Students will research all sides of an environmental issue to gain a better unde
ID: 294681 • Letter: S
Question
Students will research all sides of an environmental issue to gain a better understanding of the issue and to articulate a position based on the evidence they have collected.
Students prepare a position paper that includes their opinions, viewpoints, feelings, and the evidence that supports them. The main reason for this activity is for the students to use their critical thinking skills to analyze the different arguments of an issue and then articulate their own position on the issue (supported by evidence). A two-page position paper guideline for the students is included below.
The paper is to be a position paper on any environmental issue.
Explanation / Answer
1) Air pollution and water pollution -
The mixing of undesirable substance in the air which changes the concentration of oxygen by human activities or by natural activities is known as Air pollution while water pollution is define aa changes brought about in physical /chemical and biological properties of water which makes it unfit for the use by the humans and by other species.
Air pollutant - any substance which causes undesirable change which brings bad effects in air are called air pollutant. Ex- smoke, carbon compounds (carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide) , nitrogen compounds, iniozation radiation.
Examples of water pollutant - DDT, pesticides, insecticides, aluminum cans, mercury salt, sewage, fertilizers.
Effects of air pollution -
*On plants -
:Florides causes the collapsing of leaf tissues this is known as neurosis. Maize is highly sensitive to Florides.
: oxides of nitrogen causes dropping of leaves and birth death resulting in stunted growth and small group.
*On man -
:Air born pollutants causes very allergic reactions bronchitis, lung cancer, and T. B
:depletion of ozone layer is causing skin cancer.
*On climates -
:Aerosols containing fluorocarbon produced by the jet plane emissions is continously depleting the ozone layer in atmosphere.
: infrared rays which results in increase of atmospheric temperature the rise in temperature causes melting of polar ice and increase in level of sea causes danger of flooding in coastal Plains.
* on non - living substances -.
: ozone oxides rubber goods.
:hydrogen Sulphide has bleaching properties and discolorises silver and lead paint.
Control of air pollution -
: Sulphur should be removed before fossil fuels.
:Automobile should be checked strictly with air cleaner filters.
Effects of water pollution -
:spread of diseases - water contaminated with sewage pollutants sprays epidemic diseases like cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, jaundice and many other water borne diseases.
:decrease in oxygen content - sewage decomposition depletes the level of oxygen of contained water ie increase in biological oxygen demand.
:destruction of biota : Thermal pollution causes warming of water which increases the rate of salts in organisms it causes increase in biological demand of oxygen. These also blocks the migration channel of fishes.
: pesticides - DDT which gets into food chain accumulates in carnivores it reaches in man and cause Leukemia and Cancer.
: compounds of mercury, lead accumulation in body causes deformation of the human body.
Control of water pollution -
:utilization of waste such as excreta of man and cattle in preparing bhi gas and gobar gas as helps in controlling water pollution.
: instead of chemical fertilizers and pesticides organic fertilizers should be used
:Raw sewage should be properly treated in sewage treatment plant.