natural environment consists
of water, air, earth, and the range of
animals, plants, fish, birds, and other
organisms that inhabit these areas. How
well these components interact determines the
health of the local environment, and impacts
Vancouver’s economy and quality of life.
One example of the way components interact is
how exhaust from cars and trucks affects the rest
of the environment. While the ability that people
have to move about in motorized vehicles contributes
positively to the economy, exhaust from the
vehicles affects the environment negatively in
several ways. Toxic substances in the exhaust
directly harm humans, animals and plants. Killing
or damaging plants reduces the amount of oxygen
they release. The toxic substances settle on surfaces
and are carried by rain into lakes, streams and
wetlands, harming fish and other water creatures.
Wetlands that are degraded by the substances lose
some of their natural ability to filter pollutants out
of incoming water. The environmental degradation
creates economic costs.