Nina+F

=__**My Project Link:**__ =

http://romanpollution.wikispaces.com/

__Roman Problems Sites:__
Ferrari, Adi R.. "Pollution History." //Pollution Issues//. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan 2012. .

. "Air Pollution." //The Environment: A Global Challenge//. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb 2012. .

. "Ancient Civilizations." //Environmental History Timeline//. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb 2012. .

__**Problems Today Sites:**__
Klepal, Dan. "Ohio's Waters More Polluted." //The Enquirer//. N.p., 23 Jan 2004. Web. 2 Feb 2012. .

Biello, David. "The World's Top Ten Worst Pollution Problems." //Scientific American//. N.p., 22 Oct 2008. Web. 2 Feb 2012. 

=__Helpful Emails:__=

=Sent:=

Dear Dr. Blair,

My name is Nina Fatuzzo, and I am a student at Nagel Middle School. My classmates and I are working on a research project dealing with ancient Rome's problems. My topic is Environmental Issues and Pollution. I heard that you were an environmental scientist at Xavier University. May I ask you some questions about today's pollution problems and their solutions?
 * 1) Rome had a lot of problems with cutting down tons of trees. This loosens a lot of soil and causes erosion. What long-term impact does this have on an ecosystem?
 * 2) What problems do we have today with deforestation, and what effect does this have on a society?
 * 3) How does air pollution impact the ecosystem and plants?
 * 4) Are there any steps we can take to protect the ecosystem?

Thank you so much for your time!

Sincerely, Nina Fatuzzo

= Recieved: =

Hi Nina,

This is certainly an interesting topic and you have brought up some interesting questions! I’ll try to answer them as best I can. These are very broad issues so I will speak about them generally there are certainly other aspects that I may miss in such a general discussion though.


 * 1. ** Cutting down trees can cause many problems. As you have pointed out this increases the likelihood of soil erosion. There are two main types of soil erosion wind and water. In dry areas wind is a big problem (e.g., much of the western US) and in wetter regions water is a bigger culprit (e.g., Ohio). Water erosion is particularly problematic in hilly areas.

Trees protect the soil in several ways one is that they **slow the rain down ** so that it doesn’t hit the soil immediately. Instead it hits leaves and then falls to the forest floor which is also often protected by other plants and leaf litter. These layers of plant material (living and dead) reduces the waters impact.

Trees also have a lot of roots which hold the soil together making it less susceptible to washing away if large amounts of rain fall on it.

<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;">As far as impacts on ecosystems it really depends on how bad the erosion and or deforestation is. If you remove all the trees from a forest you wont be able to support the other organism that normally live there. This includes plants that live under the trees. If patches of trees remain you may be able to support many of the organisms that normally live there but some animals require larger areas for things like hunting. So if you only have small patches of forest they are unlikely to survive.

<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;">Agriculture is also impacted greatly by erosion. The uppermost layer of the dirt we use to farm crops is called topsoil. This soil holds the vast majority of nutrients and structurally has more nutrient holding capacity than the soil beneath it. So if we erode away all of this topsoil we will not be able to farm as effectively as we have in the past due to nutrient deficiencies and an inability for the soil to hold on to the nutrients. This was a problem in many ancient civilizations where after 1000’s of years they depleted there soils due to agricultural practices that were not sustainable in the long term.


 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;">2. **<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;"> Deforestation is currently a BIG problem in many parts of the world. In the US we deforested much of the country a few hundred years ago. Now there are only a few places where there are original “old growth” forests left. Currently in the pacific Northwest in places like Washington state and Oregon there are some Old Growth redwood forests that are being deforested in other areas though some of these forests are protected. In places like parts of Russia and Canida there are **<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;">boreal forests **<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;"> that are being rapidly deforested for their timber value. In many tropical areas there are serious deforestation issues as well. The Brazilian Amazon **<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;">rainforest **<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;"> and many tropical forests in Southeast Asia.

<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;">Overall one of the biggest concerns of the loss of forests is the loss of species that goes along with it there are hundreds of species that are on the verge of extinction many of which rely on forests which are disappearing. There are also many organisms that have not yet been discovered in tropical forests that may disappear before we even discover them!

<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;">From a human health perspective many medicines have come from plants found in forests. Taxol which was originally derived from a tree in redwood forests is used to treat certain types of breast cancer. Many other drugs (> 100) have come from rainforest plants to treat things such as malaria and cancer.


 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;">3. **<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;"> Air pollution can have many different effects on forests. Certain pollutants cause acid rain which can impact forests by increasing soil Ph others cause increased ozone which can damage forest plants. Another threat we face today is climate change which is directly related to human burning of fossil fuels (excess CO2). This will have a huge impact not only on temperature but on the amount of rainfall and distribution of rainfall throughout the year. Some areas will get dryer whereas others are expected to get wetter. Such changes that may not seem significant to us will likely have huge impacts on the natural world (as well as our agriculture!).


 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;">4. **<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;"> There are always things we can do to help protect our ecosystem. Many of the problems the world faces today are due to issues surrounding consumption of natural resources. We demand the resources that are cut down (trees) and mined (oil,coal, metals) so more of them are extracted. Unfortunately Americans are some of the most guilty of this. We find it culturally cool to drive around in huge SUVS, buy the latest gadgets and use disposable...everything. One easy way to help the environment is to reduce your use of resources. Try to walk or bike or use public transportation more and avoid using cars when possible. Use reusable containers rather than disposables (bags, bottles etc.). If you do use a disposable container recycle or reuse it.

<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;">Finally, educating yourself about these topics and then spreading the word is important. Ultimately it will be a combination of people like yourself making changes but also people encouraging change at a higher level. We need parents to be educated about this stuff too so they can vote in politicians that truly care about this stuff and who will actively make big changes in how things are done. We also need environmental professionals who are trained in these areas to get things done!

<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;">Hope this was useful and hope your project goes well.

<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;">Take care,

<span style="font-family: Calibri,Verdana,Helvetica,Arial; font-size: 14px;">-Dr. Blair

PS here’s a good environmentally related website that has good information and is also often entertaining (@http://grist.org/). Here’s another good environmental web site that has good information (@http://www.enn.com/).

=__**My Questions:**__=


 * 1) How do we clean up water that is already polluted?
 * 2) Does water being too basic or acidic affect peoples' health?
 * 3) How can we treat waste so that it doesn't pollute the river, and how do we stop waste from flowing into the river?
 * 4) How do today's waste treatment plants work, and where does the waste go? Is this a good solution for waste pollution, or does this not work?

=__**Pollution Today and Solutions Today**__=
 * 1) **//Deforestation in America is a huge issue. Trees are constantly being cut down. Cutting down trees means less clean oxygen. With trees cut down, the ecosystem is weakened. A lot of plants and animals die because of the clear-cutting of forests.//**
 * 2) **//Water pollution in the rivers and oceans is caused by one or more of these sources: petroleum products, heavy metals, hazardous waste, synthetic agricultural chemicals, excess organic matter, sediment, infectious organisms, air pollution, thermal pollution, and soil pollution.//**
 * 3) **//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Air pollution is a huge problem. This type of pollution is caused by exhaust from cars, chemicals and smoke from factories, forest fires, and any type of object that emits a harmful substance into the air. This pollution is causes smog and makes air very harmful to breathe. Acid rain is also caused by air pollution.//**
 * 4) **//Wood is used mainly for buildings and paper. Many of our paper products are recyclable, and we are cutting down on using these products by the use of computers. We do need wood to build houses, but we can help with this problem by planting a tree for every tree we cut down.//**
 * 5) **//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 70%;">Acid rain can be somewhat more controlled if scrubbers are installed in factories. Exhaust from cars could be cut back by not driving as much or by using alternate sources of energy to power the cars. A lot of air pollution is caused by the burning of fossil fuels and wood. Once again, if we use other sources of energy, like solar power (which the Romans knew about), this type of pollution would no longer be as big a problem. //**
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 80%;">**//Water pollution can be stopped by having better sewage treatment plants that do not dump waste into the river. These plants are greener and do not dump waste into rivers. Soil run-off is caused when trees are cut down. This is bad for fish and the entire ecosystem. This problem can be solved by planting new trees or not cutting down every single tree in the area (not clear-cutting).//**
 * 7) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 80%;">**//Mining in many places is still a large problem. In Ghana, people mine for gold using mercury, a substance that is deadly, and, if breathed in, can cause brain damage. This substance was mined for in Rome and was the cause of death for hundreds of slaves who worked in these coal, lead, and mercury mines.//**
 * 8) **//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 80%;">A big problem of mining is that the water picks up pollutants from coal mines and creates toxic sludge. But by adding a certain chemical to this sludge, it will solidify. The solid sludge can be easily removed in this state. Also, a revolutionary new material can be used to absorb mercury and other toxic materials from mines. //**


 * // This is a quicker way of saying what Dr. Blair said in his email. //**


 * // Contact Facts //**
 * 1) **// 1. //****// Soil erosion is a big problem with deforestation. Trees protect the soil. The rain hits leaves first, which softens the impact. Also, tree roots hold soil in place. This keeps soil from getting into rivers. When trees are cut down, soil can erode into rivers. Also, if trees are cut down, the organisms that live in the forests can no longer survive. Agriculture is affected as well, because soil erosion causes topsoil, the fertile soil that plants grow well in, wash away. //**
 * 2) **// 2. //****// Deforestation is happening all over the world, especially in rainforests. This is a problem because a lot of species die when we cut down trees. Also, over 100 types of medicine that can cure diseases and help cancer are found in the rainforest. //**
 * 3) **// 3. //****// Air pollution has huge effects on forests and ecosystems. Some pollutants create acid rain and others raise ozone levels. Both damage plants. Another threat is climate change, which is influenced by air pollution. Climate change will affect how much rainfall there is per year. We will get less rainfall per year as the climate gets warmer. //**
 * 4) **// 4. //****// People have to be educated about the environment to make a change. Recycling and demanding fewer items that are made using resources and not using all the newest technology helps to stop pollution, or at least slow it down. Everyone has the power to help the environment, but they have to know how to do it. //**

**//Facts about Roman pollution//**

**//1.//** **//Rome’s sewage systems dumped waste into the Tiber River. Before long, the water became undrinkable, and Rome had to resort to using aqueducts. The raw sewage was the cause of a lot of diseases like typhoid and cholera.//** **//2.//** **//Some people didn’t bother with sewage systems. They would simply dump their chamber pots into the streets below. This made walking on the streets very dangerous.//** **//3.//** **//Wood was in high demand in ancient Rome. A lot of trees were cut down for various reasons. Trees were used to build houses. Even the Coliseum was originally built with wood. Also, wood was used as a source of heat, which caused even more trees to be cut down. With so many trees in Rome cut down, soil ran into rivers. Also, clean oxygen was lessened.//** **//4.//** **//Water that was brought from so many miles was wasted and used to water gardens instead of being used for the citizens of Rome. This meant that more and more people had to use the Tiber River as a source of water.//** **//5.//** **//Wood burning created a lot of smoke in Rome. It was a huge source of air pollution. Normally, when wood is burned, the carbon produced is, for the most part, absorbed by standing trees. But since a lot of trees were being cut down, carbon wasn’t absorbed as much and caused a lot of pollution.//** **//6.//** **//Romans used Sugar of Lead to sweeten wine, and many Romans got lead poisoning. Also, a lot of slaves who worked in mines and mined mercury and lead became poisoned by either substance and died.//** **//7.//** **//Coal mines in Rome were very dangerous. Workers in the coal mines were constantly breathing in coal dust and were often subject to diseases such as Black Lung Disease.//** **//8.//** **//When trees were cut down, soil would run into rivers during rainstorms. The soil erosion caused the dissolved oxygen in the river to drop and caused lots of fish to die. A lot of fish also died from the raw sewage in the water. When a link in the ecosystem is cut (the fish) the ecosystem weakens.//**

Roman Time Machine: K-W-L chart Name: __Nina Fatuzzo__ **K** **W L** Corrupt Government || Was there any way to know who was corrupt, and how many Senators and government officials were corrupt? ||  || Would it have helped for Rome to expand, or would that have hurt Rome even more? ||  || No New Amenities No Secondary Education || Why didn’t the Romans use concrete to build houses instead of wood? ||  || Barbarians || How large did the protests get, and was there a better way to stop the Barbarians? ||  || High Taxes Not Enough Tax Money || Was there any way to lower inflation? ||  || No Food (Starvation) Bad Welfare Lack of Resources || How many Romans became legionaires? What was the welfare system like in Rome, and was it expensive? ||  ||
 * What I already **__KNOW__** about Roman problems  ||   What you **__WANT__** to know   ||   What you have **__LEARNED__** about Roman problems (completed at end)   ||
 * Corrupt Leaders
 * Expansion || Was it possible for Rome to expand any more?
 * Overpopulation and unemployment || Were there any laws against non-Romans taking Roman jobs? ||  ||
 * Filth and Decay in Cities
 * Protest and Violence
 * Inflation
 * Empty Farms
 * ACTIVATE THE TIME MACHINE: **

What tools (information, resources, news articles, technology, people to contact…) will you need to go back in time and solve this Roman problem with today’s knowledge and resources? I need to find out about Roman pollution and the sources of the pollution. I need to research pollution problems we have today, what causes those pollution problems, and what we are doing to solve these problems. I need to find out if the solutions are working or not. I also need to know if there are any possible solutions that are still being developed. || I could contact professors from universities like Xavier or UC. I could contact people from the EPA. I could also contact journalists who write environmental articles, or journalists who write for Scientific American or National Geographic. || I can Google articles on alternate energy sources or on pollution in the world today. Since both of these are hot topics, there should be a lot of articles about these topics. I could Google ancient Roman pollution to find out more about pollution. I need to Google pollution solutions today so that I can find out more about what we are doing to solve our problems. || Technology that I can use includes my email, Skype, phones, and computers. I can email, Skype, or have a phone conference with my contact. I will need a computer to do online research about Roman pollution and pollution today. || I could go to the library and read books about pollution. I can find newspaper articles that talk about pollution. I can also meet with expert contacts in person instead of using Skype, email, or phones. ||
 * Information (Roman and present day)
 * People to contact (agencies, professors, journalists, businesses…)
 * New Articles to Google:
 * Technology that will be used:
 * Other possible resources: