Sci 275 - Terrestrial Resource Challenge

Terrestrial Resource Challenge

Robert Slade

SCI/275

November-0802015

Eric Hoyer

Terrestrial Resource Challenge

        The two terrestrial resource challenges that interested me the most were solid waste and agricultural farmland. Though the two are different, I think that they have one main thing in common that stresses both situations. The population growth of humans and their actions that are causing environmental problems that could lead to more unnecessary problems that could end up being a health hazard. After reading this week’s material and upon further research, I would conclude that the main reason for solid waste is none other than human beings individually that comes together in set places. With the disappearance of farmland humans are a main part of the problem due to population growth but there is also the case of erosion and deterioration to agricultural soils.

        Human actions are the main issues that threaten sustainability with the two choices I made with solid waste and agricultural farmland. “In many parts of the world, including India, Bangladesh and China, arable land is quickly disappearing. As populations grow and cities place a huge demand on the resources of the countryside, farmland is being absorbed into urban sprawl. In Bangladesh, the government has recently taken action against the disappearance of farmland as a threat to the economic security of the country,” Johnson Walter, “Terrestrial Resource Issues,”  http://www.ehow.com/list_6903634_terrestrial-resource-issues.html. There are a lot of things that contribute to the massive amounts of solid waste due to, not recycling recyclable products, over packaging and over consumption. This is a problem that we will be forever facing due to the population growth, there is no way around not having or creating more waste when there is more people. As of this point in time I cannot say that any of this effects my personally or my life but that’s not to say that in the future that will be the case because this can take a turn for the worst. However, if we don’t get a grip on these things we can really mess it up for our children and generation to come.

        Input, output and throughput are the three groups stated in this week’s readings that reduce waste falls. The text also states that if we want to create a sustainable society then we should concentrate our efforts on throughput and input solutions. Maybe we would not be having this problem or discussion if everybody or just even the majority of people practiced the three “R’s,” which are reduce, recycle and reuse.

        The first major challenge that could arise out of implementing solutions is educating the people and getting them to understand that we are destroying the environment that is needed for so many things that we need to live. If nobody cares then things are going to continue to be the same and only get worse. Another major problem with implementing solutions could also be population growth, I say this because more people equals more waste, not too many ways around that. Addressing the challenges are the issue, we have been addressing them for years. I think getting more people onboard with doing what is right in order to preserve and sustain the environment is the more or most challenging. If we could just get enough people to do the right thing to where it just becomes something of a second nature to them, personally I think that it would rub off on others and the world or environment would be better taken care of and just maybe it would take better care of us. What would we do without terrestrial resources? Without them would we even be able to exist?