1. Impact of Human Activities on the Natural Environment

2. Human Footprint
the effects humans have on our planet

3. WHAT IS GLOBAL CHANGE ?
Global change includes natural and human- induced changes in the Earth's environment .
Global change can be defined as changes in the global environment (including alterations in climate, land productivity, oceans or other water resources, atmospheric chemistry, and ecological systems) that may alter the capacity of the Earth to sustain life.

4. Human dependence on the natural Environment
a resource for food supply
a major source of medicines
an energy source
a source for recreation
natural resources for industrial products

5. The earth is constantly changing.

6. Ecological Overshoot
The WWF's (World Wildlife Fund) Living Planet Report 2004 confirms that humanity is now consuming over 20 % more natural resources than the Earth can regenerate.
We are plundering the planet at a pace that outstrips its capacity to support life.

7. Current Global Situation
It now takes the Earth one year and four months to regenerate what we use in a year.

8. Human activity = Impacts
Human activity is a major cause of environmental change
Environment degradation has an impact not only on human beings but on all species and most natural systems

9. How Big is Your Footprint?
Each and every living organism consumes the Earth's resources in order to survive.
However, this consumption and subsequent waste has an impact on our ecosystems.
When these consumption and waste activities extend beyond the earth's carrying capacity, an imbalance is struck and ecological degradation ensues.

10. Carbon Footprint
A measure of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted through fossil fuel combustion.

11. Human population growth
Our population is rapidly rising beyond the earth's ability to regenerate and sustain us .
We are exceeding the carrying capacity of our planet.

12. Impact of Population Growth
Deforestation
Over exploitation of Bioresources
Pollution
Rapid mining of non-biological resources

13. Population growth leads to
Industrialization
Burning fossil fuels
Non-renewable resources
Pollution
Increased CO2 levels

14. Acid Rain
Burning of fossil fuels releases sulphates and nitrates into air
Sulphates and nitrates mix with water vapor in air and form sulphuric acid and nitric acid

15. Acidification of lakes
Lakes and ponds can become so acidified that no life can live in them!

16. Deforestation Population growth leads to the loss of natural habitats
Cut down trees to build new homes
Loss of biodiversity
Loss of oxygen producers and CO2 eliminators

17. Herbicides and Pesticides
We spray pesticides and herbicides with out knowing the consequences
DDT - (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane)
Used to combat Malaria, Typhus, other insect borne diseases

18. DDT Claimed to be a miracle No effect on humans
Can build up in the environment
Biological magnification

19. Human health impacts of pesticidal pollution
Affect and damage the nervous system.
Cause liver damage.
Damage DNA and a variety of cancers
Cause reproductive and endocrine damage.
Cause other acutely toxic and chronic effects.

20. Bioaccumulation of DDT
Accumulated to such levels in top predators that it started having lethal effects.
Endangered many species of birds, Including our Bald Eagles.

21. Ozone depletion
In the ’80’s it became apparent that the ozone layer was disappearing
It was confirmed that is was directly caused by human activity

22. CFC’s Chloro-Fluoro-Carbons
Aerosols - leaking into the atmosphere and eating away the ozone
Freon is also a CFC

23. Global Warming Increase in CO2 Increase in greenhouse effect
Increase in global temperatures

25. Pollution Water Pollution
Nutrient loading – runoff from fertilization = eutrophication
Affects drinking water
Oil Spills
Gasoline spills

26. Exxon Valdez

27. BP – Gulf Coast

28. Biodiversity

29. Threats to Biodiversity

30. Who dominates the earth?
Estimates of total number of species:
(some taxa may be much higher.)
10-30 million insects
5-10 million bacteria
1.5 million fungi
~1 million mites