Introduction to environmental geography

1. Why do you think these surfers are wearing gas masks?

2. What do you think this has to do with today’s lesson?

Introduction to environmental geography

Mr Melson

Introduction to environmental geography

Aims:

- Understand what the environment is.

- Understand how our actions can damage the environment.

- Consider what changes we can make to decrease our impact on the environment.

• What do you think would be a good definition of the “environment”?

• Between pairs, you have 1 minute to come up with your own definition

Environment

• The environment is the natural world that surround us, including air, water, land and organisms of the earth. It consists of both living and non-living things.

Sulphur Dioxide from traffic fumes reacts with and corrodes stone

buildings

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Plastic carrier bags can take up to 1,000 years to decay and kill more than 100,000 sea mammals each year!!

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Burning fossil fuels leads to higher levels of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, which causes global temperatures to

rise (global warming), which can destroy habitats

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• Over 70% UK electricity is from burning coal & gas.

• CO2 is released, which causes global temperatures to rise.

• World’s oceans absorb heat and expand, causing sea levels to rise= flooding!!

• Your daily lives depend on crude oil, drilled out of the land and sea.

• Crude oil is running out.

• Drilling for oil can harm the environment!

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?

An area of a rainforest the size of a football field is being destroyed every second (according to UN), for many reasons including to make paper for books!

Our actions have environmental consequences. Which of these are causes and which are effects of damage to the environment?

Chop down rainforests for furniture and paper

Leaving the tap running whilst we brush our teeth

Some bird species will become extinct

People are using more water for personal use

Leaving lights on, TVs and DVD players on

standby

Water supplies are poisoned by leaking

chemicals and sewage

10 million people die each year from dirty water

diseases

Going on holiday to lovely places by

aeroplane

Sea animals and birds swallow oil and are

poisoned

Rare rainforest plants and animals lost

The price of oil will increase and everything will be more expensive

Acid rain destroys buildings and forests

Land at the coast would be at greater risk from

flooding

Travelling everywhere in our cars

People working for oil companies get paid more

money

CAUSE EFFECT

Our actions have environmental consequences. Which of these are causes and which are effects of damage to the environment?

Chop down rainforests for furniture and paper

Leaving the tap running whilst we brush our teeth

Some bird species will become extinct

People are using more water for personal use

Leaving lights on, TVs and DVD players on

standby

Water supplies are poisoned by leaking

chemicals and sewage

10 million people die each year from dirty water

diseases

Going on holiday to lovely places by

aeroplane

Sea animals and birds swallow oil and are

poisoned

Rare rainforest plants and animals lost

The price of oil will increase and everything will be more expensive

Acid rain destroys buildings and forests

Land at the coast would be at greater risk from

flooding

Travelling everywhere in our cars

People working for oil companies get paid more

money

CAUSE EFFECT

The image shows us a kitchen that isn’t very energy efficient.

In pairs, identify and explain the ways that energy is being wasted here

How to Prevent Environmental Damage…

• Read the environmental problems sheet and think how you could repair the damage caused by each, as well as preventing it in the first place

To Finish• The council is going to give all people in Bath a leaflet on

how to be environmentally friendly, and wants your advice...

• Write down your top 5 pieces of advice to prevent damage to the environment (save energy, reduce pollution, etc).

• You can only have 5!

• Explain what each one will protect or prevent!

Match up the correct term to its meaning..

1. Resources

2. Pollution

3. Renewable

4. Non-renewable

5. Conservation

Natural materials that are used by humans to meet their needs.

When humans damage or destroy parts of the environment.

Resources that can be used over and over again

Resources that can only be used once. When they are gone, they cannot be replaced

When resources are used carefully and the environment is protected.

1

2

3

4

5

The Environment

Our actions have consequences somewhere in the world. Which of these are causes and which are

effects?Deforestation (chopping

down) of rainforestsSea levels rise because of

melting ice-caps

Some bird species will become extinct

More exotic species make their home in the UK

Leaving our TVs and DVD players on standby

Cow’s farting which releases lots of methane

Loss of freshwater supplies from our

reservoirs

Going on holiday to lovely places by

aeroplane

More extreme weather here in the UK

Swarms of lots of different insects would

occur

Vineyards and olive groves would flourish

Land would be at greater risk from flooding

Land at the coast would be lost to the sea

Travelling everywhere in our cars

More open air cafes from hotter summer temps.

CAUSE EFFECT

When you have finished, put your chair under your table and jog on the spot!