| 1. |
What is the leading
cause of oil pollution in the world? |
| |
| d) Used engine
oil from road runoff and oil changes |
| Each year over 360
million gallons of used engine oil - the equivalent of 33 Exxon
Valdez tanker spills - is dumped in storm sewers, rivers, lakes
and landfills. |
Annual
Worldwide Sources of Oil Pollution in Gallons
(Source: National Research Council) |
16
million - Offshore drilling |
38.5
million - Major oil spills from tanker accidents |
93.5
million - Bilge cleaning and other ship operations |
363
million - Used engine oil from road runoff and oil
changes. |
One
gallon of oil may pollute up to one million gallons
of water. Dispose of used motor oil properly - not
in storm sewers. |
|
|
| 2. |
How long does it take
for a disposable paper diaper or plastic water bottle to biodegrade? |
| |
| b) 450 years |
| It takes over 50
years for a styrofoam cup to biodegrade, 200 years for an aluminum
can, 450 years for a disposable baby diaper or plastic water
bottle, and 600 years for monofilament fishing line. |
|
| 3. |
What is the primary
source of water pollution? |
| |
| b) Storm-water
runoff contaminated by fertilizers and pesticides |
| 70 million pounds
of pesticides are applied to lawns each year, making storm-water
runoff, contaminated by fertilizers and pesticides, the primary
source of water pollution. What you spray on your lawn today
ends up in your drinking water tomorrow. |
|
| 4. |
Cars and SUV's consume
what percent of the oil burned in the U.S. each day? |
| |
| c) 40% |
| Cars and sport utility
vehicles consume 40% of the oil burned in the U.S. each day.
Americans could save more oil than is imported from the Middle
East, and what may be in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,
if fuel economy standards for cars and sport utility vehicles
were raised to 45 and 34 miles per gallon. |
|
| 5. |
How many acres of
natural habitat are destroyed by urban sprawl in the U.S. each year? |
| |
| a) 3 million |
| Each year over 3
million acres of natural habitat are destroyed by urban sprawl
in America. That is equivalent to paving over Everglades National
Park - twice. |
|
| 6. |
What percent of your
garbage can be recycled? |
| |
| d) 80% |
| 80% of your garbage
can be recycled if you compost organic material like kitchen
scraps and grass clippings. |
|
| 7. |
What percent of municipal
water is used on lawns? |
| |
| c) 60% |
| Up to 60% of municipal
water is used on lawns. |
|
8. |
How
many species may become endangered or extinct in the next 100 years
due to human actions? |
| |
| c) 50% |
| Half (50%) of all
species may become endangered or extinct in the next 100 years
due to human actions. |
|
| 9. |
What
percent of the world's population do Americans make up, and what percent
of the world's resources do they consume? |
| |
| b) 5% of the world
population and use 25% of the world's resources |
| Americans make
up less than 5% of the world population and consume over 25%
of the world resources. |
|
| 10. |
How
many beneficial insects do pesticides kill for every one they control? |
| |
| d) More than 1,000 |
| Pesticides kill
thousands of beneficial insects, like honeybees, ladybugs, and
butterflies for every one that they control. The majority of
insects in your garden play a vital role in pollinating over
1/3 of the food we eat. Pay for knowledge, not pesticides. |
|
| |
Return
to EQ. |
