- •Lecture 8 Topic: Water resources problems
- •1. Importance of Water for Life
- •2. Ecological consequences of water deficiency and water pollution
- •3. Sources of water pollution
- •4. Sustainable strategies on water resources problem. International cooperation
- •Lecture 9
- •Scheme: An overview of the ecological issues
- •3. Ecological crisis and ecological situations
- •4. Modern Ecological crisis: Pollution.
- •6. Global energy balance and Greenhouse effect.
- •7. Global warming, its sources and solving the problem of sustainably. International cooperation on climate change problem.
- •Population stability, Reforestation, Recycling, Energy efficiency, Renewable energy technologies
- •International cooperation on climate change problem
- •Lecture 10 Topic: Stratosphere Ozone Depletion. Acid Rains.
- •1. The nature of ozone and mechanism of ozone layer work
- •2. Ozone depletion: history, sources & the effects of ozone layer destruction
- •3. Air pollution wet & dry smog, indoor pollution
- •Indoor air pollution. Public health problem
- •4. The nature, source & the effects of acid rain.
- •5. Sustainable strategies on ozone layer & acid rain problems. International cooperation
- •Industries can help to prevent further damage to the ozone layer:
- •International cooperation on acid rains control
- •Lecture 11
- •1. Human populations:
- •2. Population growth. Limits to Growth.
- •3. Basic demographic processes:
- •Lecture 12 Topic: Economic aspects of environmental sustainability
- •3. Concept of externalities
- •5. Solutions of reducing poverty
- •6. Sustainable strategies on economy
3. Sources of water pollution
Industries can contribute to water pollution if they:
Release any pollutants as effluent.
Do not release the water they have used for cooling back into the water course at the right temperature.
Use in their processes more water than they return to the system.
Return to the system water that is of a worse quality than the water taken out.
Use more pesticides or fertilizers than necessary in their farming.
Do not treat the waste run-off from animal houses before letting it into water courses.
4. Sustainable strategies on water resources problem. International cooperation
Industries can help to improve problems with the water supply by:
Treating effluent and reducing the number of pollutants that might be released into the water system.
Not allowing dangerous chemicals into the water system.
Installing monitoring equipment to prevent incidents of accidental pollution.
By recycling water during industrial operations. This is possible with many processes such as cooling. “Closed” systems, which reuse the same water, are the best.
Making sure that when they release used water back into a river, they release it at a point upstream of where they took it out, rather than downstream. This maintains the flow a river and is a form of recycling. The water re-enters the system and is not hurried straight out to sea.
Using more efficient methods and equipment in order to reduce water consumption.
Making products which use water efficiently, whenever possible. Washing machines, dishwashers, toilets, soaps and washing powders are all examples of products that can be improved in this way.
By making sure that any environmental review they carry out includes the use of water, in order to identify how they can reduce water consumption.
Key terms:
|
Fresh water Marine or salty water |
Eutrophication “Algal blooms” |
Thermal pollution |
Effluent “Closed” systems” |
Questions for review:
1. Differ marine water and salty water. How much water is on the Earth?
2. Name water sources that participate in water cycle? How much water is available for life?
3. Contrast water renewal rates in different aquatic systems.
4. Compare biological and real water consumption by people? Why?
5. Differ the terms eutrophication and biomagnification.
6. Ecological consequences of the thermal pollution. Is it a physical or chemical process?
7. How can industries help to prevent water pollution?
Make a synopsis: Daniel D. Chiras, “Environmental Science: Creating Sustainable Future”
1. Make a précis (of 200 words) “The Helsinki Convention: International Cooperation to protect the Baltic Sea” (p.522). Summarize the major points. Note the main 3 peculiarities of the sea: unite 9 countries; water stratification; connection with the sea through a narrow channel. Define 4 issues of greatest concern: oil spills; eutrophication; bioaccumulation and biomagnifications; accidental discharges of hazardous or toxic substances. Point the success and significance of the Helsinki Convention.