Evaluating contrasting human perceptions of the issue of global warming.

Several postures concerning the issue of global warming were researched, and the more relevant are shown below. Notice that these perspectives contain from how was this issue originated to how would we surpass it.

According to studies, the increase in water vapor, increase CO2 emissions. These emissions cause greenhouse gases, and this are caused by humans, and translates to the global warming issue that we’re facing. According to the United Nations, we are at the end of our times, since we, humans, are accelerating the process of global warming. The United Nations thinks that the increase in carbon emissions, translates to the end of times. However, some English scientists have studied this case of carbon emissions, and they think that carbon emissions do not contribute to global warming. They said that during 1940, carbon emissions increased, but temperature decreased, proving that there was no relation among global warming and carbon emissions.

Other experts think that global warming is a natural process that has occurred in the past. The Artic has warmed up before. However, like it was already said, several people say that this is a myth, and the reality is that we’re causing global warming.

Moreover, several people say that human population can adapt to the new climate changes since they have already made it, however, societies have collapsed before because of this.

Other people have some misunderstandings concerning several terms. Some people think that the ozone hole and global warming are really related. They think that jus because the ozone hole is reducing, global warming is also reducing, but they have nothing to do one with the other.

References

Behreandt, Dennis. "Global Warming Is Not a Serious Problem." Opposing Viewpoints: The Environment. Ed. Louise Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. ITESM - OVRC. 1 Feb. 2011 <http://0-find.galegroup.com.millenium.itesm.mx/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010132271&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=itesmovrc&version=1.0>.

Environmental Defense Fund. "Greenhouse Gases Cause Global Warming." At Issue: Greenhouse Gases. Ed. Ronnie D. Lankford. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. ITESM - OVRC. 1 Feb. 2011 <http://0-find.galegroup.com.millenium.itesm.mx/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010552204&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=itesmovrc&version=1.0>.

Pollution Management

Major pollutants

Make a table of major pollutants, their causes, effects on health, environment, etc.

Table will be posted soon.

What is pollution?

What is pollution? Presence of a waste or an agent. Going beyond the fact that nature can handle it.

Some kinds of wastes, which toxicity levels are very low, but they are considered to be pollutants. Like in a forest, there is little or no organic solvent, a very small amount of organic solvent can be a pollutant since the ecosystem may note handle it.

Oils spills, is another examples.

Types of pollution

§         Point source: oil spill, because you can track the particular point or place.

§         Non-point source: red tide, it is pretty much everywhere. On the air, water, and soil.

Australian Population Dynamics Policies

Today was the first day of this semester. We started talking about Australian population policies. So we had to do some research about this policies and their main objectives and compare it with another country, which in this case, I selected China.


Talking about Australia, their main objective is to stabilize the population and help that our environment as a whole can sustain.


Next, a chart is shown, with various policies held.

Australia	China
More selective on immigration issues. This is just to control the population in Australia, which brings us to the second point. Population should restrict to what Australian lands can sustain, since only 6% of the continent is arable. But their main goal as a country is to stabilize population nationally and internationally, all for the environment.	Since 1970s China adopted policies in which citizens were encouraged to marry no earlier a certain age, longer spacing between births, and having fewer children. These last years, China has suggested the “One child policy” in order to stabilize and reduce the population at the country.

References

"A sustainable population strategy for Australia." Department of sustainability, environment, water, population, and communities.. Department of sustainability, environment, water, population, and communities., n.d. Web. 10 Jan 2011. <http://environment.gov.au/sustainability/population/publications/pubs/issues-paper-and-appendices.pdf>.

"China demography." Slideshare. N.p., 2008. Web. 10 Jan 2011. <http://www.slideshare.net/isc/china-population-policies>.

"Immigration to Australia." Slideshare. N.p., 2009. Web. 10 Jan 2011. <http://www.slideshare.net/alionacara/immigration-to-australia>.

"Sustainable population in Australia: Population policy." Minnesotans For Sustainability. Minnesotans For Sustainability, April 2002. Web. 10 Jan 2011. <http://www.mnforsustain.org/australia_sustainable_population_policy.htm>.

Terrestrial VS Aquatic Food Production

Next, is a comparison between terrestrial and aquatic food production.

Terrestrial:

• Food harvested from 1st or 2nd trophic levels thus more energetically efficient.
• Solar energy capture (GPP) more efficient.
• Energy transfers between trophic levels not as efficient. 

Aquatic:

• Most food is harvested from higher trophic levels, thus not as efficient
• Solar capture (GPP) not as efficient due to absorption of sunlight by water
• Energy transfers between trophic levels fairly efficient.

Farming and production systems

There are several types of farming systems

1. Subsistence: provision of food for family and their community; little or no surplus; mixed crops; extensive use of human labor; low use of fossil fuels, chemicals, and capital; little technology.

2. Commercial: large profit generating scale; maximized yields, monocultures; high levels of technology, energy, and chemical inputs.