In most of the African countries, agriculture is synonym of subsistence farming. Agriculture provides the mainstay of the economy, employing most of the active population. There is no economic adjustment and people generate just enough incomes to eat and buy items crucial for their survival. Due to the desertification, farming has become increasingly difficult for local…
Sustainable development means building our communities so that we can all live comfortably without consuming all of our resources. We make an impact on our environment through how we live our lives. Another way to say this is that we all leave an ecological footprint. Imagine yourself in a garden. If you were to run…
Natural disasters are often frightening and difficult for us to understand, because we have no control over when and where they happen. What we can control is how prepared we are as communities and governments to deal with the dangers that natural disasters bring. Places that are more likely to have natural disasters, such as…
In the past decade, it has been called everything from the “greatest hoax ever perpetrated on mankind” to the “greatest challenge to face man”. There have been conventions, coalitions, and conferences held in its name. Hundreds of politicians have discussed, debated and even come to agree on possible solutions armed with which we might stand…
There was a time when people thought of the environment, they thought of its beauty; but now as the natural beauty of the earth that disappears, many people around the world have awoken to the realities of just how fragile our earth actually is. Central to this issue is pollution, which involves the introduction of…
Much less than one percent of the Earth’s water is available for human use. This still represents a huge amount of water. This water is not distributed evenly over the planet. Areas that have large water needs may have to bring water in from long distances to service homeowners, businesses and agriculture. Much of the…
People use many of the Earth’s natural resources. All of the products we use have a natural resource base. Minerals, forest products, water, and soil are just a few of the natural resources humans use to produce energy and make things people use. Some natural resources can be reproduced within a few years or decades….
Life on Earth is possible because energy flows one way through ecosystems, while matter cycles endlessly. Water and elements, such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and sulfur are examples of matter that cycle through ecosystems. The original source of almost all energy in an ecosystem is the Sun. All of the energy the sun releases does…
Acid precipitation has been an important environmental topic for many years. What is acid precipitation? Acids are an important group of chemicals. All acids contain chemicals that are combined with hydrogen in a specific way. Acids are present in aspirin, carbonated drinks, and your stomach. Another group of chemicals is called bases. They contain oxygen…
Scientists have shown that the Earth’s average temperature has risen slightly in the last few decades. But, not all scientists agree on what changes this will bring in Earth’s climate. The Earth has gone through many cycles of warming and cooling in the past. As Earth’s climate changes, nature responds to bring things back into…