Photo Courtesy: https://www.google.com.ph/search?

q=smoke+factories$tbm=isch&ved=2

Reah Ann A. Torres, Ph.D.

Alma Mae S. Torremoro, Ph.D.
 The environment that we live in and make use of is being stripped
off of its precious components day by day. There are many angles
from which the problem of environmental challenge can be
studied. Similarly, many different views come into play if we need
to find practical solutions to these challenges. There are
innumerable factors associated with the conservation of the
environment and also these challenges are interrelated. Different
factors affected the environment of the Earth as it is in constant
conflict with the latter. In this module, it includes the different
environmental problems such as pollution, greenhouse effect and
global warming, climate change, ozone depletion, acid rain,
overpopulation and infectious diseases as well as the different
mitigating measures and environmental management and laws.
In this module, you will learn the following lessons:

Lesson 1 – Environmental Pollution

Lesson 2 – Global Warming and Climate Change
Lesson 3 – Ozone Depletion
Lesson 4 - Overpopulation and Infectious Diseases
Lesson 5 – Environmental Management and Laws

Module Outcomes:
At the end of the module, you must have:
1. identified the different types of problems;
2. examined the different sources of pollution and other environmental
pollutants;
3. evaluated the extent of the effects of pollution on human and
environment;
4. assessed the causes and effects of various environmental problems; and
5. proposed measures on mitigating the effects of pollution and other
environmental problems.

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Before you start with the lessons in this module, familiarize yourself with the terms listed
in Table 1.

Table 1. Terms you need to know in this module.

Cholera It is an infectious disease that causes severe watery
diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if
untreated.
Climate change It refers to the broader ranges that are happening to our
planet
Global warming It refers to the long-term warming of the planet
Greenhouse gases The gases that let sunlight enter the atmosphere but slow the
loss of heat from the Earth’s surface
Green Marketing It is the marketing of environmentally friendly products and
services.
Green strategy A strategy that fundamentally helps an enterprise in making
decisions that have a positive impact on the environment.
Meningitis It is the inflammation of the protective membranes covering
the brain and spinal cord.

Ozone depletion The gradual thinning of Earth’s ozone layer in the upper
atmosphere caused by the release of chemical compounds
containing gaseous chlorine or bromine from industry and
other human activities.
Ozone layer A layer in the earth’s atmosphere at an altitude of about 6.2
miles containing a high concentration of ozone (O3).

Pollutant It is defined as a substance whose presence, quantity,

physical or chemical reactions pose a risk to health or to the
environment.
Pollution The introduction of a substance that is deleterious to health
or to the environment.
Scabies A skin infestation caused by a mite known as the Sarcoptes
scabiel.
Smog The combination of smoke and fog that describes the
unsightly pall of brownish to black haze that hangs in the
horizon in polluted cities.
Typhus A disease caused by infection with one or more rickettsial
bacteria.

Waste Minimization A set of processes and practices intended to reduce the

amount of waste produced.

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 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. defined pollution;
2. identified the different types of pollution;
3. pointed out the different pollutants examine their sources and
their effects; and
4. discussed the concept of eutrophication.

Environmental pollution is defined as “the contamination of the physical and

biological components of the earth system to such an extent that normal
environmental processes are adversely affected” (Environmental Management,
2017)

Engage

A pollutant may be defined as a

substance whose presence, quantity,
physical or chemical reactions pose a
risk to health or to the environment.
Pollution may be defined as the
introduction of a substance that is
deleterious to health or to the
environment. Contamination is the
altering of the state or quality of an
organism or environment due to the
unnatural increase in the amounts of a
certain substance. A pollutant may be a Source: http://images.google.com
substance that is naturally occurring in
the environment but due to certain factors has increased in quantity thus posing a
threat to the ecological community.

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 Reflect on the following pictures. Think of just one word that describes each
picture.

Source: http://images.google.com Source: http://images.google.com

__________________________ ___________________________

Source: http://images.google.com Source: http://images.google.com

_________________________ __________________________

Explore

Watch the video in this link

https://www.nationaleographic.com/news/2017/07/plastic

What problems can plastic cause in the ocean?

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Explain

I. Air Pollution
In most parts of the world today, one cannot
breathe easily anymore. Since the Industrial
Revolution, the burgeoning industries and the
continuously evolving transportation facilities
have dumped increasing amounts of pollutive
substances into the air. In the 1980s,
developing countries in Asia, Latin America,
and Africa joined the race for industrialization,
which led to the burning of greater amounts of
fossil fuel. Fossil fuel is the collective term
given to coal, petroleum, oil, kerosene,
gasoline, and natural gas, which can be
burned to produce energy. This carbon-
derived fuel comes from dead plants and
Source: http://images.google.com animals, which had undergone decomposition
for millions of years, usually under the sea,
transforming them into the different combustible forms already mentioned.
The developed countries use more energy in comparison with less developed
countries. Energy usage varies in different regions of the world.

II. Smog
It is the urban signboard of pollution. Its name is derived from the combination of
smoke and fog that describes the unsightly pall of brownish to black haze that
hangs in the horizon in polluted cities. It is composed of a cocktail of pollutants that
threatens health. The technical term for the said term is photochemical smog
because it results from chemical reactions in the presence of sunlight. A primary
component of smog is tropospheric ozone which is highly toxic; nitric acid,
formaldehyde, and peroxyacyl nitrate (PAN) are the other major components. The
negative effects of smog include eye irritation, serious respiratory problems, and
memory loss.

III. Major Air Pollutants

The two major groups of air pollutants are the oxides of nitrogen and the oxides of
sulfur. Occurring as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), nitric oxide (NO),
sulfur dioxide (SO2), and sulfur trioxide (SO3), they produce acid rain (HNO3 and
H2SO4) and tropospheric ozone.

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A. The oxides of nitrogen, produced from burning fossil fuels in vehicles,
powerplants and factories, account for the brownish color of smog. They
aggravate asthma, and result in people’s predisposition to bronchitis and
pneumonia, cause chest colds and coughing. NO2 is known to cause
heart, lung, kidney, and liver damage. It also harms plants.

B. Oxides of sulfur are emitted by furnaces and boilers in power plants,

petroleum refineries, smelters, paper mills, chemical plants, and
vehicles. At low concentrations, sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a colorless,
odorless gas that can aggravate respiratory problems such as
bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema. These can corrode metals, injure
plants, and impair visibility by as much as 80%. Oxides of sulfur are
ranked second to smoking in causing respiratory damage. Air pollution
is linked to heart and circulatory diseases. Medical researches prove
that daily increases in NO2 and CO are linked with increases in
cardiovascular diseases; NO2, SO2, and CO are significant risk factors
for death from acute stroke (Linn et al., 2000; Hong et al., 2002).

C. Ozone in the stratosphere is the protective blanket against the ultraviolet

rays of the sun. When found in the troposphere which is nearest the
surface of the Earth’s ozone, it becomes a harmful compound. When
oxygen is subjected to nitrogen oxides and other pollutants that are
emitted by vehicles and factories, they reach with each other in the
presence of sunlight in what is called photochemical reactions, which
then form ozone. Ozone causes irritations in the eyes and the respiratory
system starting from the nose, throat, and into the lungs, causing asthma
attacks, emphysema, lung inflammation, and general susceptibility to
lung infections. It is recognized as the most harmful pollutant to plants.

D. The greenhouse gases, CO2 and CO, which, together with methane
nitrous oxide, are being linked to global climate change, contribute to the
atmospheric pollution and may bring about adverse effects on human
health. The oxides of carbon are emitted by vehicles, power plants,
factories, and domestic fires. Carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless
by-product of incomplete burning of fossil fuel, contributes to air pollution
and can be lethal to humans.

E. Floating in the air are suspended particles, air pollutants in the form of
solid particles or liquid droplets. Dust, soot, fly ash, smoke, vapors,
aerosols, trace metals, asbestos, fertilizers, and pesticides come from
industries, smelters, burning of fuels or wood, and soil cultivation.
Together with natural allergenic like spores and pollen, they may reside
in the air for long periods of time and cause respiratory symptoms,
disease and lung damage, and may even cause death particularly in the
very young and the elderly or those with respiratory or heart problems.
It is reported that exposure to particulate matter or associated air

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 pollutants may affect fetal development, causing infant mortality, birth
and functional defects.

F. Air pollutants like benzene, arsenic, and asbestos which are released by
chemical plants, industries, and vehicles are highly toxic. They are linked
with cancers, birth defects, reproductive and respiratory malfunctions,
and other serious injuries. Lead, a component of gasoline and paint, is
produced in the burning of coal and lead-containing garbage, in smelters
and car battery plants. It may contaminate soils and dust. It is highly
toxic to humans, particularly to children where it may cause mental
retardation, convulsions and hallucinations, and disrupt kidney and
blood functions.

IV. Acid Rain

The burning of fossil fuel releases sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, traces of
mercury, and cadmium into the atmosphere. When mixed with the water vapor in
the atmosphere, these compounds turn
into sulfuric acid and nitric acid. The
acidity of a substance is indicated by its
pH level, H standing for hydrogen, a
standardized measure using the amount
of hydrogen ion (H+). More H+ means
more acidity. A neutral pH is represented
by distilled water at 7 (See Figure 1).
Values on top diminish and represent the
increasing acidity of substances. Values
below represent increasingly basic
substances. Rain is normally slightly
acidic, with a pH of 5.6 but acid rain at pH
2.0 or less makes it more acidic than
vinegar or lemon juice.
Acid rain, with pH starting below 5.6,
can be more acidic than vinegar
Acid rain then falls to the ground as rain,
Source: http://images.google.com
snow, fog, hail, or as dust or gas, and can
corrode concrete and metals, and stunt or kill plants and animals. Acid rain
destroys forests by leaching away soil nutrients that are important to plant growth
such as potassium, calcium, and aluminum. Forest soil, particularly in the tropics,
has a small amount of nutrients which are found mostly in the thin topsoil. Leaching
renders this precious little substrate depauperate which results in deforestation.
Soils that have acid-neutralizing compounds can survive acid rain for years but
thin soils in mountains and in already acidic areas cannot stand such abuse.
Similarly, lakes that are rich in acid-neutralizing minerals may be able to survive
acid rain at the start but continuous onslaught will kill fishes and other living
organisms to the point where the lake “dies” suddenly, turning clear and bluish,
and an indication that it has turned oligotrophic or nutrient-poor. Buildings,
monuments, and sculptures have been corroded by acid rain and millions of

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dollars’ worth of restoration work has had to be done on priceless works of art. The
Stone in Parthenon, the Statue of Liberty, and the Taj Mahal are some of the most
popular ones corroded by acid and which previous restoration work had to be
done. In fact, all houses and buildings are affected by acid rain, thus necessitating
repairs, reconstructions, or repaintings.

V. Terrestrial Pollution
Fertilizers are food supplements to crops, making them grow faster, and giving
more harvest than what is naturally possible. NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and
potassium), the three major components of fertilizers, are nutrients that plants
need which have to be mined from rocks or developed from bird and mammal
droppings and brought to agricultural fields in their commercial forms. Most
fertilizers get into the soil and contaminate the waterways in the area. The sudden
influx of nutrients that enrich the water is called eutrophication. Algae then bloom
in ponds forming an opaque mat on the surface that blocks sunlight for other
photosynthetic plants below thus killing them later. When these algae die, they rain
down in pond bottom and form a mass of organic matter that becomes food for
bacteria and other microorganisms. The bacteria have a heyday breaking down
the mountains of food and in the process, use up all the available oxygen in the
water. This makes the pond anoxic or devoid of oxygen thus killing off the fish and
all other oxygen-requiring organisms in it.

VI. Pesticides
Insecticides kill insect pests that feed on the crops and may cause diseases that
are transmittable to humans and animals. Fungicides kill fungi that parasitize crops
causing crop diseases, and eventually death. Rodenticides kill rats and mice.
Herbicides or weedicides kill weeds. Molluscicides kill snails that graze on rice and
other crops, as well as compete with fish in fishponds. Piscicides kill fish species
that are considered pests in fishponds where preferred species are being cultured.

The usefulness of pesticides in controlling pests is only one side of the coin for
they also cause harm to what humans classify as beneficial or nonpest organisms.
When an organism is contaminated by a pesticide, it passes the toxin to the
organism that feeds on it, and the feeder passes it to the next predator, up to the
food chain. Since smaller food organism is eaten in bulk to satisfy bigger predators,
the total amount of toxin ingested by the predators increases considerably as it
moves up the food chain in a process called bioaccumulation or biomagnification.
This means that the last predator, the one on top of the food chain, ingests the
most amount of toxin. In many cases, man is at the top of the food chain and,
therefore, receives the greatest amount.

VII. Salinization and Desertification

It is not well-known that over irrigated lands become waterlogged which kills plants
and animals due to the absence of oxygen in the soil which has been displaced by
water. Freshwater always carries a lot of mineral salts scoured from rocks, soils,

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and organic matter that its route brings it in contact with. During irrigation, the water
is absorbed while some evaporates, leaving the salts to accumulate in the soil
which literally is soil salinization. The salts may break down the organic nutrients,
thus depleting the soil of an otherwise rich growing medium. In time, the soil would
lose its fertility and the vegetation would die off leaving a virtual desert.
Desertification is a global threat particularly to grasslands and forests that are
being converted to croplands.

VIII. Freshwater Pollution

Between 70% and 78% of the planet Earth is covered by water, making it virtually
a water planet. Of the total waters, 97% is contained in the oceans as saltwater.
Of the 3% freshwater, 75% is in the form of ice and is therefore unusable. Of the
remaining 25%, 14% is not available because it is located below 1,000 meters and
is often saline. The remaining 11% is the cyclic portion available for human use. In
this light, the present state of pollution of much of the freshwater sources of the
world is most alarming.

Freshwater is subject to different categories of pollutants that could at the very

least degrade the quality of water, or cause illnesses or deaths. Pollution is a major
factor in the water shortage problem. From human and animal wastes that
contaminate water come bacteria, viruses, and human and animal parasites.
Inorganic chemicals like lead and mercury and organic chemicals like pesticides,
solvents, oil, gasoline, and detergents, and many other compounds are toxic to
humans and animals. Sediment, composed of soil or the finer silt, comes from
erosion, mining and constructions. Radioactive substances in water can cause
genetic mutations and cancer. High levels of nitrates in the water are highly toxic
to humans and can kill children. Nutrient enrichment of freshwater bodies leads to
eutrophication that starts an algal bloom and ends in the decimation of aquatic
organisms.

IX. Marine Pollution

Pollution in freshwater bodies is pollution that finally gets into the sea. Pollution in
the marine environment sets off the eutrophication cycle that may, however, not
immediately result in the decimation of marine organisms due to the vastness of
the sea, but certainly brings about harmful environmental changes. Red tide
causes fish kills and human intoxication and death. Eutrophication is the most
recent cause of disturbance in coral reefs where because of more nutrients that
the algae proliferate, it overgrows corals in what is called a coral-algal dominance
shift. The danger lies in the possible die-off of hard corals, which build the reefs.
Reefs are the massive living complexes that build land and prevent soil erosion
aside from providing a great variety of habitats to marine organisms.

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X. Siltation or Heavy Sedimentation
It results from natural landslides, overlogging, and irresponsible constructions that
clog and suffocate the small eight-armed individual coral animals called polyps that
filter food from the water. Even marine filter feeders like shrimps, clams and crabs
are not able to filter off suspended particles if there is too much silt, and may
experience clogging of the gills. Dredging spoils likewise carry toxic metals, oils,
and other pollutants that may cause not only smothering but reproductive problems
and mutations.

XI. Thermal Pollution

Factories and industries use machines that have to be cooled by water and release
the heated wastewater into rivers or estuaries. This is a source of stress to aquatic
animals and plants, particularly to young forms such as eggs, larvae, or fries that
are quite sensitive and may die from an elevation of water temperature by as low
as 1°C.

Cooling water, particularly from power stations, is discharged into the sea and
creates a plume of hot water that changes the ambient temperature of the receiving
water. This kills marine organisms, which are sensitive to sudden temperature
changes, particularly the young forms such as eggs and larvae. Tropical marine
animals are generally harmed by increases from 1-3°C. Most mollusks, sponges,
and crustaceans die at 37°C while the turtle grass, Thalassia, is killed at 35-40°C.
Temperature of discharges may reach 40-45°C.

XII. Toxic Heavy Metals

Toxic heavy metals like arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, copper, iron, and zinc
get into the sea from different sources. Certain levels of metal compounds naturally
occur in seawater from natural processes like erosion and volcanism. Some of
these are in traces of useful nutrients but some are not useful. Organisms vary in
possessing mechanisms to regulate metals and also vary in their tolerances of
these. Thousands of tons of Mercury are produced each year and a considerable
part of these get to the air and waterways through the waste matter. Marine
organisms, particularly clams, are known to accumulate heavy metals.

XIII. Oil Spills

Crude oil or refined petroleum may contain several-thousand different compounds
that are toxic individually or in combination and whose effects on organisms vary
according to age and the time of year. A hydrocarbon is a complex molecule
composed of from one to 26 carbon atoms to which hydrogen atoms are attached
and which together form chains of different shapes. Because of its complexity,
crude oil can be broken down into many derivatives. It is refined by boiling
processes that yield different fractions with different uses such as light gasoline for
vehicles, naptha as fuel in the petrochemical industry, bunker fuel in ships and
power stations, and tar.

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Oil spills are greatly damaging to the marine environment because they contain a
variety of other chemicals that are toxic to many marine plants and animals. Heavy
mortalities result from the oil spill. Sub lethal effects include physiological,
behavioral, and long term developmental defects. Immediate death may result
through smothering, as seen in barnacles, fish, crabs, shrimps, bivalves. Sea birds
are harmed by the physical effects of oil on their plumage. With oil, the plumage
loses its water repellent property, buoyancy, and thermal insulation capability and
can become waterlogged making the bird vulnerable to sinking and drowning. Loss
of insulation leads to hypothermia and death. When the bird preens in an attempt
to remove the oil, the swallowed oil causes intestinal disorders and renal or liver
failure. It depresses egg laying and/or hatching, and may kill embryos in already
laid eggs.

A major source of the oil slick is the oil tankers that transport crude oil from source
countries to refineries in other countries. Upon delivery, the tankers must fill their
empty ballasts with seawater for stability but are not allowed to discharge oil-
containing wastewater at the loading terminal so they discharge at sea, causing oil
slicks.

XIV. Toxic and Radioactive Wastes

Toxic industrial wastes and radioactive wastes are dumped into the sea. The sea
is naturally radioactive from potassium-40, tritium (H3), and decay products of
uranium and thorium but human inputs have enormously increased the risks from
radioactive hazards. Algae like Porphyra, Ulva, and Enteromorpha and clams
accumulate radioactive wastes. Bottom-dwelling fishes are likewise exposed to
radioactivity. It is expected that some genetic and morbidity disturbances affect
these organisms.

XV. Plastics
They are found in all garbage dumps and pose particular problems at sea. Pellets
and fragments of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene have been found
in beaches worldwide, even far from industries that produce them, which show that
they have circulated through the seas. These must have been accidentally spilled
or deliberately dumped. These cause not only an eyesore but a real hazard to
seabirds that accidentally ingest them. There is information that some seabirds
have so gotten used to seeing plastics that they think these are food and feed
these to their young.

XVI. PCBs
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are organic molecules of two benzene rings to
which chlorine molecules are attached. These are by-products in the production of
electrical equipment, paints, plastics, and adhesives. These are absorbed in the
body and not easily excreted being fat-soluble and persistent. PCBs have been
linked to the deaths of seabirds and seals in the Baltic Sea.

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 Another toxicant, tributyltin (TBT), is found in antifouling paint used on ship hull to
prevent the settlement of fouling organisms like barnacles and teredo worms. In
the early 1980s, it was discovered that TBT was found to cause female snails, like
mud snails to develop secondary male characteristics, a condition called imposex.
Needless to say, imposex reduces reproductive potential in the population.
Oysters, on the other hand, develop thicker and deformed shells. TBT has been
banned and since the pesticide is not very persistent in the environment, the
affected species have been recovering.

Elaborate

Make a short video clip showing all the different environmental problems in your
area. Then make a proposal on how you can mitigate those problems. Be creative
in making your video clip which is not more than 5 minutes.

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Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Direction: In each number, fill in the blank with the word or phrase that correctly answers
the description.
_____________1. The introduction into an ecosystem of a substance that causes ill
effects on the organisms and the ecosystem.
_____________2. Air pollutants in the form of solid particles or liquid droplets such as
dust, ash, soot, vapors.
_____________3. The accumulation in the soil of mineral salts from irrigation water
which renders the soil infertile.
_____________4. Fine sand from landslides or heavy sedimentation that may clog the
gills of filter and suspension feeders.
_____________5. A pollutant from gasoline, paints, and batteries that retards growth
and may cause death in marine organisms.
_____________6. The marine pollutant that smothers marine organisms such as
barnacles and shrimps, destroys the heat insulation of bird plumage
and causes physiological, behavioral and developmental defects.
_____________7. Organic molecule of two benzene rings to which chlorine molecules
are attached, and which are linked to deaths of seabirds and seals in
the Baltic Sea.
____________ 8-10. For 3 points, discuss the concept of eutrophication.

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 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. discussed greenhouse effect;
2. identified the different greenhouse gases and their sources; and
3. pointed out the consequences of global warming and climate
change.

The rising average temperature of Earth’s climate system, called global warming,
is driving changes in rainfall patterns, extreme weather, arrival of seasons, and
more. Collectively, global warming and its effects are known as climate change.

Engage

In recent years, scientists noticed that the average temperature of the Earth was
increasing. They looked for causes of the said change. It is clear that the Earth has
had alterations in its average temperature many times in the geologic past before
humans were present. So, scientists initially tried to determine if warming was a
natural phenomenon or the result of human activity.

Explore

Internet access the following:

The Heat Over Global Warming http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/304
God and Global Warming http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/343/index.html

Is human activity bringing about alarming global warming scenarios and related
catastrophes? Or is such thinking a myth brought about by flawed or incomplete
science? Finding the answers to these questions has turned global warming into
a highly politicized and contentious issue.

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Explain

Several gases such as carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, methane, and nitrous

oxide are known as greenhouse gases because they let sunlight enter the
atmosphere but slow the loss of heat from the Earth’s surface. Evidence of past
climate change can be traced as far as 160,000 years. It indicates a close
correlation between the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and
global temperatures.

I. Causes of Global Warming and Climate Change

Several gases in the atmosphere are transparent to ultraviolet and visible light but
absorb infrared radiation. These gases allow sunlight to penetrate the atmosphere
and be absorbed by the Earth’s surface. This sunlight energy is reradiated as
infrared radiation (heat), which is absorbed by the greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere. Because the effect is similar to what happens in a greenhouse (the
glass allows light to enter but retards the loss of heat), these gases are called
greenhouse gases, and the warming from their increase is called the greenhouse
effect. The most important greenhouse gases are CO2, chlorofluorocarbons
(primarily CCl3F and CCl2F2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).

Carbon dioxide
(CO2) is the
most abundant
of the
greenhouse
gases. It occurs
as a natural
consequence of
respiration.
However, much
larger quantities
are put into the
atmosphere as
a waste product
of energy
production.
Greenhouse Effect. The greenhouse effect naturally warms the Coal, oil,
Earth’s surface. Without it, Earth would be 33°C cooler than it is natural gas,
today – uninhabitable for life as we know it. and biomass
Source: http://images.google.com
are all burned to
provide heat and electricity for industrial processes, home heating, and cooking.
Another factor contributing to the increase in the concentration of CO 2 in the
atmosphere is deforestation. Trees and other vegetation remove CO2 from the air
and use it for photosynthesis. Since trees live for a long time, they effectively tie
up carbon in their structure. Cutting down trees to convert forested land to other

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uses releases this carbon, and a reduction in the amount of forest lessens its ability
to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. The combination of these factors (fossil-fuel
burning and
deforestation) has
resulted in an increase
in the concentration of
CO2 in the atmosphere.
Measurement of CO2
levels at the Mauna Loa
Observatory in Hawaii
shows that the CO2
level increased from
about 315 parts per
million (ppm) in 1958 to
about 380 ppm in 2005.
Since changes in CO2
levels in the
atmosphere are due to
Change in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Since the human activity, we can
establishment of a CO2 monitoring station at Mauna Loa make changes that will
Observatory in Hawaii, a steady increase in CO2 levels stabilize or reduce
has been observed atmospheric CO2.

Methane comes primarily from biological sources, although some enter the
atmosphere from fossil-fuel sources. Several kinds of bacteria that are particularly
abundant in wetlands and rice paddies release methane into the atmosphere.
Methane releasing bacteria are also found in large numbers in the guts of termites
and various kinds of ruminant animals such as cattle. Control of methane sources
is unlikely since the primary sources involve agricultural practices that would be
very difficult to change.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are also a minor component of the greenhouse gas

picture and are entirely the result of human activity. CFCs were widely used as
refrigerant gases in refrigerators and air conditioners, as cleaning solvents, as
propellants in aerosol containers, and as expanders in foam products.

Although they are present in the atmosphere in minute quantities, they are
extremely efficient as greenhouse gases (about 15, 0000 times more efficient at
retarding heat loss than is carbon dioxide). Because CFCs are a major cause of
ozone destruction, the production of CFCs has been sharply reduced and will be
eliminated in the future. Atmospheric concentrations have begun to decline.

II. Potential Consequences of Global Warming and Climate Change

It is important to recognize that although a small increase in the average

temperature of the Earth may seem trivial, such an increase could set in motion
changes that could significantly alter the climate of major regions of the world.

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Computer models suggest that rising temperatures will lead to a cascade of
consequences that affect the hydrologic cycle, sea level, human health, the
survival and distribution of organisms, and the use of natural resources by people.
Furthermore, some natural ecosystems or human settlements will be able to
withstand or adapt to the changes, while others will not.

Poorer nations are generally more vulnerable to the consequences of global

warming. These nations tend to be more dependent on climate-sensitive sectors,
such as subsistence agriculture, and lack the economic resources to buffer
themselves against the changes that global warming may bring.

A. Disruption of the Hydrologic Cycle. Among the most fundamental effects

of climate change is the disruption of the hydrologic cycle. Rising
temperatures are expected to result in increased evaporation, which will
cause some areas to become drier, while the increased moisture in the
air will result in greater rainfall in other areas. This is expected to cause
droughts in some areas and flooding in others. In those areas where
evaporation increases more than precipitation, the soil will become drier,
lake levels will drop, and rivers will carry less water. Lower river flows
and lake levels could impair navigation, hydroelectric power generation,
and water quality and reduce the supplies of water available for
agricultural, residential, and industrial uses.

B. Rising Sea Level. A warmer Earth would result in rising sea levels for
two different reasons. When water increases in temperature, it expands
and takes up more space. In addition, a warming of the Earth would
result in the melting of glaciers, which would add more water to the
oceans. Rising sea level erodes beaches and coastal wetlands inundate
low-lying areas and increase the vulnerability of coastal areas to flooding
from storm surges and intense rainfall. By 2100, sea level is expected
to rise by 15 to 90 centimeters. A 50-cm sea-level rise will result in
substantial loss of coastal land in North America, especially along the
southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts, which are subsiding and are
particularly vulnerable.

C. Health Effects. Climate change will impact human health in a variety of

ways.

 Heat Affects Health. The most direct effect of climate change

would be the impacts of hotter temperatures. Extremely hot
temperatures increase the number of people who die (of various
causes) on a given day. For example, people with heart problems
are vulnerable because the cardiovascular system must work
harder to keep the body cool during hot weather. Heat exhaustion
and some respiratory problems increase.

| 18
 Heat Affects Air Pollution. Climate change will also aggravate air
quality problems. Higher air temperature increases the
concentration of ozone at ground level, which leads to injury of
lung tissue and intensifies the effects of airborne pollen and
spores that cause respiratory disease, asthma, and allergic
disorders. Because children and the elderly are the most
vulnerable, they are likely to suffer disproportionately with both
warmer temperatures and poorer air quality.

 Tropical Diseases Could Migrate to Former Temperate Regions.

Throughout the world, the prevalence of particular diseases
depends largely on the local climate. Several serious diseases
appear only in warm areas. As the Earth becomes warmer, some
of these tropical diseases may be able to spread to parts of the
world where they do not currently occur. Diseases that are spread
by mosquitoes and other insects could become more prevalent if
warmer temperatures enabled those insects to become
established farther north. Such “vector-borne” diseases include
malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, and encephalitis. Some
scientists believe that algal blooms could occur more frequently as
temperatures rise, particularly in areas with polluted waters, in
which case outbreaks of diseases such as cholera that tend to
accompany algal blooms could become more frequent.

 Changes to Ecosystems. Some of the most dramatic projections

regarding global warming involve natural systems. Geographic
distribution of organisms could be significantly altered by climate
change. As the climate gets warm, organisms that were formerly
restricted to warmer regions will become more common toward
the poles. The tundra biomes of the world will be greatly affected
because of the thawing of the permafrost, which will allow the
northward migration of boreal species. Similarly, mountainous
areas will have less snow and earlier melting of the snow that does
accumulate during the winter.

Coral reefs are especially challenged because they are affected

both by an increase in water temperature and by an increase in
the acidity of the ocean. When CO2 dissolves in water, it forms an
acid. An increase in acidity would cause the skeleton of corals and
the shells of many other organisms to tend to dissolve. This would
make it more difficult for these organisms to precipitate calcium
salts from the ocean to construct their skeletons and shells.

Low-lying islands and shorelines will be impacted by rising sea

levels. Mangrove forests and marshes will be inundated and
subjected to violent weather and storm surges.

| 19
  Challenges to Agriculture and the Food Supply. Climate strongly
affects crop yields.
Fuel Type Based on Default Value
Mobile combustion Units kgCO2/liter kgCH4/liter kgN2O/liter
Gasoline Liters 2.30 0.001090 0.000105
Diesel Liters 2.71 0.000140 0.000143
Sources: Volume2, Table 3.2.1 and 3.2.2 (Mobile combustion) International Energy Agency
Energy Statistics Manual

Yields will fall in regions where drought and heat stress will
increase. In regions that will receive increased rainfall and
warming temperatures yields should increase. However, episodes
of severe weather will cause crop damage that will affect yields. A
warmer climate would reduce flexibility in crop distribution and
increase irrigation demands. Expansion of the ranges of pests
could also increase vulnerability and result in greater use of
pesticides. Despite these effects, total global food production is
not expected to be altered substantially by climate change, but
negative regional impacts are likely. Agricultural systems in the
developed countries are highly adaptable and can probably cope
with the expected range of climate changes without dramatic
reductions in yields. It is the poorest countries, where many
already are subject to hunger, that are the most likely to suffer
significant decreases in agricultural productivity

Elaborate

CALCULATING ENTITY-LEVEL GHG EMISSIONS

Please use the emission factors provided. Answers should be in kgCO2e and in 4
decimal places.

I. Compute for GHG emissions due to mobile fuel combustion

Activity Data

Type of Fuel Proxy Data Given Data

Total Volume Units Total Volume Units
Gasoline 2, 000 Liters 1, 500 Liters
Diesel 5, 000 Liters 3, 000 Liters

A. Compute for the CO2 emissions using the appropriate emission factors.

Sample computation
Activity Data x CO2 Emission Factor – GHG Emission
20 liters of gas 2.30 kgCO2/liter -- 46. 00 kgCO2

| 20
 Liters of gas CO2 emission factor of gas GHG emissions
X

_______________ X _________________________ = ________________

Liters of diesel X CO2 emission factor of diesel = GHG emissions

_______________ X ______________________ = __________________

B. Compute for the CH4 and N2O emission using the appropriate emission factors.

Sample Computation
Activity Data X Emission Factor X GWP – GHG Emission
Example 20 liters of gas X 0.001090 kgCH4/liter X 21 - 0.4578kgCO2e
20 liters of gas X 0.000106 kgN2O/liter X 310 - 0.6572 kgCO2e

Greenhouse gas Methane (CH4) Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

Global Warming 21 310
Potential (GWP)

Use the following tables for computation:

CH4 emissions
Fuel type Volume (L) Emission factor GHG Emission kgCH4
(kgCH4/liter)

N2O emissions
Fuel type Volume (L) Emission factor GHG Emission kgN2O
(kgN2O/liter)

Compute for the Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e)

A B C D E F G H
(D x21) (F x 310) (C + E + G)

Fuel Volume kgCO2 kgCH4 kgCH4 in kgN2O kgN2O in Total in

type (L) kgCO2e kgCO2e kgCO2e

| 21
II. Compute for the GHG emissions due to PURCHASED ELECTRICITY
Given: Location facility: Tuguegarao City
Annual Electricity Used: 520, 000 kWh (Proxy data)
320, 000 kWh (Own data)

Electricity Grid Luzon and Visayas Mindanao

Emission factor (kgCO2/kWh) 0.519 0.700

Sample Computation
Formula: Activity data x Emission factor - GHG emission
100 kWh x .700kgCO2 kWh - 70. 0 kgCO2e

| 22
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

I. Multiple Choice

Direction: Read each item carefully then encircle the letter of your corresponding answer.

1. Earth’s temperatures are stable because were surrounded by___________

which allows the right amount of sunlight in to warm the Earth.
a. a cloud layer b. an atmosphere c. gravity d. water

2. The solar energy that warms the Earth includes visible light, infrared and
_______ coming from the sun.
a. Gamma rays b. ultraviolet radiation c. microwaves d. sunspots

3. The solar radiation that bounces off the Earth back toward the atmosphere is
mostly _______.
a. Gamma radiation b. x-ray radiation
c. nuclear radiation d. infrared radiation

4. Too many greenhouse gases in the atmosphere may block heat from
escaping into space and trap too much heat next to the Earth’s surface
causing___________.
a. Another ice age b. global warming
c. earthquakes d. volcanic eruption

5. How does the greenhouse effect work?

a. Greenhouse gases reflect the sun’s energy, causing it to warm the
Earth.
b. Greenhouse gases absorb the sun’s energy, slowing or preventing
heat from escaping into space.
c. Greenhouse gases directly warm oceans and cause dramatic weather.
d. Oceans absorb greenhouse gases, which cause the Earth’s
temperature to rise.

6. What is the most potent greenhouse gas?

a. Fluorinated gases b. Carbon dioxide c. Nitrous oxide d. Methane

7. Which of these greenhouse gases is most abundant in the atmosphere?

a. Carbon dioxide b. Methane
c. Nitrous oxide d. water vapor

| 23
 8. If Earth had no greenhouse gases, the planet would be________.
a. too hot to support life
b. cooler but still able to support life
c. too cold to support life
d. it depends on the species of aerosol in the GHG-free atmosphere.

9. Climate change will lead to which of these conditions?

a. Improved food yield in developing countries
b. Decreased food yield in developed countries
c. Less famine around the world
d. Decline in coral reefs

10. Which are possible solutions for climate change?

a. Hybrid technology
b. Creating carbon emission cap
c. More wind power
d. All of the above

II. Describe the Greenhouse Effect and how it affects the temperature and radiation
emitted at the surface, in the atmosphere, and at the top of the atmosphere.

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

| 24
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. discussed the formation of ozone molecule and its destruction by
a catalytic atom or molecule; and
2. identified the compound/s that cause ozone depletion.

Ozone depletion is a major environmental problem because it increases the

amount of UV radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface, which increases the rate
of skin cancer, eye cataracts, and genetic and immune system damage.

Engage

Ozone is both beneficial and harmful to us. Near the ground, ozone-forming as a
result of chemical reactions involving traffic pollution and sunlight may cause a
number of respiratory problems. However, high up in the atmosphere in a region
known as the stratosphere, ozone filters out incoming radiation from the sun in the
cell-damaging UV part of the spectrum. Without this ozone layer, life on earth
would not have evolved in the way it has.

Explore

Access the video below through the internet and answer the questions below.
The Ozone Hole: Closing the Gap

Link: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/videos/the-ozone-hole

1. What could be the reason behind the recovery of the ozone layer?
2. Can the ozone layer heal itself?

| 25
Explain

Ozone is a molecule made of three atoms of oxygen that are bonded together (O3).
In the 1970s, various sectors of the scientific community became concerned about
the possibility that the ozone layers in the earth’s upper atmosphere (stratosphere)
were being reduced. In 1985, it was discovered that a significant thinning of the
ozone layer over the Antarctic occurred during the
Southern Hemisphere spring (September-
November). This area became known as the “ozone
hole.” Some regions of the ozone layer showed 95%
depletion. Ozone depletion also was found to be
occurring farther north than previously.
Measurements in Arctic regions suggest a thinning of
Source: http://images.google.com
the ozone layer is also happening.

I.WHY STRATOSPHERIC OZONE IS IMPORTANT

The ozone in the outer layers of the atmosphere, approximately 15 to 35 kilometers
from the Earth’s surface, shields the earth from the harmful effects of UV light
radiation. Ozone absorbs UV light and is split into an oxygen molecule and an
oxygen atom: O3 Ultraviolet light O2 + O. Oxygen molecules are also split by UV light
to form oxygen atoms: O2 Ultraviolet light 2O. Recombination of oxygen atoms and
oxygen molecules allows ozone to be formed again and to be available to absorb
more UV light: O2 + O O3. This series of reactions results in the absorption of
99% of the UV light energy that comes from the sun and prevents it from reaching
the Earth’s surface. Less ozone in the upper atmosphere results in more UV light
reaching the Earth’s surface. The damaging UV rays, known as UV-C, found in the
200-290 nanometer bands. Organisms cannot tolerate UV rays. This is shown well
with the use of UV light to disinfect microbiological laboratories. Single-celled
organisms like the simplest algae and bacteria die from exposure to UV rays.
Multicelled organisms have certain defense mechanisms like protective
pigmentation on the skin surface, but this protection is very limited. In humans,
skin cancer, cataracts, snow blindness, and possible degradation of the immune
system may result from exposure to UV radiation. Of 200 plants screened for
reaction to UV rays, 140 reacted with decreased photosynthesis, decreased yield,
smaller leaf area and inefficient water use.

II.OZONE DESTRUCTION
Chlorofluorocarbons are strongly implicated in the ozone reduction in the upper
atmosphere. CFCs and similar compounds can release chlorine atoms, which can
lead to the destruction of ozone. Chlorine reacts with ozone in the following way to
reduce the quantity of ozone present:

Cl + O3 ClO + O2
ClO + O Cl + O2

| 26
These reactions both destroy ozone and reduce the likelihood that it will be formed
because atomic oxygen (O) is removed as well. It is also important to note that it
can take 10 to 20 years for CFC molecules to get into the stratosphere, and then
they can react with the ozone for up to 120 years. Another culprit, halon, the
chemical in fire extinguishers, contains bromine, which is a hundred times more
ozone destructive than chlorine. Carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloroform used
in refrigerants and industries are two other ozone depleters. To mitigate the
problem, a recommendation is to use greener CFCs, which are compounds that
contain hydrogen thus they degrade easily. Non-CFC propellants and non-aerosol
products are safer alternatives. The use of new technologies, recovery of
discarded refrigerants, and capturing CFC emissions and prevention of
evaporation of cleaning solvents may help save the situation.

In 1987, with the severity of the ozone destruction problem, 24 countries signed
the Montreal
Protocol on
Substances that
Deplete the Ozone
Layer agreeing to
cut back on CFC
production to less
than 50% by 1998.
Controls on the
production of halon
were included in
the treaty. In 1990,
75 countries
signed the London
Amendments,
Source: http://images.google.com further
strengthening the agreement, calling for the elimination of CFCs worldwide in a
decade, and setting up an international fund of $200 billion to enable less
developed countries to join the effort (Buchholz, 1998).

The hydro-chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) were developed to replace CFCs. These

gases can still damage ozone if they reach the stratosphere, but they are less likely
to since their extra hydrogen atom allows them to be destroyed in the lower layers
of the atmosphere. These gases are also controlled under the Montreal Protocol
and were phased out after 2004. The gases that replaced both the CFCs and
HCFCs are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which do not contain any chlorine atoms
and neither have ozone-depleting effect. Unfortunately, many of them are powerful
greenhouse gases and could contribute to global warming if emitted in large
quantities.

| 27
Elaborate

Watch the video.

Environments Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_XhwQmpzoE
This video asks you to look at the environment in a way that is probably very
different from, but much more useful than, the way most people think about it.
Make a synthesis on this video.

Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What are the reactive halogen gases that destroy stratospheric ozone?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

2. How do emissions of halogen source gases lead to stratospheric ozone

depletion?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

3. What emissions from human activities lead to ozone depletion?

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

4. Has the Montreal protocol been successful in reducing ozone-depleting

substances in the atmosphere?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

| 28
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. discussed that overpopulation affect the spread of infectious
diseases; and
2. identified emerging infectious diseases due to population density.

The density of the population does not of itself determine the ease with which
infection spreads through a population. Problems tend to arise primarily when
populations become so dense as to cause overcrowding.

Engage

More people mean that there is a need for more food and other resources, and
per capita, there will be less living space, less land, less water, more garbage,
more energy expenditure, more pollution, more disturbance, and destruction of
the environment. At least one theory predicts that the environment will crash in
this century.

Explore

Identify the challenges and solutions in the case study below (Diarrheal disease)
Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is an
inexpensive, life-saving treatment for
dehydration. Whenever access to clean
water and sanitation is limited, diarrheal
diseases like cholera threaten lives,
especially those of babies and young
children. ORT, which is essentially a
mixture of salt, water, and sugar, has
earned the label "a simple solution"
because it is made from
basic, inexpensive ingredients, and can
Teaching oral rehydration therapy, be easily learned.
Bangladesh, 1980s
Source: http://images.google.com

| 29
Explain

The world population today continues to increase and is expected to exceed 10

billion in 2050. The rate of increase is nearing 100 million per year with 95% of the
increase occurring in the developing countries. This is set against the unchanging
area of the earth and its fast depleting resources. The fastest-growing populations
are those in the poorest countries of the world where many are uneducated, cannot
read and write, where the women are financially dependent on their husbands and
the children are required to work (Enger & Smith, 2000).

The scenario of unchecked population growth implies more problems for the
environment. The decreasing fuel resources will continue to be reduced as
industrialized countries maintain their consumption levels and newly industrialized
countries try to catch up. Even if their population growth rates are low, countries
like the U.S. make a greater impact on the environment. One American affects the
environment to a greater degree than 20 Indians. Food security will be a problem
in the Third World where more forests and mountain slopes will be converted to
croplands, promoting erosion, nutrient depletion, and desertification. There will be
greater incursion into marine, freshwater, and estuarine areas for food and water
sources. As more garbage is produced more air, water, and terrestrial pollution will
result. For communities, inadequate shelter and overcrowding are major factors in
the transmission of diseases with epidemic potential such as acute
respiratory infections, meningitis, typhus, cholera, scabies, etc. Outbreaks
of disease are more frequent and more severe when the population density is high
(WHO, 2020).

Overcrowding is often associated with decreases in quality of living conditions and

sanitation, and hence the rate of agent transmission is typically very high in such
areas. Thus, overcrowded cities or densely populated areas of cities can
potentially serve as breeding grounds for infectious agents, which
may facilitate their evolution, particularly in the case of viruses and bacteria. Rapid
cycling between humans and other hosts, such as rats or mice, birds or bats can
result in the emergence of new strains capable of causing serious disease.

Elaborate

Make a reaction paper on the article, “What 11 Billion People Mean for Disease
Outbreaks” at https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-11-billion-people-
mean-disease-outbreaks/

The reaction paper should include:

Part 1: Summary of the Work, and

Part 2: Your Reaction to the Work

| 30
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Explain briefly
1. How does overpopulation affect the spread of infectious diseases?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

2. List at least 5 emerging infectious diseases due to population density.

________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

| 31
 Lesson Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you must have:
1. identified the approaches and strategies of the government and
corporations on environmental protection; and
2. enumerated and explained the major Philippine Environmental
Laws.

Environmental management is an integrated effort to preserve environmental

functions that cover planning policy, exploitation, development, maintenance,
reparation, supervision and control of the environment.

Engage

Ethical principles guide natural resources management schemes that have been
used since the rise of environmentalism in developed countries in 1960.

Cite products in the supermarkets that you think are pieces of evidence that local
companies have become aware of environmental issues like conservation and
protection.

Explore

Watch and read the video clip and article on this link:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/28companies

Identify these top companies that practice waste minimization and how did they
go about it?

Explain

I. Strategies of Governments
A. Regulatory or “command and control” approach – governments take a
direct approach by setting environmental standards or targets that will
achieve the kinds of solutions to environmental problems. The
environmental standards are set and enforced by legislation. Penalties
for violators or those not honoring the standards are also imposed
through legislation.

| 32
 B. Economic Incentives Approach – this allows businesses to develop their
unique methods of solving the perceived problem, with the focus mostly
on cleaning up the pollution after the damage has occurred (Buchholz,
1998). Incentives for reducing wastes may produce better results.

Economic Incentive Instruments (EIIs) are another form of ensuring

compliance by citizens and corporations. EIIs consist of charges or fines,
“green” taxes, Deposit-refund schemes, Information Programs,
Tradable Emission Permits, and Subsidies. These are called market-
based instruments because it is the business condition and not the
government that determines the costs.

A. Property Rights Approach- The following are examples of how

governments solve environmental problems using this approach. First,
a government may confer land titles to individuals when a kind of
resource is being inefficiently used in an area that is open to the public.
Second, the government can and does resort to state ownership in order
to conserve the resource if it is able to monitor the use of resources that
it owns. Third, communal management is another option. Here, a group
of people shares in the ownership. The idea is to put a limit on an
individual’s abuse of resources when his rights are shared by others.

II. Corporate Management Strategies. We have looked at how governments

approach environmental protection. It is the business corporations; however, that
has the biggest impact on the environment. In a way, businesses have employed
management strategies that reflect the prevailing morals of the times. Several of
these more common corporate management strategies are:

A. Waste Minimization – Businesses have recognized increasingly that

dumping of too many wastes is an inefficient way to operate. Public
concern about dumpsites forces most businesses to reduce the waste
they produce. It is part of the corporate responsibility of every business
establishment to initiate measures to minimize waste.

B. Product Life-Cycle Analysis –Before a good is produced, it passes

through several steps in its life-cycle. The approach by some businesses
is to reduce the environmental impact in each of the steps and then look
at the total picture of the life cycle. For example, in the different stages
of manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal of a product,
businesses began to assess the resources used, the energy consumed,
the wastes produced, and the emissions released in each of the stages
(Buchholz, 1998).

C. Design for Disassembly – In order to facilitate recycling, some

companies have started to redesign their products to make it easier for
them to be disassembled once they reach the end of their usefulness.
Companies like BMW, Whirlpool, Digital Equipment, 3M, and General

| 33
 Electric have tried designing their products such that once they are taken
apart, the component parts can be reused to make other products.

D. Green Marketing – Through the years, as businesses became sensitive

to the demand for environment-friendly products, voluntarily, they came
up with biodegradable and recyclable products such as more fuel-
efficient cars and appliances. Recyclable parts or packaging may attract
buyers more especially those who have started to care for the problems
of society like the overflow of garbage.

E. Greening of Strategy – The rising concern for the environment, however,

has made the conduct of environmental assessment necessary.
Environmental assessment is done in order for a business to be more
aware of the issues arising out of the natural environment. The
availability of natural resources and the impact of obtaining these
resources go into the environmental assessment process. For non-
renewable resources, a company may have to plan how to conserve the
resource and search for substitutes when the resource starts to be
exhausted. Strategies on how to responsibly extract the resource, how
to find suppliers that engage in responsible extraction practices, and
how to dispose wastes are the issues that have to be decided by the
management.

F. Greening of Communications – Once a company is thrust into a

damaging environmental controversy, a head-on response from the
company is crucial in order to defuse public anger or distrust. Among the
ways, companies communicate the environmental impact of their
operations to the public are through the creation of citizen action panels,
community activities, emergency planning networks, or accounting
systems. Other companies try the pro-active approach by publishing
annual environmental reports.

III.PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS

The national environmental policy of

the Philippines is to balance
development and environmental
protection (PEP, 1977). Like other
countries, The Philippines’
environmental laws support Global
Agenda 21 (or the Rio Declaration on
Environment and Development), the
program of action adopted by the UN
Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED) in Rio de Source: http://images.google.com
Janeiro in 1992. Principle 3 of the Rio
Declaration states that “The right to development must be fulfilled so as to

| 34
 equitably meet developmental and environmental needs of present and future
generations” (Beder, 1993). This statement is the core of sustainable development.

A multi-sectoral body called the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development

was born in 1992. Its objective is to lead the formulation of the Philippine Agenda
21, the national agenda for sustainable development.

The Philippines has 8 major laws dealing with air, water, and toxic and solid
wastes. They are as follows:

1. Marine Pollution Decree of 1976 (P.D. 979)

2. Philippine Environment Code of 1977 (P.D. 1152)
3. Philippine Environmental Policy of 1977 (P.D. 1151)
4. Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of
1990 (R.A. 6969)
5. National Water and Air Pollution Control Commission of 1992 (R.A.
3931)
6. National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992 (R.A. 7586)
7. Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 (R.A. 8749)
8. Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (R.A.
9003)

Elaborate

Conduct a Retail Eco-friendly Audit: This allows students to examine how their
daily habits affect our world.
Make a list of the top 5 products you are using each day. Once the list has been
finalized, research on the companies’ sustainable manufacturing practices they
follow and environmental causes they support.

| 35
Evaluate

Name: Date:
Program and Section: Score:

Direction: Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What are the three major kinds of strategies used in resource management? If
you were to assess the way the Philippine government manages its natural
resources, can you identify what kind or kinds of strategies are most often
used?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

2. Cite examples of companies and industries that use at least one of the six
corporate management strategies.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

3. Familiarize yourself with one of the eight major environmental laws of the
Philippines. How appropriate is it to the present-day concerns of society?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

4. How does the Philippine Environmental Policy reflect any of the three kinds of
ethics- social, state, corporate, or economic ethics?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

| 36
 References

Enger, E. and Bradley Smith (2010). Environmental Science A Study of

Interrelationships. 12th ed. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. U.S.A.
Tayo, G.T. et al. (2004). Fundamentals of Environmental Science. Trinitas
Publishing, Inc.

Internet Sources

https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/emergencies/qa/emergencies

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-11-billion-people-mean-disease-
outbreaks/

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/videos/the-ozone-hole

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/28companies

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/304

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/343/index.html

https://www.nationaleographic.com/news/2017/07/plastic

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