The ozone layer blocks harmful UVB radiation from the Sun- it protects us in a way that is similar to putting sunscreen on your skin to prevent sunburn. The ozone hole puts all living things at risk by increasing the amount of UVB that reaches the surface.
Exposure to UVB increases the risk of skin cancer in humans, restricts growth and development in plants, slows the development of fish and amphibians, and reduces the number of phytoplankton in marine ecosystems.
UVB also causes natural and synthetic materials to breakdown at an accelerated rate. Gaseous ammonia NH 3 from agriculture and nitrogen dioxide NO 2 from car, truck, and airplane emissions increases the amount of nitrogen in soils. Plants need nitrogen to grow, but too much nitrogen can limit the growth of some plants and increase the growth of others, disrupting the balance of species within an ecosystem.
This disruption is negatively impacting grasslands and other fragile environments around the world. The map shows global ammonia hotspots identified over a 14 year period. Warm colors represent an increase in ammonia, while cool colors represent a decrease in ammonia.
Greenhouse gas pollution is causing climate change. As a result, ecosystems are changing faster than plants and animals can adapt, and many species are going extinct.
Marine ecosystems are vulnerable to ocean acidification caused when carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere is dissolved in seawater. Ocean acidification makes it difficult for many marine species to grow shells and skeletons. Related resourcce: Energy and the Environment Research. Skip to main content. Related Topics: Ecosystems Research.
Contact Us. Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem. Still, many gains have been made. In , the Cuyahoga River, in the U. The fire helped spur the Clean Water Act of This law limited what pollutants could be released into water and set standards for how clean water should be. Today, the Cuyahoga River is much cleaner. Fish have returned to regions of the river where they once could not survive. But even as some rivers are becoming cleaner, others are becoming more polluted.
As countries around the world become wealthier, some forms of pollution increase. Countries with growing economies usually need more power plants, which produce more pollutants. Reducing pollution requires environmental, political, and economic leadership.
Developed nations must work to reduce and recycle their materials, while developing nations must work to strengthen their economies without destroying the environment. Developed and developing countries must work together toward the common goal of protecting the environment for future use.
Light Pollution Light pollution is the excess amount of light in the night sky. Light pollution, also called photopollution, is almost always found in urban areas. Light pollution can disrupt ecosystems by confusing the distinction between night and day. Nocturnal animals, those that are active at night, may venture out during the day, while diurnal animals, which are active during daylight hours, may remain active well into the night.
Feeding and sleep patterns may be confused. Light pollution also indicates an excess use of energy. The dark-sky movement is a campaign by people to reduce light pollution. This would reduce energy use, allow ecosystems to function more normally, and allow scientists and stargazers to observe the atmosphere. Noise Pollution Noise pollution is the constant presence of loud, disruptive noises in an area.
Usually, noise pollution is caused by construction or nearby transportation facilities, such as airports. Noise pollution is unpleasant, and can be dangerous. Some songbirds, such as robins, are unable to communicate or find food in the presence of heavy noise pollution. The sound waves produced by some noise pollutants can disrupt the sonar used by marine animals to communicate or locate food. How Long Does It Last?
Different materials decompose at different rates. How long does it take for these common types of trash to break down? Indoor Air Pollution The air inside your house can be polluted. Air and carpet cleaners, insect sprays, and cigarettes are all sources of indoor air pollution. Acids can corrode some natural materials.
Acids have pH levels lower than 7. Acid rain can be manmade or occur naturally. When released through a small opening, the liquid becomes a spray or foam. Also called cyanobacteria and in freshwater habitats pond scum. Carbon dioxide is also the byproduct of burning fossil fuels. It can be toxic to humans. Some CFCs have destructive effects on the ozone layer.
Also called blue-green algae even though it is not algae and in freshwater habitats pond scum. The Earth is the only place in the known universe that supports life. Nobel Prizes are awarded in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace. Ocean acidification threatens corals and shellfish. Also known as petroleum or crude oil.
Pesticides can be fungicides which kill harmful fungi , insecticides which kill harmful insects , herbicides which kill harmful plants , or rodenticides which kill harmful rodents. Regions are the basic units of geography. Sea level is determined by measurements taken over a year cycle. Storm drains flow into local creeks, rivers, or seas. Ultraviolet is often shortened to UV. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit.
The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. Caryl-Sue, National Geographic Society. Dunn, Margery G.
For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer.
If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives. In the United Nations General Assembly adopted 17 sustainable development goals designed to transform our world by The sixth goal is to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
According to the United Nations, one in three people live without sanitation. A lack of sanitation and sanitary waste management systems can reduce a community's access to clean water, and lack of access to clean water can allow diseases to run rampant, sometimes creating epidemics of water-borne infectious agents. Learning about how freshwater systems work in the wilderness, rural communities, and urban centers can help us better understand the challenges of providing clean water and sanitation to people around the world.
Humans impact the physical environment in many ways: overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. Changes like these have triggered climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality, and undrinkable water. These negative impacts can affect human behavior and can prompt mass migrations or battles over clean water.
Help your students understand the impact humans have on the physical environment with these classroom resources. Plastic is ubiquitous in our everyday lives. Some plastics we can reuse or recycle—and many play important roles in areas like medicine and public safety—but other items, such as straws, are designed for only one use.
In fact, more than 40 percent of plastic is used only once before it is thrown away, where it lingers in the environment for a long, long time. It often breaks down into smaller and smaller particles, called microplastics, which can be ingested by both animals and people. Fortunately, there are things we can do to help—like stop using plastic bags, straws, and bottles, recycling when we can, and disposing of waste properly.
Use these classroom resources to teach about ocean plastics and check back for more coming later this year! For the purposes of regulation, the United States Environmental Protection Agency identifies two broad categories of pollution: point-source pollution and nonpoint-source pollution.
Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. It also damages buildings. Watch this brief, video picture of practice that captures everyday classroom life and provides real-life examples of how students learn and think about freshwater topics. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students.
Skip to content. Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Encyclopedic Entry Vocabulary. Garbage in, garbage out. Photograph by Dennis Finley. Paper: weeks Orange peel: 6 months Milk carton: 5 years Plastic bag: 15 years Tin can: years Plastic bottle: years Glass bottle: years Styrofoam: Never. Clean Water Act. Coal Oil Point. Indoor Air Pollution Air pollution is usually thought of as smoke from large factories or exhaust from vehicles.
But there are many types of indoor air pollution as well. Heating a house by burning substances such as kerosene , wood, and coal can contaminate the air inside the house. Ash and smoke make breathing difficult, and they can stick to walls, food, and clothing. Naturally-occurring radon gas, a cancer -causing material, can also build up in homes. Radon is released through the surface of the Earth.
Inexpensive systems installed by professionals can reduce radon levels. Some construction materials, including insulation , are also dangerous to people's health. In addition, ventilation , or air movement, in homes and rooms can lead to the spread of toxic mold.
A single colony of mold may exist in a damp, cool place in a house, such as between walls. The mold's spore s enter the air and spread throughout the house. People can become sick from breathing in the spores. Effects On Humans People experience a wide range of health effects from being exposed to air pollution. Effects can be broken down into short-term effects and long-term effects.
Short-term effect s, which are temporary, include illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis. They also include discomfort such as irritation to the nose, throat, eyes, or skin.
Air pollution can also cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Bad smells made by factories, garbage, or sewer system s are considered air pollution, too. These odor s are less serious but still unpleasant. Long-term effects of air pollution can last for years or for an entire lifetime.
They can even lead to a person's death. Long-term health effects from air pollution include heart disease , lung cancer, and respiratory disease s such as emphysema. Air pollution can also cause long-term damage to people's nerve s, brain, kidney s, liver , and other organs. Some scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defect s.
Nearly 2. People react differently to different types of air pollution. Young children and older adults, whose immune system s tend to be weaker, are often more sensitive to pollution. Conditions such as asthma , heart disease, and lung disease can be made worse by exposure to air pollution.
The length of exposure and amount and type of pollutants are also factors. Effects On The Environment Like people, animals, and plants, entire ecosystem s can suffer effects from air pollution. Haze , like smog, is a visible type of air pollution that obscure s shapes and colors. Hazy air pollution can even muffle sounds.
Air pollution particles eventually fall back to Earth. Air pollution can directly contaminate the surface of bodies of water and soil. This can kill crop s or reduce their yield. It can kill young trees and other plants.
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles in the air, can create acid rain when they mix with water and oxygen in the atmosphere. These air pollutants come mostly from coal-fired power plant s and motor vehicle s. When acid rain falls to Earth, it damages plants by changing soil composition ; degrade s water quality in rivers, lakes and streams; damages crops; and can cause buildings and monuments to decay. Like humans, animals can suffer health effects from exposure to air pollution. Birth defects, diseases, and lower reproductive rate s have all been attribute d to air pollution.
Global Warming Global warming is an environmental phenomenon caused by natural and anthropogenic air pollution. It refers to rising air and ocean temperatures around the world. This temperature rise is at least partially caused by an increase in the amount of greenhouse gas es in the atmosphere.
0コメント