3rd Grade Science
Pollution and Conservation
Unit 3
How Do Humans Impact the Environment?
Have You Heard of Rubber Duck Races?
Some companies host large rubber duck races as fundraisers. They sell hundreds of ducks with numbers on them to customers, and if the duck wins the race, the owner wins a prize. However, people rarely ever clean up all the ducks after the races are over, impacting the dozens of other living species that live in the body of water.
Every material that humans use, from gasoline to lumber to energy, has a large impact on the environment.
What Are Resources?
Resources are materials that human beings can use to survive, manufacture a good, or produce energy. Take a look at the examples of resources below! There are two kinds of resources.
1) Renewable Resources: Some resources are replenished (restored) faster than they can be used, so they will never run out.
2) Non-Renewable Resources: Other resources are used up faster than they can be replenished. This means that the supply of these resources is limited and will eventually run out.
Water
Water can be used to produce electricity, as a beverage, as an energy source through steam production, and as the main component in many commercial foods.
Gasoline
Gasoline is often used to power machines and cars, even your lawn mower. It can also be used to heat up a grill or stovetop so that you can cook meals!
Wind
Wind, especially when used as the energy source for wind turbines, can produce electricity or move mechanical machines.
Coal
Coal is no longer used as much as it once was, but it has been used to power factories, machines, trains, build and start fires, as well as produce electricity.
Guess Which Resources are Renewable and Non-Renewable!
Water
Renewable
Gasoline
Non-Renewable
Wind
Renewable
Coal
Non-Renewable
Play this game to learn more!
What is Pollution?
Pollution is the act of introducing something into the environment that has harmful effects.
Can you think of anything that humans do that might cause pollution? Click the drop down to see if you're right!
Humans drive cars the emit pollutant exhaust smoke, power factories that create smog (smoke and fog), dump waste into rivers and lakes, build up piles of trash in landfills and on streets, and even spill oil (gasoline) into oceans.
What can you do to reduce pollution in your own life?
Recycle as many plastic and paper items as you can (paper, plastic bottles, plastic bags, cardboard, etc.)
Switch to reusable items (reusable water bottles, straws, forks/knives)
Walk or bike to places rather than riding a car or a bus.
Pick up trash in your neighborhood or around your school.
Humans pollute the Earth in a number of ways, especially through agriculture (growing crops and food on farms).
Runoff: When farmers use pesticides to keep bugs from eating their crops, rain washes the chemicals into nearby rivers, streams, and eventually the ocean, polluting much of the Earth's water and hurting many aquatic organisms (animals and plants that live in water).
Land Pollution
Look at this landfill, where all our trash is taken.
Water Pollution
Much of our wasted plastic ends up in the ocean.
Air Pollution
Factories release smoke creates smog, which is harmful to breath.
Pollution can happen on land, in water, and in the air. Learn more about Air Pollution in the game below!
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
When learning about conservation (how to help the environment), make sure to think about the 3 R's!
Reduce: Decrease your use of non-renewable resources and reduce the quantity of waste (trash) you produce.
Reuse: As much as possible, use things like water bottles, straws, jars, and clothes again and again to reduce waste.
Recycle: When you can no longer use an item, be sure to recycle it so that it can be used to make more items rather than ending up in a landfill.
Sadly, we alone can't completely eliminate all pollution, so it is often necessary for the government to regulate (keep a close eye on and control) how companies and powerful people treat the environment.