Looking after

our
environment;
Pollution, Conservation
and Waste Management

Pollution
Pollution

is the process by which harmful

substances are added to the
environment by humans.
Examples

Soil pollution
Water pollution
Air pollution
Greenhouse effect

Soil pollution
Soil

pollution is mainly caused by acid

rain, overuse of fertilisers and slurry on
land and improper dumping of wastes.

Water pollution
The

main causes of water pollution are:

badly treated sewage waste
oil spills
the dumping of household, farming and
industrial wastes

Effects of water pollutants

When

nutrients enter a water supply

they cause more algae to grow in the
water, this is known as an algal bloom.
When the algae die, bacteria cause
them to decompose. The bacteria use up
all of the oxygen in the water to do this.
With no oxygen left in the water, all of
the plants and animals die.

Algal Bloom

Air pollution
The

main source of air pollution is the burning

of fossil fuels e.g. coil, turf, gas and oil.
Burning these fossil fuels adds more carbon
dioxide into the air.
With the increased carbon dioxide the Earth is
heating up, this is known as global warming.
Global warming is causing ice to melt resulting
in flooding and the destruction of habitats.

Effects of air pollutants

1.

Acid rain this is

caused form sulphur
and nitrogen oxides
from burning,
dissolved in
rainwater. Acid rain
burns leaves, kills
plants and animals
and dissolves
limestone.

Effects of air pollutants

2.

3.

Greenhouse gases this is caused from

increased levels of carbon dioxide. This
causes the Earth to warm up resulting in
floods and weather changes.
Less ozone Chemicals called CFCs
(chloro-flurocarbons) found in aerosols and
fridges cause reduced ozone levels. This
allows more UV rays from the sun onto our
planet which can cause skin cancer.

Conservation
Conservation

is the protection and wise

management of natural resources to
prevent living things becoming extinct.
Examples

National parks
Hedgerow and bogland conservation
Listing of threatened species e.g. lizard, frog
and stoat in Ireland
Zoos and wildlife parks by breeding
endangered species

Waste management
Waste

management involves managing

the disposal of our waste products
Examples

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle campaign

Compost bin vegetable peelings and
garden waste.
Incineration

Types of waste
management
On

handout

Problems of poor waste

management
Wastes

may contain microorganisms that

could cause disease.
Poisonous chemicals from waste may get into
the air, soil or water.
Waste that is dumped in landfill sites may
cause smells, it can be unsightly and can
attract rats and gulls.
Incinerators burn wastes at high
temperatures, however this is thought to
release poisonous gases into the air.

Negative effects of humans

on the environment
Air

pollution
Habitat destruction (e.g. deforestation,
overhunting, etc)
Worlds largest garbage dump

Positive effects of humans on

the environment
Protection

of endangered species
Tree planting
By reducing the levels of CFCs released
the ozone layer can build itself back up
again.