Our planet is full of towering mountains, pristine forests, and crystal-clear waters. But nowadays,
it's also home to landfills, forest fires, and oil spills. As Earth scientists,
we study the good and the bad to understand how our planet works. But our responsibility isn't
just to learn about the Earth and its resources; we also try to protect them. Today, we're going to
explore some different problems facing our planet as we practice thinking like Earth scientists.
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to describe how human actions
can impact the natural resources found on Earth and explain steps we can take
to reduce our impact on the Earth's natural resources. Let's get started!
In our last lesson, we learned that Earth has many natural resources we rely on. Some of
them are renewable, meaning we aren't likely to ever run out of them. Others are nonrenewable,
meaning we use them faster than they're replenished. That's why Earth scientists
are constantly looking for ways to make sure our resource usage is sustainable,
meaning we can keep it going for a long time without running out or damaging our planet.
Today, we're going to try to think like Earth scientists. Let's look at a few
real-world situations to learn about why sustainability is so important.
Deepwater Horizon was a rig that drilled for oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico. But after
10 years of pumping out fossil fuels, a series of important systems that kept the rig working
failed. It began pouring oil into the ocean, and it took three months to stop. In that time,
over 130 million gallons of oil spilled into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Now, think
about this disaster like an Earth scientist. What resources do you think were impacted? What should
we do about it, especially to prevent similar disasters in the future? Pause the video here
and take some time to think about these questions. Then, record your thinking in your guided notes.
Deepwater Horizon was the worst oil spill in history, and it shows how human
actions can have huge impacts on our natural resources. Oil spills are a form of pollution,
which is when harmful materials called pollutants are introduced to the natural environment. The
toxic oil seriously polluted the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This killed countless marine
animals and is still impacting their health today. The pollutants also made it unsafe to
eat any seafood caught in the Gulf of Mexico for a long time, since it could make humans sick too.
Ultimately, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill impacted tons of our natural resources,
including the water, our food supply, plants, and more. Afterward, many Earth scientists
urged us to remember the problems with fossil fuels. Oil and gas might be useful resources,
but they're also extremely dangerous toxic pollutants, and collecting them is often
messy. Plus, since they're non-renewable, we're on track to run out of them in a few hundred years.
Avoiding disasters like oil spills is just one of the many reasons Earth
scientists encourage people to use clean, renewable energy resources,
like solar and wind power, instead of fossil fuels. Renewable resources can
help create a more sustainable future and avoid a lot of pollution now.
Next up, let's visit the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon is home to millions of different species
of animals, many of which aren't found anywhere else. It's also often nicknamed
the "lungs of our planet," since the countless trees here help produce the oxygen we breathe.
In the last few years, massive forest fires have been tearing through the Amazon.
These fires are being set by people to clear out parts of the forest so they can use the
land. The thing is, the fires often get out of control and burn down way more than planned.
So, let's think like Earth scientists again. What resources do you think this impacts, and
what should we do about it? Pause the video here and record your thoughts in your guided notes.
The main resource impacted by the fires in the Amazon is trees. These fires are causing a type of
damage to natural resources called deforestation, which is when trees are removed so people can
use the land for something else, like farms or buildings. Deforestation has tons of consequences,
especially on the scale it's happening in the Amazon. Deforestation can lead to higher
temperatures without the shade of trees. It can destroy the habitats of animals. Plus,
tree roots hold the soil and forest floor in place. Without those roots, the soil is easily
eroded. This can make it impossible for plants to grow and even cause dangerous landslides.
In the last 50 years, almost 20% of the Amazon has been deforested. It just isn't sustainable
to keep destroying the forest at this rate. That's why many nearby countries are considering
laws that would protect the rainforest and all its natural resources. In fact,
many Earth scientists think that laws and guidelines focused on sustainability are
one of the most important steps we can take towards protecting our planet's resources.
Our last stop is back in the sea, but this time, we're visiting the Pacific Ocean,
between California and Hawaii. You might expect pristine, blue waters,
but instead, we'll find the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Scientists estimate that there are nearly
2 trillion pieces of trash floating here! So, let's think like Earth scientists one
last time. What resources do you think this impacts, and what should we do about it?
Pause the video here and record your thoughts in your guided notes.
Much like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch impacts essentially
every part of the oceans, including marine life and the water itself. But it has another
effect that might be a bit surprising. The Amazon might be called "the lungs of the
planet," but the oceans have really earned that title. Scientists estimate that over half of
our oxygen comes from tiny, plant-like marine organisms called phytoplankton, meaning most
of our air actually comes from the sea. The thing is, most phytoplankton need sunlight,
and all that trash blocks the sun. That means the Great Pacific Garbage Patch isn't just impacting
resources like the water and marine life; it's also impacting the very air we need to breathe.
So, what do we do about it? Well, Earth scientists believe massive pollution problems like the Great
Pacific Garbage Patch can actually be prevented if we follow a few simple guidelines: Reduce,
reuse, and recycle. These three steps remind us to think about the resources we use. We can
reduce our resource usage whenever possible, look for ways to reuse the resources that we do use,
and try to recycle any resources we need to throw away. Remember, the steps are said
in that particular order because reducing our resource usage is more sustainable than reusing,
and reusing is more sustainable than recycling. But all of these steps can help us care for the
resources on our planet, and they'll all help keep trash out of the ocean.
Pollution, deforestation, and other consequences show us that human actions impact our resources.
If we aren't careful, we can seriously damage the resources we depend on. But Earth scientists are
working hard to find solutions to these problems to help us all lead more sustainable lives.
That way, we'll be able to enjoy the incredible natural resources on our planet for years to come.
So, let's recap what we learned today.
You now know that human actions can impact our natural resources in many ways and that
by making sustainable choices, we can protect our planet's natural resources.
Thank you so much for joining me as we explored the amazing planet we call home and learned how
we can become better caretakers of the incredible interconnected processes that shape it. And always
remember, in Earth science, as in life, you rock! See you soon, Earth scientists.