Human Impact on the Environment

2. Materials from Earth that people use, such as water, soil, and minerals.
6. Long-term changes in Earth’s temperature and weather patterns.
8. A resource that cannot be replaced once it is used up.
10. When there are more people in an area than the environment can support.
13. The protection and careful use of natural resources.
15. The release of harmful substances into the air, water, or land.
16. The contamination of rivers, lakes, or oceans by harmful substances.
18. The process by which gases trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere.
20. Energy resources formed from ancient plants and animals, such as coal and oil.

1. Plants or animals that are at risk of becoming extinct.
3. A community of living and nonliving things that interact in an area.
4. A measure of how clean or polluted the air is.
5. The clearing or removal of large areas of forests.
7. A type of resource that can be replaced naturally in a short amount of time.
9. Using resources in a way that meets current needs without harming future generations.
11. The variety of living organisms in an ecosystem.
12. The natural home of a plant or animal.
14. The process of turning used materials into new products.
17. The process of breaking down food and plant waste into nutrient-rich soil.
19. The movement of soil or rock by wind, water, or ice.