Responsibility
High School
October 2014
Introduction
Through recycling, water conservation, climate change mitigation and air quality measures, individuals and organizations
have been quite successful in becoming environmentally responsible. However, these efforts still fall short of what is
needed for the long term health to our planet. While the ecosystem has some abilities to correct or heal itself, the
limitations on the damage it can sustain are quickly approaching. It is vital that more people begin to recognize the
seriousness of these issues and start taking personal responsibility for the environment.
We are pleased to announce our very popular annual poster contest. This year, the poster contest theme is Broward
100: Celebrating 100 Years of Environmental Protection. Please see announcements below for more information.
Activity: What is Air Pollution?
Objectives:
Students will become familiar with a variety of sources of air pollution.
Procedure:
Part 1: Working in groups, students will identify three sources of pollution. Students can use the internet and/or library.
With each item they should list the characteristics of each source that make it “pollution.” The characteristics could
include:
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Not biodegradable
Human Made
Negatively affects the quality of life
o Creates noise and prevents you from hearing other things
o Causes physical discomfort
o Ugly
o Smells bad
Human-beings have control over it
Contrasts with the natural environment
Consumes an unreasonable amount of non-renewable energy
Occurs in quantities harmful to human health
Occurs in quantities harmful to animal and plant health
Occurs in quantities harmful to ecosystem health (may cause changes in climate)
From the list of characteristics, each group should develop a set of criteria that forms their definition of an air pollutant.
Part 2: Assign each group one of the following human-produced sources of air pollution and one of the naturally
produced sources of air pollution. Have students apply their criteria to each. Would the item be a pollutant or a source
of pollution? Get the students to think about the part that human control plays in this question. Would they want to
focus their pollution reduction on a natural source of pollution or a human source?
Human Sources: Cars, Leaf Burning, Salvage Yards, Coal Burning, Power Plants, Factories, Landfills, Dry Cleaners, Gas
Stations, Fireplaces/Woodstoves, Lawn Mowers, Off-road Vehicles, Jet Skis, Airplanes, Grills, Trucks, Pesticides
Natural Sources: Forest Fires, Cows, Radon, Dust Storms, Volcanoes
Part 3: Reducing Pollution. For the sources selected above, have the students answer these questions.
Who is responsible for releasing this pollutant into the environment?
Would it still be a pollution problem if released in smaller amounts?
What is currently being done to control this pollutant? Who is doing it? What role does government, industry and you
play?
Resource: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, PUB-IE-066 95
Announcements
POSTER CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT!
Theme: Broward 100: Celebrating 100 Years of Environmental Protection
For this poster contest, students should design a poster (winners will be featured in the 2016 calendar) showcasing
environmental protection in Broward County through the past 100 years. Examples can include saving our air quality,
trees and mangroves, animals (panthers, sea turtles, and coral reefs), beaches, recycling and also highlight how climate
change issues have grown in the past 100 years. On the back of the poster the students should describe their
environmental protection concept and what changes have taken place over the past 100 years, especially here in
Broward County.
For complete contest rule and more information, please visit the Kids Club Contests page.
Spread the Word!
Subscribe to our FREE electronic Environmental Character Education Newsletters Today!
The monthly edition of this newsletter is distributed only through a FREE electronic e-mail subscriber list. E-mail the
Broward County Air Quality program at airoutreach@broward.org to receive this valuable curriculum resource. The
newsletters are also available on our Environmental Kids Club web site at www.broward.org/kids.
Broward Air Quality Index School Flag Program
The Broward Air Quality Index (AQI) School Flag Program helps children, parents, the community and school personnel
become aware of daily outdoor air quality conditions using brightly colored flags. Each day, a flag is raised in front of
participating schools that signals the level of air pollution for that day and will be followed up with a mention during the
school’s morning announcements. The flag colors correspond to the colors used in the Environmental Protection
Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index, which tells how clean or polluted the air is for that day. When members of the school
and the surrounding community know what the daily air quality is, they can adjust their activities to reduce their
exposure to air pollution. Visit our website for more information on the Broward AQI School Flag Program.
Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital Benefit
The “Moonlight Masquerade Gala,“ which is the 17th annual benefit for the Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital,
is being held at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 8, 2014 at the Plaza del Lago at Heron Bay, 11535 Osprey Trail in
Parkland. The evening’s festivities will include cocktails, appetizers, dinner, dessert, entertainment and a fabulous silent
and live auction. Come support environmental education and native wildlife and have a great time too! Follow the link
for ticket information: http://sawgrassnaturecenter.org/calendar-of-events/annual-gala/
South FL Audubon Society: Birding By Season & Birding Field Trip
Sunday, October 19 - Flamingo Gardens-Birding by Season, the right place at the right time. Learn what special birds can
be found during which season so that you can be at the right place at the right time for the right bird. Class will be
conducted by expert instructor Paddy Cunningham, which includes a bird hike in the beautiful Flamingo Gardens,
workshop and take home handouts. Bring your binoculars and a field guide if possible.
Saturday, October 25 - Richardson Park and east Ft. Lauderdale, 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. Richardson Park is great for migrant
and wintering warblers, thanks to the expert birding of Russ Titus. Join him to search east Ft. Lauderdale for great birds.
Meet in the parking lot at Richardson Park, 1937 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors.
For more information on both events, visit the South FL Audubon Calendar of Events page.
Important Links
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Environmental Character Education Newsletters
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Broward County Air Quality Program
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Broward County Environmental Kids Club
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NatureScape Broward
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STEM and Instructional Resources, Broward County Public Schools
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Broward County Public Schools Environmental Stewardship
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Facebook: Broward Environment
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YouTube: Broward Environment
This year’s newsletters support the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for Science
Grade 6 – Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science; Big Idea 2: The Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge; Big Idea 3: The
Role of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses & Models
Grade 7 – Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science; Big Idea 2: The Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge; Big Idea 3: The
Role of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses & Models; Big Idea 6: Earth Structures
Grade 8 - Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science; Big Idea 2: The Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge; Big Idea 3: The
Role of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses & Models
Common Core State Standards for Literacy & Mathematics embedded throughout.