Environmental Pollution

module

13
a. Air pollution
b. Noise Pollution
c. Water pollution

READING WARM-UP!
Before you read this
chapter, take a few
minutes to answer the
following questions:
1. How do pollutions
affect human health
and environment?

2. What type of
pollution is evident in
your community?

3. What would be your

actions towards such
pollution?

Approximately 27, 000

of trees are cut down
each day so we can
have toilet papers. 1
Lesson 1

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
ENVIRONMENT Objectives
According to Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA)  Identify the causes of
Act of 1990, under section 38 a very lucid definition of pollution

environment was given as thus: ‘Environment includes water,

 Describe its effects on
air, land and all plants and human beings and/or animals living human health and
there in and the interrelationships which exist among these or environment. (noise,
any of them.’’ Thus, ‘’environment’’ comprises land, air, water water and atmospheric)

and all the physical structures surrounding us. Therefore

 Discuss the impacts of
Environment can be rightly referred in a general sense to as the human activities on the
totality of space, time and socio-cultural settings of man and environment
other living organisms therein. Key Terms
POLLUTION
pollution
Environmental Pollution is any discharge of material or energy noise pollution
water pollution
into water, land, or air that causes or may cause acute (short- atmospheric pollution
term) or chronic (long-term) detriment to the Earth's ecological
balance or that lowers the quality of life. Pollutants may cause
primary damage, with direct identifiable impact on the environment, or secondary
damage in the form of minor perturbations in the delicate balance of the biological food
web that are detectable only over long time periods. The industrialization of our society,
the introduction of motorized vehicles, and the explosion of the human population, have
caused an exponential growth in the production of goods and services. Coupled with this
growth has been a tremendous increase in waste byproducts. The indiscriminate
discharge of untreated industrial and domestic wastes into waterways, the spewing of
thousands of tons of particulates and airborne gases into the atmosphere, the
"throwaway" attitude toward solid wastes, and the use of newly developed chemicals
without considering potential consequences have resulted in a lot of environmental
disasters throughout the world.

Environmental pollution usually occurs as a result of energy conversions and the use of
resources which leaves their by-products behind in water, soil or air. Technology has
begun to solve some pollution problems, and public awareness of the extent of pollution
will eventually make government bodies to be more proactive rather than reactive and
also undertake more effective environmental planning and adopt more effective
antipollution measures.

CLASSIFICATION OF POLLUTIANT
The pollutants may be classified as:

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Degradable or non-persistent pollutants:

These can be broken down rapidly by the natural process e.g. Domestic waste,
garbage and sewage.

Slowly degradable or persistent pollutants:

These remains in environment for a very long period of time, in unchanged
condition, may be for few decades e.g. Pesticides, aerosole.
Non-degradable pollutants:
These are pollutants never get degraded by any natural process. E.g. Toxic
elements like lead, mercury, nuclear waste
TYPES OF POLLUTION

The following are the types of pollution perceived in our environment:

Air pollution Water pollution

Soil pollution Sound pollution

E-waste Nuclear pollution

Different Polutants
Pollutants Examples
Gases NOx, SOx, COx
Industrial Waste Soot, Smoke, Tar, Dust
Acids H2SO4 , MNO3
Agro pesticides Herbicides, Fungicides, Weedicides
Domestic Waste Garbage, Rubbish
Radioactive waste Nuclear ash from atomic reactors
E-waste From IT sector
AIR POLLUTION
Air pollution is the accumulation in the atmosphere of substances that, in sufficient
concentrations, endanger human health or produce other measured effects on living
matter and other materials. Among the major sources of pollution are power and heat
generation, the burning of solid wastes, industrial processes, and, especially,
transportation. The six major types of pollutants are carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons,
nitrogen oxides, particulates, sulfur dioxide, and photochemical oxidants.
Sources of Air Pollution

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 Combustion Processes Refining/Heating/Roasting
Processes
Farming/Mining/Quarying
Chemical Processes
Nuclear Processes Processes

Major Air Pollutants

 Carbon compounds: CO2 is released by complete combustion of fossil fuels and CO,
a very toxic gas is released by automobile exhausts.

 Sulfur compounds: through the thermal power plants, using coal and from the oil
refineries, SO2 , H2S, H2SO4, are released.

 Nitrogen Oxides:- these oxides like NO, NO2, HNO3 are released by automobiles,
power plants and industries.

 Ozone: due to cooling industries the CFC is released which has affected the O 3 in the
atmosphere.

 Fluorides: they are produced by the industrial and insecticide spary.

 Hydrocarbons:- they are released by the automobiles e.g. Benzene, Benzpyrene etc.

 Metals: the metal such as lead, nickel, tin, beryllium, titanium are present in to form
of solid particles produced by metallurgical processes.

 Photochemical matter: the product such as PAN, PB2N are the photochemical smog
produced by automobile

 Particulate matter: the suspended particulated matter (SPM) is released into the air by
the stone crushing industries and dust and the ash from the thermal power plants.

 Biological particulate: they are mainly the bacterial cells, fungal spores and pollens.

EFFECTS ON LIVING THINGS

Air pollution and human health:
 Irritation of eyes, throat, nose and respiratory system
 Respiratory damage through tobacco smoke
 Convulsions, coma due to lead poisoning
 Cigarette smoking cause cardiovascular diseases, due to cadmium particulates

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  Radioactive dust causes genetic effects on the next generation  The mercury from
combustion of fossil fuel affects the nerves, brain and kidney
Air pollution and vegetation:
 The direct use of pesticides affect the growth of metabolic activities by destroying
chlorophil and also by disrupting photosynthesis.
 Rise of ozone causes Necrosis i.e. Damaging the leaves
 The rise of NO2 causes Abscission i.e. Premature fall of leaves - results in reduction
in crop production
 Rise in SO2 causes chlorosis i.e. Yellowing of the leaves
Thus the air pollution has qualitative and quantitative effects on the plants
Air pollution and animals:
 When the animals during grazing consume the particulate coated plants mainly with
fluorine, lead, arsenic they get affected, resulting into illness or poisoning or even
death.
 The pets also suffer due to the lung diseases
 When animals are fed with oil cakes or grass, the remains of insecticides/ pesticides
settled on vegetation, harm the digestive system very severely.
Effects on climate:
 Carbon cycle is broken ( as forests are cut consumption of CO2 )
 CO2 is heavy gas and has capacity to absorb the heat. Rise of CO 2 has caused the
global warming.
 The release of CFC gases have made an impact on ozone layer due to the ozone
depletion, cosmic rays reaches to earth increasing temperature of earth.
CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTON
The following should be done to manage and control air pollution.
i. Use of better designed equipment and smokeless fuels, hearths in industries and at
home.
ii. Automobiles should be properly maintained and adhere to recent emission-control
standards.
iii. More trees should be planted along road side and houses.
iv. Renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar energy, ocean currents, should
fulfill energy needs.
v. Tall chimneys should be installed for vertical dispersion of pollutants.

Lesson 2

WATER POLLUTION

It can be defined as “the presence of impurities and foreign substance in water in such a
quantity that lowers its quality and makes it unfit for consumption and causes health
hazard or “any physical, biological or chemical change in water quality that adversely
affects living organism can be considered pollution”

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 CLASSIFICATION OF WATER POLLUTION

 Surface water pollution - ocean, rivers, lakes get polluted in number of ways.
 Ground water pollution - is often caused by pesticide contaminations from soil.
 Oxygen depleting - when biodegradable material is added to water the number of
micro-organisms increases rapidly consuming available oxygen. When this happens
harmless aerobic micro-organisms die and anaerobic micro-organisms produce
harmful toxins such as ammonia and sulfides
 Nutrients and their effect on water:- nutrients are essential for plant growth and
development. Many nutrients are found in waste water & fertilizers, if these are in
excess it can cause weed and algae growth.
 This can contaminate drinking water and clog filters
 This can damage other aquatic organisms as algae use up the oxygen in the
water
 Microbiological water pollution - it is natural way of water pollution form by micro-
organisms.
 Chemical water pollution:- industrial and agricultural work involves the use of many
different chemicals that can run-off into water and pollute it.

CAUSES OF WATER POLLUTION

The water gets polluted by various causes and at various sources which are divided as:
1. Point source – Source is identifiable (if pollution comes from single source
such as oil spill it is called point source)

2. Non-point source – Source is not identifiable. (if pollution comes from many
sources is called non-point source)

LessonPoint
3 source – Water pollution through industrial discharges:

 Industrial effluents have wide variety of organic and inorganic pollutants, e.g.
Breweries, tanneries, paper and pulp mills, dying textile industries are main source
of industrial water pollution.
 The fertilizers and chemical industries have also made problem of water pollution
a serious environmental issue.
 The heavy metal discharged from the industries such as Na, Cu, Cr, Hg, Pb & etc.
have serious effect on the living organisms.
 Their main source is incinerators, coal burning power plants. Also mine drainage
and leaching.

Non- point source – Water pollution through Agricultural discharge:

 The modern agricultural uses chemical fertilizers, chemical pesticides, herbicides,
and weedicides, which gets dissolved in water making them polluted.
 It alters pH value of water affecting aquatic animals as these animals are sensitive
to pH of water thereby threatening the aquatic ecosystem.

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  Phosphates and nitrates in the fertilizers make water rich with nutrients and it
becomes more producing – is called as Eutrophication. This reduces the oxygen
level in water thereby increasing CO2 level. This change kills the aquatic life
which further makes water more polluted.

EFFECT OF WATER POLLUTION

 Fertilizers and detergents act as nutrients and helps to grow algae which consumes
dissolved oxygen and biological oxygen demand increases thus kills aqua life.
 Domestic and commercial effluents provide more nutrients to micro-organisms
thus biological oxygen demand increases, killing aquatic life.
 Non-biodegradable pesticides travel through food chain and enters into the human
body and affect the nervous system
 Oil pollutants spill through oil tankers get spread over the water creating thin layer
over the water surface. This affects the water cycle and leads to death of water
birds and fishes.
 From mining Radio-active pollutants like uranium, thorium enters the human
bodies through food and water which get accumulated in blood thyroid glands,
liver, bones and muscles causing serious illness and death also.
 Excess amount of fluorides causes dental and intestinal problems.
 In general consumption of polluted water causes diseases like typhoid, dysentery,
cholera.

MEASURES TO CONTROL WATER POLLUTION

 Through the natural water cycle the water itself gets converted into pure water.
 Disinfection of water, in this process harmful bacteria are killed making water safe
for drinking. This is done by chlorination by using bleaching powder.
 Sedimentation, in this process suspended materials are removed from water. For
this sedimentation tanks are used these may be circular tanks having either radial
or circumferential flow, rectangular tank and hopper bottom tank.
 Filtration, in this process water is allowed to pass through a bed of coarser and fine
sand. It removes color, taste, odor and also bacteria. These filters may be pressure
filters and gravity filters.
 Softening of water, it is used to remove the hardness of water, two methods are
used – by boiling water the hardness is removed or by adding lime in the water the
hardness can be removed.
Lesson 3
NOISE POLLUTION

Noise pollution has a relatively recent origin. It is a composite of sounds generated by

human activities ranging from blasting stereo systems to the roar of supersonic transport
jets. Although the frequency (pitch) of noise may be of major importance, most noise
sources are measured in terms of intensity, or strength of the sound field. The standard

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unit, one decibel (dB), is the amount of sound that is just audible to the average human.
The decibel scale is somewhat misleading because it is logarithmic rather than linear; for
example, a noise source measuring 70 dB is 10 times as loud as a source measuring 60
dB and 100 times as loud as a source reading 50 dB. Noise may be generally associated
with industrial society, where heavy machinery, motor vehicles, and aircraft have become
everyday items. Literally speaking, noise pollution is a noise that pollutes the calmness of
society.

IMPORTANT SOURCES OF NOISE POLLUTION

 Industrial activities - pneumatic industries, textile industries, steel rolling industries,

wood cutting mills
 Transport activities - automobiles, railways, aeroplanes
 Domestic activities - T.V., Radio, tape recorder, mixers, grinders
 Cultural activities - Festivals, religious programmes, marriage functions, public
speeches
 Agricultural activity - tractors,threshers
 Defence activity - tanks, gunfire, aeroplanes, bombs, army exercises
 Mining activities - blasting
 Other activities - stone crushing, construction of dams, tunnels, roads, landslides,
and earthquakes are the natural sources of noise pollution

EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION

 The noise pollution creates temporary as well as permanent problems to the human
beings, the noise pollution can have physical, physiological and psychological
effects.

 Physical effects:
 Temporary hearing problems
 Permanent deafness
 Damage to tympanic membrane

 Physiological effects:
Headache
Pains in the heart
Reduction in the vision
Rise in blood pressure
Loss of memory

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  Psychological effects:
Depression
Fatigue
Emotional disturbance
Frustration
 Irritation
PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF NOISE POLLUTION

 Using earplugs, ear muffs, noise helmets, head phones.

 Reducing the noise pollution at source.

 Heavy vehicles should not be allowed into narrow streets.

 Heavy traffic on the residential streets must be reduced.

 Use of air pressure horns should be prohibited  Laws regarding noise pollution
must be followed.

 Areas like schools, hospitals must be kept silence zone

 Social awareness program should be taken up to educate the public about the
causes and effects of noise pollution.

 Planting bushes, trees in and around sound generating source is an effective

solution for noise pollution.

 Regular servicing and tuning of vehicles can effectively reduce noise pollution.

 Buildings can be designed with suitable noise absorbing material for walls,
windows, and ceilings.

 Soundproof doors, and windows can be installed to block unwanted sound.

 Factories and industries should be located far from the residential area

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MODULE 13 Section Activity

Name: Program&Block:
Subject: Date Submitted:

A. Multiple Choice Test: Read the question very carefully and encircle the letter of the
correct answer.

1. Which of the following is an example of natural air pollution?

a. Vehicle Exhaust c. Volcanic Ash

b. Industrial Emissions d. Cigarette Smoking

2. Chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs are responsible for_____________?

a. Creating the hole in the ozone layer

b. Creating smog
c. Auroras
d. Global Warming

3. Which of the following is a greenhouse gas?

a. Carbon dioxide c. Nitrogen

b. Argon d. Oxygen

4. Humans cause a significant amount of air pollution by burning what materials?

a. Natural fuels c. Fossil fuels

b. Plastics d. Renewable resources

5. What is the biggest single cause of air pollution?

a. Factories c. Vehicles
b. Forest fires d. Air conditions

6. Which of the following is the possible effect of water pollution to the ecosystem?

a. Ecosystem become worse due to biomagnification

b. Number of species in a particular ecosystem will decrease
c. New species will invade the habitat of the other organism
d. Abundance of food source for the organisms

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 7. Which of the following is not a natural cause of water pollution?

a. Volcanoes c. Animal waste

b. Algal blooms d. Oil spills

8. What type of water pollution can occur when sulfur dioxide gets into the Earth’s
atmosphere?

a. Oxygen depletion c. Oil spills

b. Acid rain d. Algal blooms

9. What can happen to the fishes in the sea when the sea is polluted which causes
oxygen-level in the sea to decrease?

a. They can no longer float in the water

b. They can’t see under the water
c. Nothing, fishes can live in a polluted sea
d. They will be suffocated

10. What is the unit used to measure sound?

a. Hertz c. Decibel
b. ppm d. watts

11. What is the allowed noise level by WHO in residential area?

a. 25 hertz c. 75 ppm
b. 50 decibel d. 100 watts

12. Which of the following is not a possible effect noise pollution?

a. Hypertension c. Sleep disturbances

b. Loss of hearing d. Amnesia

13. How can roadways noise be reduced?

a. Use of headphones c. Alteration of roadways surface texture

b. No vehicles allowed in the road d. Spilling water on the road

14. What is the best phrase to describe noise?

a. Unwanted noise c. stressor

b. Irritant noise d. eargasm

CRITICAL THINKING

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 Let us say that you are the barangay captain in your community and you are given
instructions from your city mayor to have a program against pollution. So, in this activity
you will, initiate an activity on how will you prevent the three types of pollution being
discussed in this module. Write your plans below. Make sure you will include the
following: Name of the program, procedure/how will you implement the
activity/activities in your program, participants and duration of your activity.
________________________________________________________________________
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module
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Solid waste Management

_______________________________________________________________________.

14 12

A. Sources and Solid waste

Lesson 1

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Objectives
Solid waste refers here to all non-liquid wastes. In general this
 Discuss the
does not include excreta although sometimes nappies and the
advantages of
face of young children may be mixed with solid waste. Solid
composting and
waste can create significant health problems and a very applying the 3R’s.
unpleasant living environment if not disposed of safely and
appropriately. If not correctly disposed of, waste may provide  Identify the sources
breeding sites for insect-vectors, pests, snakes and vermin and types of solid
(rats) that increase the likelihood of disease transmission. It waste
may also pollute water sources and the environment
 Create an informative
SOURCES AND TYPES OF SOLID WASTE poster that informs the
people about solid
In most emergency situations the main sources of solid waste
waste management
are:
 Explain the initial
 Medical centers steps of an effective
 Food stores solid waste
 Feeding centers management

 Food distribution points Key Terms

 Slaughter areas
 Warehouses solid waste
 Agency premises management
sources and types of
 Markets solid waste
 Domestic areas disposal
composting
Appropriate solid waste management strategies may
vary for institutional, communal and domestic
sources, depending on types and volumes of waste. Waste from medical
centers poses specific health hazards.
TYPE AND QUANTITY OF WASTE
The type and quantity of waste generated in emergency situations varies greatly. The
main factors affecting these are:
 The geographical region (developed or less-developed country or region);
 Socio-cultural practices and material levels affected population;
 Seasonal variations (affecting types of food variable)
 The stage of emergency (volume and composition of waste may change over
time) and
 The packing of food rations

Different categories of solid waste include:

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Organic Waste Waste form preparation of food, market places, etc.
Combustibles Paper, wood, dried leaves, packaging for relief items, etc.
Non-combustibles Metal, tin cans, bottles, stones, etc
Ashes/Dust Residue from fires used for cooking
Bulky Waste Tree branches, tyres, etc
Dead Animals Carcasses of domestic animals and livestock
Hazardous Waste Oil, battery acid, medical waste
Construction Waste Roofing, rubble, broken concrete, etc.

Initial steps of solid waste management

In order to establish effective solid waste management in the affect area the following
process should be used:

Key components of Solid Waste

Solid waste management can be divided into five key components:
 Generation
 Storage
 Collection
 Transportation
 Disposal
Generation

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Generation of solid waste is the stage at which materials become valueless to the owner
and since they have no use for them and require them no longer, they wish to get rid of
them. Items which may be valueless to one individual may not necessarily be valueless to
another. For example, waste items such as tins and cans may be highly sought after by
young children.
Storage
Storage is a system for keeping materials after they have been discarded and prior to
collection and final disposal. Where on-site disposal are implemented, such as where
people discard items directly into family pits, storage may not be necessary. In
emergency situations, especially in the early stages, it is likely that the affected
population will discard domestic waste in poorly defined heaps close to dwelling areas. If
this is the case, improved disposal or storage facilities should be provided fairly quickly
and these should be located where people are to uses them easily. Improved storage
facilities include:
 Small containers: Household containers, plastic bins, etc
 Large containers: Communal bins, oil drums, etc.
 Shallow pits
 Communal depots: Walled or fenced-in areas
In determining the size, quantity and distribution of storage facilities the number of users,
type of waste and maximum walking distance must be considered.

COLLECTION
Collection simply refers to how waste is collected for transportation to the final disposal
site. Any collection system should be carefully planned to ensure that the storage
facilities do not become overloaded. Collection intervals and volumes of collected waste
must be estimated carefully.

TRANSPORTATION
This is the stage when solid waste is
transported to the final disposal site. There are
various modes of transport which may be
adopted and the chose method depends upon
local availability and the volume of waste to
be transported. Type of transportation can be
divided into three categories:

 Human-powered: open hand-cart,

hand-cart with bins, wheelbarrow,
tricycle.
 Animal-powered: donkey-drawn cart

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  Motorised: tractor and trailer, standard truck, tripper-truck

LessonDISPOSAL
2

The technology choices outlined below are general guidelines for disposal and storage of
waste on-site, these may be adapted for the particular site and situation in question. There
are four main methods for the disposal of solid waste:

 Land application: burial or landfilling

 Composting
 Burning or incineration
 Recycling

The most common of these is undoubtedly land application, although all four are
commonly applied in emergency situations.

ON-SITE DISPOSAL OPTIONS

The technology choices outlined below are general guideline for disposal and storage of
waste on-site, these may be adapted for the particular site and situation in question.

 Communal pit disposal – The simplest solid waste management system where
dispose waste directly into a communal pit. The size of this pit will depend on the
number of people it serves. The long-term recommended objective is six cubic
meters per fifty people. The pit should be fenced off to prevent small children
falling in and should
generally not be more than
100 m from the dwellings to
be served.

Advantages: It is rapid to
implement; and requires little
operation and maintenance.

Constraints: The distance to

communal pit may cause
indiscriminate disposal and
waste workers required to
manage pits.

 Family pit Disposal –

Family pits may provide a
better log-term option where there is adequate space. These should be fairly
shallow up to 1 meter deep and families should be encouraged to regularly cover
waste with soil from sweeping or ash from fires used for cooking.

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 Advantages: Families are responsible for managing their own waste; no external
waste workers are required; and community mobilization can be incorporated into
hygiene promotion program.

Constraints: Involved considerable community mobilization for construction,

operation and maintenance of pits and considerable space is needed.

 Communal bins – Designed to collect waste where it will not be dispersed by

wing or animals, and where it can easily be removed for transportation and
disposal. Plastic containers are
generally inappropriate since they
may be blown by the wind, can be
easily be removed and may be
desirable for alternative uses.

Advantages: Bins are potentially a

highly hygienic and sanitary
management method and final
disposal of waste well away from
dwelling areas.

Constraints: Significant collection,

transportation and human resources
are required; system takes time to
implement and efficient
management is essential.

 Family bins – Family bins are rarely used in emergency situations since they
require an intensive collection and transportation system and the number of
containers or bins required is like to be huge.

Advantages: Families are responsible for maintaining collection containers and

potentially a highly sanitary management method.

Constraints: The number of bins required is too large; significant collection,

transportation and human resources are required takes time to implement and
efficient management essential.

 Communal disposal without bins- For some public institutions, such as markets
or distribution centers, solid waste management systems without bins can be
implemented whereby users dispose of waste directly onto the ground. This can
only work if cleaners are employed to regularly sweep around market stalls, gather
waste together and transport it to a designed off-site disposal site.

Advantages: System rapid to implement; there is minimal reliance on actions of

users and it may be in line with traditional/usual practice.

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 Constraints: Requires efficient and effective management and full-time waste
workers must be employed.

6
OFF-SITE DISPOSAL OPTIONS

The technology choices outlined below are general options for the final of waste off-site.

 Landfilling- Once solid waste is transported off-site it is normally taken to a

landfill site. Here the waste is placed in a large excavation (pit or trench) in the
ground, which is back-filled
with excavated soil each day
waste is tipped. Ideally, about
0.5m of soil should cover the
deposited refuse at the end of
each day to prevent animals
from digging up the waste and
flies from breeding.
The location of landfill sites
should be decided upon through
consultation with the local
authorities and the affected
population. Sites should
preferably be fenced, and at
least one kilometer downwind
of the nearest dwellings.

Advantages: A sanitary
disposal method if managed
effectively.

Constraints: A reasonably
large area is required

 Incineration – Although burning or incineration is often used ofr the disposal of

comfortable waste, this should generally only take place off-site or a considerable
distance downwind of dwellings. Burning refuse within dwelling areas may create
a significant smoke or fire haard, especially if several fires are lit simultaneously.
Burning may be sed to reduce the volume of waste and may be appropriate where
there is limited space for burial or landfill. Waste should be ignited within pits and
covered with soil once incinerated, in the same manner as landfilling.

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 Advantages: Burning reduces volume of combustible waste considerably, and it
is appropriate in off-site pits to reduce scavenging.

Constraints: There can be smoke or fire hazards.

 Composting- Simple composting of vegetables and other organic waste can be

applied in many situations. Where people have their own gardens or vegetable
plots, organic waste can be dug into the soil to add humus and fibre. This makes
the waste perfectly safe and also assists the growing process.

Properly managed composting requires careful monitoring of decomposing waste

to control moisture and chemical levels and promote microbial activity. This is
designed to produce compost which is safe to handle and which acts as a good
fertilizer.

Advantages: Composting is environmentally friendly and beneficial for crops.

Constraints: Intensive management and experienced personnel are required for

large-scale operations.

 Recycling- Complex recycling systems are unlikely to be appropriate but the

recycling of some waste items may be possible on occasions. Plastic bags,
containers, tins, and glass will often be automatically recycled since they are likely
to be scarce commodities in many situations. In most developing country contexts
there exists a strong tradition of recycling leading to lower volumes of waste than
in many more developed societies

Advantages: Recycling is environmentally friendly

Constraints: There is limited potential in most emergency situations and it is

expensive to set up.

Lesson 3
CAUSES OF INCREASE IN SOLID WASTE

• Population growth
• Increase in industrials manufacturing
• Urbanization
• Modernization
-Modernization, technological advancement and increase in global
population created rising in demand for food and other essentials. This has
resulted to rise in the amount of waste being
generated daily by each household.

ADVERSE EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGANISM DUE TO SOLID WASTE

• Populations in areas where there is no proper waste treatment method.

• Children

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 • Waste workers
• Populations living close to waste dump
• Animals

SOURCES OF HUMAN EXPOSURES

The group at risk from the unscientific disposal of solid waste include – the population in
areas where there is no proper waste disposal method, especially
 Pre-school children
 Waste workers
 Workers in facilities producing toxic and infectious material

Other high-risk group includes population living close to a waste dump and those, whose
water supply has become contaminated either due to waste dumping or leakage from
landfill sites. Uncollected solid waste also increases risk of injury, and infection.

POINTS OF CONTACT TO LIVING ORGANISM

There are number of point by which solid waste may be come in contact with living
organism such as:
• Soil adsorption, storage and biodegrading
• Plant uptake
• Ventilation
• Leaching
• Insects, birds, rats, flies and animals
• Direct dumping of untreated waste in seas, rivers and lakes results in the plants
and animals that feed on it.

IMPACTS OF SOLID WASTE ON HUMAN HEALTH, ANIMALS AND

AQUATICS LIFE

There are potential risks to environment and health from improper handling of solid
wastes. Direct health risks concern mainly the workers in this field, who need to be
protected, as far as possible, from contact with wastes. There are also specific risks in
handling wastes from hospitals and clinics. For the general public, the main risks to
health are indirect and arise from the breeding of disease vectors, primarily flies and rats.

Uncontrolled hazardous wastes from industries mixing up with municipal wastes create
potential risks to human health. Traffic accidents can result
from toxic spilled wastes. There is specific danger of concentration of heavy metals in the
food chain, a problem that illustrates the relationship between municipal solid wastes and
liquid industrial effluents containing heavy metals discharged to a drainage/sewerage
system and /or open dumping sites of municipal solid wastes and the wastes discharged
thereby maintains a vicious cycle including these some other types of problem are as
follows.
 Chemical poisoning through chemical Inhalation
 Uncollected waste can obstruct the storm water runoff resulting in flood
 Low birth weight

20
  Cancer
 Congenital malformations
 Neurological disease
 Nausea and vomiting
 Mercury toxicity from eating fish with high levels of mercury
 Plastic found in oceans ingested by birds
 Resulted in high algal population in river and sea.
 Degrades water and soil quality

PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR REDUCTION OF ADVERSE IMPACT ON

ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN

Proper solid waste management have to be undertaken to ensure that it does not affect the
environment and not cause health hazards to the people living there. At the household-
level proper segregation of waste has to be done and it should be ensured that all organic
matter is kept aside for composting, which is undoubtedly the best method for the correct
disposal of this segment of the waste. In fact, the organic part of the waste that is
generated decomposes more easily, attracts insects and causes disease. Organic waste can
be composted and then used as a fertilizer. These steps may be taken for prevention of
impact
 Generation of waste should be decreased
 Promoting the production of goods which minimize waste generation after use
 Material recycling and recovery should be increased
 Promoting the use of plastic recycling identification codes and labels in order to
make sorting and recycling of plastic packaging easier.
 Municipalities increasing their level of service to the public regarding sorting of
waste.
 Education of producers, the public and people who work in the waste sector should
be increased.
 Promoting the use of less hazardous alternatives to hazardous chemicals during
production of goods.
 Legislation in the waste sector should be improved
 Collection of hazardous waste at collection points shall be safe, secure and
performed in an environmentally sound manner.

MODULE 14 Section Activity

21
Name: Program&Block:
Subject: Date Submitted:

A. Multiple Choice Test: Read the questions very carefully and encircle the letter of the
correct answer.

1. Which of the following is not part of the key components of solid waste
management?

a. Storage c. Transportation
b. Disposal d. Hoarding

2. It is one of the key components of solid waste management which simply refers to
how waste is collected for transportation to the final disposal site.

a. Storage c. Disposal
b. Collection d. Generation

3. Stated below are ways on how the collected wastes are transported, except for?

a. Human-powered c. Motorised
b. Machine/robot-powered d. Animal-powered

4. What is the correct sequence of the first five initial steps of solid waste
management?

a. Identify types of waste-Identify sources-determine the potential health hazards

from waste- identify safe collection method- determine the volume of waste
b. identify safe collection method- Identify types of waste-Identify sources-
determine the potential health hazards from waste-determine the volume of
waste
c. Identify types of waste-Identify sources-determine the potential health hazards
from waste-determine the volume of waste-identify safe collection method
d. determine the potential health hazards from waste- Identify types of waste-
Identify sources-determine the volume of waste-identify safe collection method

5. There are four main methods for the disposal of solid waste. Which of the given
choices is erroneous?

a. burial or landfilling c. Incineration

b. Composting d. Storing

6. It refers the simplest on-site solid waste management system where dispose waste
directly into a communal pit.

a. Communal pit disposal c. Communal bins

22
 b. Family pit disposal d. Landfilling

7. A type of off-site solid waste management system that is commonly used in public
institutions, such as markets or distribution centers.

a. Communal pit disposal c. Communal bins

b. Family pit disposal d. Communal disposal without
bins

8. Which of the following does not cause increase in solid waste

a. Population growth c. Modernization

b. Increase in industrials manufacturing d. 3R’s

9. There are number of points by which solid waste may be come in contact with
living organism, except for?

a. Soil adsorption, storage and biodegrading

b. Plant uptake
c. Ventilation
d. 3R’s

10. What do 3R’s stand for?

a. Read, Recite, Reflect c. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

b. Reuse, Reduce, Replace d. Remain, Retain, Remember

CRITICAL THINKING

1. What solid waste management systems are present in your community?

__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.

2. Why do you think is your community used such solid waste management system?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________.

3. What would be the best solid waste management system to be used in your
community? Why? State at least five reasons.

Solid Waste Management System:___________________________

Reasons:




23
 


MODULE
GLOBAL WARMING

15
a. CLIMATE CHANGE
b. Causes and effect of
climate change
c. GREENHOUSE EFFECT
d. GreenHOUse gases

24
READING WARM-UP!
Lesson 1

GLOBAL WARMING
97% of climate scientists agree: Objectives
• Climate change is happening now.
 Identify the causes of
• It is being driven primarily by human activity. climate change
• We can do something to reduce its impacts and progression.
 Discuss the effects of
Weather, Climate, Climate change & Climate climate change on the
society
Variability
 Identify the actions of
Weather is the temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness the community towards
and wind that we experience in the atmosphere at a given time the issue about climate
in a specific location. change

Climate is the average weather over a long time period (30 – 50  Identify the greenhouse
years) in a region. gases and its effect.

Climate variability refers to natural variation in climate that Key Terms

occurs over months to decades. El Niño, which changes
temperature, rain and wind patterns in many regions over about causes of climate
2 – 7 years, is a good example of natural climate variability, change
also called natural variability. effects to society
weather
climate
Climate change is “a systematic change in the long-term state greenhouse effect
of the atmosphere over multiple decades or longer.”

What Causes Climate Change?

At its most basic,

climate change is caused
by a change in the
earth’s energy balance
— how much of the
energy from the sun that
enters the earth (and its
atmosphere) is released
back into space. The
earth is gaining energy
as we reduce the amount
of solar energy that is
reflected out to space —
just like people gain
weight if there is an
imbalance between
calories in and calories
out. Since the Industrial

25
Revolution started over 200 years ago, human activities have added very large quantities
of greenhouse gases (GHG) into Earth’s atmosphere. These GHG act like a greenhouse
(or a blanket or car windshield) to trap the sun’s energy and heat, rather than letting it
reflect back into space. When the concentration of GHG is too high, too much heat is
trapped, and the earth’s temperature rises outside the range of natural variability. There
are many GHG, each with a different ability to trap heat (known as its “global warming
potential”) and a different half-life in the atmosphere. GHG are sometimes called
“climate active pollutants” because most have additional effects, most notably on human
health.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the GHG responsible for greatest amount of warming to date.
CO2 accounted for 82% of all human-caused GHG emissions in the U.S. in 2013.3 The
majority of CO2 is released from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels - coal, oil, and
gas — used for electricity production, transportation and industrial processes. Together,
these three activities account for more than 80% of the CO 2 released into the atmosphere.
Other important GHG include methane, nitrous oxide, black carbon, and various
fluorinated gases. Although these gases are emitted in smaller quantities than CO 2, they
trap more heat in the atmosphere than CO 2 does. The ability to trap heat is measured as
Global Warming Potential (GWP). As the most common and abundant greenhouse gas,
CO2 has a GWP of 1, so all other GHG warming potentials are compared to it.
Fluorinated gases, for example, have GWPs thousands of times greater than CO 2,
meaning that pound-for-pound, these gases have a much stronger impact on climate
change than CO2.
In fact, together, electricity production, transportation and industrial processes account
for more than 80% of the CO2 released into the atmosphere.

Climate change is causing five critical global environmental

changes:
• Warming temperature of the earth’s surface and the oceans: The earth has warmed at a
rate of 0.13° C per decade since 1957, almost twice as fast as its rate of warming during
the previous century.

• Changes in the global water cycle (‘hydrologic’ cycle): Over the past century there have
been distinct geographical changes in total annual precipitation, with some areas
experiencing severe and long-term drought and others experiencing increased annual
precipitation. Frequency and intensity of storms increases as the atmosphere warms and
is able to hold more water vapor.
• Declining glaciers and snowpack: Across the globe, nearly all glaciers are decreasing in
area, volume and mass. One billion people living in river watersheds fed by glaciers and
snowmelt are thus impacted.

• Sea level rise: Warmer water expands, so as oceans warm the increased volume of
water is causing sea level rise. Melting glaciers and snowpack also contribute to rising
seas.

• Ocean acidification: Oceans absorb about 25% of emitted CO 2 from the atmosphere,
leading to acidification of seawater

26
 There is a lot we can do about climate change.
In general, climate solutions fall into two big buckets — “mitigation” and “adaptation.”
Increasingly, government and community organizations also talk about measures to
increase climate “resilience.” These concepts are not distinct, and are all inter-related.
From the Global Change Research Project:

• Mitigation refers to “measures to reduce the amount and speed of future climate change
by reducing emissions of heat-trapping gases or removing carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere.”

• Adaptation refers to measures taken to reduce the harmful impacts of climate change or
take advantage of any beneficial opportunities through “adjustments in natural or human
systems.”

• Resilience means the “capability to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from
significant threats with minimum damage to social well-being, the economy, and the
environment.”
Lesson 2
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

History

Svante Arrhenius (1859-1927) was a Swedish scientist who was the first to claim in 1896
that fossil fuel combustion may eventually result in enhanced global warming. He
proposed a relation between atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and temperature.
He and Thomas Chamberlin calculated that human activities could warm the earth by
adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. This was not actually verified until 1987; in
1988 it was finally acknowledged that the climate was warmer than any period since
1880. The greenhouse effect theory was named and the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) was founded by the United Nations Environmental Programme
and the World Meteorological Organization. This organization tries to predict the impact
of the greenhouse effect according to existing climate models and literature information.

The Natural Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature that the Earth experiences because
certain gases in the atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ozone,
methane, for example) trap energy that comes from the sun. These gases are usually
called greenhouse gases since they behave much like the glass panes in a greenhouse.
The glass panels of the greenhouse let in the light but keep heat from escaping and this is
similar to the effect these gasses have on earth.
Sunlight enters the Earth's atmosphere, passing through the greenhouse gases. As it
reaches the Earth's surface, land, water, and biosphere absorb the sunlight's energy. Once
absorbed, this energy is sent back into the atmosphere. Some of the energy passes back

27
into space, but much of it remains trapped in the atmosphere by the greenhouse gases.
This is the completely natural process and without these gases all the heat would escape
back into space and Earth's average temperature would be about 30 degrees Celsius (54
degrees Fahrenheit) colder. The greenhouse effect is very important process, because
without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would not be warm enough for humans to live.
But if the greenhouse effect becomes stronger, it could make the Earth warmer than
usual. Even a little extra warming may cause problems for humans, plants, and animals.

The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

Some human activities also

produce greenhouse gases and
these gases keep increasing in
the atmosphere. The change in
the balance of the greenhouse
gases has significant effects
on the entire planet. Burning
fossil fuels - coal, oil and
natural gas - releases carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere.
Cutting down and burning
trees also produces a lot of
carbon dioxide. A group of
greenhouse gases called the
chlorofluorocarbons have
been used in aerosols, such as
hairspray cans, fridges and in
making foam plastics.
Since there are more and more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, more heat is trapped,
which makes the Earth warmer. This is known as global warming. A lot of scientists
agree that man's activities are making the natural greenhouse effect stronger. If we carry
on polluting the atmosphere with greenhouse gases, it will have very dangerous effects on
the Earth. Today, the increase in the Earth's temperature is increasing with unprecedented
speed.
To understand just how quickly global warming is accelerating, consider that during the
entire 20th century, the average global temperature increased by about 0.6 degrees
Celsius (slightly more than 1 degree Fahrenheit). Using computer climate models,
scientists estimate that by the year 2100 the average global temperature will increase by
1.4 degrees to 5.8 degrees Celsius (approximately 2.5 degrees to 10.5 degrees
Fahrenheit).

Greenhouse Gases

Many greenhouse gases occur naturally in the environment, such as water vapor, carbon
dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Others such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),
perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) are created and emitted solely
through human activities. Human activities also add significantly to the level of naturally

28
occurring greenhouse gases. The principal greenhouse gases that enter the atmosphere
because of human activities are:
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2): Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through the
burning of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), solid waste, trees and wood products,
and also as a result of other chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement). Carbon
dioxide is also removed from the atmosphere (or "sequestered") when it is absorbed by
plants as part of the biological carbon cycle.
• Nitrous Oxide (N2O): Nitrous oxide is emitted during various agricultural and
industrial activities, as well as during combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste.
• Methane (CH4): Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal,
natural gas, and oil. Methane is also emitted when organic waste decomposes, whether in
landfills or in connection with livestock farming.
• Fluorinated Gases: Hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur
hexafluoride are synthetic, powerful greenhouse gases that are emitted from a variety of
industrial processes. Fluorinated gases are sometimes used as substitutes for ozone-
depleting substances (i.e., CFCs, HCFCs, and halons). These gases are typically emitted
in smaller quantities, but because they are potent greenhouse gases, they are sometimes
referred to as High Global Warming Potential gases ("High GWP gases").

Greenhouse gases vary in their ability to absorb and hold heat in the atmosphere. HFCs
and PFCs are the most heat-absorbent, but there are also wide differences between
naturally occurring gases. For example, nitrous oxide absorbs 270 times more heat per
molecule than carbon dioxide, and methane absorbs 21 times more heat per molecule
than carbon dioxide. However, carbon dioxide contributes the most, since its level in the
atmosphere is the highest.
Estimates of future emissions and removals depend in part on assumptions about changes
in underlying human activities. For example, the demand for fossil fuels such as gasoline
and coal is expected to increase greatly with the predicted growth of the U.S. and global
economies. Many, but not all, human sources of greenhouse gas emissions are expected
to rise in the future. This growth may be reduced by ongoing efforts to increase the use of
newer, cleaner technologies and other measures. Additionally, our everyday choices
about such things as commuting, housing, electricity use, and recycling can influence the
amount of greenhouse gases being emitted.

The Effects of Global Warming

With more heat trapped on Earth, the planet will become warmer, which means the
weather all over Earth will change. Since the conditions we are living in are perfect for
life, a large rise in temperature could be disastrous for us and for any other living
creatures on Earth. At the moment, it is difficult for scientists to say how big the changes
will be and where the worst effects will occur. These are some of the assumptions.

Sea Levels

Higher temperatures will make the water of the seas and oceans expand. Ice melting in
the Antarctic and Greenland will flow into the sea. All over the world, sea levels may
rise, perhaps by as much as 20 to 40 cm, by the beginning of the next century. Higher sea
levels will threaten the low-lying coastal areas of the world, such as the Netherlands and
Bangladesh. Throughout the world, millions of people and areas of land will be at danger

29
from flooding. Many people will have to leave their homes and large areas of farmland
will be ruined because of floods.

Farming

The changes in the weather will affect the types of crops grown in different parts of the
world. Some crops, such as wheat and rice, grow better in higher temperatures, but other
plants, such as maize and sugarcane, do not. Changes in the amount of rainfall will also
affect how many plants grow. The effect of a change in the weather on plant growth may
lead to some countries not having enough food. Brazil, parts of Africa, south-east Asia,
and China will be affected the most and many people could suffer from hunger.

Plants & Animals

It has taken millions of years for life to become used to the conditions on Earth. As
weather and temperature changes, the homes of plants and animals will be affected all
over the world. For example, polar bears and seals will have to find new land for hunting
and living if the ice in the Arctic melts. Many animals and plants may not be able to cope
with these changes and could die. This could cause the loss of some animal and plant
species in certain or all areas of the world.

People

The changes in climate will affect everyone, but some populations will be at greater risk.
For example, countries whose coastal regions have a large population, such as Egypt and
China, may see whole populations move inland to avoid flood risk areas. The effect on
people will depend on how well we can adapt to the changes and how much we can do to
reduce climate change in the world.
The Weather

The effects will vary in different parts of the world: some places will become drier and
others will become wetter. Although most areas will be warmer, some areas will become
cooler. There may be many storms, floods and drought, but we do not know which areas
of the world will be affected. All over the world, these weather changes will affect the
kinds of crop that can be grown. Plants, animals, and even people may find it difficult to
survive in different conditions.

Relationship Between Climate Change and Global Public Health

Consensus exists among scientists all over the globe that the world's climate is changing
and that these changes can affect human health. The more direct health effects of climate
change can include injuries and illnesses from severe weather, floods, and heat exposure;
increases in disease caused by allergies, respiratory problems, and illnesses carried by
insects or in water; and threats to the safety and availability of our food and water

30
supplies. Less direct effects can include worry, depression, and the negative impacts of
mass migration and regional conflicts.

To a large extent, public health depends on safe drinking water, sufficient food, secure
shelter, and good social conditions. A changing climate is likely to affect all of these
conditions. Warming climate as a result of the greenhouse effect is likely to bring some
localized benefits, such as decreased winter deaths in temperate climates, and increases in
food production in some regions.

However, the health effects of a rapidly changing climate are likely to be overwhelmingly
negative, particularly in the poorest communities, which have contributed least to
greenhouse gas emissions. Some of the health effects include increase in frequencies of
heatwaves, shortages in supplies of freshwater, rise in temperatures followed by variable
precipitation, which are likely to decrease the production of staple foods in many of the
poorest regions, rising sea levels, and prolongation of seasons for transmission of
important vector-borne disease, as well as the alteration of their geographical range. All
these events may lead to increased risks of:

• water-borne disease,
• malnutrition,
• coastal flooding,
• huge population displacement, and
• new diseases moving into the regions which lack either population immunity or a
strong public health infrastructure.
Measurement of health effects from climate change can only be very approximate.
Nevertheless, a WHO quantitative assessment, taking into account only a subset of the
possible health impacts, concluded that the effects of the climate change that has occurred
since the mid-1970s may have caused over 150,000 deaths in 2000. It also concluded that
these impacts are likely to increase in the future.

MODULE 15 Section Activity

Name: Program&Block:
Subject: Date Submitted:

31
A. Multiple Choice Test: Read the questions very carefully and encircle the letter of the
correct answer.

CRITICAL THINKING

Directions: On the given space, provide what is asked

1. Is climate change preventable?
________________________________________________________________________.

2. What significant contribution/s can a student like you do in response to climate

change?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________.

3. Create an advocacy campaign by making a poster that tells about how the
community will help to control climate change.

32
BIODIVERSITY module

a.
16
HABITAT LOSS
b. CLIMATE CHANGE
c. OVEREXPLOITATION
d. INVASIVE ALIEN
SPECIES

READING WARM-UP!

Before you read this

chapter, take a few
minutes to answer the
following question:

4. What are the factors

that causes global
warming?

The first two satellites of

of the Philippines were
named Diwata 1 and
Diwata 2. 33
Lesson 1

BIODIVERSITY
Objectives
Biodiversity, the diversity of life on Earth, is essential to the
healthy functioning of ecosystems. Habitat loss and  Define biodiversity in
overexploitation, driven by our rapid population growth, their words
are the primary causes of biodiversity loss which is now
 Identify and discuss
happening up to ten thousand times faster than for millions of the major threats of
years before. biodiversity

"We are in a bottleneck of overpopulation and wasteful  Discuss the role of

people in maintaining
consumption that could push half of Earth’s species to the biodiversity
extinction in this century."
 Explain eutrophication
– E.O. Wilson process

The Major Threats to Biodiversity and

Key Terms
The Role of People
Every day we are faced with choices. As individuals we must biodiversity
habitat loss
decide what to eat, what to wear, how to get to school, and so overexploitation
on. Schools, businesses, governments and other groups also climate change
make choices. Some of these choices impact biodiversity, the pollution
invasive species
variety of life on Earth. Sometimes our choices have positive
impacts, for instance when we decide to use biodiversity
sustainably or to protect it better. Increasingly, however,
many of our actions are having negative consequences for biodiversity. In fact, human
activities are the main cause of biodiversity loss.

The negative impacts of our actions have become so great that we are losing biodiversity
more quickly now than at any other time in Earth’s recent history. Scientists have
assessed more than 47
000 species and found
that 36 percent of these
are threatened with
extinction, the state
whereby no live
individuals of a species
remain. In addition,
extinction rates are
estimated to be between
50 and 500 times higher
than those observed
from fossil records or
the so-called

34
“background rate”. When species which are possibly extinct are included in these
estimates, the current rate of species loss increases to between 100 and 1 000 times larger
than the background rate! The current rate of biodiversity loss has led many to suggest
that the Earth is currently experiencing a
sixth major extinction event, one greater than that which resulted in the extinction of the
dinosaurs. However, unlike past extinction events, which were caused by natural disasters
and planetary changes, this one is being driven by human actions.

The MAIN THREATS to biodiversity

There are five main causes of biodiversity loss:

 Habitat loss
Each of these causes, or “direct drivers”, puts
 Climate change
tremendous pressure on biodiversity and often they
 Overexploitation
occur at the same time in the same ecosystem or
 Invasive Alien Species environment.
 Pollution

Habitat loss occurs when natural

environments are transformed or modified
to serve human needs. It is the most
significant cause of biodiversity loss
globally. Common types of habitat loss
include cutting down forests for timber and
opening up land for agriculture, draining
wetlands to make way for new development
projects, or damming rivers to make more
water available for agriculture and cities.
Habitat loss can also cause fragmentation,
which occurs when parts of a habitat (the
local
environment in which an organism is
usually found) become separated from one
another because of changes in a landscape,
such as the construction of roads.
Fragmentation makes it difficult for species to move within a habitat, and poses a major
challenge for species requiring large tracts of land such as the African forest elephants
living in the Congo basin. Though some habitat loss is necessary to meet human needs,
when natural habitats are changed or modified with little concern for biodiversity the
results can be very negative.

Ever more people need ever more space. Damaging human activity continues to encroach
on natural environments, thereby destroying the habitats of countless species. As our
numbers rise, cities and industrial areas are growing and merging into each other,
fragmenting the remaining habitat and leaving isolated “islands” of natural populations of

35
 plants and animals too small to survive. According to IPBES, only one quarter of land
areas and one third of oceans remain relatively undamaged by human activity.

Climate change, which is caused by a build-up of greenhouse gases such as

carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere, is a growing threat to biodiversity. Climate
change alters the climate patterns and ecosystems in which species have evolved and on
which they depend. By changing the temperature and rain patterns species have become
accustomed to, climate change is changing the traditional ranges of species. This forces
species to either move in order to find favorable conditions in which to live, or to adapt to
their new climate. While some species may be able to keep up with the changes created
by climate change, others will be unable to do so. Biodiversity in the polar regions.

Ever more people produce ever more climate emissions. Our planet is on the verge of a
climate crisis due to our endless production of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide
and methane. We are headed for a 3°C warmer world by the end of the century if we do
not step up action on climate change. We are already seeing species decline due to global
temperature increase. Every half a degree of warming has a huge knock-on effect on
ecosystems, with mobile species running out of areas to migrate to and temperature-
sensitive organisms like corals undergoing massive die-offs. When keystone species like
reef-building corals disappear, the rich and complex ecosystems they support collapse as
well.

Overexploitation, or unsustainable
use, happens when biodiversity is
Lesson 2 removed faster than it can be
replenished and, over the long term,
can result in the extinction of species.
For example:

• The once-plentiful cod fishery off the

coast of Newfoundland, Canada has all
but disappeared because of
overfishing;

• Freshwater snakes in Cambodia are

declining from hunting pressure;

• Encephalartos brevifoliolatus, a
cycad, is now extinct in the wild after being overharvested for use in horticulture;

• Overexploitation, especially when combined with destructive harvesting

practices, is a major cause of biodiversity loss in certain ecosystems.
Ever more people need ever more things. Humankind’s relentless consumption of
resources such as timber, oil and minerals is continuing to destroy natural habitats around
the globe. We are also putting enormous pressure on populations of wild species, both by
bushmeat hunting in the developing world and by large-scale industrial fishing in our

36
seas. Wildlife poaching and trafficking still present a huge threat to many species,
including rhinos, tigers and pangolins. 
Invasive alien species (IAS), or
species that have spread outside of their
natural habitat and threaten biodiversity in
their new area, are a major cause of
biodiversity loss. These species are
harmful to native biodiversity in a number
of ways, for example as predators,
parasites, vectors (or carriers) of disease
or direct competitors for habitat and food.
In many cases invasive alien species do
not have any predators in their new
environment, so their population size is
often not controlled. Some IAS thrive in
degraded systems and can thus work in
conjunction with or augment other
environmental stressors. IAS may also
cause economic or environmental damage, or adversely affect human health. The
introduction of invasive alien species can be either intentional, as with the introduction of
new crop or livestock species, or accidental such as when species are introduced through
ballast water or by stowing away in cargo containers. Some of the main vectors (carriers)
for IAS are trade, transport, travel or tourism, which have all increased hugely in recent
years.

Ever more people means ever more travel. Human travel across the world has a very
large emissions footprint but it has also allowed the spread of invasive species, both
accidental and intentional. As a consequence of the introduction of non-native species to
some areas, such as rabbits and cats in Australia, goats on St. Helena, and American mink
in Great Britain, we have put many vulnerable ecosystems at risk, threatening native
species and diminishing biodiversity.

The final driver of biodiversity loss

is pollution. Pollution, in particular from
nutrients, such as nitrogen and
phosphorus, is a growing threat on both
land and in aquatic ecosystems. While the
large-scale use of fertilizers has allowed
for the increased production of food, it
has also caused severe environmental
damage, such as eutrophication (see
below).

EUTROPHICATION

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In eutrophic water bodies, such as lakes and ponds, the concentration of chemical
nutrients is so high that algae and plankton begin to grow rapidly. As these plants grow
and decay, the water quality and the amount of oxygen in the water decline. These
conditions make it difficult for many species to survive. The excess nutrients that cause
this situation mostly come from fertilizers, erosion of soil containing nutrients, sewage,
atmospheric nitrogen deposition and other sources.

The Troublesome toad

Saadia Iqbal, Youthink!

It all started with some beetles that were

destroying sugarcane crops in Australia. A
type of toad called the cane toad was

brought in from Hawaii, with the hope that

they would eat the beetles and solve the
problem. Well, the toads left the beetles
alone, but ate practically everything else,
becoming full-fledged pests in their own
right. Now they are running amok, preying
on small animals and poisoning larger ones
that dare to try eating them. Scientists are
still trying to figure out what to do.

Arctic sea ice and Biodiversity

In the Arctic, ice is the platform for life. Many groups of species are adapted to life on
top of or under ice. Many animals use sea ice as a refuge from predators or as a platform
for hunting. Ringed seals need certain ice conditions in the spring for reproduction, while
polar bears travel and hunt on the ice. Algae even grow on the underside of ice floating
on the ocean. Ice is also the surface for transportation and is the foundation of the cultural
heritage of the native Inuit people. The pattern of annual thawing and refreezing of sea
ice in the Arctic Ocean has changed dramatically in the first years of the twenty-first
century. The extent of floating sea ice, measured every September, has declined steadily
since 1980 (shown by the red trend line). Not only is the ice shrinking, but it is also much
thinner.

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MODULE 16 Section Activity

Name: Program&Block:
Subject: Date Submitted:

A. Multiple Choice Test: Read the questions very carefully and encircle the letter of the
correct answer.

1. Biodiversity is a short term for__________________.

a. Biological diversity c. Biological diverse
b. Biological diversified d. All of the above

2. Abiotic factors are non-living things which determines the survival of an organism.
Which of the following is an abiotic factor?

a. Habitat c. Sunflower
b. Niche d. Wind

3. Which among the organisms on earth has the greatest number identified or named?
a. Animals c. Plants
b. Fungi d. Bacteria

4. An endangered species is _______________.

a. A species in danger of extinction

b. A species growing on public land
c. An organism brought to a place where it has not lived before
d. A species that has disappeared entirely.

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 5. An invasive species is _______________.

a. A species in danger of extinction

b. A species growing on public land
c. An organism brought to a place where it has not lived before
d. A species that has disappeared entirely.

6. Which of the following would be most effective in slowing the loss of

biodiversity?

a. Freezing fertilized eggs of endangered animals in case the species

become extinct in the wild.
b. Setting aside small plots of land in a variety of ecosystems, such as
forests, grasslands, ad marshes
c. Creating large parks/preserves in biodiversity hotspots
d. Requiring every country to maintain a seed ban

7. Reasons for preserving biodiversity include all of the following except?

a. Isolating unique biodiversity so it can be incorporated into existing crops.

b. Increasing the chance of discovering organisms with medicinal value.
c. Preventing natural evolution
d. Finding new plants that can supplement the world’s food supply

8. Why is biodiversity important to ecosystems?

a. It allows animals to feed permanently from one type of plant

b. It increases at each level of the food chain
c. It helps populations adapt to ecological changes
d. It reduces the number of insects in a given ecosystem

9. The major human causes of extinction today are________________?

a. Hunting and destroying habitats

b. Polluting and introducing non-native species
c. Both a and b
d. Neither a nor b

10. How can zoos, botanic gardens, and wildlife parks help save species?

a. By preserving threatened species from destruction.

b. By collecting species from remote wilderness areas.
c. By participating in captive breeding programs.
d. Both a and c

CRITICAL THINKING
1. Explain the difference between an endangered species and a threatened species.

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 __________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________.

2. Briefly explain three ways to save endangered species.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________.

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