1. 4.3 Water, Air, & Land Resources

2. The Water Planet Water covers over half of Earth’s surface (71%)
Saltwater
Freshwater
< 1% of the water on Earth is useable to us

3. Pollution of Freshwater
Point Source
Pollution
Nonpoint Source Pollution
Comes from a known source or a specific location
Examples
Factory Pipes
Sewage treatment plant
Does not have a particular point of origin
Examples
Runoff often carries nonpoint source pollution
Rainfall
Snow

5. 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

6. 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

9. 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

10. 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

12. Motion Accelerates Erosion Activity

13. 4.4 Protecting Resources

14. How to Protect What We Have
Water
Air
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
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.

15. How You Can Prevent Water Pollution
How You Can Save Energy
Never pour household chemicals down the drain / toilet (cleaners, paints, thinners)
Never dump toxic chemicals in the gutter into the ground
Don’t put things that contain hazardous substances in the trash (batteries)
Avoid using hazardous substances in the beginning
Recycle
Let the sun in to warm rooms
Use energy – saving fluorescent bulbs
Look for the Energy Star sticker when you buy electric products
Turn off lights when you leave the room. Turn off radio, TV, or computer when not in use

16. Making an Oil Slick