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Minamata Disaster - Population 2 billion
Occurred when a chemical plant let out mercury into the waters, which poisoned the sea life, then the locals in Minamata Bay.
Effect on the environment:
✴︎ poisoned water and seafood supply
✴︎ contaminated the locals
✴︎ could affect developing fetuses while in the womb -
Rachel Carson's: Silent Spring - Population 3 billion
A novel that showed the effects of using agricultural chemicals on the environment, wildlife, and us.
✴︎ Helped reduce harmful chemicals and pesticides used
✴︎Assisted in launching the Environmental Movement
✴︎Made the use of pesticides and DDT banned in many areas -
Clean Air Act - population 3 billion
The Clean Air Act was a federal law that was made to regulate air emissions. More air rules and regulations were added and monitored strictly afterward, and still to guarantee clean air for the nation. -
Clean Water Act - Population 3 billion
The clean water act established a basic structure for pollution control and regulating standards for surface waters. This act made it illegal to release any pollutant into waters. -
Stockholm Conference - Population 3 billion
The United Nations Conference in the Human Environment, or also known as the Stockholm Conference, was a world conference that was the first to discuss environmental problems. -
Endangered Species Act - Population 3 billion
The endangered species act created a program for endangered plants, animals, and their habitats. It was made to help conserve the life of animals and plants that were dying out. This helped protect endangered species and make it easy to monitor species that are threatened. -
Love Canal - Population 4 billion
The Love Canal was a dumping group for chemical waste which was filled in years on, and a neighborhood was built on it instead. However, the chemicals eventually made their way to the basements of homes and created a disaster. The soil and groundwater were contaminated, people were evacuated from their homes, and it caused damage to plants and animals in the area. -
NE. US Acid Rain - population 4 billion
The years after 1980, the pH levels increased over 10 times and showed signs of more rapid increase. -
Bhopal Disaster - Population 4 billion
The Bhopal disaster consisted of a methyl isocyanate leak, a toxic gas that killed 3,000 people instantly. The gas ended up contaminating the soil and water around the site and caused extreme consequences to the environment and population. -
Chernobyl Meltdown - Population 4 billion
Occurred when a power plant suddenly exploded during the late night. The explosion radius reached Chernobyl, needing everyone to evacuate.
Effect on the environment:
✴︎ Heavily affected any bodies of water near
✴︎ Plants showed genetic effects from the radiation
✴︎ Animals also had genetic effects and anomalies -
Montreal Protocol - Population 5 billion
The Montreal Protocol was a global agreement made to protect the ozone layer after it was discovered to be in disrepair.
✴︎ Eventually got rid of products that affected and consumed the ozone layer
✴︎ Helped avoid possible temperature increase
✴︎ Heavily reduced greenhouse gas emissions -
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch - Population 5 billion
The great Pacific garbage patch was a collection of litter and trash in the North Pacific Ocean. Not much of the litter is biodegradable so the vortex breaks down waste and debris into small particles. This fills the Ocean with microplastics which effects the levels of our water and the wildlife habiting there. -
Kyoto Protocol - Population 5 billion
The Kyoto protocol was a policy that would limit greenhouse gasses in countries. The protocol helped countries reduce their greenhouse gases and create a system where they can monitor countries greenhouse gas emissions. -
Documentary: An Inconvenient Truth - Population 6 billion
The inconvenient truth was a documentary made to spread awareness on global warming and climate change. It covered topics like the greenhouse effect, changes in the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide levels and population growth. The documentary affected the environment by raising public awareness about the changes in our environment. -
Clean Power Act - Population 7 billion
The clean power act was planned to decrease carbon pollution from U.S. power plants. By reducing power plant pollution it would protect our health, navigate away from fossil fuels, and prevent the future from facing worst effects of climate change.