Environmental biology (9th grade)

Report on water shortages:

Water is a type of very unstable matter, changing states constantly in a cycle, but one that we rely on greatly. We depend on this resource for various things, from commerce  (90% of trade is by sea) to generating food, or basic needs. We know all this. Yet, we continue to act inappropriately when it comes to effective use and distribution of fresh water. It is a major environmental issue to consider for the immediate future, due to its rapid depletion and parallel affects on society. Humans are very reliant on water, though we abuse it, and will later suffer the consequences we provoked ourselves.

            It seems as the more we depend on Earth’s natural resources, the more we destroy them, instead of cultivating the raw materials to guarantee sustainability. The greater the number of people who inhabit our planet, logically, the more space we occupy. Hence, 500 million people live in deserts, the size of such population is more than that of Europe combined. Especially in arid areas, there is a need for water to assure survival. The source of such water is from wells dug deep into the earth, where fossil water lies. They are deposits of accumulated water from when it used to rain in deserts, 25 thousand years ago. People consume this water mostly in cultivating crops, and consequently drying up the natural reservoirs in the land. Its a heavy price to pay, since fossil water is a non-renewable resource. In the future, desert communities wont have of this resource to sustain themselves appropriately. We are oblivious to our future, unable to make long-term decisions, and incapable to see the bigger picture in preserving the environment we depend on so pronouncedly.

            There are of course, the extremes, like Dubai, Las Vegas or Palm Springs. Those are examples of inefficient use of water and poor distribution of resources. Las Vegas thrives amidst a desert. It has one of the world’s highest rates of water consumption per person per day, 800-1000 liters. "One example is Las Vegas is claiming all the water in the Nevada Upper Valley district. [...] They're not claiming it for immediate use, but because they see water will become more valuable, and then they will be able to sell it." Said Hendrik Haitjema from SPEA. How long will this mirage withstand? The Earth doesn't have the capability to keep up with our disruption of its balance. And where is the balance, if every 20 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease?

            Humans have unresponsively handled the fresh water on Earth, and we all pay the price for it. The consequences don't come small either, they are things like 1 in every 10 major rivers ceasing to flow into the ocean. Examples are the Jordan river and the Colorado river, whose waters are now in fruits and vegetables sitting in supermarkets all around the globe. India will be the country to suffer the most from lack of fresh water in the next century. Irrigation is what feeds the population, so in the last 50 years, 21 million wells were dug. Yet, 30% of these in the west were abandoned, because they are nothing more than a dried up aquifer. When people take a lot from the environment, nature wont return anything on a smaller scale. By 2025, more than 2 billion people will be affected by water shortage. As we deplete nature’s resources, we don't provide it enough time to recover from our irrational practices. We’re consumed in our own greed, which will be eventually the only thing left for us to drain.

Bibliography:

"Water Supply May Be next Big Environmental Issue, IU Experts Say." IU News Room: Indiana University. Web. 22 Sept. 2010.

            <http://newsinfo.iu.edu/web/page/normal/7924.html>.

"Home (2009/I)." The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Ed. Yann Arthus-Bertrand. EUROPACORP , 03 June 2009. Web. 22 Sept. 2010.

             <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1014762/>.

"Water.org » Water Facts." Water.org. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. <http://water.org/learn-about-the-water-crisis/facts/>.

Preservation of rainforests in Brazil:

The preservation of rainforests, ecosystems and plant-life has been a global environmental issue for decades, and there is growing urgency for a solid and efficient solution [1]. Such solutions should be primarily directed to the often illegal acts of deforestation and depletion of such environments. One country in particular, Brazil, has loosely embraced this problem, and attempted to address it, for the past 77 years [2]. The abundance of forest life in Brazil, including the Amazon, the Cerrado, and various other locations encompass millions of hectares of land [5]. This land is important both economically and environmentally. With Brazil’s swelling economy, come expectations towards the future as a non-third world country. Agriculture and livestock raising comprises 30% of the Brazilian GDP, 17% of the country’s jobs, and 42,5% of all exports [3]. With the weight of such practices, however, attention is needed to ensure the geological stability of land that needs to be preserved. Environmental protection and economic growth must occur simultaneously. 

This current problem of balancing Brazil’s ability to safeguard their ecosystems with the rise of agrarian produce has become an urgent awareness in Brazil. In 1960, the original Forest Code was altered, as to assure that no more than 50% of privatized forest land was used for commercial purposes [4]. If owners trespassed these reserves, they would have to pay fines, re-forest the land, and even go to jail [3]. However, these strict procedures only work on paper. Today, around 90% of rural property owners function under illegal circumstances [3]. If the laws were applied, areas that equal to an amount of 10% of the country’s territory would be replaced with forests [7]. Furthermore, 71 billion reais would be lost, and 5,7 million workers would be unemployed [3]. Evidently, such activities play too big of a role nowadays, making it impossible for farmers to abide by the legislation. The problem is then surfaced: current Brazilian Forest Code laws are unattainable, and even allow for the destruction of new land elsewhere [3].

The solution looms over a governmental plenary in Brazil. Recently, Congressman Aldo Rebelo has written an amendment to the original Brazilian Forest Code, which will potentially guide Brazil into the effective union of economic growth and environment safety [6]. The new code, unlike the one of 1960, doesn’t force the land owner to replenish vegetation that has suffered depletion until 2008 [3]. It, instead, stimulates the use of land that can’t be renewed. The new law also regularizes plantations 15 meters from the banks of rivers, whereas 30 meters was the initial minimum [4]. This legalizes substantial producers of coffee, banana, milk, apples, rice and grapes [5]. Rebelo’s amendment, however, forbids any type of new deforestation. Land owners also will have 5 years to undergo a Program of Environmental Legalization (PRA), which will ensure that they remain within the law [6]. Farmers who follow the new requirements will be acquitted of their current debts. This motivation for land owners to comply with the new terms will keep them from further destroying protected land, and instead, making good use of land that is irretrievable.

Brazil has taken a firm grasp in responsibility to tackling the situation, finding a possible solution that has the capability of balancing both of Brazil’s issues. Maintaining a strong agricultural and livestock growth is economically important to Brazil, but so is the preservation of rich, native vegetation. With the current Forest Code, Brazilians are unable to legally produce goods, are faced with debts, and continue to extort the land. The new code provides motivation for farmers to preserve land that isn’t being utilized economically, and still develop financially. The amendment does not fully address the needs of either side of the issue, but instead, attempts to embrace both, and create a law that suffices the needs of Brazil [6][7]. 

References:

    [1] Ignatova, Irina. "Rain Forest Destruction, Shameful Result of Our Spiritual Crisis." Environmental Issues And Practical Environmental Solutions. 07 July 2008. Web. 01 June 2011. <http://www.tropical-rainforest-animals.com/Rain-Forest-Destruction.html>.

[2] Siqueira, Ciro. "Entenda O Problema Do Código Florestal." Blog Do Código Florestal. Web. 20 May 2011. <http://codigoflorestal.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/ciro-siqueira-codigo-florestal.pdf>.

[3] Eller, André, and Marcelo Sperandio. "Preserve-se O Bom Senso." Veja 18 May 2011, 2217th ed., Brasil sec.: 78-80. Print.

[4] "Aldo Rebelo Apresenta Texto De Código Florestal Que Dá Autonomia a Estados." Globo Amazônia. 08 June 2010. Web. 20 May 2011. <http://www.globoamazonia.com/Amazonia/0,,MUL1598411-16052,00.html>.

[5] Soares, Naisy Silva. "Importancia Do Setor Florestal Para a Economia Brasileira." Sober. Web. 20 May 2011. <http://www.sober.org.br/palestra/9/214.pdf>.

    [6]"Relatorio Do Código Florestal é Aprovado Na Comissão Especial." Aldo Rebelo - O Federal De São Paulo, O Federal Do Brasil. Web. 18 May 2011. <http://www.aldorebelo.com.br/?pagina=noticias>.

    [7] Falcão, Marcio, and Larissa Guimarães. "Câmara Aprova Texto Do Novo Código Florestal." ORRO & CHRISTENSEN. Web. 07 June 2011. <https://www.ocdesign.com.br/?p=728>.