Introduction to Env Pollution-Week 1 PDF

Geosciences Department ENVS 525 : Advanced Environmental Pollution Term 241 Introduction to Environmental Pollution Dr. Bassam Tawabini August 2024 1 Outline ❖ What is Environment and Why do we care about i? ❖...

Geosciences Department ENVS 525 : Advanced Environmental Pollution Term 241 Introduction to Environmental Pollution Dr. Bassam Tawabini August 2024 1 Outline ❖ What is Environment and Why do we care about i? ❖ What are the major Environmental Challenges? ❖ What is Environmental Sustainability? ❖ What are the major sustainability Issues of Concern? ❖ What do we mean by Environmental Pollution, What are its Sources, Types and Impacts? ❖ What are the current Global Environmental Issues? 2  Environment is the place we live in. Environment = “everything” (surroundings, habitats, …etc.) Environment is the interaction between us, the surrounding Environment living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) environment. It is divided into: 1. Physical environment (air, water, soil, rocks…etc.) 2. Living environment (Flora (plants) and Fauna (animals)) 3. People 3  Why do we care about Environment? ✓ A clean environment is essential for healthy living ✓ Environment is useful in maintaining the earth’s balance ✓ Environment is providing free ecological and economic services ✓ Resources depletion is very serious problem ✓ The impacts of global warming and climate change is very scary ✓ Flora and Fauna species are suffering as well ✓ Wastes we are generating are difficult to control ✓ Maintain world peace 4 How did the Earth manage to Sustain life for billions of years? 5  Key Principles of Sustainability 1. Reliance on solar energy (warmth and fuels photosynthesis) 2. Ecology and Biodiversity 3. Chemical (nutrient) cycling 6  Environmental Sustainability  It is the capacity of the natural systems and human cultural systems to survive, flourish, and adapt into the very long-term future  Living-off nature’s income rather than consuming its capital”  Environmental sustainability is important to making sure that we have and will continue to have, the resources to protect human health and our environment. 7  Sustainability Issues of Concern  Poverty , Health, Food and Education  Utilization of resources  Material recycling / Reuse  Green and Circular Economy  Green Cities / Green Buildings / Green transportation 8  Grand Challenges Poverty Resources 1 in 5 less than $1.26/day Circular Economy represents a cost saving of $340- Human rights $380bn/year to EU companies 35.8 million human slaves Population Health 9.7 billion people by 2050 2.5 billion lack access to sanitation Climate change 1.6 billion currently Pollution water scarce – 2.8 Global output of chemicals billion by 2025 84% increase 2000-2010 Global plastics input into Water ocean 1.8 billion people drinking sewage Biodiversity contaminated drinking Currently 10,000 times water natural extinction rate http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/74155/1494681 41/stock-photo-the-blue-marble-planet-earth-the-planet-of-life- illustration-no-nasa-images-used-149468141.jpg  Sustainable Development (SD) SD means the meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. SD integrates the social, economic and environmental aspects of necessary for the success of any development. Environme nt Economy Society Sustainable Development 10 UN Sustainable Development Goals 11  Population ▪ Earth’s Human Population is over 7 billion ▪ Growing exponentially ▪ Expected to add several billion more people in 21st century ▪ 1 in 4 people live in extreme poverty Cannot meet basic need for food, clothing, shelter, health Difficult to meet population needs (i.e. water, food, energy, raw materials…) without exploiting earth’s resources 12  Earth Carrying Capacity ❖ It is the maximum amount of population that the planet Earth and its environment can support. ❖ It helps to estimate how much of the Earth (or how many planet Earths) it would take to support humanity if everybody followed a given lifestyle 13  Ecological Footprint ❖ Ecological Footprint represents the amount of productive earth necessary to supply the resources a human population consumes, and to assimilate associated waste. ❖Water Footprint ❖Carbon Footprint 14  Question???? Do you think we have exceeded the earth carrying capacity? 15  Components of Sustainability A. Natural resources:  Renewable e.g., air, water, plants etc.  Nonrenewable e.g., metals, oil, gas etc. B. Natural services  Renewal (cleaning) of air, water, and soil  nutrient cycling,  food production etc. Natural capital (A+B), supported by solar capital 16  Renewable vs Non-Renewable Resources Renewable resource  Several days to several hundred years to renew  E.g., forests, fish populations, fertile topsoil Nonrenewable resources (fixed stock)  Energy resources e.g., oil & gas  mineral resources (iron, Al, silica…) Reuse / Recycle of nonrenewable Recycle -using waste to remake new goods that can be sold again Plastics, food, rubber, glass, metals can be recycled 17  Natural Resources-Water  Distribution of water on Earth  Sources of Fresh water  Surface water (rivers, lakes..)  Groundwater  Desalinated water  Reclaimed wastewater  Direct and Indirect use of water 18  Typical values for the volume of water required to produce common foodstuffs Water Foodstuff Quantity Consumption, liters Wheat 1 kg 500-4000 Chocolate 1 kg 17,196 Beef 1 kg 15,415 Sheep Meat 1 kg 10,412 Butter 1 kg 5,553 Chicken meat 1 kg 4,325 Cheese 1 kg 3,178 Olives 1 kg 3,025 Rice 1 kg 2,497 Cotton 250g 2,495 Bread 1 kg 1,608 Pizza 1 unit 1,239 Apple 1 kg 822 Potatoes 1 kg 287 Milk 250ml 255 Dates 1 kg 3000 19 Tomato 1 kg 214 Egg 1 196 Source: Institute of Mechanical Engineers (ME)  Water Resources - Saudi Arabia  Saudi Arabia is generally characterized by an arid, hot climate and high evaporation rates  Rainfall is low - overall average about 110 mm/yr.  KSA mainly relies on groundwater for its water resources. Groundwater extraction rate is high  Water consumption in Saudi Arabia is the largest in the world with 280L/person/day.  Agriculture activities are the highest among other activities in consuming water (> 75%). 20  Human Use of Resources - Land 21  Land is a very limited resource  40 % of the population live by the coast.  Naturally habitats for wildlife are destroyed  We have filled in wetlands to use for our own habitation to the detriment of many types of animals.  Dredging  Reclamation  Natural Resources-Soil/Food 22 Desertification of semiarid lands by overgrazing Deforestation is the removal of trees for settling or building materials. This can also lead to desertification.  Energy Resources 23 o The non-renewable fossil fuels (Oil & Gas) still provide more than 75% of the energy supply. o The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide (CO2) and other pollutants into the atmosphere. o Nuclear power provides 6% of the world’s energy supply but disposal of radioactive waste is an issue.  Renewable Energy Resources o Hydropower and geothermal o Wind and solar power o Hydrogen fuel o Biomass (WtE) o Biogas and Bio-fuels 24  Raw Materials o Construction materials : sand, gravel, rocks o Metals and Plastics o Wood : Papers and cardboard 25  Environmental Pollution  Any chemical or physical or biological change in the quality that is harmful to the health, survival or activities of humans or other species.  Sources of Pollution:  Natural sources : volcanic eruptions  Human activities : industrial, agriculture, municipal….etc 26  Types of Pollution  Air Pollution  Water Pollution  Land Pollution  Noise Pollution  Visual Pollution  Radioactive Pollution  Thermal Pollution  Light pollution  Other types of pollution 27  Sources of Environmental Pollution  Municipal Activities  Industrial Activities  Agriculture Activities  Mining Activities  Military Activities  Recreational Activities  Tourism  Other activities 28  Municipal (Residential) Activities  Production of Wastes (Liquids and Solids) that may end up as environmental problem  Utilize raw materials such as water for cleaning…etc  Emit harmful gases from transportation. 29  Industrial Activities  Production of Chemicals that may end up as environmental chemical pollutants  Utilize raw materials including metals, soil and water  Generate waste streams (liquid and solid)  Emit toxic gases 30  Agriculture Activities  Fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides have polluted groundwater and beneficial soil organisms.  Irrigation methods have reduced the aquifers (over utilization) 31 Marine Pollution 32  Coastal Wetlands 33  Salt marshes (Sabkha Areas)  Mangrove swamps  Lagoons 34  Water Pollution  Pathogens (bacteria, viruses…)  Hazardous Chemicals  Dissolved Salts (salinity)  Sewage  Detergents  Metals  Radionuclides  Sediments (Turbidity) 35  Land (Soil) Pollution Land contamination may be caused by:  Dumping of waste and chemicals  Sewage / septic tanks Discharge  Shoreline oil spills  Pesticides spreading  Leaking of underground storage tanks 36  Air Pollution  Gaseous Oxides  Oxides of nitrogen (NOx)  Oxides of sulphur (SOx)  Ground-Level Ozone -O3  Volatile organic compounds  Smogs  Particulate Matter  PM10 and PM2.5  Metals (Lead, Mercury ) 37  Air Pollution : Global Issues  Greenhouse Gases (CO2, Methane, NOx) Emissions  Global Warming  Climate Change  Ice melting and Sea-Level Rise  Acid Rain  Ozone depletion 38  The Issue of Waste o A Waste: is any solid, semi-solid, liquid, or contained gaseous materials discarded from industrial, commercial, mining, or agricultural operations, and from community activities. o A Hazardous Waste: is a waste that contains hazardous substance that may pose a danger to living organisms. o Wastes build up very rapidly causing serious pollution problems o Wastes can be solid, liquid or gas o It can be inert and organic (biodegradable) waste o Wastes can be hazardous and non-hazardous o Types include: municipal, industrial, agriculture, medical, e-waste, radioactive….etc. 39  Waste Management Issue Wastes generated may cause a number of Environmental Problems: ✓ Resources depletion ✓ Widespread of environmental damage ✓ Pollution with hazardous wastes ✓ Health problems for uncontrolled disposal ✓ Land use problem ✓ Limit the space for disposal ✓ Biodiversity issue ✓ Economic burden-Management of waste is very costly 40  Types of Wastes ▪ Food waste ▪ Paper and cardboard ▪ Alum cans ▪ Plastics ▪ Rubber ▪ Glass ▪ Metal ▪ Agriculture (green) waste ▪ E-Waste 41 The End