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Description:

Deforestation is a human actvity that involves cutting down trees for ecological and economic services. It is the destruction of trees in order to make land available for other uses.

Impact:

It has caused the loss of habitat in which many species have no place to live. It has led to land degradation which causes many lands to be useless and unable to be used again. It drives climate change because less trees are able to produce oxygen for fresh air. Runoff from the clearing of trees promotes pollution.

Solutions:

The quickest solution is to stop cutting down trees. The forest should be managed and the government should set up laws to protect forests. They could also provide incentives for people to protect trees and forests. National parks and forests can be set up to help preserve wildlife and forests. Alternatives for paper could be the use of the plant kinaf in order to decrease the cutting of trees for paper. Forests can be stripped cut instead of clear cut so that forests have time to grow back.

Sources:

National Geographic

Mr. Kaura

Group: Vanessa. Rachel, Diana, Emily

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Permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses.

18 million acres is lost annually to deforestation. (United Nations Food and Agriculture Org.)

Causes increased emission of green house gases.

Loss os biodiversity

Soil erosion

Reduced oxygen production, increased CO2 levels.

Counteracting Deforestation

Planting a tree for every one cut down.

Strip cutting

Paper conservation

Recycling

Jennie, Noor, Austin, and Annie

Issues:

Less diversity in trees,soil erosion, habitat of certain animals are destroyed, damage to the quality of land, runoff increase, soil drys out, without trees the forests can become desserts, more evaporation in the water cycle

Impact:

Most dramatic impact is the loss of habitat for many species because many plants and animals cannot survive without forests.

Solutions:

eliminate clear cutting, replant trees and re-cut them down, crop rotation, tree fence, set tax on excess amount of trees, use strip cutting, keep older trees alive, don't waste tree (use the entire tree), increase the amount of times products are being recycled instead of making new products,

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Issue/Problem:

About 80% of marine pollution stems from land activities and pollution, which have been heavily induced from large amounts of " deliberate dumping" of toxic wastes and chemicals globally until the UN's Environmental Conference in 1972 made laws to protect Europe and American bordering oceans, ( Al Mendelsohn World Wide Fund for Nature). Despite enforced prevention, ocean pollution has lead to an effect on the diversity of species, of animals and plants in the aquatic biome.

Description:

- Chemical

- Industrial

- Agricultural

- Residential

* These are the most common forms of marine pollution in the last hundred years. Specific pollutants like oil spills, plastics, and runoff (fertilizers) from soil are the most increasing forms of marine pollution.

Impact:

Increased concentrations of physical and chemical wastes in the water have lead to the endangerment of many plant and animal species. Many animals suffer from cancer, immune damage, behavioral- temperament issues, and fertility decreases when exposed to even slight amounts of pollution. When plants and small consumers and autotrophs like phytoplankton become contaminated and another consumer then eats that food source, the consumer can also become contaminated, ( World Wide Fund for Nature).

Solutions:

- Dispose of waste as directed and in proper location. As well as recycling in the correct designated areas.

- Enforce political environmental safety. Including government control and regulation on industry and emissions.

- Respect 70%+ of the earth and take responsibility in the actions we do now for consequences in the future. The best way to stop ocean pollution is to stop and be cautious before anything gets there, (Natural Resources Defense Council).

Sources:

>> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1636108/

>> http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/problems/pollution/

>> http://www.nrdc.org/oceans/plastic-ocean/

Group:

Sifa Gichau, Victoria Vega, and Hannah :)

# data[].attributes.body
Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses. Forests are very important and occupy 31% of the land area on Earth. In addition forests have many benefits. "Many of the world’s most threatened and endangered animals live in forests, and 1.6 billion people rely on benefits forests offer, including food, fresh water, clothing, traditional medicine and shelter." (World Wide Fund for Nature)

Impacts:

-loss of habitat for millions of species. 70% of Earth's animals and plants live in forests (Pachamama Alliance)

-causes climate cahnge

-soil erosion

-fewer crops

-flooding

-increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

Solutions:

-companies introduce a zero deforestation policy

-Kenaf, a plant from Africa, can be planted. Kenaf has a variety of uses which includes being able to become paper. This plant can grow in many parts of America. Currently, Kenaf is a major alternative for paper, but cannot replace wood. (Agricultural Marketing Resource Center)

-plant more trees

Practicality:

It would be too difficult to enforce policies and plant more trees for every tree that is cut down.

Group: Toby, Noah, James, Afnan, Brooke