sources:

solar, wind and hydro-power .

Plastic-eating fungi found in Amazon

may solve landfill problems, useful

for bioremediation

recycling takes less energy than

making products from raw

materials.

ex1; when 1glass bottle is

recycled the energy saved could

light a 100 watt bulb for four

hours

ex2.: aluminum is made from bauxite ,which is mined from earth’s crust by

taking a lot of electricity . When you throw away a drink can of aluminum

without recycling ,you waste as much energy as it takes to run a television

for about three hours.

This is a project represents a message of a

society facing the future

It will perhaps even become a symbol for the first zero carbon footprint

Olympic Games.

Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969

Earth Day 2012 – the 42nd

Anniversary

more than one billion people around the globe will participate in Earth Day 2012 and help Mobilize the Earth™. People of all nationalities and backgrounds will voice their appreciation for the planet and demand its protection.

is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the

ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key

concepts:

the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to

which overriding priority should be given; and

the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social

organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs."

Sustainable development

Save the Earth for kids

“A proverb says; take care of small things, big things

will fall in place”

the ways leading to pollutions are small things

which if continues make the fate of our planet

unavailable for a healthy life.

“ There is enough in the world for everyone’s

need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.”

-Mahatma Gandhi