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Aluminum. By: Diego Victor Erling. Aluminum can cause the following:. Alzheimer’s Disease Breast Cancer Contamination of our water Death of many animals (breathing it through the air) We have ourselves to blame for most of these things, and we need to find ways to fix them.
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Aluminum By: Diego Victor Erling
Aluminum can cause the following: • Alzheimer’s Disease • Breast Cancer • Contamination of our water • Death of many animals (breathing it through the air) We have ourselves to blame for most of these things, and we need to find ways to fix them.
What is Aluminum? • Aluminum is an abundant (plentiful) sliver-white metal, very light in weight • It is primarily found in Bauxite • Bauxite is a sedimentary rock from which aluminum is produced
Why is it used? • Transportation (found in vehicles) • Cookware (pots, pans) • Electrical appliances • Packaging • Antiperspirants
Environmental Consequences • Mining for bauxite in Jamaica is leading to deforestation and the contamination of many rivers • They are also mining in the Amazon, which leads to the loss of much of the ecosystem, especially since it is a fragile biome • Many animals and plants are dying due to this, and we may see species become extinct sooner or later • Aluminum has been believed to have a link with breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease
Cultural Consequences • Mining in the Amazon has many severe cultural consequences • This mining can lead to contamination of the soil and water of the Amazon • This can really hurt the survival of those who depend on these resources • Growing crops will be almost impossible for the communities if it is contaminated
What are they doing? • Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership (VAIP) is trying to reduce per fluorocarbon (PFC) emissions that aluminum has • They are also trying to make it more efficient • U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is helping to recycle aluminum
What should WE do? • First of all, we should all RECYCLE everything that we can • Aluminum cans definitely should be recycled • Each year we use 80 Billion (80,000,000,000) cans and throw them away • Recycling one aluminum can can save enough energy to run a television for 3 hours, or the equivalent of half a gallon of gasoline • Be Cautious of what you use!
Alternatives • Although it is very important in industry and daily-life, there are many better alternatives that we can use • Paper, plastics, and glass can be great alternatives to packaging • Magnesium, titanium, and steel can be alternatives in vehicles
Works Cited/Consulted • http://www.mii.org/Minerals/photoal.html • http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/alum.htm • http://www.ehow.com/about_6381820_mining-amazon-rainforest.html • http://wwwchem.uwimona.edu.jm/lectures/bauxite.html • http://sam.davyson.com/as/physics/aluminium/siteus/uses.html