Humans and the Environment

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Humans and the Environment
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Responsibility

• Humans have a responsibility to protect the Earth
  we live on.
• We can not just take care of the Earth and its
  resources for the benefit of ourselves, but for
  future generations as well.

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Sustaining our Resources Conservation

• Humans must carefully use our resources so that
  the supply will last longer.
• Conserve energy
• Converse soil
• Conserve forests
• Conserve water

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Humans and the Water

• Sewage discharge
• Nutrient runoff
• Petroleum spills
• Industrial waste
• Thermal pollution

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Humans and the Land

• Mining damage
• Farmland damage

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Protecting our Planet with Environmental Laws

• EPA (1970) - Environmental Protection Agency
  protects all aspects of environmental health
• Lacey Act (1900)- first federal law to address
  wildlife conservation
• NEPA (1969)- National Environmental Policy Act is
  the most important of all environmental laws that
  requires federal agencies to consider the
  environmental impact before beginning building
  projects.
• OSHA (1970) - Occupational Safety and Health Act
  makes sure that people are safe at work

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Environmental Laws Continued

• Clean Air and Water Acts (1970 and 1972) -
  improve the air we breathe and all water sources
• FIFRA - Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
  Rodenticide Act (1972) - controls the
  distribution, sale and use of these products
• Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (1977)
  - minimizes the negative effects of mining
• Food Security Act (1985) - the Farm Bill
  protects farmland

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Environmental Laws at Work

• As a result of the CAA levels of carbon monoxide,
  sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides have
  decreased.
• EPA in the 1970s phased out lead in gasoline.
  Now toxic lead levels in human blood has dropped
  dramatically.
• The number of fishable and swimmable lakes
  increased from 36 to 60 percent.

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Environmental Laws at Work Continued

• Chesapeake Bay Rescue
• Stopping Delaware River Pollution
• Nuclear Waste Safety
• Drinking Water Protection
• Cleaning up Mercury Protection
• Saving Swamps
• Protecting Endangered Species