Health 21

Pollution: any dirty or harmful substance in the environment

Pesticides: products used on crops to control insects and other pests.

Acid Rain:  Rain that is far more acidic than normal

Smog: A yellow-brown haze that forms when sunlight reacts with air pollution

Ozone Layer: a shield that protects living things from ultraviolet (UV) radiation

Greenhouse Effect: The trapping of heat by carbon dioxide and other gases in the air

Global Warming: a rise in the earth’s temperatures. 

Landfills: huge pits where wastes are dumped and buried

Hazardous Wastes: human-made liquid or solid wastes that may endanger human health or the environment

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): the governmental agency that is committed to protecting the environment

Biodegradable: broken down easily in the environment.

Nonrenewable Resources: substances that cannot be replaced once they are used.

Conservation: the saving of resources

Precycling: reducing waste before it occurs