Water+Pollution

Scientists Find Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch Marine Problems: Pollution Kids Can Protect Groundwater Too Just Cruising: Environmental Effects of Cruise Ships Troubled Waters The Causes of Water Pollution Follow the Path to Cleaner Water Do Your Storm Drains Keep the Ocean Trash Free? Sources of Groundwater Contamination Jeremy Jackson: How We Wrecked the Ocean
 * Pollution is taking its toll on the Pacific Ocean. Read this news report from the National Science Foundation to learn about the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch. Researchers on the Scripps Environmental Accumulation of Plastic Expedition (SEAPLEX) got the first detailed view of plastic debris floating in a remote ocean region. Discover what the scientists hope to learn by surveying plastic distribution and abundance and by taking samples for analysis in the lab. Find out what types of plastic waste the researchers retrieved and how it could affect marine life.
 * URL: http://www.nsf.gov
 * More than 80 percent of the trash and toxic chemicals in the ocean come from land. The vast majority of marine pollution comes from plastics, petroleum, and pesticides as well as sewage and fertilizers. All that pollution is making fish too toxic to eat and creating dead zones where marine life has suffocated under algae blooms. Marine animals suffocate or get sick if they ingest plastic debris. Raw sewage dumped into ocean water can spread disease.
 * URL: http://wwf.panda.org
 * Yes, you can help protect groundwater too! By visiting this site by The Groundwater Foundation you can find out that it is important for people of all ages to contribute to keeping contaminants (pollutants) out of our groundwater. It's as easy as conserving water in your home to becoming more aware of completely utilizing your household and lawn products. Learn about the effects of contaminants and the role you can play in learning and then teaching others to care for this most valuable resource.
 * URL: http://www.groundwater.org
 * Although the cruise ship industry seems to have exploded during recent years, little thought has been given to the environmental effects of the increase in the number of ships on the water. This report from the PCE in New Zealand examines the sources of potential environmental damage of cruise ships and the systems in place to avoid or correct the consequences. The findings of the investigation are discussed, along with the recommendations for improving current regulations and arrangements for protecting the environment.
 * URL: http://www.pce.parliament.nz
 * From Canada's Saint Lawrence River to Australia's Great Barrier Reef, some species are disappearing while others are taking over. Is there something amiss with the waters of earth? From marshes and ponds to the sea, aquatic ecosystems are changing. The industrial products and chemicals that have changed our world may be threatening our supply of clean, safe water. Investigate some bizarre abnormalities scientists have found in frogs due to agricultural chemicals. Find out about the chemical cocktails that killed beluga whales, turning their bodies into hazardous waste. Visit the interactive house to discover how your choices impact the planet's waters.
 * URL: http://www.pbs.org
 * Water can become polluted in many ways. Tour this web site from the UK to explore several ways in which waste is disposed in water. There are facts about sewage and wastewater and about the harmful pollutants that are produced by industrial facilities. Additional pollutants discussed are radioactive waste, marine dumping, oil pollution and underground storage leakage. Click on the dangers tab to learn about the harmful effects of water pollution on humans and animals.
 * URL: http://www.water-pollution.org.uk
 * The Clean Water Act passed by Congress helped clean up pollution from factories and wastewater pipes, but it takes everyone working together to help clean up pollution that washes off the soil or blows through the air. When washing the car or taking care of the lawn, there are simple things everyone can do to prevent pollution. Find out why it's important to wash a car at the car wash, recycle motor oil, shovel instead of salting the driveway, and limit or eliminate fertilizer and pesticides.
 * URL: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us
 * Our oceans are contaminated with pollution. Some scientific surveys estimate that there are millions of pounds of plastic in the ocean. Become an environmental engineer as you complete this science fair project that has you test models of local grated storm drain inlets to see if they are designed to prevent plastic litter from passing through. Read about the problem of trash in our oceans and find out where it comes from. There are links to several related sites about marine debris and a list of the materials you will need. Detailed instructions explain how to conduct the project.
 * URL: http://www.sciencebuddies.org
 * Contaminants are seeping into our groundwater everyday. The result is a poor quality of groundwater for us. The pollution of groundwater can largely be attributed to the human race. Above or below ground storage tanks are mentioned on this site as being one of the many culprits in making our groundwater unsafe. These tanks hold anything from gasoline, oil, or chemicals. Many of the tanks become corroded or crack, leaving the pollutants to escape and contaminate groundwater. Learn more about how our groundwater is contaminated and then what you can do to prevent it.
 * URL: http://www.groundwater.org
 * A coral reef ecologist describes the problems of overfishing, global warming, and marine pollution and how they affect the world's oceans. Fifty years ago, scientists came from around the world to study Discovery Bay Jamaica. A hurricane disrupted the ecological balance of the reef, but the real culprit was overfishing. It interfered with the reef's ability to recover from a natural disaster. Trophy fish have declined in size, and cheap fish are far less tasty than they used to be. Trawling for fish is like taking a bulldozer to the ocean floor.
 * URL: http://www.ted.com