Environmental Health Unit: Water Pollution Lesson

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 PollutionCan come from a number of

different sources:Single source (oil spill) =

point-source pollutionMany sources = nonpoint-

source pollutionAffects 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:

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

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???http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTurihxSTnI&feature=grec_index

What can you do?

Think Globally, Act Locally.

Preventing PollutionConserve 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 fertilizersThis 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 PollutionIndustrial:

Sewage goes through a number of chambers and chemical processes to reduce the amount and toxicity of the waste.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1_kbt_waP8 (6:30)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW6GBciRHLg

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?http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23358591/

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.