Climate Health Connection: Environmental Pollution

• This video, narrated by Téa Leoni, shows how the oil, coal, and gas industries can affect people's health, with a particular focus on the effects in children.
  
• Students will learn that extracting, refining, and burning fossil fuels pollutes the air, soil, and water with toxic chemicals. 
• The video concludes with clean energy alternatives, such as solar and wind energy, that can reduce or eliminate our reliance on fossil fuels. 

Positives

• This compelling video discusses a number of chemicals, substances, and health conditions that could be explored further.
• It uses engaging footage that will keep students engaged.

Additional Prerequisites

• The video presents solar and wind energy as clean alternatives to fossil fuels, but it does not explain the challenges inherent to using these different types of energy sources.
• Other resources to support background knowledge for this video include this video about chemical pollution and this video comparing various energy sources.
  

Differentiation

• Science classes could study the effects of formaldehyde, lead, mercury, and sulfur dioxide on the human body.
• Ethics or social studies classes could discuss the way that low-income communities are disproportionately affected by fossil fuel-related health problems.
• Other resources on this topic include this video on the health risks associated with fracking, this SubjectToClimate lesson on Cancer Alley in Louisiana, and this article on the fossil fuel-related health issues that disproportionately affect low-income areas.
  

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.