13+Environmental+Issues

TOP 10 ENVIRONMENTAL Issues IN ASIA FROM 1993 - 2003

 * 1) Dust Storm in China - Desertification
 * 2) Melting of the Glacier in Himalaya DUE TO GLOBAL WARMING
 * 3) Asia’s Increasing Energy Demand
 * 4) Drought in Afghanistan causing famine
 * 5) City Garbage in Philippines – Landfill disaster
 * 6) Population Explosion in India
 * 7) Flooding in Yangtze
 * 8) Alien Species invasion causing local species extinction in Korea
 * 9) Indonesia Forest Fire - haze
 * 10) Weather change affecting crop production in Japan

What would you choose to be the latest environmental issues?

Carrying Capacity

 * How many people can the present earth support?
 * How do we calculate this figure?
 * What are the conditions that we should use to obtain the figures?

Sustainability

 * How many people can our earth support?
 * How sustainable is our life style?

**MORE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES**
Read the passage "[|Cleaner Water from space]".

What is the main cause of the algal bloom? Explain the chain of reactions as a result of it. What can be done to improve the situation?

Here are some references to help you summarise it in your own words. Draw your own concept map to explain the process.

Eutrophication is an increase in the concentration of chemical nutrients in an ecosystem to an extent that increases in the primary productivity of the ecosystem. Depending on the degree of eutrophication, subsequent negative environmental effects such as anoxia and severe reductions in water quality, fish, and other animal populations may occur.

Eutrophication is a process whereby water bodies, such as lakes, estuaries, or slow-moving streams receive excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth (algae, periphyton attached algae, and nuisance plants weeds). This enhanced plant growth, often called an algal bloom, reduces dissolved oxygen in the water when dead plant material decomposes and can cause other organisms to die. Nutrients can come from many sources, such as fertilizers applied to agricultural fields, golf courses, and suburban lawns; deposition of nitrogen from the atmosphere; erosion of soil containing nutrients; and sewage treatment plant discharges. Water with a low concentration of dissolved oxygen is called hypoxic.







Inspiring Solutions
Michael Pritchard's water filter turns filthy water drinkable []

Willie Smits restores a forest video: [] blog: []