1. Name all the ways in the text that humans are affecting the environment in a negative way. Explain each problem and what is causing the damage. Suggest ways in which you can contribute to the solution to these problems. Do for each problem.

Acid Rain- Low pH levels in precipitation causing the destruction of the ecosystem. The cause is the burning of high sulfur coal without precautions in the smoke stakes. This high acidity smoke mixes with clouds and falls to the earth as acid rain. I can help to solve this problem by writing letters to congressman to tell them to support laws that require scrubbers in the smoke stacks.

Ozone Depletion- This is the slow removal of the ozone layer in the atmosphere. It is a problem because more ultraviolet radiation is let onto the earth’s surface. The cause is the use of CFC, Halon, Carbon Tetrachloride, and HCFC. These chemicals break the three oxygen molecules of ozone into two oxygen molecules which do not prevent the ultraviolet radiation from reaching the earth. I can help solve this problem by not using any products that contain these harmful chemicals.

Pollution- This is the dumping of unwanted material into the sea, land, or air. The cause is the over use of products and non-effective of wastes. I can help solve this problem by, taking public transportation, recycling, and not waste materials.

Consumption of Non-renewable Resources- This is over use of resources that renew very slowly. Such as oil, coil, and fossil fuels. This becomes a problem there is a lack of these resources. These resources may be used sparingly, thou. I can help with this problem by finding alternative energy to use in my daily life.

Loss of Top Soil- The loss of top soil is due to over grazing by farm animals, and the exposing of top soil to erosion by clear cutting forests. This is a problem because top soil takes a long time to repair and is necessary for growing crops and maintaining forests. I can spread the word to farmers to mange their land beater, so that they will not destroy the top soil within the next couple of years.

Pollution and Depletion of Ground Water- This problem occurs when wastes and garbage are not properly stored. They leak and contaminate ground water. Ground water is necessary because it provides a large portion of the worlds fresh water. I can help solve this problem by properly storing house hold chemicals so they do not leak, and get into the water cycle.

Extinction of Species- This problem is caused by clear cutting of forests, and poaching. It is a problem not only because humans have no right to rid the earth of a species, but we do not know what resources these species may contain. I can write to politicians to tell them to support tougher laws against clear cutting, and poaching.

Overpopulation- This problem is a very hard one to solve. It is caused by the lack of education of people as well as religious beliefs that prevent use of birth control. I can contribute to the solution of this problem by helping to educate people about the use of birth control.

Storm drains-When rain falls it is collected in a storm drain and then goes directly to the river, sometimes without any treatment. People sometimes contribute bad things to the water before it goes down the drains - sometimes by accident and sometimes on purpose. Maybe a person was fertilizing their lawn and it rained without warning, or maybe someone was painting their curb or putting concrete on their sidewalks - the water going into the drain is contaminated, but not on purpose. Sometimes people are just sneaky and try to get rid of their garbage in storm drains. Such things as fertilizers, antifreeze, paint, grass cuttings, oil, car battery acid, animal waste, fire crackers and furnace filters have all been dumped into storm drains by people who are too lazy to get them disposed of in the right way. I can help with this storm drain problem by being careful not to let any harmful substances from my own home be accidentally or purposely be washed down the storm drain to contaminate the river, and also to try and tell as many other people as I can about the dangers of washing hazardous materials down the storm drains.

Land fill- This is how an ideal landfill should work. All materials that can be recycled, such as glass, metals, cardboard, newspapers, plastic and organic materials should be separated from other materials that will disintegrate naturally in the landfill. These materials should be taken to a recycling plant and be reused. Unfortunately, most cities do not have recycling programs that are this complex. Most communities can recycle basic items like newspaper and cardboard, but the majority of garbage of most communities is still taken to the landfill, even though it could be recycled. Landfills continue to get most of the recyclable garbage because it is not economical for the garbage to be recycled. Selecting a landfill site is very difficult. You have to make sure that it is geologically stable, meaning it is not over any fault lines, and that there are not any aquifers, or ground water that could be contaminated near the area. Humans, by dumping unnecessary garbage into the landfill are filling them up before their time, so new sites have to be selected. A friend of mine who lived in Germany said that country is so out of room for new development that most of Germany’s garbage is put on boats and sent to China. At the rate we are going, soon we will run out of secure places to make landfills, and someday, maybe soon, there won’t be any place to put all of our garbage. I can contribute to the solution of this problem by recycling everything I can, even if it is not convenient to recycle things like glass and metal, and we have to drive a long way to recycle them. I can also encourage other people to do the same.