Green apple day of service 2015

SEPTEMBER 2015

Eliane Touma

Who are we ?

Dar Al-Handasah (Shair & Partners) is one of the world's leading

international consultancies in engineering, planning, environment, project

management and economics.

Dar uses the point system provided by LEED (Leadership in Energy &

Environmental Design) which aims at improving performance across all the

metrics that matter most in Design: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2

emissions reduction, improved indoor quality, and stewardship of resources

and sensitivity to their impact. The point system is categorized as follows:

Water Efficiency2

Sustainable Sites1

Energy and Atmosphere3

Materials and Resources4

Indoor Environmental Quality5

What is the “Green Apple Day of

Service” ?

Green Apple Day is a global movement that aims to develop awareness,

concern, and knowledge of the environment among schools and to help

students use this understanding to preserve, conserve and utilize the

environment in a sustainable manner for the benefit of the present and

future generations.

The Key Elements of the

Environment

Water Resources2

Atmosphere1

Soil3

Forests5

Oceans4

Living Species6

Importance of Natural Environment

The Natural Environment is of crucial importance for social and economic

Life. Humans Depend on the natural Environment:

A resource for food supply

A major source of medicines

An energy sourceRaw materials for industrial products

A source for recreation

Materials to build shelter

Human Impact

Humans dominate the planet and all its life.

They have a huge impact on the environment.

Over-use syndrome of Human Beings:

Over

Population - density

Exploitation – resources

Farming – agriculture

Logging – forests

Fishing – oceans

Tapping – ground water

Grazing – grass lands

Overpopulation vs. Over

Consumption

1804

1billion

1927

2billion

1974

4billion

1987

5 billion

1999

6billion

2013

7billion

2021

8billion

What is Sustainability ?

Sustainability is meeting the

needs of the present without

compromising the ability of the

future generations to meet their

own needs.

→ Protecting the environment

→ Reducing or eliminating the

negative impact of human

activities on the environment that

causes an imbalance in

ecosystems and biodiversity

“There is enough in the world for everyone’s need, but not

enough for everyone’s greed”

- Mahatma Gandhi

Global Environmental Crisis

Water Pollution

Indoor & Outdoor Air Pollution

Land & Soil Pollution

Noise Pollution

1. Water Pollution

Causes of Water Pollution

1. Water Pollution (cont’d)

Municipal Waste Water (Sewage)

→ It is waste water from houses,

hospitals and commercial

buildings.

→ It contains a high level of

nutrients.

→ Nutrients encourage the increase

the growth of algae and weed in

the water (Eutrophication).

→ Algae consume all the oxygen in

the water, leading to suffocation for

other water organisms.


Industrial Waste

→ The major source of water pollution is discharged from industrial bodies.

→ They discharge several organic & inorganic pollutants which are highly

toxic to living beings.

Chemical Industries Paper Industries Textile Industries


Inorganic Pollutants

→ They include fine particles of

different metals, chlorides,

sulphates, oxides of iron, cadium,

acids and alkalies.


Organic Pollutants

→ They include oils, fats, phenols and organic

grease and several other organic compounds.

→ Oils cause death of many aquatic organisms.

→It also sticks to the feather of seabirds which

makes them unable to fly.


Agricultural Wastes

→ Chemical fertilizers and pesticides contain major plant nutrients mainly

Nitrogen, Phosphorous and potassium.

→ Excess fertilizers may reach groundwater by leaching or may be mixed

with surface water of rivers, lakes and ponds by runoff and drainage.


Marine Pollution

→ The ocean is the final sink of all natural manmade pollutants:

• Rivers discharge pollutants into the sea.

• The sewage and garbage of coastal cities are also dumped into the sea.

→ The other sources include discharge of oils, grease, detergents and

radioactive wastes from ships.


Thermal Pollution

→ Thermal pollution is caused by the rise or fall

in the temperature of water.

→ It is mainly from the thermal and nuclear

power plants.

→ The power generating plants use water as a

coolants and release hot water into the

original source.

→ Heated water or sudden increase in water

temperature decreases oxygen in the water

killing the fish and other aquatic animals.

→ Cold water affects eggs, larvae and some

invertebrates if the aquatic ecosystem.

2. Indoor & Outdoor Air Pollution

Natural Sources

→ Dust blown by wind

→ Pollutants from wildfires & volcanoes

→ Volatile organics released by plants (pollen)


Natural Sources




Unnatural Sources

→ Carbon Monoxide &Dioxide(CO & CO2) – car exhaust

& burning fossil fuels and wood.


Natural Sources




Unnatural Sources



→ Nitrous Oxide(NO2) – fertilizer use and decomposition

of animals wastes.


Natural Sources




Unnatural Sources




of animals wastes.

→ Methane(CH4) - sediments, swamps, landfills, and in

flooded rice paddies.


Natural Sources




Unnatural Sources




of animals wastes.



→ Chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs) – Freon (a refrigerant).


Natural Sources




Unnatural Sources




of animals wastes.



→ Chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs) – Freon (a refrigerant).

→ Halons(such as hydrocarbons) – Fire extinguishers.


(cont’d)

Effects of Air pollution

→ Acid rain

→ Global Warming

→Ozone Depletion

→ Smog

→ Health problems


(cont’d)

Acid Rain

→ Acid Rain is the term used to

describe polluted rainfall (acid

pollution).

→ It is defined as the precipitation

with pH < 5.6.

Causes of Acid Rain

→ It is directly linked to air pollution

→ It is mainly due to the reaction with

sulfur dioxide and the oxides of

nitrogen.


(cont’d)

Environmental Impact of Acid Deposition

→ Human respiratory disorders.

→ Aquatic ecosystems affected.

→ Release of toxic metals.

→ Leaching of soil nutrients.

→ Loss of crops and trees.

→ Damage to buildings, statues and

monuments.

Acid Rain effect on stone

Acid Rain effect on plants


(cont’d)

Global warming

→ It is the gradual rise of the earth’s

temperature.

→ It is a function of the greenhouse

effect.

• Greenhouse gases are essential to

the survival life on planet earth.

• They trap heat and cause the earth to

warm.

→ The global average surface

temperature rose by 0.6°C to 0.9°C

between 1906 and 2005 and the

rate of temperature increase has

nearly doubled in the last 50 years.

2. Air Pollution (cont’d)

Impact of Global Warming

→ Frequent temperature Extremes.

→ Changing rainfall patters.

→ Rise in sea levels.

→ Frequent storms and coastal flooding.

→ Drought.

→ Air pollution made worse by warming.

→ Expansion of Deserts.

→ Asthma, bronchitis, emphysema complications.

→ Unable to contain spread of infectious diseases.

Tropical diseases are emergingSea Levels are rising Storms are destructive


Ozone Depletion

→ Ozone (O3) is found situated in the

stratosphere, about 15 to 30 km

above the earth’s surface.

→ It protects the living organisms by

absorbing the harmful ultraviolet

radiation from the sun.

Causes of Ozone Depletion

→ The ozone layer is being destroyed

by CFCs and other substances


Effects of Ozone Depletion

→ Increase in skin cancer.

→Increase in eye disorders + cataracts.

→ Reduces resistance to disease.

→ Reduction in food products – damage plant

tissues + destroy crops.

→ Causes damage to many species of amphibians

at every stage of their life cycle.


Smog

→ It is a mixture of solid and liquid fog

and smoke particles formed when

humidity is high.

→ It is caused by chemical reactions

between pollutants derived from

different sources.

Effects of Smog

→ Coughing and throat/chest irritation.

→ Worsening asthma symptoms.

→ Difficulty breathing and lung

damage.


(cont’d)

Indoor Air Pollution

3. Land & Soil Pollution

Land pollution is the degradation or destruction of earth’s land surfaces

and soil often caused by human activities and their misuse of land

resources resulting in color change, fertility and erosion.

It Is causing a fertile land to

become more like deserts

Land = earth = Soil

Soil is critical to life

→ Plants gets nutrients from

soil

→ Animals get nutrients from

plants

3. Land & Soil Pollution (cont’d)

Causes of Land Pollution


Deforestation & Soil erosion

→ Deforestation is the removal of trees from a

forest and converting the land for other use.

→ It will cause the soil structure to be loose due to

the absence of the tree roots to grip the ground.

Agriculture PastureWater

Reservoirs

Housing –

Urban AreasFirewood

Use

Causes of Deforestation

→ Conversion of forests to other Land Uses:


Overcrowded Landfills

→ Household and commercial

waste is collected and sent to

local recycling unit. Items that

cannot be recycled become

part of the landfills.

→ The leftover amount of solid

waste resulting from the

sewage treatment is also sent

to landfill site.

→ This destroys the beauty of

the city and causes land

pollution.


Agricultural Activities

→ With growing human population, demand

for food has increased considerably.

Farmers often use highly toxic fertilizers

and pesticides to get rid off insects, fungi

and bacteria from their crops. However

with the overuse of these chemicals, they

result in contamination and poisoning of

soil.


Mining Activities

→ Surface mining requires the removal

of the topsoil to get valuable rocks

below. This can turn a productive

landscape into a barren one.

→ During extraction and mining

activities, mining waste is generally

left on site. It may contain a wide

variety of toxic, poisonous

substances which then leach into the

soil due to rainfall, or are blown away

by wind. This can have a great

impact on the regeneration of

vegetation on the site.


Construction Activities

→ Due to urbanization, large

amount of construction activities

are taking place which has

resulted in large waste articles

like wood, metal, bricks, plastic/

→ Non biodegradable rubbles or

debris which are not cleared settle

in the soil and undergo chemical

reactions and increase soil

toxicity.


Effects of Land & Soil Pollution

Land & Soil

Pollution

Desertification

Effect on Climate

Bio-magnification

Extinction of Species

Loss of Biodiversity


Desertification

→ It is the gradual transformation of healthy

fertile land into a desert.

Causes of Desertification

→ It is usually caused by climate change or

by destructive use of land.

Effects of Desertification

Reduced biomass density

Soil erosion Accumulation of sand

Soil degradationDestruction of

HabitatSalinization


Effect on Climate

→ Land pollution can affect the general environment of the Earth.

→ It leads to the loss in the forest cover of Earth which in turn affects the

amount of rain.

→ Less rain means Less vegetation


Bio-magnification

→ Bio magnification is the increase

in the concentration of a pollutant

as it passes from one trophic level

to the next.

→ Small amount in the environment

→ Large concentration at the top

of the food chain.


Biodiversity “web of life”.

→ It is the variety of all life forms on earth

– the different plants, animals and

microorganisms and the ecosystems of

which they are a part of.

→ All living things are interconnected.

Biodiversity Gives

Balance of nature

Medicine Food/Drink

Future Resources

Aesthetics & Cultural Benefits

Fuel/Wood

Education & Research


Extinction of Species

Species are pushed towards

endangerment and extinction by

2 process:

→ Habitat fragmentation of the

natural habitat of an

organism; caused primarily

by urban sprawl.

→ Habitat Destruction or loss

of natural habitat; when land

clearing adversely affects

animals


Polar

Oceans

Savanna

h

Domestic

Wetlands

Farm

Tropical

Rainforest

Desert

Polar

Causes of Biodiversity Loss

→ Destruction of habitats

→ Destruction of Species

4. Noise Pollution

Noise can be simply defined as unwanted sound.

Causes of Noise Pollution are:

→ Traffic noise

→Noise from construction

→ Noise from the industries

→Noise from other sources

Sound Intensity:

→ Very High (> 100 db)

Jet take-off

Loudspeaker

Space Vehicle Launch

4. Noise Pollution



→ Traffic noise




Sound Intensity:


→ High ( approximately 80 db)

Heavy Traffic

Loud Conversation

Sports Car

4. Noise Pollution



→ Traffic noise




Sound Intensity:


→High ( approximately 80 db)

→ Very Low (< 80 db)

Quit Conversation

Quit RainingTicking Clock

4. Noise Pollution (cont’d)

Noise Pollution may lead to many

health hazards:

→ Hearing Loss

→ High blood pressure

→ Headaches

→ Nausea

→ Disturbed sleep

→ Stress and Emotional disturbances

THINK green, ACT green

Grow more Trees

Plant trees in locations around your home to

provide shade in the summer, but to allow light

in the winter.

→ It improves fertility of the Land.

→It reduces the air pollution in the world.

→ It reduces the global warming.

THINK green, ACT green (cont’d)

Reduce Waste

Recycle paper, plastic, glass bottles, cardboard and aluminum cans.

Most

Desirable

Least

Desirable

Refuse

Reduce

Reuse

Recycle

Recover

Dispose


Ride the school bus.

Encourage your parents to carpool to work.

Choose efficient, low-polluting models of vehicles.

Reduce indoor air pollutants to restrict

respiratory infections

→ Provide a connection to the outdoor

environment.

→ Install walk off mats in the entryways..

→ Reduce or ban indoor smoking.

→ Avoid the use of materials high in

pollutants, use organic and environmentally

safe products.

→ Ensure Thermal Comfort and system

controllability.





environment.





environment.

→ Install walk off mats in the entryways.


Magnified view of a Household Dust Mite




environment.

→ Install walk off mats in the entryways.






environment.





safe products.





environment.





safe products.

→ Ensure Thermal Comfort and system

controllability.



Conserve energy

→ Turn off appliances and lights when you

leave the room.

→ Buy rechargeable batteries for devices

used frequently.

→ Improve energy efficiency to reduce

fossil fuel use.

→ Rely more on renewable energy and

lower-polluting natural gas.

THINK green, ACT green

Compost garden and kitchen

waste

→ Fruits and vegetables

→ Cheese and diary

→ Bread and grains

→ Meat and seafood

→ Fat and sauces


Use water resources efficiently

→ In dual-flush toilets, choose the right

bottom depending on the type of

waste .

→ Always turn off the tap while

washing teeth or while taking a

shower.

→ Also turn off the tap while washing

dishes.


Environmental Education

→ It is a positive attitude towards the

environment.

→ Spread awareness, amongst friends and

family, about the importance of protecting

the environment.

Activity 1: Create a Mural

A mural is a great public way for a school to show its commitment to health

and sustainable learning environment.

Activity 2: Wall Planting Created

Using Recycled Plastic Bottles

Considering that the use of recycled bottles is a great teaching and

learning tool regarding sustainability issues.

.

Activity 3: Planting Tires

Using old tires is a great way to recycle. Tires can be put

wherever there is an empty space; they hold the heat and

warm the soil which gives the plants protection as well as a

jump start on growth.

To Find out More

https://www.facebook.com/sustainability.movement

http://greenapple.org/

Thank you

https://www.facebook.com/sustainability.movement

http://greenapple.org/

Green apple day of service 2015

Environment

Transcript of Green apple day of service 2015