Names _Hibba Ata________________________________________________________
Your Environmental Issue _Litter In the Community_________________________________
Environmental Showcase Research Organizer
Directions: Research to complete this organizer. Turn in one organizer per group. This must be typed.
I. Explanation: An explanation of your environmental issue and any interesting facts/useful information that helps
depicts the significance of the issue.
a. Identify, define, and describe the environmental issue.
My environmental issue is about all the litter in the community and neighborhood that gets thrown. This
is an issue because it is a form of pollution that is affecting animals that can swallow it or get caught in
it. Another more obvious issue is that it just looks gross and can cause negative mental effects on people
living in these littered places. Litter also cost money to remove, creating an economic issues. Litter does
not pose a threat to animals and the ecosystem but also to the public death; litter can attract vermin and
help breed bacteria, along with being a fire hazard (litter that cause a fire hazard is mainly cigarette
butts).
b. What are the natural and/or human causes of this environmental issue?
Litter can come from construction sites, households, industries, uncovered trucks, people and moving
vehicles. The main reason of littering is the lack of garbage can and being too lazy to walk to the trash
can. Things falling out of uncovered trucks and vehicles are another cause. Both these reasons are
obviously human causes. Since littering is throwing trash on the ground or environment there isn’t really
a natural cause of littering. More causes are: overflowing trash cans, unawareness of the harm littering
can do. Statistics show if there is already litter in an area then people will be more inclined to
litter there since the place is already dirty. Construction and debris on the sidewalks also make
people think that it’s okay to litter and add on to the filth. This shows the community is not
cared for
c. What are the effects of this environmental issue
i. On the environment?
Certain litter such as cigarette butts that are carelessly thrown to the ground can take up to 12
years to degrade and have dangerous chemicals that can contaminate water and soil. Litter
directly kills animal life through choking and also indirectly through poisoning water quality.
Litter can also reduce the amount of oxygen in waterways as the litter is breaking down.
ii. On human health (if applicable)?
Litter usually blocks storm drains. This mostly results in flooding and costs the community a lot
of money to fix. It’s also dangerous because broken glass, fish hooks, syringes can cause harm
to people. Litter also cost an insane amount of money to clean up every year. Some acids and
chemicals from litter contaminates soil and water and causes famines or sufficient lack of crops.
o
Future impacts on the planet and our society if action is not taken now and the issue continues/worsens
over time? Research this. Do any of your sources include any predictions/projections?
There is an island twice the size of Texas floating in the middle of the ocean completely filled with garbage and litter. If
we continue to litter eventually there won’t be enough money to fund cleanup crews and trash will collect up to the point
of piles being seen everywhere and eventually consuming everything and everyone. Famines and droughts will occur and
there many animals will become endangered due to deaths.
II. Background Info: A scientific explanation of your environmental issue, or something related to your issue. This
section may be enhanced with informational diagrams that help depict any processes associated with the
environmental issue.
Litter - carelessly discarded refuse; a disorderly accumulation of objects; scattering rubbish
Littering is a piece of trash or unwanted object that is thrown onto the ground
- The chemicals from the litter sink into soil causing crops to die or become poisonous
A. Cigarette butts, lighters, waste material
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Economic issue with cleanup crews
B. It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to hire people to help clean up the trash and can make nations
go into debt with these expensive crisis’s
III. Solutions: A synopsis of possible solutions for the environmental issue
a. What actions have our government and other national/international organizations done to help this
environmental issue? Have these efforts helped?
Most organization spread the word of the causes and effects and set up donations to help decrease the amount of litter but
these efforts does not do a significant amount of help because they statistically doesn’t motivate anyone to actually make
a difference. The government funds these organizations and sends out their own cleaning crew to help pick up the litter
but these efforts are useless because if people continue the litter then it will never end up getting completely clean.
Though without their efforts the world will erupt into a desolate land full of trash.
b. According to your research, what more can our local and/or federal governments do to help this
environmental issue?
The government could create bigger fines for littering and fund a lot more awareness projects to stop the problem at the
root and annihilate the whole issue. They can also be stricter about the policies and actually hold people responsible for
their actions.
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c. What can we all do as individuals to help? Be specific. List as much information that you can to
make accomplishing these tasks as easy as possible for your audience.
We as individuals could stop littering ourselves by:
1. Waiting until we get to a trash can to throw something away
2. Putting the trash in our pocket until you get to the trash
We can stop others from littering
1. Telling someone to pick their trash back up if they throw it on the ground
2. Always encourage your friends/family to not litter
3. Start educating your younger siblings/children about the damage littering can do
4. Request your community to place more trash bins around the neighborhood
Do litter pick ups
1. Get a garbage bag and go around your community and pick up all the trash around it
2. Properly dispose of the trash
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d. Choose at least three solutions to your environmental issue and explain how these solutions will help
your environmental issue.
Organize a community clean up: this will spread awareness and get everyone involved and will hopefully make
people stop littering in the first place
Add more trash bins everywhere: one of the main reasons of littering is lack of trash bin and laziness so if there
were trash bins close to people they wouldn’t be so inclined to litter
Contact Local Television News Stations: Some local television news stations promote the fact that they
will investigate and help to solve problems within the community. Some local station’s website has a
page devoted to this service this page usually has a link to an email form where you can submit your
problem. They devote a segment of one of their broadcasts to reporting success stories.
IV. Additional Information/Works Cited:
Part A:
Attach a works cited page in MLA format that references the sources that you used for research. You MUST use and
reference a minimum of three sources. You may use Easy Bib to help construct your works cited page.
Cathy. "Walking Green: 10 Harmful Effects of Litter." Green Eco Services. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
http://www.greenecoservices.com/walking-green-10-harmful-effects-of-litter/
Cruice-Barnett, Miles. "Science Leadership Academy Learn · Create · Lead."Littering and Its Effect on the
Environment — Science Leadership Academy. Science Leadership, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
<https://www.scienceleadership.org/blog/Littering_and_its_Effect_on_the_Environment>.
"Did You Know...litter and Dirty Streets Can Affect Your Mood as Well as Your Health? GetHealthyHarlem.org." Did You Know...litter and Dirty Streets Can Affect Your Mood as Well as Your Health? GetHealthyHarlem.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2015. <http://www.gethealthyharlem.org/articles/did-you-knowlitterand-dirty-streets-can-affect-your-mood-well-your-health>.
"Illegal Dumping & Litter." JB Green Team. JB Green Team, 2015. Web. 09 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.jbgreenteam.org/litter-preventioncollection/>.
"Litter and Pollution." Litter and Pollution. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.chintiminiwildlife.org/Education/LivingWithWild/Litter.htm>.
"Litter." Litter. Ashfield Council, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2015. <http://www.ashfield.nsw.gov.au/page/litter.html>.
"Various Facts of Littering - Conserve Energy Future."ConserveEnergyFuture. N.p., 05 May 2014. Web. 10 Mar.
2015. <http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/various-littering-facts.php>.