Notes

When you think of a beach, you may think of sun, sand, and the smell of sunscreen. In this video, take a closer look at one U.S. beach.



Ecology issues, like those surrounding the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, affect individuals and whole communities. Yet not everyone can agree on how to address them. In this lesson, you will learn more about the ecology and civics connection! You will use your learning to complete an activity that focuses on your local community.


Ecology is the study of how living things interact with each other and their surroundings.

Living things include people, animals, plants—even germs! Surroundings include natural and human-made features such as water, climate, and buildings.

For example, if you learn how pollution affects human and animal communities, you are learning ecology. If you learn about how insects affect your health and the health of your pets, you are also learning ecology.Ecology includes all living things. That includes you! Because living things are connected, a problem for one often creates problems for others. Many problems develop over longer periods. Examples include beach erosion, endangered species, and climate change. The choices we make can worsen or lessen the impact of these issues. For example, feeding junk food to wild animals can harm their health.

One civic responsibility is to be aware of ecology and ways to protect our environment. An oil spill, one example of an ecological issue, is a cause with many effects. Examine the chart to follow the effects of a disastrous oil spill.

Ecological issues. Review text version for more
detailed information.Who produces your family's food, and how? Where does your water come from? Where do you put your waste? How is the quality of your air? What powers your electricity? How do farming, water, waste, and air pollution affect animals and plants in your area?

Your answers point to possible issues of ecology where you live. You will use this information in your assessment for this lesson. Wherever you live, you can likely find ecological issues related to these topics:

waste management
energy resources
air pollution
water pollution
You may wish to review your map skills in this map tutorial. Then examine the maps in this slide show to see issues that affect the United States.

Rain pH
Rain pH. Review text version for more information.

Acid rain is rainfall with low pH. The pH level tells you how much hydrogen is in the water. Acid rain can hurt plants, animals, and buildings. Air pollution from factories and cars is a main cause of acid rain. This map shows the pH levels across the United States in 2002. Acid rain has decreased significantly since that time. This is due to new rules that have reduced air pollution. Even with these new rules, acid rain remains a concern.Do you live near a critical habitat? Places that are critical habitats are necessary to protect certain species of animals and plants. They require special attention. The government carefully watches these areas for the impact of human activity.

U.S. critical habitats. Review text version for more information.
Critical habitats in the United States are shaded in red.
Public Domain
Scientists and government leaders work together to identify and protect these areas. Many programs and laws are in place to help preserve endangered species. For example, the Save the Manatee Club in Florida works with many government agencies to help protect the critical habitat of the manatee. The manatee is an endangered animal that lives in warm waters. In 2010, the club supplied needed money to rescue hurt manatees and nurse them back to health.Conservation includes specific things we do to protect Earth's resources. Growing endangered plant species is one example of conservation. Another example is caring for and protecting endangered species of animals. Yet another is recycling waste and finding new uses for old items.

Many U.S. communities recycle paper and plastics. Companies will use the recycled materials to create new packaging for their products. In this way, less waste ends up in landfills. Reducing, reusing, and recycling waste are ways to conserve resources.

You too can support conservation with many daily actions. You can shut off the water while brushing your teeth. You can plant a tree. You can create useful items from scrap material. You can donate clothing you have outgrown to charity. Each of these efforts helps the environment.

Collective action can have a great impact too. There are many groups that raise money and organize people to make change in a large area. They work with government leaders to pass laws that aid their work.