Unit VIII Project Instructions: Human Impact On Climate Chan

Unit VIII Project Instructions Human Impact on Climate Change PowerPoint

After learning about several ways in which our everyday actions impact climate change, choose one action to conduct more research on and create a PowerPoint presentation to tell us more! Use the unit material and reliable online resources to gather more information. There are several ideas with information throughout the unit but there is even more information out in the world! Think about what you do every day, and how the activity uses energy or natural resources. Think about a product you buy—how it was made, what natural resources were used to make it?

You can also do a quick google search of “everyday activities that effect the environment” and start reading some articles for more ideas. Remember to use reliable sources from the Internet. There is a lot of misinformation out there and finding reliable information can be difficult. The best sources of reference material for your presentation are scientific journals found in the CSU Online Library databases. Click here for a biology research tutorial that demonstrates how to locate library resources relating to biology. You can also find reliable statistics at organization websites listed in the Unit under “Combat Climate Change.”

Your presentation must include: What everyday activity or product have you chosen to present? Why did you choose this activity or product? Why is it important? Connect the activity/product to its impact on the environment and climate change. How does doing the activity or making the product use natural resources, disrupt habitat, impact wildlife or other effects on the environment? Report data and statistics, with references, on how this activity/product effects the environment. What can people do to decrease the activity/product’s impact on the environment? Be sure to follow the formatting and guidelines provided below: Include at least three visual aids. Include three reliable references, and at least one source must come from the CSU Online Library. Use bulleted information on slides (five lines or fewer). Include substantial and detailed speaker's notes that include what you would say in an actual presentation. The speaker's notes should also reflect the depth of your research. Include a separate title slide and separate reference slide. Use an appropriate font and background. Include at least 11 slides, but not more than 15 slides (not counting your title slide and reference slide). Use correct APA format for references and citations, and use correct grammar and spelling. Upload the presentation as a .ppt or .pptx file.

Paper For Above instruction

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing humanity and the planet today, driven largely by human activities that increase greenhouse gas emissions and deplete natural resources. Understanding individual and collective impacts on the environment is crucial in developing strategies to mitigate climate change. This paper explores the human impact of a specific everyday activity—use of disposable plastic bottles—by examining its environmental implications, the data supporting these impacts, and potential measures to reduce the associated environmental footprint.

Selected Activity: Use of Disposable Plastic Bottles

The choice of plastic bottles as the focal activity stems from their ubiquitous presence in daily life and their significant environmental footprint. Many consumers rely on bottled water and beverages, often perceiving them as convenient and hygienic. However, the environmental cost of manufacturing, transporting, and disposing of plastic bottles is profound. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF, 2019), approximately 1 million plastic bottles are bought globally every minute, underscoring the scale of this activity. The convenience these bottles provide is associated with substantial environmental degradation, making them a compelling subject for this analysis.

Environmental Impact of Plastic Bottle Usage

Manufacturing plastic bottles primarily involves the use of petroleum-based resources, which are finite and environmentally damaging to extract. The production process consumes significant amounts of energy, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Plastic Pollution Coalition (2020), the production of a single plastic bottle involves roughly 3-4 times the amount of water it contains, exacerbating water scarcity issues. Once used, the bottles often end up in landfills, marine environments, or as litter, posing threats to wildlife and habitats.

Plastics can take hundreds of years to decompose, leading to persistent pollution. Marine animals ingest plastic debris, mistaking it for food, which can cause injury and death (Jambeck et al., 2015). Additionally, microplastics shed from broken-down bottles infiltrate food chains, further impacting ecosystems and human health. A report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2016) indicates that by 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight, highlighting the severity of the plastic pollution crisis.

Data and Statistics

  • Over 300 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year (Geyer, Jambeck, & Law, 2017).
  • An estimated 8 million tons of plastic waste enter oceans annually (Jambeck et al., 2015).
  • Less than 10% of plastics are recycled worldwide, with the rest polluting land and water bodies (World Economic Forum, 2016).
  • Producing one plastic bottle generates about 0.2 kg of CO2 emissions, contributing to climate change (EPA, 2018).

Reducing Environmental Impact

Several measures can be implemented to mitigate the environmental effects associated with plastic bottle consumption:

  • Switching to reusable bottles made of sustainable materials like stainless steel or glass reduces waste.
  • Implementing policies that promote bottle recycling and deposits can enhance recycling rates.
  • Encouraging the use of filtered tap water and public water fountains reduces reliance on bottled water.
  • Promoting consumer awareness about the environmental impacts of plastic bottles can influence purchasing habits.
  • Supporting innovations in biodegradable plastics and alternative packaging materials can further lessen environmental harm.

This analysis highlights the significant environmental footprint of a common everyday activity—using disposable plastic bottles. Through understanding and reporting the impact supported by data, society can take meaningful steps to reduce plastic waste and mitigate climate change effectively. Individual actions, combined with systemic policy changes and technological innovations, are vital in addressing this widespread issue.

References

  • Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2016). The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics. Report. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
  • EPA. (2018). Sustainability & Carbon Footprints of Plastic Production. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov
  • Geyer, R., Jambeck, J. R., & Law, K. L. (2017). Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. Science Advances, 3(7), e1700782.
  • Jambeck, J. R., Geyer, R., Wilcox, C., et al. (2015). Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean. Science, 347(6223), 768-771.
  • Plastic Pollution Coalition. (2020). Plastic Bottle Lifespan & Impact. https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org
  • World Economic Forum. (2016). The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics. https://www.weforum.org
  • World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). (2019). Bottled Water and Marine Pollution. https://www.wwf.org

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