GLOBAL

ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES

Pranav Rajesh
Grade : 6 A

DESIGN INQUIRY QUESTIONS

1 .Factual:What is the environment?
-The environment is something you are very familiar with. It's everything that makes up our
surroundings and affects our ability to live on the earththe air we breathe, the water that
covers most of the earth's surface, the plants and animals around us, and much more.
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0775267.html
What is happening to the environment?
-Our environment is in need of a lot of work. The ozone layer is quickly rotting away , the
waters are polluted and the rain forest is rapidly shrinking in size due to the ignorance of land
developers. Everyone thinks if they ignore the problem, it will go away. Granted there are many
people who do more than their share when it comes to taking care of our planet, but it still isn't
enough. We all need to get together and start recycling our plastics and papers, sorting our
trash and reduce cutting down our trees.
Source : http://www.teenink.com/hot_topics/environment/article/4647/What-Is-Happening-ToOur-Environment/

What are the natural aspects of the environment?

-Soil
-Rocks
-Oceans
-Rivers
-Biomes
-Life
Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_environment
2 .Conceptual :How do we destroy the environment?
-Using chemical fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides to increase production actually pollutes
the air, soil and water with toxic chemicals. Fertilizer run-offs cause toxic algal blooms that kill
aquatic animals.
-Removing trees and other plants to increase areas of cultivation causes habitat loss and
threatens the survival of numerous species of animals and plants.
-Large scale farming of animals increases their susceptibility to diseases such as Mad-cow
disease and avian flu, for example. Waste generated in the farms and meat processing plants
can affect the water quality in the area.
-The greater distance food items have to travel to reach the consumer, the greater that
transportation's impact is on the environment.
Sources : http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/How_Do_Humans_Affect_the_Environment
Why is it important to care about the Environment?
-The ecosystem (all the communities of living organisms found in a specific place, their habitats
and their interactions) in which we live provides natural services for humans and all other
species that are essential to our health, quality of life and survival. For example, our forests
remove carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the air we breathe and also cool our air
temperatures, reducing the formation of ground-level ozone, a pollutant that can cause heart
and lung problems to worsen; our wetlands store storm water, filter and make harmless storm
water pollutants, and recharge our aquifers (where most of us get our drinking water) with these
filtered waters and the dune systems on our beaches form natural barriers to storm waves and
provide important habitat.
Source : http://www.hiltonheadislandsc.gov/sustainability/whycare.cfm

Debatable Is man greatest threat to the Environment?Inquiry questions

ARTICLE

It has long been feared that human activity is

causing massive extinctions. Despite increased efforts at conservation, it has not
been enough and biodiversity losses continue. The costs associated with
deteriorating or vanishing ecosystems will be high. However, sustainable
development and consumption would help avert ecological problems.
http://www.globalissues.org/issue/168/environmental-issues

CONCLUSION
I want to conclude my findings in the form of analysis report our purpose of
our unit is to spread awareness on global environmental issues.