Human activities like farming, grazing, deforestation, and landfills impact the environment. Farming uses land and chemicals to grow food for humans and raise animals. Deforestation cuts down trees for materials and fuel, reducing forests. Landfills store human waste but must be lined to prevent pollution. The population is decreasing natural land preserves. The 3Rs of reduce, reuse, and recycle can decrease human impacts by applying them to these activities.

1. Human Impacts on the Environment and the 3Rs 7SCIENCE: Mon. Feb. 21

2. Review: We have learned some ways that humans make an impact on the environment Population growth Pollution: Air pollution Water pollution Today we will learn a few more effects humans have on the environment: Farming and grazing Deforestation Landfills Natural preserves

3. Farming and Grazing Land is as important to people as clean air andwater: Farming (agriculture) Land is used to produce food for humans Chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides andfertilizers are used to increase productivity Grazing Land is also used to raise animals for human consumption (e.g. cows = milk, meat) Usually land that cannot be used for farming

4. Deforestation Some land is used as a source of wood Deforestation: Trees are cut down for paper, fuel, or as a building material Trees SHOULD BE replanted, however many forests in tropical regions are not being replaced Some studies suggest that up to 50 000 species could become extinct because they are losing their habitat (forest)

5. Landfills Land is also used for storing wastes from humans Landfill Area where waste is deposited Sanitary landfill is covered with dirt and this prevents waste from blowing away and reduces the odor (smell) These landfills are lined with materials to prevent liquid waste from going into the water and soil

6. Natural Preserves A natural preserve is land that is not used by humans to produce something or to store waste E.g. forests, national parks i.e. ParqueTayrona Land in its natural state is decreasing as human population increases WHY?

7. Introduction to the 3Rs The 3Rs represent the ideas to: Recycle Reduce Reuse These 3 ideas can help to decrease the human impact on the environment How? Think of ways that the 3Rs can be applied to a human impact we learned about today in class