Plastics and global warming

Plastics and global warming

• 1.
  PLASTICS AND GLOBAL WARMING Pratima Pandey Objective – To create awareness about Global Warming and (Ab)use of Plastics
• 2.
  Familiar sight..? 500 billion plastic bags distributed annually worldwide , and less than 3% of those bags recycled. They are typically made of polyethylene and can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade in landfills that emit harmful greenhouse gases. (Time, 2007) 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 2
• 3.
  Plastics - Whyso popular? Why So Popular? 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 3
• 4.
  How Plastics areHarmful? Contd. 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 4
• 5.
  How Plastics areHarmful? Human health hazard Phthalates, a chemical used to make plastics pliable, may have hormone disrupting effects on unborn baby boys; also linked to obesity and diabetes in men ( CBC News (2008), URMC Press(2007)) Enters food chain as it is ingested by sea and land animals For more negative health effects, see http://www.ecologycenter.org/factsheets/ Contd. 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 5
• 6.
  How Plastics areHarmful? Plastics in land fills emit greenhouse gases For more on GW, which trap heat and contribute to Global click here! Warming (GW) 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 6
• 7.
  Is there away out? 3 R Mantra from Green Peace Contd. 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 7
• 8.
  Is there away out? 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 8
• 9.
  References • Australian Retailers Association (2008), http://www.noplasticbags.org.au/home/default.aspx ,accessed April 6, 2009. • BBC (2004), http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3666474.stm, accessed April 6, 2009. • CBC News (2008), http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/06/04/f-phthalates.html, accessed March 17, 2009 • Khaleej Times (2009) http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?col=&section=middleeast&xfile=data/middlee , accessed April 6, 2009. • Guardian (2009) http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/16/plastic-bags-india-delhi-ban , accessed April 6, 2009 • National Geographic http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-effects.html, accessed April 6, 2009 • Time (2007) http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/environment/article/0,28804,1602354_1603074_160317 , accessed April 5, 2009 • URMC Press Room (2007), http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/PR/news/story.cfm?id=1405, accessed March 17, 2009 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 9
• 10.
  Thank You 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 10
• 11.
  What is Globalwarming? 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 11
• 12.
  Global Warming andConsequences • Ice melting - includes mountain glaciers, ice sheets covering West Antarctica and Greenland, and Arctic sea ice • Researcher Bill Fraser has tracked the Decline of the 7 April 2009 penguins on Antarctica (from 32,000 breeding pairs to 11,000 in 30 years) • Movement of butterflies, foxes, and alpine plants have moved farther north or to higher, cooler areas • Precipitation (rain and snowfall) has increased across the globe, on average. • Sea level rise became faster over the last century (So: National Geographic) 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 12
• 13.
  Global Warming andNatural Disasters Risk factors: City growth, climate change, environmental degradation (So: International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, UN Agency , reported to BBC, September, 2004 ) 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 13
• 14.
  Global warming –A Reality – World speaks… “We now know without a doubt that global warming is threatening us with higher temperatures, more drought, more wildfire, more flooding, and more erosion of our coastal communities…the overwhelming scientific evidence has proven this over and over again. We must act now with the rest of the world to curb emissions” Barack Obama, 02/14/13 President, can make a difference! Each one US 14
• 15.
  Effects of globalwarming Why go far…Just recall the last time we remarked or discussed about the climate change in our area? 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 15
• 16.
  To Know Moreabout GW.. Important Sources of Information •http://www.stopglobalwar ming.org/sgw_learnmore.a sp •http://environment.about .com/od/faqglobalwarmin g/f/greengases.htm •http://en.wikipedia.org/w iki/Greenhouse_gas •http://environment.natio nalgeographic.com/enviro (Co: www.globalwarming.org.in ) nment/ •http://www.globalwarmin g.org.in/global-warming- facts.php 02/14/13 Each one can make a difference! 16