Our Environment Rubbish and climate change Learning objectives

Our Environment: Rubbish and climate change

Learning objectives • To understand the impact of food production on climate change • To understand the issue of fast food rubbish and littering • To learn about what we can do to help the planet

What is climate change? • Climate change describes a change in the average conditions — such as temperature and rainfall — in a region over a long period of time • Temperatures will increase and we will experience more extreme temperatures, both cold and hot • Rainfall can increase or decrease • Climate change has occurred naturally over millions and years • However, when scientists talk about the issue of climate change, their concern is about global warming caused by human activities – this type of climate change is a worry!

• A warmer earth is causing glaciers and ice sheets to melt and also causing sea levels to rise.

Human activities linked to climate change

Food production • 30% of fossil fuels go into making our food • It takes between 2, 000 -6, 000 gallons of water to make ONE burger! • The equivalent of a football pitch is cleared every 6 seconds in rainforests across the globe for farming

Energy demands of food production Agriculture – Farming uses lots of energy and resources including large amount of land, machinery and water. Storage - Food that has to be refrigerated or frozen uses lots of energy. Production – huge amount of resources go into turning the raw material into the finished food product, including energy, and food packaging. Distribution – Food is transported thousands of miles across the globe which requires lots of energy from fossil fuels.

How much water does it take to make a burger?

Deforestation

Rubbish and littering • Some people throw their rubbish on the ground instead of in the bin, which is called littering. • Littering is an increasing problem in the UK

Fast food trash nation • A lot of litter is fast food packaging – cups and bottles, bags, wrappers and boxes as well as cigarette butts

Why do people litter? Too lazy to find a bin No sense of pride for their community Lack of education/ role models If an area is already dirty, why bother to look for a bin? • Do not appreciate the consequences of littering • Bins aren’t emptied often enough, or they are too full • •

Where does litter end up? Landfill Oceans

Rubbish harms wildlife • Littering spoils our streets, beaches and the countryside. • Rubbish thrown into rivers and streams can harm wildlife and pollute the water

Birds can be strangled by the plastic rings from a drink multipack

Hedgehogs often get stuck in cans – their spines stop them from being able to get out

Who is to blame? d o o f Fast s r e f f sco Chewi ng gum chomp ers s r e k o m s e t t e r a Cig

What can we do? • • Always put your rubbish in a bin If you cannot find a bin, take it home with you Become a #litterhero #keepbritaintidy Join a beach clean-up team and help your environment Encourage other people not to litter Avoid single use plastic packaging where you can Make sure to have recycling bins at home • Reduce, reuse, recycle

Reduce, reuse, recycle, refuse

Blackburn Tidy Litter Pickers

Activity Quiz 1) What is climate change? 2) What human activities are linked to climate change? 3) Why do some people litter? 4) How does littering affect the environment? 5) List three things we can do to help the planet.