Canada

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Canadas Environmental Issues
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SS6G7 - The student will discuss environmental
issues in Canada. Explain the major
environmental concerns of Canada regarding acid
rain and pollution of the Great Lakes, the
extraction and use of natural resources on the
Canadian Shield, and timber resources.
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Essential Question

• What are Canadas 3 major Environmental Issues?

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Human-Environment Interaction

• Humans interact with their environment. They
  either adapt to it.. or change it.

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Pollution of the Great Lakes
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GREAT LAKES
What is it used for?
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• The Beluga whale is one aquatic animal that is
  vanishing due to chemicals in Canadas waterways.

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Pollution in the Great Lakes is caused by waste
dumping, run-off and acid rain
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Pollution of the Great Lakes

• Dumping industries dump their waste directly
  into the Great Lakes.
• Ex Sewage treatment plants, power plants

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• Run-off is when rain washes pollutants like
  fertilizers, pesticides, or garbage into lakes
  and rivers.

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• Acid Rain is caused by coal-burning factories and
  car exhaust.
• The rain becomes more acidic which is harmful to
  aquatic life.

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Questions

• What do you think is the main cause of all of
  this pollution?
• What effects do you think this pollution has on
  wildlife?
• What effect does it have on humans?
• Why do you think these companies dump their waste
  in the Great Lakes?

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Effects of Pollution in Canada

• The effects of water pollution can range from
  aquatic deformities to contaminated fish to
  "dead" lakes.
• Studies have suggested that toxic chemicals can
  lead to reproductive problems, cancer and
  neurological disorders in Humans.

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Mining in the Canadian Shield
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Canadian Shield

• The Shield is one of the world's richest areas in
  terms of mineral ores. It is filled with
  substantial deposits of nickel, gold, silver,
  diamonds, and copper.

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Extraction and Overuse

• Extraction to get. To pull out.
• ex you might have a tooth pulled or extracted.
• Overuse to use way too much of something
• ex when someone uses WAY too much cologne
• Many of Canadas natural resources are extracted
  and overused.

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Coal Mine in Canada
Extraction and Overuse Canadian Shield

• Extraction of minerals provides short-term money,
  but has long-term negative effects.
• Mines often contaminate the soil, contaminate
  water and disrupt the local ecosystem.
• They have been linked to increases in human
  sickness and death of animals.

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• How eager do you think developers are to get to
  these minerals? Why?
• Do you think these people are concerned about
  what happens to the environment when they extract
  these materials? Why or Why Not?
• Gold Mine in Canada Nickel Mine in Canada

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Deforestation of Timber
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Extraction and Overuse Timber

• Timber or wood is another important resource
  found in Canada.
• Often, timber is cut down to make room for a
  mineral mine

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Canadas Boreal Forest

• The Boreal Forest is 10,000 years old.
• It is one of the worlds oldest forests.
• The timber in the Boreal Forest is being used to
  make paper products.
• This is endangering the lives of many animals
  that live in this ecosystem like the woodland
  caribou and the red fox.

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(No Transcript)
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• Forests are a limited resource.
• If they continue to be overused, they will not be
  renewed.
• Cutting trees down quicker than they can be
  re-grown is called Deforestation

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From This
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To This
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To This
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• How does the Deforestation of the Boreal Forest
  make you feel? Why?
• Why might deforestation be more harmful than
  mining?
• Do you think the short-term gains of
  deforestation are worth the long-term effects?
  Why or Why not?

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Activity

• On NB paper.List the 3 environmental problems
  of Canada and explain what is happening to each
  in your own words.