Climate Change May Speed Up Forests’ Life Cycles

Many climate studies have predicted that tree species will respond to global warming by migrating via seed dispersal to cooler climates. But a new study of 65 different species in 31 eastern states finds evidence of a different, unexpected response.Many climate studies have predicted that tree species will respond to global warming by migrating via seed dispersal to cooler climates. But a new study of 65 different species in 31 eastern states finds evidence of a different, unexpected response.

Nearly 80 percent of the species aren’t yet shifting their geographic distributions to higher latitudes. Instead, they’re staying in place — but speeding up their life cycles.
The Duke University-led study, published online Wednesday in the peer-reviewed journal Global Change Biology, is the first to show that a changing climate may have dual impacts on forests. It adds to a growing body of evidence, including a 2011 study by the same Duke team, that climate-driven migration is occurring much more slowly than predicted, and most plant species may not be able to migrate fast enough to stay one step ahead of rising temperatures.
“Our analysis reveals no consistent, large-scale northward migration is taking place. Instead, most trees are responding through faster turnover — meaning they are staying in place but speeding up their life cycles in response to longer growing seasons and higher temperatures,” said James S. Clark, H.L. Blomquist Professor of Environment at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment.
Anticipating the impacts of this unexpected change on U.S. forests is an important issue for forest managers and for the nation as a whole, Clark said. It will have far-reaching consequences for biodiversity and carbon storage.
To test whether trees are migrating northward, having faster turnover, or both, the scientists went through decades of data on 65 dominant tree species in the 31 eastern states, compiled by the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis program. They used computer models to analyze the temperature and precipitation requirements of the trees at different life stages, and also considered factors like reproductive dependence of young and adult trees.
“The patterns we were able to see from this massive study are consistent with forests having faster turnover, where young trees tend to be more abundant than adult trees in warm, wet climates. This pattern is what we would expect to see if populations speed up their life cycle in warming climates,” said lead author Kai Zhu, a doctoral student of Clark’s at Duke. “This is a first sign of climate change impacts, before we see large-scale migrations. It gives a very different picture of how trees are responding to climate change.”
The fact that most trees are not yet showing signs of migration “should increase awareness that there is a significant lag time in how tree species are responding to the changing climate,” Zhu said.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com

Don’t Use Plastic Bags

The use of plastic shopping bags is a major environmental problem in Hong Kong. Eight billion plastic shopping bags are disposed of at landfills every year. In other words, more than three plastic shopping bags are used per person per day, which go beyond our needs. About 1,000 tonnes of plastic bags end up in landfills each day, accounting for 11% of MSW disposed of in Hong Kong.

The drop of use of plastic shopping bags at prescribed retailers after the launch of the environmental levy scheme is about 90%.

Retailers in the categories of supermarkets, convenience stores and pharmacies and cosmetics on average distributed about 5.37 million plastic shopping bags per day in 2005.

Hong Kong imported 4000 thousand tonnes of plastic bags and exported 3500 thousand tonnes in 2011.

The Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bags

54 million plastic shopping bags were distributed by the registered retailers with the corresponding levy income of some $ 27 million in 2011

SOURCE: http://www.hkcleanup.org

Environment & Health

Because of the permanent interaction between man and his environment, our health is to a considerable extent determined by the environmental quality. As a consequence, environment and health are closely related.

The environment in which we live, work and relax, is determining for our health and well-being. Physical, as well as chemical and micro(biological) factors in the environment can have repercussions on our health, both physically and mentally.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) definition of health emphasizes the physical, mental and social well-being: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the abscence of disease or infirmity”. Health is considered as an overall concept reaching beyond the absence of illness and ailments.

Well-being and quality of life are subject to an impressive number of factors, including psychological, social and environment-related aspects. In addition to positive influences such as green belts and entertainment areas, it is also important to identify the negative factors, such as noise, odour and light nuisance.

However, the relation between environment and health is extremely complex. Although many health problems are tought to be associated with environmental pollution, it is difficult to assess the seriousness, extent and causes of environment-related diseases. Besides environmental-related causes, there are other factors which can directly or indirectly lead to the same health problems.

Moreover, a causal connection between health effects and e.g. distribution of specific substances in the environment is often hardly or not demonstrable. The specific contribution of each of the different causes of health problems is difficult to determine.

Broader definition of “environment”

Our health is to a large extent determined by the quality of our environment, both indoor as outdoor.

The impact on our health not only involves the consequences of air, ground and water pollution, but also other factors, such as genetic susceptibility, food contamination, radiation, life style and life quality.

When analysing relations between environment and health, it is of vital importance to consider a broader definition of “environment”: not only the quality of the air, water and ground, but also indoor air quality, food and the living and working environment need to be taken into account.

Environmental disruptions, such as dispersion of dangerous substances, acidification, overfertilization, photochemical air pollution, climate change, ground pollution and nuisance have impact on human health. Aspects of environmental quality and life style that are not voluntarily chosen (e.g. passive smoking, noise nuisance, stress) are also important. A basic principle of environmental policy is to limit the negative influence of these disruptions on human health to non-harmful levels.

Integrated approach

In Belgium, the competences of environment and health are divided between the communities, the regions and the federal government. First and foremost an integrated approach is necessary in order to better fine-tune environmental policy and health policy.

To achieve a closer collaboration between the environmental and the health policy area in Flanders, in 2002 the cell Environment and Health was established within the former AMINAL (the current Environment, Nature and Energy department (Leefmilieu, Natuur en Energie, LNE)). In the framework of BBB (Better Administrative Policy) this cell was transformed into the Environment & Health service under the division ‘Air, Nuisance, Risk Management, Environment & Health’ of the Environment, Nature and Energy department.

The Environment & Health service provides a good cooperation between the environmental and the health policy area. It is responsible for structuring, preparing and implementing a policy directed towards avoiding the negative health effects of environmental pollution. Particular attention is given to vulnerable groups, such as children and elderly people.

SOURCE: http://www.lne.be

Health Problems Caused By Air Pollution

In a world that is becoming increasingly industrialized, and in a world where more people can afford to drive cars, air pollution is becoming a larger problem. While there are those who would debate whether or not our air pollution is causing global warming, versus the earth’s natural warming process since the last Ice Age, that is not the issue. Definitive proof may or may not be found anytime soon. What is certain, however, is that there are confirmed problems caused by air pollution. These problems include respiratory problems and they also include problems regarding what we eat.

As the world moves more into the modern age, more pollutants are spewed into the air. Rising middle classes in large, formerly poor countries like China and India want the same privileges that we have of driving cars. Additionally, countries that entered the latter half of the 20th Century largely free of industry are now establishing it in order to jump into the 21st Century and bring their economies up to date. Many of these countries are understandably resentful of regulations that others try to foist on them because the already industrialized countries had their opportunity for unregulated and explosive industrial growth. And the increasing demands for cars, coupled with lowered restrictions on pollution output, in the U.S. continues to drive the air pollution machine. No matter where it comes from, however, air pollution causes health problems almost everywhere.

Respiratory problems are a very natural and scientifically established result of air pollution. While mild pollution is not awful for a healthy person in the prime of his or her life, polluting particles in the air can cause problems in children and in the elderly or the infirm. Additionally pollutants in the air can aggravate asthma symptoms and increase allergy symptoms. This can be annoying and dangerous to the health of some people.

But these respiratory problems are not all. Heavy air pollution can be damaging even to the most healthy of people. Mexico City, the largest city in the world, has major air pollution problems. It is said that just breathing the air each day is like smoking more than a pack of cigarettes. If the pollution is heavy enough, serious health problems, including cancer, can result from the toxins constantly breathed in through the air.

Another air pollution problem has to do with mercury. Mercury is a by product of many factories, and is present in the particles spewed from the tops of smokestacks. As the mercury gets into the earths atmospheric system, it mingles with rain, which then falls into water and is absorbed by fish. As larger fish (like tuna) prey on the smaller, they receive even higher amounts. Even though fish is generally healthy, there are some varieties that should be avoided. And it is recommended that no one eat more than two servings of fish per week. Pregnant women and children should eat no more than one serving of some fish and should avoid eating any of certain types of fish, as the mercury can cause defects and has been linked to developmental problems.

SOURCE: http://www.articlesbase.com

Top Benefits of Trees

Here are 22 of the best reasons to plant and care for trees or defend a tree’s standing:

Trees combat the greenhouse effect

Global warming is the result of excess greenhouse gases, created by burning fossil fuels and destroying tropical rainforests. Heat from the sun, reflected back from the earth, is trapped in this thickening layer of gases, causing global temperatures to rise. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a major greenhouse gas. Trees absorb CO2, removing and storing the carbon while releasing the oxygen back into the air. In one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the amount of CO2 produced when you drive your car 26,000 miles.

Trees clean the air

Trees absorb odors and pollutant gases (nitrogen oxides, ammonia, sulfur dioxide and ozone) and filter particulates out of the air by trapping them on their leaves and bark.

Trees provide oxygen

In one year an acre of mature trees can provide enough oxygen for 18 people.

Trees cool the streets and the city

Average temperatures in Los Angeles have risen 6°F in the last 50 years as tree coverage has declined and the number of heat-absorbing roads and buildings has increased.

Trees cool the city by up to 10°F, by shading our homes and streets, breaking up urban “heat islands” and releasing water vapor into the air through their leaves.

Trees conserve energy

Three trees placed strategically around a single-family home can cut summer air conditioning needs by up to 50 percent. By reducing the energy demand for cooling our houses, we reduce carbon dioxide and other pollution emissions from power plants.

Trees save water

Shade from trees slows water evaporation from thirsty lawns. Most newly planted trees need only fifteen gallons of water a week. As trees transpire, they increase atmospheric moisture.

Trees help prevent water pollution

Trees reduce runoff by breaking rainfall thus allowing the water to flow down the trunk and into the earth below the tree. This prevents stormwater from carrying pollutants to the ocean. When mulched, trees act like a sponge that filters this water naturally and uses it to recharge groundwater supplies.

Trees help prevent soil erosion

On hillsides or stream slopes, trees slow runoff and hold soil in place.

Trees shield children from ultra-violet rays

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Trees reduce UV-B exposure by about 50 percent, thus providing protection to children on school campuses and playgrounds – where children spend hours outdoors.

Trees provide food

An apple tree can yield up to 15-20 bushels of fruit per year and can be planted on the tiniest urban lot. Aside from fruit for humans, trees provide food for birds and wildlife.

Trees heal

Studies have shown that patients with views of trees out their windows heal faster and with less complications. Children with ADHD show fewer symptoms when they have access to nature. Exposure to trees and nature aids concentration by reducing mental fatigue.

Trees reduce violence

Neighborhoods and homes that are barren have shown to have a greater incidence of violence in and out of the home than their greener counterparts. Trees and landscaping help to reduce the level of fear.

Trees mark the seasons

Is it winter, spring, summer or fall? Look at the trees.

Trees create economic opportunities

Fruit harvested from community orchards can be sold, thus providing income. Small business opportunities in green waste management and landscaping arise when cities value mulching and its water-saving qualities. Vocational training for youth interested in green jobs is also a great way to develop economic opportunities from trees.

Trees are teachers and playmates

Whether as houses for children or creative and spiritual inspiration for adults, trees have provided the space for human retreat throughout the ages.

Trees bring diverse groups of people together

Tree plantings provide an opportunity for community involvement and empowerment that improves the quality of life in our neighborhoods. All cultures, ages, and genders have an important role to play at a tree planting or tree care event.

Trees add unity

Trees as landmarks can give a neighborhood a new identity and encourage civic pride.

Trees provide a canopy and habitat for wildlife

Sycamore and oak are among the many urban species that provide excellent urban homes for birds, bees, possums and squirrels.

Trees block things

Trees can mask concrete walls or parking lots, and unsightly views. They muffle sound from nearby streets and freeways, and create an eye-soothing canopy of green. Trees absorb dust and wind and reduce glare.

Trees provide wood

In suburban and rural areas, trees can be selectively harvested for fuel and craft wood.

Trees increase property values

The beauty of a well-planted property and its surrounding street and neighborhood can raise property values by as much as 15 percent.

Trees increase business traffic

Studies show that the more trees and landscaping a business district has, the more business will flow in. A tree-lined street will also slow traffic – enough to allow the drivers to look at the store fronts instead of whizzing by.

SOURCE: http://www.treepeople.org

5 Ways to Prevent Global Warming That Big Media Won’t Tell You

Repeatedly, you’ll hear or read the same suggestions as to what you can do to prevent global warming. Big media sources typically suggest very simplistic things like changing your light bulbs to compact fluorescents, buying a hybrid car, or unplugging appliances when they’re not in use.

But you want to make a real difference.

You are not content with the mainstream media’s advice, because you know that there are bigger things to be done, more dramatic actions to be taken to stop climate change from wrecking further havoc upon our precious ecosystems. Here I will share with you some of those bigger solutions that big media won’t tell you.
1.) Avoid high gas prices and carbon emissions

You will avoid rising prices at the gas pump and dramatically reduce your daily carbon emissions by selling your car. Buying a hybrid vehicle is one thing, but you’re still highly dependent upon fossil fuel for energy.
You will become healthier by riding a bicycle. Curb your addiction to cars, sell your vehicle, and become more mobile by using a bike, or public transportation such as the bus, subway, or train. There may even be carsharing programs in your city. There are numerous transportation alternatives to owning and driving a car.
If your daily commute is more than a few miles away from your home, you may want to consider moving to a closer location to your job. Living car-free is a liberating experience and you will learn to prevent global warming on your way to work.

2.) Eat fresh, local foods for a healthy environment and you

There has been an influx of organic food in supermarkets over the past several years. But of equal importance to consider is where that food is coming from. For example, how much of the produce in your supermarket is being transported halfway around the world? Check the stickers on those apples and peaches and you’ll see ” Produce of Chile”, “Mexico”, or “China”. Also important to note: how much of that food is actually in season? The transportation of food is a major contributor to greenhouse gases.
Easy ways for you to get low carbon food are:
Buying things that are actually in season.
Buying locally-grown fruits and vegetables at farmers markets.
Joining a CSA.
You’ll massively reduce the carbon from your food if you follow the above advice. Plus, eating locally-grown, fresh foods is not only better for the planet, it’s healthier for you, too.

3.) Learn how to reduce your home’s carbon footprint

Do you realize that modern houses are built using synthetic products and other materials with high embodied energy? Sadly, this means that modern homes are huge contributors to global warming. For example, concrete is (amazingly) the second most consumed material on earth, right behind water, and it takes a huge amount of energy to produce it. Not only that, the manufacturing process is highly polluting.
You can lower your energy bills with a home that is designed for maximum energy efficiency. One of the most simple things to consider learning about is passive solar design. Passive solar homes feature smart design considerations that can dramatically decrease the need for active energy heating and cooling systems. In other words, passive solar homes stay cooler in the summer, and warmer in the winter with lesser need for air conditioning and heating. Greater energy efficiency equals a lesser carbon footprint.
Explode your conceptions of what a home can really be. You can take a workshop on how to build a straw bale home or a cob building, if you want to take it even further. Both of these natural building techniques stress the use of local and natural building materials, such as straw bales, sand, and clay. Natural building is an important movement towards a lower impact and environmentally sustainable lifestyle.

4.) Keep money in your pocket and carbon out of the air

Globalized, capitalist society thrives on rampant consumerism. And it is this system that is helping to degrade the environment and contribute to global climate change. But you can take a jab at the consumerism machine by reducing your consumption. For example, you can do this by buying used clothing, joining a co-op, and participating in events like Buy Nothing Day. There are endless means by which you can learn to live more simply, and in turn, more lightly upon the earth.
Live happily by simplifying your life. Your carbon footprint will be immediately reduced by consuming less. Big media would never tell you to “consume less” since consumerism is the very thing keeping our broken economy running. (About 70% of the US GDP is attributed to consumer spending, after all.)
You can defy big media, shun consumerism, and in turn, help prevent global climate change and promote a simpler, happier lifestyle. Try it.

5.) Live your values happily with friends

It can be hard to fight global warming if you are not surrounded by people who share your values and support your choices. However, you can easily change this by moving to an ecovillage. For example, I’ve been living off the grid for over a year in a community striving to fight ecological problems like global warming.
Learn about this amazing place and you’ll be amazed. Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage’s mission represents a holistic attempt to tackle ecological and cultural change in a profound way.
You can make a huge difference by supporting ecovillages as they create change, both ecological and cultural, on a grander scale than seen anywhere else in society. There are many ecovillages scattered all over the globe, each with its own organization and mission, but all dedicated to living more lightly upon the earth through various means.
You can have a happier and simpler lifestyle if you live in community. Many ecovillages have visitor programs that allow you to see how wonderful and fulfilling life can when you live more simply and cooperatively.
– – –
You have the power to prevent global warming through personal choice and action. If you want to take dramatic action, these are just a few of the things you can do. There are opportunities for change at every corner of daily life. Big problems require big change. Global warming is one such problem, and the change required to successfully deter future catastrophe demand our immediate attention.
It’s critical that you act right now to share the above information with the world. Future generations and the world’s poor cannot afford for you to wait for the media to educate people about the actions that really make a difference.
Together, we have the power to fight global climate change.

SOURCE: http://planetsave.com

Avoid Plastic Bags

I’ve used thousands—if not tens of thousands—of plastic bags in the course of my life. Sorry to say it, but I suppose they’re all still out there somewhere.

That’s the problem with plastic, it just never ends. If you look at the life cycle of a plastic bag, it’s essentially this:

1. petroleum is pumped out of the ground
2. the petroleum is shipped to a refining point and turned into various nasty chemicals
3. the chemicals are then turned into a special sort of extruded plastic in the form of a bag
4. over the course of days, weeks or years (it matters not, plastic is patient) the bag is used in the sale of some good(s)
5. the buyer carries the goods in the plastic bag for a time
6. (perhaps some plastic bags are reused, a small fraction are recycled in jurisdictions where that is possible)
7. then the plastic bag is discarded
8. the plastic bag then spends the next several millennia in the environment, doing its thing

Much has been said about the lifestyle of the free plastic bag. How it chokes drainage, encourages mosquitos, strangles and chokes sealife, becomes ingested by almost any animal (to the detriment of that animal). And how they look ugly caught in a windswept tree or fence. And how they are being found with disturbing frequency in places where no humans live (e.g. the ‘continent’ of floating plastic in the centre of the North Pacific).

But it wasn’t until I read the book The World Without Us by Alan Weisman (originator of the plastic continent concept) that I realized the extent of plastic’s reach in the environment. All forms of plastic are immune to biological breakdown. The sun’s UV rays weaken the stuff but that only breaks large plastic down into smaller pieces of plastic without any loss in material. There are no microbes that eat plastic and no larger lifeform can consume the stuff (this is why seabird chicks and turtles and whatnot keep dying from consuming the alien substance). Plastic just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, until the whole environment is degraded—full of tiny plastic particles. According to researchers quoted by Weisman, tiny plastic particles are now more prevalent in the oceans than are plankton.

Six times more prevalent.

So it’s important to avoid plastic bags wherever possible. An easy way is to carry a backpack to the supermarket and refuse plastic bags. A backpack is much easier to carry in any case, but it’s also endlessly reusable: I have a backpack—now too battered for everyday use, but still good for hauling stuff—that’s fifteen years old!

Another trick is to refuse the small bags that the convenience stores seem to insist upon even if you’re only buying one thing. You don’t need them, and the environment certainly won’t miss the thing floating about or buried in the soil for the next twenty thousand years.

Shop via delivery. No one includes plastic bags when they deliver goods. Even when it’s a handful of smaller things being delivered. They’ll send it in reused containers.

Plastic bags are a bad habit, but an easy one to kick.

SOURCE: http://emuu.net

Ways to Reduce Air Pollution

We make choices everyday that can help reduce air pollution. Below are a few ideas that you can take to help clean our air.

At Home

• Conserve energy – turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
• Recycle paper, plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans. (This conserves energy and reduces production emissions.)
• Keep woodstoves and fireplaces well maintained. You should also consider replacing old wood stoves with EPA-certified models.
• Plant deciduous trees in locations around your home to provide shade in the summer, but to allow light in the winter.
• Buy green electricity-produced by low-or even zero-pollution facilities.
• Connect your outdoor lights to a timer or use solar lighting.
• Wash clothes with warm or cold water instead of hot.
• Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120F.
• Use low-VOC or water-based paints, stains, finishes, and paint strippers.
• Test your home for radon-a dangerous, radioactive gas that is odorless and tasteless. If the test shows elevated levels of radon, the problem can be fixed cost effectively.
• Choose not to smoke in your home, especially if you have children. If you or your visitors must smoke, then smoke outside.

Buy Smart

• Buy ENERGY STAR products, including energy efficient lighting and appliances. They are environmentally friendly products.
• Choose efficient, low-polluting models of vehicles.
• Choose products that have less packaging and are reusable.
• Shop with a canvas bag instead of using paper and plastic bags.
• Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently.

Drive Wise

• Plan your trips. Save gasoline and reduce air pollution.
• Keep tires properly inflated and aligned.
• In the summertime, fill gas tank during cooler evening hours to cut down on evaporation. Avoid spilling gas and don’t “top off” the tank. Replace gas tank cap tightly.
• Avoid waiting in long drive-thru lines, for example, at fast-food restaurants or banks. Park your car and go in.
• When possible, use public transportation, walk, or ride a bike.
• Get regular engine tune ups and car maintenance checks (especially for the spark plugs).
• Use an energy-conserving (EC) grade motor oil.
• Ask your employer to consider flexible work schedules or telecommuting.
• Report smoking vehicles to your local air agency.
• Join a carpool or vanpool to get to work.

SOURCE: http://www.epa.gov

To what extent could planting trees help solve climate change?

Forests play an important an important role in climate change. The destruction and degradation of forests contributes to the problem through the release of CO2. But the planting of new forests can help mitigate against climate change by removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Combined with the sun’s energy, the captured carbon is converted into trunks, branches, roots and leaves via the process of photosynthesis. It is stored in this “biomass” until being returned back into the atmosphere, whether through natural processes or human interference, thus completing the carbon cycle.

Tree planting and plantation forestry are well established both in the private and public sectors. The most recent data released by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation suggest that plantation forests comprised an estimated 7% of global forest area in 2010. Most of these forests were established in areas that were previously not under forest cover, at least in recent years. Trees are also planted as part of efforts to restore natural forests as well as in agro
forestry, which involves increasing tree cover on agricultural land and pastures.

Under certain conditions plantations can grow relatively fast, thus absorbing CO2 at higher rates than natural forests. In the absence of major disturbances, newly planted or regenerating forests can continue to absorb carbon for 20–50 years or more. In comparison to preventing the loss of natural forests, however, tree planting has the potential to make only a limited contribution to reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere. In 2000, the IPCC gathered the available evidence for a special report which concluded that tree-planting could sequester (remove from the atmosphere) around 1.1–1.6 GT of CO2 per year. That compares to total global greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 50 GT of CO2 in 2004.

Unlike measures to reduce deforestation, tree planting and reforestation were included as activities eligible for finance under the Kyoto protocol. Kyoto’s rules and procedures, however, restricted the scale and scope of these activities. As a result, projects have struggled to get off the ground and the carbon sequestered has been almost negligible. Outside of Kyoto, some tree-planting projects established to absorb CO2 have turned out to be nonviable due to the cost of acquiring inputs or protecting young trees from fire, drought, pests or diseases. The cost of land is another barrier to widespread tree-planting, especially where there is competition with other land uses such as food or bio-fuel production.

As negotiations over the future of Kyoto continue, the extent of the possible role of tree planting in a future climate change framework remains unclear. Tree planting is, however, unlikely to be implemented on a scale to reach even the relatively modest potential contribution outlined by the IPPC – especially in the absence of a high carbon price.

SOURCE: http://www.guardian.co.uk

Causes of Environmental Problems

Environmental problems include the pollution of air and water sources, erosion of soils, increase of world temperature, and the rise of ocean levels by global warming, as well as the loss of biodiversity. An increasing world population and its subsequent consumption and waste generation are among the main causes of these and other environmental damages. According to the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, land degradation also causes environmental problems.

Increasing World Population and Poverty

As the world’s human population continues to grow, the demand of resources such as food and water also increases. According to the humanitarian organization World Vision, freshwater consumption rose sixfold from 1900 to 1995, which represents more than twice the population growth in the same period. The gap between the very poor and the very rich has also increased. Poverty can cause higher pressure on natural resources through soil over-exploitation and deforestation, limited access to sanitation, and higher birth rates.

Increasing Waste Generation

Overflowing landfills can cause many environment problems, including the pollution of oceans and the decrease of marine biodiversity. Some household wastes like batteries are not only pollutants but also toxic, causing environmental contamination over time. Most materials, including plastic, paper, glass, and metals are recyclable today, which reduces soil and water contamination by landfills. Industry generation of waste materials, such as carbon dioxide, is a cause of global warming.

Land Degradation

In some countries such as Ethiopia, land and soil degradation are major causes of environmental problems. A study developed in conjunction with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences revealed that exhaustive land use in Ethiopia is causing nutrient losses and affecting soil quality. The use of manure and sediments from reservoirs is an option for restoring soil fertility while Eucalyptus reforestation should be avoided since it causes further soil depletion, the study concluded.

SOURCE: http://www.ehow.com