Environmental Health Unit: Water Pollution Lesson
Objectives: TSWBAT identify types, causes, dangers, preventing, and treating water pollution. TSWBAT create solutions and actions to reduce water pollution in our building and at home.
Water Pollution Water covers over 70% of the Earth's surface and is a very important resource for people and the environment. Water pollution affects drinking water, rivers, lakes and oceans all over the world. This consequently harms human health and the natural environment. Today you will find out more about water pollution and what you can do to prevent it.
Types of Pollution Can come from a number of different sources:
Single source (oil spill) = point-source pollution Many sources = nonpoint-source pollution Affects the immediate area surrounding the source. May also affect the environment hundreds of miles away from the source (nuclear waste) = transboundary pollution.
Causes of Pollution Sewage & wastewater:
Domestic households, industrial & agricultural practices produce wastewater that can cause pollution of many lakes & rivers. Marine dumping (in parenthesis is how long is takes for that item to degrade): Cardboard (2 wks.) Newspaper (6 wks.) Photodegradable packaging (6 wks.) Foam (50 yrs.) Styrofoam (80 yrs.) Aluminum (200 yrs.) Plastic packaging (400 yrs.)Glass (???)
Where New York City dumped poo.
Causes of Pollution Atmospheric deposition: Radioactive waste:
Acid rain Radioactive waste: Nuclear waste is produced from industrial, medical & scientific processes that use radioactive material. Nuclear waste can have detrimental effects on marine habitats. Underground storage leaks: Over time the steel corrodes and causes leakages, affecting surrounding soil and groundwater.
Causes of Pollution Industrial waste –
Global warming: Increase in water temperature can result in the death of many aquatic organisms and disrupt many marine habitats Eutrophication: Environment becomes enriched with nutrients. Marine habitats (such as lakes) can cause algal blooms. Fertilizers run-off into nearby water causing an increase in nutrient levels. Industrial waste – Asbestos, Lead, Mercury, Nitrates, Phosphates, Sulphur, Oils, Petrochemicals Oil pollution: Oceans are polluted on a daily basis from oil spills, routine shipping, run-offs & dumping. Oil spills make up 12% of the oil that enters the ocean. The rest comes from shipping travel, drains & dumping.
Great Garbage Patch What do you think???
What can you do? Think Globally, Act Locally.
Preventing Pollution Conserve water
turn off the tap when running water is not necessary helps prevent water shortages & reduces amount of water needing treatment Be careful about what you throw down your sink or toilet. Don't throw paints, oils or other forms of litter down the drain. Use environmentally safe household products
Don’t overuse pesticides and fertilizers
This will prevent runoffs of the material into nearby water sources. Don't throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans. Help clean up any litter you see on beaches or in rivers and lakes, make sure it is safe to collect the litter and put it in a nearby bin. If it’s yellow, let it mellow…if it’s brown, flush it down.
Treating Pollution Industrial: Septic Tanks:
Sewage goes through a number of chambers and chemical processes to reduce the amount and toxicity of the waste. (6:30) Septic Tanks: Septic tanks treat sewage at the place where it is located, rather than transporting the waste through a treatment plant or sewage system.
PAPER OR PLASTIC?
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN! Complete the worksheet for class credit.
Hand the completed worksheet to Mr. Fluck by the end of class today or at the beginning of the next class meeting.
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