Human Impact on Our Environment

Question 1

What is the main way to make more land available for building cities and more farms?

Answer 1

Deforestation meaning cutting down or burning forests to clear the land

Question 2

What was built along the Colorado River in this area to prevent floods and provide power and water?

Answer 2

Hoover Dam

Question 3

What are some of the negative effects of deforestation?

Answer 3

Loss of habitats,
Pollution,
Climate change,
Loss of soil

Question 4

How has the environment benefited from the building of Hoover Dam?

Answer 4

It generates cleaner power through hydroelectricity generation.

Question 5

How have humans modified (changed) the Colorado River?

Answer 5

Over 100 dams have been built on it and its tributaries to control flooding and to generate hydroelectricity.

Question 6

What effects has human activity caused to the natural environment?

Answer 6

Water pollution, 
Air pollution, 
Land pollution, 
Loss of soil, 
Light pollution

Question 7

What are some of the causes of marine (areas where plants and animals live in the water) and coastal degradation (damage and destruction)?

Answer 7

Population growth,
Urbanization (building cities),
Industrialization (manufacturing and factories) and
Tourism (people taking vacations) are all factors in destroying marine and coastal areas.

Question 8

Building dams cause what environmental problems?

Answer 8

Building dams causes changes in that area’s habitats and ecosystem

Question 9

Where does Las Vegas get most of it’s drinking water from? And where does that water originate?

Answer 9

Lake Mead

The Colorado River

Question 10

Why do many cities control the growth of homes, business and industrial areas?

Answer 10

To reduce excessive water demands that out of control growth can create.
To protect natural habitats. To keep an ecological balance within the city environment.

Question 11

Most of the water used around the world is used for what purpose?

Answer 11

Agriculture

Question 12

Define Pollution.

Answer 12

Any change to the environment that has a negative effect on living things.

Question 13

Explain what light pollution is and give an example.

Answer 13

Any exterior light source that permits light to go upwards or where it is not needed sometimes called “skyglow.” Las Vegas sky at night is a good example or your neighbor’s outside light shining on your bedroom window.

Question 14

Explain what land pollution is and give an example.

Answer 14

Industry improperly disposing of harmful chemicals on the ground or pesticides used to kill insects that eat crops which are harmful to other animals often due to bioaccumulation.

Question 15

Explain what air pollution is and give an example

Answer 15

Power plants generating electricity by burning coal and spewing CO2, carbon dioxide, into the air.

Question 16

Explain what water pollution is and give an example.

Answer 16

Acid rain, sewage waste water, oil tanker spills and hot water from nuclear power generating plants being placed into bodies of water making them not usable for the species be they human, animal or plants.

Question 17

What does acid rain affect? Give three examples.

Answer 17

Trees Fish People
Statues and buildings

Question 18

Explain what Urban Sky Glow is.

Answer 18

The brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas.

Question 19

How is the depletion of the ozone layer due to pollution harmful to people?

Answer 19

increases the amount of UV people are exposed to increases temperatures at the Antarctic ice cap

Question 20

What is the biggest threat to the extinction of species on this planet?

Answer 20

Habitat Loss

Question 21

Who are the people most affected by air quality and most likely to become sick from air pollution?

Answer 21

elderly people people with asthma people with respiratory (lung) diseases

Question 22

What causes acid rain?

Answer 22

Chemicals in the air mixing with rain

Question 23

How does a lake become acidic?

Answer 23

Heavy rain fall mixing with chemicals in the air.

Question 24

What is the main reason for natural habitat destruction?

Answer 24

Human Activities

Question 25

Scientists have found a rare plant that can cure a human disease but it is the only food source for the rare Kiwi in New Zealand. Explain why we should use this new resource and then explain how we should go about using it to make the drug?

Answer 25

If it can cure an ill person we should make the medicine. But there might be many ways to collect the plant so as not to cause the Kiwi to go extinct for lack of its only food source. Scientists could try to take parts of a couple plants and try to grow them in a lab or collect seeds and see if they will germinate and grow. Zoologists could work on finding another food source that the Kiwi might be able to eat and that could be planted for the Kiwi to get another food source. The scientists should not, in any case, take all of the plants because that probably would cause the Kiwi’s extinction and that would be one more example of humans causing habitat destruction and species extinction.

Question 26

How does human population growth affect the environment?

Answer 26

Remove wetlands and forests
Create air, water light, and land pollution Use more natural resources,
Produce more waste