Pollution & Evolution
How human pollution impacts the
survival of species on earth.
Benefits of Active Transportation
Exercise, clean air, no traffic, and fun!
Charles
Darwin
Natural Selection
Evolution &
Extinction
Natural Selection, Evolution, Extinction
•Species best adapted to
environment survives.
•When environment
changes species evolve
or go extinct.
Today, you are a bird.
And there is nothing
birds like better than
fat, juicy moths.
You will catch them
with your “Beak”
There are two colors
of moths.
2 Peppered Moths
Both taste good.
Both have equal
nutritional value.
Your job? Eat as
many moths as you
can in 60 seconds.
THE RULES
 One ‘Beak’ (tweezers)
 60 seconds.
 Catch as many moths
as you can and put
them in the cup.
 At the end, tally up all
your moths by color,
and fill out the tally
sheet provided.
Moth Tally Sheet
ON BLACK
# Black Moths caught
# Pepper caught
Total caught =
% Black (Black/Total)
%Peppered
(Peppered/Total)
ON PEPPER
# Black Moths caught
# Pepper caught
Total caught =
% Black (Black/Total)
%Peppered
(Peppered/Total)
What did you notice?
Which color moth did you get more of
on the peppered background?
What about on the black background?
Why do you think that is?
Which moth color would survive better?
The Real Peppered Moth
Hard to see?
The peppered moth
uses CAMOUFLAGE,
the same color and
pattern as the bark of
the trees.
“Black” Peppered Moth
 Which is easier to see?
 The fact that it probably
gets eaten more is
NATURAL SELECTION.
 Black moths were rare!
Only 1 black moth had
ever been documented.
Manchester, England- Air Pollution
 In the early 1800’s, the
INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION began.
 Factories were powered
by burning coal (a oil
based fossil fuel).
 Burning of coal created
heavy soot pollution.
It “snowed” black
ashes.
Soot Covered EVERYTHING.
Black moths became 98% of the population.
Pollution changes our environment.
 Smog (smoke fog) is a problem. Look at LA!
 Air pollution has dangers you can’t see: Carbon Dioxide
CO2 - Invisible Pollution
 Carbon Dioxide , CO2 is
a clear gas that occurs
when anything is burnt.
 Too much CO2 makes the
planet warmer, faster
than species can adapt.
 If the environment warms
a few degrees, many
species will go extinct.
Severe CO2 causing “shortness of breath”
 Ask the cyclists of the
first “Tour of Beijing.”
 The CO2 was at least
5x the legal limit in
Europe.
 Riders complained that
there was not enough
oxygen to breath.
Carbon Dioxide Demonstration
Can we see an
invisible gas?
CO2 that is HEAVIER
than most gases in
the atmosphere.
CO2 will “sink”
creating a bottom
layer of gas.
What does CO2 do to other species?
CO2 adds to Global
Climate Change
Changing the
environment means
many species will go
extinct.
Unlike natural
selection, we are
causing the extinction.
Can humans go extinct???
What do humans
need to survive?
No one knows
how the climate
will react to the
greenhouse gases.
The best way to reduce air pollution & CO2?
Transportation
 Walk, bike, carpool, and
take public transport.
Avoid unnecessary trips!
 61% of Carbon Dioxide
emissions in Marin
County are from
vehicles.
 Electric engines also help
reduce CO2.
Conclusion
Peppered Moths
Natural Selection
Extinction
Evolution
Charles
Darwin
Pollution can
greatly impact life