How Trash Affects the Environment

1. How Trash Affects the Environment By Maddie Garza , Anya Flynn, and Cheo Mwandani

2. Intro • Imagine everyone throwing trash on the ground and saying it’s just one piece of trash, it won’t hurt. Well if everyone says that, so much trash would pile up we would practically live in a waste land. Every little piece of trash harms our environment.

3. Different types of Litter Styrofoam Cups Plastic Bags Glass Items Plastic Bottles Rubber

4. Styrofoam Cups • Can cause food contamination when littered near crops • Non-biodegradable • Made of polystyrene and petroleum, which can harm plants and animals • Animals could think it’s a yummy snack and eat it, which could kill them

5. Plastic Bags • Small animals could get trapped in it • It could fly into the ocean and a turtle might think it’s a jelly fish and eat it • Degrades slowly • 95% of sea birds have plastic in their stomach

6. Plastic Bottles • Takes centuries to decompose • If they are incinerated, toxic chemicals are released causing pollution • 2 million tons of water bottles end up in U.S. landfills

7. Glass Items • Can take about a million years to fully break down • Contaminates ground and water • Can cut animals and people if stepped on

8. Rubber • If burnt, it can cause air pollution • Producing tires also involves zinc. Even small concentrations in water of zinc can harm fish and other aquatic species • Can contaminate water • When rubber tires are left on highways it can fly up and hit a cars window

9. Sources • http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/How_Styrofoam_is_Bad_for_the_Environment • http://www.ehow.com/facts_5092793_plastic-bags-affect-enviornment.html • http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/water-bottle-pollution-2947.html • http://www.ehow.com/about_6292669_glass-recycling-effect-environment_.html • http://greenanswers.com/q/204723/products-shopping/manufacturing-materials/does-making-rubber-cause-lot-pollution