Unit I- Toxicity and Environmental
Justice
Videos
Story of Stuff
Canada’s Toxic Chemical Valley
The Story of Electronics
The Slow Poisoning of India
210 Million Tons
Maquilapolis
The Story of Make Up
Terra Blight
Vanishing of the Bees
Erin Brockovich
Readings
Wakernargel and Rees and the ecological
footprint (P. 6)
Population and consumption drive
environmental impact (P. 16)
Consumption from affluence creates
environmental impact (P. 226)
Toxicants may accumulate and move up the food
chain (P. 396)
Silent Spring began the public debate over
synthetic chemicals + Weighing the Issues (P.
389)
Synthetic chemicals are ubiquitous in our
environment (P. 388)
Endocrine disruption may be widespread (P.
390)
Toxicants come in different forms (P. 389)
E-waste is a new and growing problem (P. 648)
We have developed thousands of chemical
pesticides (P. 268)
We depend on insects to pollinate crops (P. 271)
We have three disposal methods for hazardous
waste (P. 650)
Contaminated sites are being cleaned up slowly
(P. 652)
Facts on Environmental Racism
Environmental Justice seeks equal treatment for
all races and classes + Weighing Issues (P. 35)
Environmental Justice is an international issue
(P. 36)
Is there a trade-off between economics and the
environment? (P. 36)
Labs
LD50
UV beads lab
Decomposition Lab
Unit I Exam
Content
20 multiple choice
2 Short Answer
1 Laboratory short answer
30 matching
Skills
Extract evidence for 4 lenses of ES.
Write a high-level COSTA question
Vocabulary
1. PPM
2. Anthropogenic
3. Ecocentrism
4. Biocentrism
5. Anthropocentrism
6. Endocrine disruptors
7. Environmental justice
8. Toxins
9. Superfund
10. Toxicology
11. Toxicity
12. Heavy metals
13. Bioaccumulation
14. Biomagnification
15. Developing country
16. Developed country
17. Underdeveloped country
18. Mutagens
19. Teratogens carcinogens
20. Pesticides
21. Pollinators
22. Deep-well injection
23. Surface impoundment
24. Landfill
25. Leachate.
26. Lead
27. Fire Retardants
28. Dioxin
29. DDT
30. Rachel Carson
31. BPA Bisphenol A
32. Carbon Footprint
33. Food Footprint
34. Housing Footprint
35. Goods Footprint
36. Ecological Footprint
37. Global Hectare
38. Atrazine
39. Environmental Health
40. Chemical Hazard
41. Physical Hazard
42. Cultural Hazard
43. Natural Hazard
44. Mutagen
45. Carcinogen
46. Teratogen
47. Ozone
48. Ozone-depleting substance
49. Chlorofluorocarbon CFC
50. Antarctic Ozone Hole
51. Montreal Protocol
52. Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs)
53. Mercury
54. LD-50 Curve
55. E-waste
56. Decomposition
57. Chromium-6
58. Colony-Collapse Disorder
Study Questions:
1. Explain the mechanism of biomagnification. Identify and describe the characteristics that cause
some pollutants to pose a greater threat than others.
2. The use of the pesticide DDT is an example of the conflict between benefit to humans and
ecological damage. List some of the benefits and some of the damage that result from the use of DDT.
Identify and describe the properties of DDT that led to unexpected damage. Write one argument in
favor of a worldwide ban of DDT. Write one argument opposed to a worldwide ban of DDT.
3. List three chemicals in your home, which would have an LD50. Research to find if there is a
substitute chemical that could be used that does not have an LD50.
4. Be able to correctly graph/label and interpret an LD-50 graph.
5. Be able to correct identify and apply the vocabulary in the box on the previous page.
6. Know the health/environmental affects of a major toxin (Lead, Mercury, Pesticide, etc.) and be able
to explain how it gets into the environment/bodies and why it is so harmful.
7. Explain the role of pollinators through the 4 lenses of ES.
8. Be able to define Colony Collapse Disorder and explain some alternate explanations on the cause.
9. Explain the role of Rachel Carson in the case against DDT.
10. Distinguish between developed, underdeveloped and developing countries as well as provide
some examples and be able to connect this information to their ecological footprint.
11. Explain the different types of footprints and some solutions to reducing each one of them.
12. Be able to identify some examples of environmental justice/injustice and discuss in depth.
13. Be able to explain what e-waste is, where it goes, some solutions.
14. Why is the Montreal Protocol a model for global solution collaboration?
15. What causes ozone depletion? What causes it? Solutions?
16. Remember the main issues in each of the films that you watched, both in and out of class.
17. Give examples of synthetic materials as well as some of the effects on humans.
18. Explain how superfund sites demonstrate environmental injustice.
19. The importance of decomposition, role in an ecosystem, role in reducing waste.
20. Explain the circle of poison, in relation to pesticides and food production.