Our Environment

This is deterioration of environment through depletion of resources such as air, water, and soil; the destruction of ecosystem and the extinction of wildlife. The United Nation’s High-level Caution panel has identified 10 threats with environmental degradation topping the list. These are;

• Environmental degradation
• Genocide
• Infectious diseases
• Interstate war
• Civil war
• Poverty
• Other atrocities {e.g. trade in women and children for sexual slavery}
• Terrorism
• Weapon for mass destruction
• Transnational organized crime

Environment degradation is of many types. When natural habitats are destroyed or natural resources are depleted, the environment is degraded.… Read the rest

Land is degraded when the biophysical environment is compromised. Any disturbance or change that is undesirable or causes damage to land degrades it. Naturally occurring phenomena such as the recent earthquakes and tsunami in Japan, do not cause land degradation. The overall effect of land degradation is the reduced productivity of land. Reduced productivity goes along way into affecting the food basket of a country. This means that the wealth and economic stability of a nation will be greatly reduced.

Clearing land for the purposes of agricultural land, wood for fuel, timber for construction of houses and furniture causes land degradation.… Read the rest

Intensive farming is characterized by high inputs of labor and capital into agricultural production of either crops or animals. This phenomenon is common in countries that depend on its agricultural land to feed their huge populations.

Intensive farming of animals involves rearing large numbers of animals in limited space. These animals require large amounts of water, food and medicine. They require large amounts of food and water because their need to grow as big as they can within a short period of time. They need lot more medicine because they live in small spaces and have to stay healthy.

Intensive farming of crops on the other hand employs the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and the use of a lot more capital and labor than the regular methods of farming.… Read the rest

Global warming refers to the heating up of the earth. This happens when greenhouse gases trap heat and light from the sun, in the earth’s atmosphere and increases the temperature. This phenomenon has serious effects to the environment.

The Greenhouse effect: This is when the temperature rises because the sun’s heat and light is trapped within the earth’s atmosphere. This is similar to when heat is trapped in a vehicle, on a very hot day. The vehicle gets hotter when it is out in the parking lot. It is because heat and light from the sun can get into the vehicle, by going through the windows but it cannot get out.… Read the rest

The damming part of a river makes a reservoir. This is done to supply water to an area. It can also be used to generate hydroelectric power, irrigation, and to satisfy whatever reason people may want water for.

The construction of a reservoir has not been without controversies especially for the community it displaces, its impact on the environment and the habitats it floods. The initial flooding, for example, leads to the death of plant material and consequent decay and decomposition. This in turn leads to massive emissions of carbon to the atmosphere. When non-oxygenated matter settles at the bottom and eventually produces methane gas.… Read the rest