1. Earth Science 4.4 Protecting Resources

2. Key Concepts Students will learn. . .
When were the first laws passed protecting against water pollution
What was the most important law passed to deal with air pollution
What is involved in protecting land resources

3. World’s Resources
Each year, Americans throw out about 30 million cell phones, 18 million computers, 8 million TV sets, and enough tires to circle the planet about three times
6% of the world’s population uses about 33% of the world’s resources and creates about 33% of the world’s garbage

4. Conservation
This enormous consumption of products that are discarded on a regular basis wastes many of our precious resources which are already nonrenewable
Many people think conservation and pollution prevention is the answer.
Conservation is the careful use of resources

5. Pollution and It’s Affects
Between the late 1940s and the 1970s, a number of serious pollution disasters attracted attention worldwide in the news
In the US and Europe, air pollution sickened thousands
Oil spills of the Alaskan coast threatened hundreds of miles of coastline and killed millions of sea creatures; both fish and mammals
In 1969, the Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught on fire from the large amount of pollutants on it’s surface

6. Clean Water Act 1972
Starting in the 1970’s, the federal Government passed several laws to prevent or decrease pollution and to protect the environment
1972 Congress passed the Clean Water Act (CWA)
This law required industries to reduce or eliminate point-source pollution into surface waters
It led to a large increase in sewage treatment plants which helped to eliminate discharge into bays, lakes and rivers
Because of the CWA, surface waters that were safe for swimming and fishing increased form 36% to 62%

7. The Safe Drinking Water Act
The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 helped protect our water resources by safeguarding our drinking water supply
It set maximum levels of contaminants allowed for a number of known pollutants that we know are harmful to the public health.
Because of these two laws; our water supply is cleaner than it was 30 years ago

8. Protecting Our Air
In 1970, Congress also passed the Clean Air Act. This is the nation’s most important law guarding us from air pollution.
It established acceptable levels for six major pollutants that affect health and the environment
Carbon monoxide
ozone,
Lead
Sulfur dioxide
Nitrogen oxides
Fine particles (soot, etc)
This set of acceptable levels is known as the NAAQS or
National Ambient Air Quality Standards

9. Protecting Our Air
Once these set of standards for air quality were established, air monitors were set up in all communities.
If levels exceed the allowable limit in a community, the Federal Government requires the community to come up with a plan to correct the problem and bring emissions to an allowable level
Between 1970 and 2001, the levels of these six key pollutants have decreased by 24% as a result of the Clean Air Act while energy consumption increased by 42%

10. Contributing Factors to Cleaner Air
Many factors have assisted the Clean Air Act in reducing emissions of pollutants
Today power plants and automobiles use pollution control devices to reduce or eliminate pollutants
Power plants use low-sulfur coal when available
Increased use of clean alternate energy sources such as hydroelectric, wind and water turbines reduce pollution
Energy conservation through more efficient heating of homes and improvements in insulation of homes has saved considerable amounts of energy as well, reducing usage

11. Protecting Land Resources
Protecting land resources involves preventing pollution and managing resources wisely.
Farmers now use many soil conservation practices to prevent the loss of topsoil and preserve soil fertility
Contour plowing; plowing across the contour of a hill to reduce runoff erosion
Strip cropping; planting crops with different nutrient values in adjacent rows
Selective cutting of trees in forests as opposed to clear-cutting everything
Natural fertilizers such as organic composts and pest-control methods vs. commercial chemicals

12. Protecting Land Resources
How we deal with landfills has changed radically in the past 30 years as well.
Since 1977, sanitary landfills have largely replaced old-style landfills.
Sanitary landfills have plastic or clay liners that prevent wastes from leaking into the soil or groundwater.

13. Protecting Land Resources
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 has decreased the illegal dumping of hazardous waste.
The law requires companies to store, transport, and dispose of hazardous wastes according to strict guidelines.
The 1980 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund) mandates the cleaning up of abandoned hazardous waste sites that are a danger to the public or the environment

14. Recycling
Another important method of conserving and protecting our natural resources is to use less of those resources by recycling materials that have been used already.
Recycling is the collecting and processing of used items so they can be made into new products.

15. Computer Lab: Guided Research
Go on the internet and research the following topic:
Find 10 different ways you can contribute to recycling in your community; list where in your community you can bring things. Be specific