Deforestation and Emerging Infectious Diseases: The Major Threat to Humanity’s Health

New and emerging infectious diseases pose a major threat to humanities health. In the current world we live in today, humanity faces many challenges that are more often than not, a direct consequence of our own doings. The relevance of discussing new infectious diseases and the role man plays in promoting them, is more important … Read more

Environmental pollution by mining

Introduction Environmental pollution by mining has become a global phenomenon. In present days, degradation of the environment is increasing at an alarming rate. The major cause of pollution is urbanization and industrialization. Increase in production and the opening of new mines does generate pressure on environmental attributes. This research work is based on a study … Read more

How can e-waste dumping be prevented?

Journal Questions:  For today’s class, frame your own journal questions on the topic, and discuss/answer them.  The two obvious, easy sources for these questions are the readings you chose and the readings that others raised during the class session. Article 1 – The Burning Truth Behind an E-Waste Dump in Africa Millions of mobile phones, … Read more

Solving the problem of Ballast Water

Article 2 – Ships must kill off the beasties in the ballast water | New Scientist What is Ballast water? Ballast water is water carried in ships’ ballast tanks to improve stability, balance and trim. It is taken up or discharged when cargo is unloaded or loaded, or when a ship needs extra stability in … Read more

Global warming and emissions from animal agriculture

What percent of global greenhouse emissions can be attributed to animal agriculture? Enough to definitively deem animal agriculture as the biggest contributor of climate change. The greenhouse gases produced by both livestock and their byproducts make up fifty-one percent of all global greenhouse emissions. Accumulatively, the animal agriculture industry is responsible for climate change and … Read more

Climate change and Christianity

Climate change is no hoax, conspiracy theory, or myth. It is real and happening now. Mounting scientific evidence proves that global temperatures are rising at an alarming rate, and there is no natural cause behind it. The average global temperature has risen by 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit since the 20th century. Glaciers are melting and sea … Read more

Reconstructing Past Flood Events Q & As

Question Sheet One (ex1_sheet1.doc) GG2024 Exercise 1. Reconstructing Past Flood Events When citing sources: Cite the exact source of the information (i.e. the author(s) and year) and then reference it. Cite the author(s) in the text. And then list the reference in a bibliography using the Harvard System of referencing. e.g. in a journal: author. year. … Read more

ASR (Automotive Shredder Residue) waste disposal

LITERATURE REVIEW ASR can be classified as both hazardous or not hazardous waste. The stringent landfill legislation related to ELV treatment will limit current landfilling practice and impose an increased efficiency of the recovery and recycling of ELVs. Primary recovery techniques recycle up to 75% of the ELV components and the remaining 25% is called … Read more

Air quality case study

Human activities are the major cause of air pollution today. These activities have been known to release contaminants into the environment, which endangers the inhabitants. Poor air quality has been the price paid for urbanization; Population, Industrial activities, Agriculture etc. According to WHO, in 2012 about 6.5 million deaths which is 11% of global deaths … Read more

Impact of light pollution on native ecosystems

Light pollution and invasive alien species are both posing a threat to many ecosystems around the world. Understanding the effect both factors have on native ecosystems is important for preventing loss of native species. In the United Kingdom, street lighting is being changed from narrow to broad spectrum without much knowledge of how this will … Read more

Development of policies that address the wildlife-livestock interface

Introduction Conflicts between wildlife and agriculture are increasingly challenging agriculture and wildlife agencies (Krebs et al. 1998, Miller et al. 2013, Miller and Sweeney 2013). Policy to address human-wildlife conflicts is often controversial (Messmer 2009). Developing policy to manage interactions between wildlife and agriculture has been identified as critically important (Jones et al. 2013), yet … Read more

Vegetable oil as an alternative fuel

ABSTRACT. It’s an olden practice to use vegetable oil as a working fuel in diesel engine. It was R. Diesel who first introduced vegetable oil as a fuel in his compression ignition (CI) engine. In past few decades vegetables oil have emerged as an alternative fuel. Vegetable oils are either non-edible or edible. Few of … Read more

Starbucks – disposal of packaging waste

Introduction Starbucks is an international coffee company with coffee shops in over 50 countries and over 15,000 coffee shops in the US alone (Starbucks, 2019). The coffeeshop industry has come under fire for regular use of single-use packaging that is often not recycled and littered in our natural environment. Therefore, the focus of this essay … Read more

Writing essays on environmental topics

Environmental studies is an interdisciplinary field that involves the study of the natural world and the interactions between humans and the environment. Here are some interesting and important topics for discussion that students can consider when writing an essay in the field of environmental studies in 2023:

  • Climate change and its impacts on the environment and human societies, including the causes and consequences of global warming and the role of human activities in driving climate change.
  • Biodiversity loss and conservation, including the threats to species and ecosystems and the strategies for protecting and restoring them.
  • Sustainable development and the green economy, including the strategies for balancing economic growth with environmental protection and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
  • Environmental justice and the impacts of environmental degradation on vulnerable communities, including issues related to race, class, and gender (see e.g. the Flint Water Crisis).
  • Pollution and toxicology, including the impacts of air, water, and soil pollution on human health and the environment.
  • Energy and resource management, including the development of renewable energy sources and the sustainable use of natural resources.
  • Urban ecology and the design of sustainable cities, including the impact of urbanization on the environment and the strategies for building more livable and resilient cities.
  • Agriculture and food systems, including the impact of industrial agriculture on the environment and the development of sustainable and regenerative farming practices.
  • Conservation biology and the restoration of ecosystems, including the strategies for reintroducing species and restoring degraded habitats.
  • Environmental education and public awareness, including the role of education in promoting sustainability and the development of effective communication strategies for environmental issues.

When writing an essay on this topic, students should choose a specific aspect of environmental studies that interests them and focus on developing a clear thesis statement that addresses a particular issue or question. They should also provide evidence to support their arguments, draw on relevant academic sources, and consider the perspectives of different stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, and environmental advocates.