Jason Nunley
And
Brenda Bair
Oil Pollution
 When it comes to mixing oil and water, oceans
suffer from far more than an occasional
devastating spill. Disasters make headlines,
but hundreds of millions of gallons of oil
quietly end up in the seas every year, mostly
from non-accidental sources .
 The graph below shows how many millions of
gallons of oil each source puts into the oceans
worldwide each year
Sources of Oil Pollution
Down the Drain: 363 Million Gallons
 Used engine oil can end up in
waterways. An average oil change uses
five quarts; one change can
contaminate a million gallons of fresh
water. Much oil in runoff from land
and municipal and industrial wastes
ends up in the oceans. 363 million
gallons
Road Runoff
 Every year oily road runoff from a city of 5 million could
contain as much oil as one large tanker spill
Facts
 Lake Maracaibo is South America’s largest lake
 The lake and its small basin sit on top of a vast
reservoir of buried oil deposits, first tapped in 1914.
 Venezuela is now the world’s fifth largest oil producer.
 The narrow strait has been deepened to allow oceangoing vessels access to the lake for oil transport.
Lake Pollution causes
 Shipping is one of the main sources of pollution in the
lake; pollution enters the lake when ships dump ballast
and other waste.
 Other sources of pollution to the lake include
underwater oil pipeline leakage, untreated municipal
and industrial waste from coastal cities, and runoff of
chemicals from surrounding farm land. Deepening the
narrow channel for shipping has also allowed saltwater
intrusion into the lake, negatively affecting lake life.
Lake Maracaibo – Oil Pollution
 Between 1996 and 1997 Lake Maracaibo saw one oil
related accident every 40 days
 On May 15th 1997 boats blocked the channel that leads
to Maracaibo in protest to the oil companies constant
pollution of the lake
 Oil wells leaked oil into the lake for weeks before
discovered
Oil Slick in Lake Maracaibo
 An oil slick, likely related to bilge pumping, can be seen as a
bright streak northeast of El Triunfo in this satellite image from
February 23, 2007.
Lake Maracaibo
Oil Pollution’s Effects
Air Pollution in Mexico City
 Visibility due to air pollution has dropped from 100 km
to 1.5 km
 Many have irritated eyes or constant headaches due to
pollution
 Pollution is stronger in the summer months
 Caused by overcrowding, industrialization, vehicle
emissions and the city’s location
Causes of Air Pollution in Mexico City
 Overcrowding
 Industrialization
 Vehicle Emissions
 Location
Driving Restrictions
 In an effort to reduce car emissions in Mexico City
driving restrictions have been placed on the people.
 Monday: no driving if license plate ends with 5 or 6.
Tuesday: no driving if license plate ends with 7 or 8.
Wednesday: no driving if license plate ends with 3
or 4.
Thursday: no driving if license plate ends with 1 or
2.
Friday: no driving if license plate ends with 9, 0 or a
letter.
Saturday and Sunday: All vehicles may be driven.
Picture of Mexico City
Results of Acid Rain
Brazilian Rain Forest
 Every second we lose the area equivalent to two
football fields
 Every year that equals twice the size of Florida
 With further destruction we could lose half the
animals and plants on earth
 20% of the world’s oxygen is produced in the rainforest
Results of Air Pollution
 Damages vegetation
 Harms atmosphere
 Pollution is so bad that it can lead to sickness or
premature death
 Many have irritated eyes or constant headaches due to
pollution
 Acid rain damages monuments
What is causing the Rainforest to be cut
down?
 Video (How the Destruction of Rain Forests Affects Planet Earth
A Segment of: Struggling to Survive: Tropical Rain Forests )
 Clearing for cattle ranchers
 Clearing for farming
 Clearing for housing
 Clearing for logging
Rainforest Clearing
Rainforest Clearing
Information sources
 http://rainforests.mongabay.com/20brazil.htm
 http://abyayala.nativeweb.org/venezuela/ven2.html
 http://144.16.65.194/hpg/envis/doc97html/envven512.
html
 http://www.savetherainforest.org/savetherainforest_0
06.htm