Solved by a verified expert:Answer each question with a minimum of 70 words per
question:
1)
Human Population and
Carrying Capacity
Population doubling time is estimated to be every 70
years (say: every generation!). That alone is
staggering. We need to compare this fact with the earth’s carrying
capacity, limiting factors and ‘keeping the balance’ for all species and
natural resources. These processes apply to plants, wildlife and human
societies. Here is an interesting link for a general background and
commonly used terms http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overpopulation and here is a link that shows you
the actual current census ! : http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html
Once you understand
these terms, do an informal survey of a place of your choice and state what
carrying capacity or factors of limitations are threatening both people and
species. Give examples. Be specific! Some species are extinct,
while others are threatened by human overpopulation, consumption and
habitat destruction.
The same concerns about
overcrowding apply to some human communities. Some towns limit the
amount of growth, as water or other natural resources are limited, while other
towns cannot grow due to human induced hazards.
What is a ‘hot spot’ for
population crisis (places having too many people and not enough resources to
support them) around the world? What are the challenges and possible
solutions? To answer these questions, you can visit the United
Nations Population Fund:http://www.unfpa.org/ or find your own
website. How do these conditions affect the standard of living or quality
of life? What measuring techniques can help in planning? In
your report state what you feel is the biggest challenge to population
growth in your chosen area. Be specific. Use reputable websites as
references.
2)
Go to http://www.zeri.org or try this location: http://zerilearning.org/ If this site is being updated, if it is
unavailable, or want to see another resource, try this to compare go
to http://www.sustainable.org/
With the world’s
population expanding, the need for efficient and sustainable food, housing,
energy and materials production is very high. You may be encouraged
to find out about this system called ZERI! What do you think?
Pick a project and discuss its benefits. How does ZERI fit in with
sustainability? Explain!
There are a
few other neat websites for adult eco consumers, http://ge.ecomagination.com/ .
Has anyone heard of microbial fuel cells or bio plastics? Try Google on
these topics and see what you find out! What do you think?? Perhaps
you will find another you like and want to share ….
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