People Are Working to Protect Ecosystems

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People Are Working to Protect Ecosystems

• Environmental Awareness is Growing In 1872, the
  worlds first national park was established
  (Yellowstone), starting our Countrys
  Conservation effort. This grew rapidly in the
  1960s and in the 70s many laws were passed to
  preserve protect the environment.
• CONSERVATION process of saving or protecting a
  natural resource
• Conserving Resources Protects Ecosystems
• SUSTAINABLE Practices ways of living doing
  business that use natural resources without using
  them up. Developing new technologies, reducing
  resource use, creating less waste are 3 ways to
  practice this.
• Think Globally, Act Locally

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LOCAL EFFORTS

• Grass roots efforts, occur on a local level
  are mainly run by volunteers. (Think globally,
  act locally).
• Often the efforts of a few citizens gather the
  support interest of so many people, they form a
  larger organization.
• These groups work to bring about change by
  communicating with politicians, publishing
  articles, or taking to the news media.

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Federal Efforts

• The U.S. government works with scientists to
  write laws that make sure companies citizens
  work together to conserve natural resources
  keep healthy ecosystems.
• In the 1960s NEPA (National Evironmental Policy
  Act) made the protection of natural ecosystems a
  national goal. The Clean Air Act Clean Water
  Act improved control of pollutants put into air
  water. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
  enforces all Federal Environmental Laws.

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Federal Efforts Cont.

• Over the past decades, chemical waste from
  factories has piled up in landfills polluted
  water sources. In 1980, citizen awareness led to
  the Superfund Program goal is to identify
  dangerous areas clean up the worst sites.
  Federal agencies oversee this.
• State environmental laws also apply to companies
  in that state.
• Dozens of countries have met to discuss concerns
  about clear-cutting, water pollution,
  endangered species. The United Nations
  Environment Programme encourages sound
  environmental practices worldwide.

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Improving Resource Use

• Some farmers are using sustainable methods to
  protect land give nutritious food 1/3 of US
  farmers do conservation tillage (plant seeds
  without plowing soil, cutting soil erosion by
  90)
• U.S. Forest Service encourages cutting
  selectively instead of clear-cutting, allowing
  for rapid regrowth biodiversity preservation.
• Energy companies are looking for alternative
  fuels to fossil fuels. (geothermal uses Earths
  internal heat for energy, Hydropower uses
  falling/flowing water, wind, solar are other
  alternative sources for non-polluting energy.

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Reducing Waste Pollution

• Mass transit moves large groups of people at the
  same time (bus). This reduces amount of
  pollution. Carpooling does a similar thing.
• Home reductions fluorescent light bulbs (less
  electricity), energy-efficient appliances, lower
  thermostat in winter raise it in summer, add
  insulation around doors windows, and recycle.
• Some materials are recycled into same product
  (metal glass) or new products (fleece jacket
  from recycled soda bottles, or cereal box from
  paper.

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Think Globally, Act Locally

• Visitors to an ocean beach may see sign like one
  on right. Remind people that small actions
  (avoiding sandpiper nests) make a difference in
  the preservation of ecosystems.
• Providing Earths growing population with clean
  water air, with energy for warmth
  transportation are some of the tasks. Were
  still learning of interactions in ecosystems
  how they effect our world.
• In coming years, protection of ecosystems will
  stay a major challenge.
• Think globally understand the effects of
  societys decisions about resources, development
  transportation
• Act Locally become involved in efforts to
  reduce use of limited resources restore
  ecosystems.