Latin America

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Latin Americas Environmental ConcernsSS6G2
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Air Pollution in Mexico City

• nearly 20 million people live here
• second most populated city in the world--Tokyo is
  first
• citys population location contribute to its
  bad air pollution problem
• considered to be the most polluted city in the
  world

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Air Pollution Over Mexico City
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Air Pollution Over Mexico City
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Causes of Air Pollution

• huge population lots of cars
• high elevation--less oxygen so fuels dont fully
  burn
• --higher level of gases that harm eyes, lungs,
  the heart
• Sierra Madre mountains surround city trap in
  polluted air

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Surrounded by Mountains
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EFFECTS

• Air pollution
• Increase in asthma
• Acid Rain

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Solutions

• To reduce air pollution, the city promotes public
  transportation (buses, subway).
• The city is also testing buses that run on
  cleaner burning fuels.
• new restrictions on car use
• workshops to teach people about the environment

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Amazon Rainforest

• largest rainforest in the world
• most of the rainforest is in Brazil
• experiences a hot, humid, rainy tropical
  climate
• home to a huge variety of plants, trees, insects,
  birds, animals
• produces 1/3 of the earths oxygen

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Amazon Rainforest
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Destruction of the Amazon Rainforest

• The Brazilian government built a major highway
  system.
• opened rainforest to loggers
• Brazils population has increased

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Before
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After
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Results of Deforestation

• Plants animals are losing their homes many are
  endangered, and some are becoming extinct.
• Loss of trees increases carbon dioxide, a gas
  that contributes to global warming.

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Solutions

• The government is passing laws to limit the
  number of trees
• replant

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Oil-Related Pollution in Venezuela

• One of the worlds leading producers of oil
• has been producing oil for about 100 years
• Oil production has boosted economy
• Main source of income for many people
• Oil production results in toxic wastes, air
  pollution, oil spills

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Result of Drilling for Oil
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Causes

• Drilling

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Effects

• Venezuelas coast has become polluted with oil.
• The environment is damaged
• Fishing industry is hurt
• Breathing problems for children and elderly

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Effects

• Oil businesses have damaged Lake Maracaibo
  (largest lake in South America).
• Large amounts of oil have been removed from the
  area so the land is changing.
• eastern shore of the lake is dropping about three
  inches a year
• government is having to take precautions to keep
  water from flooding into nearby towns

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Problems

• Money from selling oil is the countrys main
  source of income.
• Venezuelans are motivated to keep producing,
  selling, and burning oil--and polluting.

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Solutions

• renewable energy sources and the clean-up and
  prevention of pollution.