Society and health
Environmental issues
Sustain our environment
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What is our environment?
The combination of external and physical conditions
that affect and influence the growth, development and
survival of organisms, circumstances and conditions
that surround us.
Waste- find out what the waste hierarchy is?
Disposal, recover energy, compost, recycle, recover,
reuse, reduce.
The key is to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Give a few tips on how we can do this for each.
Our waste goes to landfill sites unless it is recycled.
We need to sustain our
environment
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Sustain means maintain.
As a society, we need to:
 Use fewer resources
 Make products last for longer
 Use waste as a resource
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The best way to manage waste, is not to
produce it in the first place.
What can you do?
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Reduce- buy foods with less packaging, use less
packaging
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Reuse- shopping carrier bags, batteries, light bulbs,
old food- stale bread- bread and butter pudding, old
cake- trifle.
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Recycle- foil, plastic, card, paper, food waste and
glass.
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All this will SUSTAIN our environment and free up
landfill sites which contaminate the environment, ruin
habitats of animals and cause pollution.
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What are the fair trade and soil association marks?
(54)
Factors in the quality of our
environment
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Global warming- heating up of earths atmosphere. (greenhouse
effect)
Ozone depletion- Ozone layer surrounds the earth in the
atmosphere, this is destroyed by CFC’s and CO2, burning fossil
fuels- oil, coal.
Acid rain- industrial gas emissions cause this from factories,
aircraft. Lakes have become acidified and soil has been affected
causing less crops to grow, due to acid rain.
Deforestation- cutting down of forests, cause of global warming,
destruction also causes plants and animals who live there to
become extinct. When trees are cut down, they intensify the
greenhouse effect because forests take in CO2 and give out O2.
Fisheries depletion- overfishing has caused depletions.
Air, water and noise pollution- cars contribute to CO2 pollution,
emissions cause acid rain and ozone depletion. Water pollution
from landfill sites, sewerage and industrial waste, noise pollution
from aircrafts, machinery and traffic.
Activity 5- page 55
Research agencies that protect
environment.
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Department of Environmental Health.
 The Environment Agency.
 The Department of Environment, Transport and
Regions.
 The Department for Environment, Food and Rural
affairs.
 Friends of the Earth.
 Greenpeace
 Environmental Protection UK.
 The Soil Association.
Agencies for the environment
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Department of Environmental Health- they monitor noise
pollution. Follow up complaints.
The Environment Agency- control waste management and
industrial pollution.
The Department of Environment, Transport and Regions (DETR)they monitor air quality.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
(DEFRA)- monitor air pollution.
Friends of the earth- raises awareness of what individuals can do
to protect environment.
Greenpeace- highlights global, environmental problems.
Environmental Protection UK- solving environmental issues.
The Soil Association- promotion of organic farming.
Management and conservation of
energy in the home
Energy efficient light bulbs, switch off
lights etc.. Find out more, page 59.
 Preparing, making and cooking foodshop online, recycle food.
 Water- shower instead of bath.
 Heating- timer, thermostats.
 Exam questions- page 61
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