PhD Science Texas - Level 1 Module 2 - KD Poster

Disappearing Longleaf Pine Forests

Huge longleaf pine forests once covered the Southeast. To many people, these trees were treasure. Native Americans wove baskets from longleaf pine needles. Loggers cut down the trees for wood. Tall trees became train tracks, houses, and ships. One such ship set sail from Boston over 200 years ago. Made of longleaf pine and other wood, the USS Constitution still sails today. Longleaf pines make a sticky gum that protects them from damage. People used the gum to make ships, ropes, and sails waterproof. They used it in soap and chewing gum too! But trees got hurt when people took the pine gum and cut them down. Eventually, people changed the forests into cities and farms. Majestic longleaf pines once covered the Southeast—but not anymore.

The Problem with Trash

From candy wrappers to broken bicycles, trash is a problem everywhere. Wind and water carry trash to beaches, deserts, and mountains. Trash even gets stuck in trees! But getting rid of trash can cause new problems. People bury trash in landfills, disturbing the land. They burn trash, putting smoke in the air. People dump trash into oceans, making the water dirty. After a while, some trash changes. Paper and food scraps can become soil. Metal breaks apart. But plastic trash lasts a very long time. Animals can get tangled in plastic and get hurt. If plastic looks like food, animals may eat it and get sick. Sometimes people make so much trash that they must ship it somewhere else. How can we make less trash?