Africa: Bees Can Help Boost Food Security of Two Billion Small Farmers At No Cost

http://allafrica.com/stories/201602220806.html

This study examined the importance of bees in food production, especially in Africa, and was conducted by The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. In module 5 we discussed developments that have an advantage due to being geographically blessed. This study showed the importance of bees in that area, and how things would be different without them. Bees play a vital role in pollinating plants, and they do it at no cost for people. Without bees, crops would have to be pollinated by hand, a task that would greatly reduce production. The article said that due to global warming, bees were having a harder time pollinating plants. It recommended that we take efforts to reduce global warming, and also suggested that farmers plant plants that flower year round in an effort to keep bees on their property. Bees have played a vital role in food production in the past, and if we want to continue this trend, steps must be made to ensure the bee’s and our future.

Treating Cataracts in India

http://www.cgdev.org/page/case-19-treating-cataracts-india

This study examined the leading cause of blindness, cataracts, in India. It was conducted by the World Bank’s Implementation Completion Report. Before this initiative, nearly 1.5% of Indian’s suffered from blindness due to cataracts. The World Bank started an initiative  to treat this awful condition in 1994 by setting up fixed camps for cataract surgery. Overall, this initiative was very effective and restored sight to nearly 320,000 people annually at little to no cost to the individual. On average, the surgery only cost $10, yet due to poverty, many people couldn’t afford to have the surgery done. This is an issue of environmental justice, because due to poverty hundreds of thousands of people couldn’t afford this simple surgery to restore their sight. Thanks to this program, nearly 15.35 million cataract surgeries have been conducted in India since it’s inception.

The first case study relates to my home town because it is a reoccurring problem across the whole world. Bee populations are rapidly decreasing, and as they go the price of food will increase dramatically due to lack of pollination. In my hometown of York, Pa, agriculture is a very common way to make a living. My town consists mainly of wide open farm fields and bees are important to pollination in all parts of the world. It is common to see bee houses adjacent to fields in my area. The second case study relates to my home because healthcare is something that many people in the U.S. take for granted, especially with a routine procedure like cataract surgery. Not being able to see due to a very curable disease is unthinkable, and something that nobody should be forced to suffer through. These two studies differ because the first one calls for individual action, and the second one is an example of collective action. We can see that in the case of the cataract dilemma, collective action was very effective at solving the problem, while we will have to wait and see how the bee dilemma works itself out.

1. The first case study I read was from allafrica.com, and it talked about the Zika Virus in Africa and how the UN agencies stepped up the response measures following the Declaration of Public Health Emergency. On February 1, 2016, there was a declaration of a public health emergency of international concern that regarded the cluster of microcephaly and other neurological disorder in relation to the Zika virus. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Zika virus has spread quickly and has been detected in 25 countries. They diagnose the virus by measuring the heads of a newborn at least one day after birth. If it is below a certain level they feel the disease could be responsible for this diagnose. Even though there is no real conclusive evidence that links the Zika virus to the microcephaly, there is enough concern to warrant immediate action. I feel since the development of the Zika virus we have to be concern with traveling to any country that might contain this virus especially if you are pregnant. http://allafrica.com/view/group/main/main/id/00041183.html.
2. The second case study I read was from the Center for Global Development (CGD, and it talked about how to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in Thailand. This case study was done between 1989 and 1990. The quantity of direct sex workers in Thailand that was infected with the HIV had tripled. It went from 3.5% to 9.3% and within a year it reached 21.6 %. The male who were tested when they entered the army at the age of 21 had rose six times. It went from 0.5% in 1989 to 3% in 1991. Since then the government have been spending about $375 million to the national AIDS program. Most of the money went to the treatment and care of the infected people. This has made the number of people with sexually transmitted infection (STI) to fall from 200,000 cases in 1988 to 15,000 cases in 2001. I feel if this continues we will see less people with the disease. http://www.cgdev.org/page/case-2-preventing-hiv-and-sexually-transmitted-infections-thailand.
3. My hometown is Schuylkill Haven, PA. In Schuylkill Haven there is not a real scare on any diseases. The children here are vaccinated from polio and small pox before entering the school system. When they reach the middle school age they are vaccinated from mononucleosis which is referred to as the kissing disease. Once you are of college age they give you a booster for this disease. Most of the parent in this region get their children vaccinated but there are a few that refuse to vaccinate. These parents put other children at risk of getting the disease if they contract it. I feel that all children should be vaccinated upon reaching school age no matter what your religion is. The reason I feel this way is because I do not think that it is harmful to anyone if you are vaccinated. As far as I know, there has not been an outbreak of the Zika virus or HIV in this area. Both diseases causes’ kids to be sick and some may die from them.

The first case study I chose to focus on is Bicycles as a Transportation Policy in Japan. The link for the case study is here: http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/trans-jap.html . The case study talks about how Japan has adopted the use of bikes as a primary way of transportation due to lack of petroleum and its high density, geographic location. The use of bikes started after World War 2 when their infrastructure was destroyed. As this infrastructure was fixed, the Japanese neglected the use of bikes and instead used rail and bus systems before growing tired and annoyed of how slow and expensive they were. The goal of this is to make living at such a high population sustainable and to save money. Automobile related pollutants are cut by 16%, traffic death rates have been reduced by 58%. Where you can fit one of two cars at a traffic light you can fit 20 bikes. This form of transportation helps slow down the use of fossil fuels and reduces carbon dioxide contribution dramatically.

The second case study I chose to look at is sustainable investment in the financial sector within the United Nations. The link can be found here: http://www.sd-network.eu/pdf/case%20studies/ESDN%20Case%20Study_No.%2011_sustainable%20investment_FINAL.pdf . It talks about putting in place principles for banks and large financial institutions to make financial investments that are in line with sustainable development. This means products and investments that safeguard the environment and rather than just avoid doing harm, use financial purposes to do good. They should service the communities in which they are located and should be able to function in the event of an external force.

Both of these case studies identify issues that are similar to issues identified where I live. In New York City, my former employer BNY Mellon practices social responsibility. They are actively involved in New York City, having employees volunteer for community philanthropies, and offer their clients products that are environmentally safe. All of their investments are screened before hand. In NYC, Citi bank, another financial institution has a bike sharing program for pedestrians. This saves people money as it is much cheaper for a membership than a cab, and it also takes more cars off the road which helps make it safer to people to get around the city.

Part 1: Air pollution in Mexico City

http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/air-mex.html

The first development case study that I found dealt with the current air pollution issue in Mexico City. The goal of this study was to find out just how much a program to decrease pollution by controlling driving in the city This case study focused on a driving program which banned drivers from driving one day out of the week, depending on their license plates. This particular city is heavily populated, with poor air quality due to their positioning in the mountains. Although the idea was good in theory, this particular program had a number of issues, with convenience being one of the largest. This case reveals how current constituents of Mexico City are unwilling to make sacrifices for later generations. The idea that the people now are unwilling to compromise for the people later frames the idea that Mexico City is making decisions based on Sustainable Development. Air pollution is a global-scale problem, and I think that this large case study done in the 1990’s shows the general attitude of the global population, which is essentially an indirect lack of empathy for the destruction of Earth.

Part 2: Fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa

http://paa2010.princeton.edu/papers/100215

This case study was conducted by David Shapiro, Professor of Economic Demography  at Penn state . Professor Shapiro conducted this study in Kinshasa, Africa: the largest city and capital of the Democratic republic of the Congo. The study examines the inverse relationship found between fertility rates and women’s educational attainment in sub-Saharan Africa. Professor Shapiro’s study greatly relates to our development module as it examines the way a particular sub-Saharan African city develops through the relationship between fertility rates and  women’s education. In Module 5, we learned just how a number of factors can indirectly create positive influences with in a country, increasing the overall development of the country.

Part 3: Pittsburgh, PA

I did not initially think so, but fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa and Air Pollution in Mexico City are similar to the development of my hometown. I live in Pittsburgh, PA, which is famous for the Steel Mills. In the mid 1900’s when industrialization was increasing popularity even more so, Pittsburgh started seeing similar air pollution issues just like Mexico City. One of the indirect affects of air pollution in Pittsburgh has been an increase of asthma, increase of low-birthweight, as well as an increased risk for heart and lung disease. Although the business changed and the steel mills stopped, Pittsburgh can learn a lot about the efforts of Mexico City to decrease air pollution. Groups Against Smog and Pollution, GASP, is heavily in charge of clean initiatives in Pittsburgh. Ideas about less driving could be implemented in my town with minor adjustments from the original case study. The study in Sub-Saharan Africa also mirrors Pittsburgh because of the increase of educational opportunities. The prestigious universities in Pittsburgh, as well as the current push for jobs are showing that the more schooling a woman has, the older she is when she has children, and she is less likely to have a lot of children.

Are solar cookers a viable, cost-effective alternative to traditional methods of cooking in Kenya? (Link)

This case study is located in Kenya and focused on the topic of Energy. Residents of refugee camps were given instructions on how to create solar cookers from already present material. The materials are cheap and plentiful. The solar cooker was introduced to this region because it serves as an alternate to the other cooking methods that they have which is mainly burning kindling from forests nearby (studied earlier in this course!). The con to the solar cooker is the time that it takes to heat up as well as its dependence on light of course. Cooking must take place during the day and it has to be sunny out. With those restrictions, the outcome of the case study was extremely positive. Many women in these refugee camps sought to create their own solar cooker and learn from the instructional lessons that were offered.

ToughStuff International (Link)

Founders at ToughStuff realized that a one-watt solar PV module could provide sufficient electricity for off grid basic services such as light, mobile phones, and radio. They have began selling their product in Kenya and have distributed to over 740,000 people. The product generates electricity from sunlight. It can be fixed on a roof or moved around. The objective of ToughStuff’s case study is to determine how effective their product is to the individual in Kenya. It is a cheap product to make and extremely mobile and accessible. Over the past five years they have reached a high usage population their distribution helps enable rural entrepreneurs in more remote areas sell products. I think this case study is an interesting one because similar to the solar cooker in the first article, it is a product focused on the individual. It allows single homes or people power a light during the night and things like that. The price also shows how far we’ve come with attaining more affordable solar energy.

Reflection

Currently, I am not aware of any systems that I use on a daily basis that are powered by solar energy but it is an extremely possible thing in the near future. I think something to note about these articles is that they are both located in vastly different areas that me (I currently live in Pennsylvania). The areas that the case studies took place in in both of these articles have much warmer and more arid climates than PA. I think the results that they see there may vary a little had they been in a state like PA that probably gets a little less sun in general throughout its seasonal year. Overall though I think the results from these case studies are pretty remarkable and its definitely helping solar energy’s movement into more mainstream culture.

1. Environmental Justice Case Study: North River Sewage Treatment Plant                      -http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/ny.html                                                                     -My case study focuses on the North River Sewage Treatment Plant located in West Harlem of Manhattan in New York City. This study talks about how ever since the construction of the Sewage Treatment Plant, members of the community have talked about overbearing odors emanating from the North River Sewage Plant. Since the development of the plant, residents of the surrounding area have complained about the noxious odor, a smell similar to rotten eggs. Residents can’t even spend time outside on their front porch or even open their windows. The smell even gets worse in the hot summer months. Residents near the plant have also complained of itchy eyes, shortness of breath, and other symptoms related to asthma and other respiratory problems. This case study relates to what was discussed in the module because since the odors of the treatment plant is causing people to have symptoms like shortness of breath and asthma, this can cause the life expectancy of people in the community to decrease.
2. Worldwide Watch Institute: Chinese Cities Lack Sewage Treatment                            -http://www.worldwatch.org/nearly-300-chinese-cities-lack-sewage-treatment              -The next case study that I found was from a different source, and it discussed how nearly 300 Chinese Cities lack Sewage Treatment. Of these 300 cities, 8 of these cities have a population of more than 500,000. By the end of 2004, 708 treatment plants had been built in 661 cities. The Sewage Treatment in Chinese cities play an important role in boosting urban water quality. Without adequate facilities to treat their sewage, cities either release their waste into nearby rivers or into surrounding farmlands. The shortage of high-quality water has become a serious issue in many localities, and water pollution continues to threaten both public health and living standards. This case study is an example of a poor end use. Because without proper sewage treatment people will not be able to have good quality water.
3. Throughout both of these case studies, it was shown how the structure of development can impact society. These case studies are both similar and different to my hometown. These case studies are both similar because the sewage treatment affected the populations health and living standards. I currently reside in Wyckoff, New Jersey which is a half hour out of New York City. I can relate to the first case study because I am in New York all the time because it is a great city and also because my brother lives there. In some instances when I am in the city, I can smell the odor of the sewage treatment plants in Manhattan and I too sometimes agree that the smell can become very overbearing. My hometown is different from case study two because unlike case study two my hometown has a sufficient sewage treatment plant and also we have great quality water.

Case 1: This case comes from Colby College, and analyzes how the government enforcement of fertility control promotes sustainability in China. China is considered a developing country. In 1970, the government of china issued three regulations regarding, late marriage, ling spaced between child births, and fewer children allowed in households. In this study they use financial theory and econometrics to figure out the measurement of fertility fluctuation in China. The fertility rate is affected by household preferences and production technology. Within the households a representative will figure out the amount of children within each home. If a household violates one of the regulations, then the household will have to pay a costly fee. This study recognizes many shocks , such as government enforcement power, technological shock to agricultural output, and a fertility preference shock. The study finds that lower fertility rate has an outcome of a conflicting shock to agricultural output and a preference shift away from fertility. In result, this study suggested that population control is not needed to an economic development or even sustainability without lasting changes in the population.

http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/pop-chi.html

Case 2: This is a case study on the public housing in New Zealand. It is well known that the less crowded housing and better housing conditions you have, the better your health is overall. The “Social Housing Outcomes Worth” made a study on the overcrowded public housing areas in New Zealand. Over 5% of the population lives in public housing the developed country. However, just because they are “developed” does not mean that they have stopped developing altogether, they are trying to improve the health and mortality rate of those who live in these public housing homes. They found that 100,000 of the 200,000 studied were under the age of 21. Also, they were able to find that 44% were smokers which is 10% higher than the national average. The income of this type of leaving is very low compared to the rest of the country as well. Lastly, it was found that 40% of the tenants were subject to overcrowding of the home, which is 4 times higher than the national average. After finding all this information, New Zealand may try to find better ways in developing homes that are healthier for the population in order to help the health, and the income of the individuals living here.

http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6&sid=3122bf42-ff7d-4a1f-91c6-64bff7eb2b31%40sessionmgr4002&hid=4201

Part 3:             When looking at both studies I can find many was to link it to my hometown of Greencastle PA in positive and negative ways. My home is very rural which makes agriculture a major part of my county. Many of the farms have a large number of children to help with the output of the farm. When looking at the effects of the china fertility restriction you can see that the agriculture output greatly decreased in the developing country. Not only does it hurt the family dynamic but also, the community as a whole. I am glad we do not have such restrictions so we can have as many children as we want and small farms are not affected. Also, when I see how the poor quality of the public housing affects the health and also not assist in helping the tenants increase income, it has opened my eyes. My family owns 7 tenant houses, and although they are not public housing, some people with lower income live there. We can contribute to the development of our countries mortality rate by increasing the quality of our houses. My family can continue to keep harmful chemicals from getting into the house and hurting the tenants’ health and therefore giving them a longer life. This is not as bad as New York City but for my local area, it is our own little way to help develop my area.

I chose to examine a case study that looked at deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.  This case comes from Colby College http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/defor-brazil.html.  The focus of the case is about how the Brazilian government’s decisions impact local farmers and in-turn impact the amazon.  The government’s tax policies benefit major producers by excluding up to 90% of income from taxation.  This drives up the price of land beyond the reach of small producers who are then driven to find cheaper land in the Amazon.  The government also recognizes squatter rights and this further incentivizes local farmers to clear-cut and farm the Amazonian forest. Brazil has a large agriculture sector and this tax structure is in place to grow the industry.  The goal of the policy is economic development and an increase in the per capita GDP of Brazil.  As we learned in lecture, development is an ethical question and not all development is positive.  In this case we can see the positives because it increases GDP and provides jobs, but at the same time it decimates forests.

The second case I chose focuses on deforestation in Indonesia and comes from the Indonesian Working Group on Underlying Causes of Deforestation and Forest Degradation http://wrm.org.uy/oldsite/deforestation/Asia/Indonesia.html.  Indonesia’s rate of deforestation dramatically increased in 1966 after all forests were declared state property.  This simplified ownership and made it easier for international corporations to operate in logging and agriculture.  During the 1990’s the government had a stated goal to become the world’s largest producer of wood pulp and palm oil.  The International Monetary Fund further worsened the situation when they stipulated that Indonesia should remove all barriers to palm oil investment.  This case is similar to the Brazilian deforestation problem, but they differ on scale.  The deforestation in Indonesia is at the nationwide scale, while Brazil’s occurs at the local level.  This development is also focused on increasing GPD to improve the lives of Indonesians.  Once again, this development has positive and negative effects. The ethical question posed is, what is more important, the lives of Indonesians or preserving the natural habitat?

I lived my entire life in a populated suburb about twenty minutes outside of Pittsburgh.  The lecture showed that GDP is a strong indicator of development, despite its limitations.  Both Indonesia and Brazil are less developed when looking at per capita GDP as an indicator.  My town does not rely on the environment for our income, unlike the people of Brazil and Indonesia.  We can apply the concept of environmental determinism to understand the policies of the governments and the actions of the people.  Both Indonesia and Brazil have warm climates and plenty of arable land on which to farm.  In Pennsylvania half of the year is too cold to grow anything and most of the land is already occupied.  The Indonesian and Brazilian people have a strong incentive to farm, which leads to deforestation.  I had other avenues to pursue in order to make a living.  I think it’s important to conserve, but I can’t blame the people or the government for trying to improve their lives.

1.The first case study I selected was the Environmental Justice Case Study: Union Carbide Gas Release in Bhopal, India.

http://www.umich.edu/%7Esnre492/lopatin.html

India, which in our reading materials has a high country GDP (Figure 5.1), because it has become a sought after place to send business to but has a relatively lower quality of life compared to the U.S as the GDP per capita (Figure 5.4) is around $2500-$10,000 per year.  India today is considered a developing country, however back in 1969, it was relatively an underdeveloped country when Union Carbide (they make pesticides) opened up a plant in India. Pesticides were needed in India and this plant not only helped towards India’s agriculture growth, but part of their industrialization plan to help develop India. In this case study is about the worlds worst industrial disaster that occurred in 1984, where a chemical called MIC, which is very deadly, leaked into the ground and soil.  It killed about 2500 and injured over 400,000 people. Countries such as India, who are developing, are left vulnerable to being exploited by large corporations.

2. My Second case study is the Environmental Justice Case Study Marcropper in the Phillippines.
http://umich.edu/~snre492/Jones/marcopper.htm

In this case study a company called Marcopper Mining Corporation, has a mining operation in the Philippines.  The Philippines is another developing country with a Low GDP per capita between 2500 and 10,000 (figure 5.4 in our reading materials). The actual place where the mining plant is located, which is the Island of Marinduque is extremely poor. The plant puts off pollution that penetrates into the air and the water. The people on the island depend on fishing and farming as their way of living. However the plant has polluted the water, which in turn kills the fish. The water has gotten into their fields and impacted their agricultural way of life. People in the region are getting cancer due to the pollution caused by the plant.  In addition to impacting their livelihoods, it has contaminated most of their drinking water. The plant employs some 1000 people in the area and also puts millions of dollars into the economy, which has caused the struggle between benefits of the plant and it’s environmental effects on the health and wellbeing of the island’s population. Again this demonstrates the battle between the environment and development.

3. In both of these cases, big business is causing pollution to the population in developing countries. Companies take advantage of the vulnerability of developing nations. However, is not just developing countries that development causes pollution. I live in Bucks County PA, which is a suburban area. Although we do not have the extreme pollution conditions indicated in the cases above nor do I live In a developing country we still have some plants that cause high emissions. Being about 1 hour away from Philadelphia, which has many factories and oil refineries, pollutants from these plants do travel in the air to our area.  In addition we do have some more local plants such as US Steel and the Eureka Quarry that emit emissions. These pollutants also get into the soil and can even seep into the aqua tables and impact drinking water. Fisher and Porter Co, which is a manufacturing company that utilizes a chemical called TCE, was sited by the EPA because wells and soil around the plant were contaminated with TCE. Although it is hard to compare the devastation of pollution to my area and the cases above, the theme is the same, in the fact that development can cause environmental issues and ultimately impact the health of the people who reside in these areas. Yes big business can help an area prosper by brining jobs to an area, but at times it is at a detrimental cost.

Information on Fisher and Porter:
Changes in Groundwater Flow and Volatile Organic Compound Concentrations at the Fischer and Porter Superfund Site, Warminster Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1993-2009
http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2010/5054/

1) The case study of Indonsian rice analysed below can be found here: http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/ag-ind.html

From 1967, Indonesian agricultural development concentrated on becoming self-supporting in rice production. In 1984 domestic rice production exceeded domestic rice consumption, but it came unsustainably and resulted in external environmental and social costs.  Agricultural development policies goal was to offer subsidization to expand land, fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation to increase farmer’s rice output. Once Indonesia’s government subsidized pesticides and irrigation, farmers began irresponsibly applying pesticides and overused water because they no longer had to pay for their inputs. Pesticide runoff polluted water for local communities. Pests evolved resistance to chemicals, and the overuse wiped out a natural predator that help control pests. The increase in unsustainable development due to subsidies culminated a loss of one million tons of rice and caused a decline in fishing production in from 1986-87. Unsustainable development makes resources scare, which imposes environmental and social costs on the ecosystem. From 1986, the government banned 57 brands of pesticides and established a pest management program. The result reduced pesticide use by 90% and increased rice yields by 1.3 tons per hectare.  

2) The case study of pest control and Andean potato farming analysed below can be found here: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1890/10-0393.1/full

Researchers studied four “modern” potato farming communities in the Peruvian Andes Mountains. Although indigenous, these farmers use modern pesticide treatment in their fields. In this case, the goal was to examine the negative response of Andean potato weevils (number one pest) to larger potato concentration. The case is particularly interesting because usually we assume that an increase in monocrop will lead to an increase in pests and, therefore, increase insecticide. Researchers results were different, an increase in the concentration of crop will decrease weevils because it pressures the pests over time and causes a population reduction. Although the case is subjective, we can learn from this more sustainable agricultural development. Pesticides create a significant cost to human health. Communities near water pollution via pesticide often cannot see themselves out of the toxic chemicals, unless they have the resources (often money) to relocate or invest in purification. Generalizing this case to limit pesticide in other landscapes could provide better pest management solutions over less sustainable ways of increasing pesticide use with the rise in crop production.

3) Modern agriculture works to control the landscape and increase productivity through efficiency, rather than incorporate sustainable systems that protect the environment and social equity. In Indonesia development focused on economic growth proved to degrade the environment and reduce crop yields. In the Peruvian case, I found that exceptions exist to modern pest control. Both cases show the benefits to improve sustainable agriculture. Neither case directly relates to where I live, but monocrop production of corn is the top subsidized agricultural product in Pennsylvania. Subsidizing can lead farmers carelessly overuse their inputs. The most sustainable way to develop agriculture is to work with nature and limit the production to match the rate at which natural resources can be renewable. As landscapes change and vary geographically is important to consider improvements on local scales. Success in a tropical or high mountain region may not be applicable in the U.S. It is difficult to keep sustainable agricultural practices when production extends beyond an individual or community supply, as is the case for Indonesia when the government subsided.

The case study that I chose to read and learn about was the one about air pollution and transportation in Singapore (source: Colby – Sustainable Development ~ http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/air-sing.html ). In this case study, it describes how in Singapore there is a really big increase in the amount of cars on the road. With that, of course, came a huge increase in the amount of traffic on the road and pollution in the air. So in an attempt to rectify this, they set a law where in a certain district no cars are allowed on the roads for almost three hours. The only people allowed on the road is people who buy a license for $80/month, are carpooling, and a few public transportation options. This relates back to what the module was saying about how our world is developing pretty drastically and these changes can be good, but can also have negative affects and we need to make steps towards fixing these problems now before it is too late.

The second case study that I chose was one on Mexico City, Mexico (source: http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Resources/Publications/Pages/ArticleDetails.aspx?PublicationID=567 ). Similar to the case study on Singapore, Mexico City is growing rapidly with more and more cars and people, as well. Again, while growth is good, it also brings along some negative effects with it, unfortunately. In an effort to rectify this, the government put PIICA and PROAIRE in place. There are many things that these organizations do, but the one in particular that was mentioned in this case study was that they put a ban on some road use one day a week, but sometimes that is flexible depending on the circumstance. All cars must also get certified every six months. The other main thing Mexico City is trying to do to help this problem is getting the word out there that we all need to make personal changes, which is something that I took away from the module, as well. The little changes we make can add up to big ones and make big differences.

I live in the Philadelphia area and when I was doing research on how air pollution is handled in the area, I found an interesting article about New Jersey (which is right next to Philly). It was saying how the focus there is more so on improving the overall air quality but cleaning the air and trying to get car companies to sell environmentally friendly cars, rather than limiting the amount of car access that is allowed on the road. This was obviously different than what was happening in Singapore and Mexico City where they are limiting car usage allowed on the roads. Overall, this just goes to show that we need to be aware of how our actions can affect the environment (in particular here: the air) around us. We also need to understand how we can change our ways (i.e. carpooling, taking public transportation, walking, etc.). It’s so important to read the facts and know how much damage we are truly doing and taking actions to fix it.

1.The first case study I picked was based out of Norway. This case comes from the Colby, College in 1996. The topic question of this case study is as follows, “How can a multispecies fishery begin to sustainably manage its fish populations?”   Norway is on of many countries where fisheries are a large part of the economy. Being that fish is a main source of income for the people of Norway, over fishing was in progress. The Country then developed an individual transferable quota system in order to have “fishers put their efforts toward the highest valued returns, thus creating efficiencies within the industry.” The higher valued fish would be caught rater than all fish worth any economic profit. The Sustainable development will let the fish begin to regain growth if the population of fish isn’t being as pressured.

http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/fish-nor.html

2. The second case study I picked was based out of Maryland. This comes from the University of Maryland Center For Environmental Science in 2011. The topic of this case study is the population of oyster population is drastically declining. The Chesapeake Bay is home to many living organisms. Due to overfishing, disease, and habitat loss have affected the oyster population drastically to where it has declined to 25% since 1980. The state of Maryland has enacted areas that are off limits to fishing in order to regain aquaculture. “Additionally, the UMCES Oyster Culture Facility produces hundreds of millions of spat annually with the vast majority placed on sanctuary reefs that serve as nursery grounds for the entire population.” The sustainable development pursued by Maryland, the oyster population on the Maryland side of the Chesapeake Bay will help the withering population of the Chesapeake Bay oysters to regain health.

http://www.umces.edu/project/chesapeake-oyster-population-less-one-percent-historic-levels

3.These two cases are alike where I live. Vienna, Virginia is very close to the Potomac River, which feeds into the Chesapeake Bay. The River is fairly contaminated due to the City runoff and fertilizer. This has caused the fish and other living organisms population to decease. Although this does not directly affect me, the quality of the water is a sign that we need to enact some type of sustainability law for wastewater management like the Chesapeake Bay’s and Norway’s laws put in place to sustain their own environments. These two cases are slightly different in that Maryland actually helped the oysters directly where as Norway just limited the number of fish taken out of the sea. We can learn from these case studies that we need the sea and the only way to keep it around is to take care of it.

The first case study that I’ve chosen is from IRIN News and is about climate change and its possible effects on disease throughout the world. The article can be found at https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog030/node/355. The goal of this piece is to shed light on the fact that the world’s epidemics have been changing in ways that our healthcare might not be able to keep up with. These changes have ties to warmer temperatures and other changes that could be due to climate change. If humans are to blame for the climate changes that the Earth is experiencing, than the idea of sustainable development that isn’t compromising to future generations is already being forsaken. Major changes would have to be made to avoid some of the problems that have occurred in history. A farmed out piece of land is maybe just as bad as a disease infested wasteland. Changes in our current development may be able to curb the rising temperatures of the Earth, possibly avoiding some of the consequences that are being described and predicted in the article.

The second case can be found at http://earthjustice.org/features/the-case-of-the-vanishing-honey-bee#. I found this because I’m already familiar with the problems that the world’s bee population has been facing for the last 10 years, and some of the points in the article described above, draw very similar and parallel points with bees. The bee population in the world has dramatically decreased and this issue should be of concern to all. According to this article and many others like it, it’s estimated that every third bite of food in the world is made possible by the pollination of bees. This article draws specific attention to neonics used in plants today. Neonics are systemic when taken in by the plant and persist always, not like conventional pesticides that wear off at some point. This poses serious hazards to bees as these plants will poisonous to them for their entire lives. This again calls into question the absolute need for sustainable development, specifically in regards to agriculture.

California has been facing some of the most severe drought conditions in living memory. Many crops have already failed and many ecosystems have been forever changed because of this. Already, many farms in California rely almost solely on domesticated honey bees to pollinate their crops because there is not enough local and native pollinators available. If climate change persists and conditions do not improve California’s agriculture could suffer egregiously and could slip so far as to not recover. In regards to the first case study; what would happen if some new disease that effected insects proliferated and killed all of the local bees? Even if eventually moisture returned to the area you wouldn’t be able to get bee keepers to truck their bees in for fear of the new epidemic, effectively ending agriculture that relies on pollination in the state. Sustainable development applies to agriculture the same way as it does to burning fossil fuels. If our current practices are killing the world’s leading pollinator, we need to re-think them. If are current practices are altering the climate of the world, we need to re-think them.

The first case I looked at was about Botswana’s second president, Sir Ketumie Masire, losing 89 zebras due to drought. The link to this webpage is http://allafrica.com/stories/201601140522.html. The article states that the pipeline that had been supplying the animal reservoir had burst a while go. Masire said that he knew this issue was looming and realized that the zebras would be the most affect animal at the reservoir. After trying to sell his zebra and failing at that, he encouraged other people of Botswana to go into wildlife ranching, but also warned the, about the challenges. He said he still plans on keeping some zebra’s, but reducing his number so the care would be easier. Masire’s ranch was near Sekoma in the Southern District of African. Masire’s goal is to reduce his number of zebra but also to have others open game ranches. The goal relates in the part of the module where it talks about environmental justice. Developmental impacts the environment by harming certain groups of people, or in this case zebras. Because the main pipeline had busted, the number of zebras dying is increasing.

The link to this webpage is http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/for-Phil.htm. The sources for this article are:

• Coxhead, I., A. Rola, K. Kim (2001).  “How Do National Markets and Price Policies Affect Land Use at the Forest Margin?  Evidence from the Philippines.”  Land Economics 77(2): 250-267.

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• Shively, G.E. (2001).  “Agricultural Change, Rural Labor Markets, and Forest Clearing:  An Illustrative Case from the Philippines.”  Land Economics 77(2): 268-284.

The second case study I looked was about deforestation in the Philippines. The main argument in this article is that there are people moving up to the upland, where the natural forest still exists. People are moving to these areas due to the rapid population increase. The Philippines promote the clearing of the forest because of the low access costs and high returns compared with other income alternative. Although they are taking down parts of the forest, there are positive sides to it. Goal of this article is to keep clearing forest for the benefit of the people. There are things, like clearing out forests, that we cannot do forever because of natural resources.

Where I live is Uniondale, PA. It is all country area. I can relate to my second case study the most. People are clearing the forests around us to build houses. Although it is great to see new faces, it is sad to see the forests disappearing. Thankfully, most of the people keep the trees they cut down it by making fire wood or using the wood in their houses. It is still sad to see the quiet country area I love becoming more and more populated. I think there should be a limit in each county to the amount of forest to be able to be cut down. Unlike the people in the Philippines, I do not see a positive to these areas becoming more populated. Examining place and time matters because you do not want to take down the natural resources around us. Also clearing out the forests means taking away homes from the animals that live in the wild.

1. My first case study, titled “A small solution to a big problem,” was found on the IRIN website and addresses the need for food in Dakar, specifically vegetables and tomatoes. Dakar, the capital of Senegal, a nation in northwestern Africa, is a place where nearly a third of the population lives on less than a dollar a day. Residents do not have much land access and are constructing makeshift vertical gardens to grow vegetables and tomatoes. These gardens are also ideal in that elderly residents are able to keep up with the maintenance, unlike some traditional gardens. Unfortunately, the distributor of the seeds and required fertilizers has made these materials very expensive. This relates to sustainability because humans living in a city are making the most of their limited land to grow food and sometimes generate a small income. Forests are not being destroyed for agricultural purposes either. http://www.irinnews.org/feature/2005/09/15/small-solution-big-problem-0
2. My next case study comes from The Guardian and discusses water shortages caused by the agricultural practices of retailer, M&S. The company adopted new water management techniques in its supply chains and has since reduced agricultural water use by 45% in the United Kingdom. One mentioned farming technique is using probes to water soft fruits. Probes release water only when needed by the plant. No other specific techniques were mentioned but according to the article, all of the M&S farms in the mentioned areas are now using significantly less water. These efforts were made in collaboration with the WWF and the Alliance for Water Stewardship. This concept also relates to sustainability because water is a necessary component of life and shortages may cause serious health risks. Multiple tactics proved to be successful and M&S received an award for their efforts. With that said, small farmers in poorer nations would probably not be able to use the same water-saving methods as M&S. http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/apr/30/ms-addresses-water-scarcity-including-in-the-uk

1. The location of the first case study is in the Northern Rocky Mountains. This development comes from Colby College. The main question of this case study is, “can economic incentives be altered to reduce opposition to wolf conservation?” It used to be that large predators were seen as threats to livestock and game. This means that they used to put these animals down after trapping, poisoning, or shooting them. In this module we learned about depleting resources and some great examples of them. Well in this case study, the depleting resource would be the wolves. They were nearly extinct when people used to trap and kill them. The US Fish and Wildlife Service created a recovery plan for the Gray Wolf, which was officially considered endangered in 1973. The development of wolves was drastically decreasing because of the shortened life expectancy of the wolf. After many years the public opinion was strongly in favor of reintroducing the wolf. In 1994 the Interior Department finally approved the plans to bring wolves back. (http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/end-mt.html)
2. The next case study takes place in New Zealand. This case study comes from the Ministry for the Environment. The sustainable development issue in New Zealand is the freshwater quality and freshwater allocation and demand. In New Zealand, freshwater quality is declining in low rural lowland rivers, streams, and groundwater. One-third of New Zealand lakes have high nutrient levels and poor water quality. The development of the population could be affected without addressing this water issue. The knowledge of hydraulic interconnectivity of groundwater and surface water systems is important to acknowledge the concentrations of nutrients and pathogens that are emerging into the water. Development is changing the climate system and biodiversity of New Zealand in a few ways as well. New Zealand has to adapt to the changes in climate and help to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. They have favored the introduction of an Emissions Trading Scheme to help fight the amount of gas emissions. It provides incentive for New Zealanders to reduce their emissions. (http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/about-us/2-sustainability-issues-facing-new-zealand)
3. The first case study is quite similar to an issue around where I live. I live in Uniontown, PA. The first paragraph talks about how the wolves were going extinct after many people killing them. They were harming game and livestock. The same thing happens around Uniontown. The development of many animals are endangered. There are many hunters around our area who will shoot at anything they see. They are endangering many species without even knowing it. There are several species of bats, owls, falcons, squirrels and herons. The Bald Eagle is a recovered species in Pennsylvania now. The case in the Northern Rocky’s differs from my hometown being that the hunter and farmers had reasons to kills wolves. The second case study is about greenhouse gas emissions and water depletion in New Zealand. This case study is not as relatable to where I live as the wolves. The water problem is actually not as big of a deal because we recycle our water through a series of rivers in my hometown. Adding chemicals is similar as well. In New Zealand, they had to have mixed chemicals with the nutrient rich water to bring it to a drinkable state. From both of these studies, development can be advanced by through not harming animals other than game and also working on decreasing our greenhouse gas emissions. The place and time of development matter to these instances because as you can see, the water in my hometown and the water in New Zealand are very different in terms of demand and health. Just as the Northern Rocky’s have different endangered species as we do in Uniontown.

http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/Biopower.htm

This case study takes place in Kettle Falls, Washington in which they wanted to implement new system of producing energy. The purpose was to remove the classic energy supply by burning fossil fuels with biopower plant. This is special case a biopower plant was to benefit the Kettle Falls Wood-Fired camp because of the abundant bio-supply available to them as their location was in the woods. Furthermore, disposal for unwanted wood waste was to burn them. They took this idea and invested $85.9 million which turned out to be a great investment because of the amount of support they got from the community. Sustainable energy is of great importance in today’s society. In the United States, we have depleted most of the fossil fuels that are available for us to use. It is important for our future and future generation to have a reliable source of energy.

http://www.biomasscenter.org/resource-library/case-studies/housing/dartmouth-college’s-sachem-village

This cas study takes place in West Lebanon, New Hampshire or better known as a small village near Darthmouth College. McNamara learned that this little village outside of Dartmouth College was full of renewable resources. Both the middle school and high school in that area were using woodchip-fired heating system. However, the chip system was less cost efficient in comparison with pellet system. He fine tuned the system in which 95% was from the pellet and 5% from the propane burner whenever its needed. This would only take place if the weather gets too cold. The amazing thing of this system is that it had has no visible air emission. Furthermore, this system allowed to burn other biomaterials. As mentioned above, as McNamara realized that fossil fuel was a limited source he searched for a different solution for energy sources. He invested in a sustainable energy system for his house.

In both cases, people in those area realized that they were not using readily available energy sources. They took advantage of this and built a cost efficient alternative to the fossil fuel energy system. Neither of these cases are developing in my hometown of Cherry Hill, New Jersey. This is because the city does not readily have as much wood for the entire city to sustain on in comparison with both of the above cities. I don’t believe that my hometown has even considered starting a sustainable energy system. Cherry Hill completely relies on a fossil fuel energy system. Our town can learn from these cases that investing in a sustainable energy system is very good in the long term because we will eventually run out of fossil fuels to energize our daily needs.

The location for the development that I read up on was in the Philippines. I found the article on El Nino’s affect on the Philippines off of the website- http://www.irinnews.org/news/2016/02/19/el-nino-hits-philippines-farmers-drought-rats.

In the past couple of years El Nino has affected the Philippine’s climate greatly. El Nino is a weather phenomenon in which the climate and temperature patterns are greatly changed over a period of time. This natural phenomenon has brought immense drought and rat infestation to the Philippine’s, destroying income, crops and income. The goal of this development is to bring back food, water and healthy eating back to this country that needs it desperately. This relates to the module because of two things. One being how countries have different regions with different growing conditions for crops and also because of the Philippine’s end uses. The Philippine’s is made up of different islands with different growing capabilities. Also the end uses here are not as they should be. Due to their current lack of agriculture, their end uses do not include proper income, nutrition and tasty meals.

My second case study comes from the World Food Programme at https://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/el-nino-drought-blamed-severe-food-insecurity-doubles-6-months-haiti . This developmental case study is also about the affects of El Nino but this time in Haiti. Come this spring season of 2016 if the harvest does not produce more crops than they have the past three years, El Nino will have caused a fourth consecutive low harvest due to the droughts it has been causing worldwide. These droughts resulting in low harvest have affected the nation drastically. The farmers who normally depend on their harvest to provide for their family can no longer do so and it has resulted in high malnutrition nation wide. This relates to module 5 because f the discussion around Human impact on Haiti. It differs though because this article more speaks to the fact that instead of humans having a huge impact it is also climate change.

When I am not here at PSU, I live in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately and fortunately where I am from there is a plethora of water to our use and disposal at any time. It is very easy to get or use water and also somewhat cheap. This differs greatly from the Philippine’s and Haiti. Another way we differ from Haiti and the Philippine’s is that we are not experiencing a drought and we generally have fertile soil for growing crops. Although our soil is more of a clay/rock mixture it is still capable of growing crops and many families do just that. The last way that Doylestown would differ from either of the locations I read about would be because it is not prone to natural disasters in any way and the climate is fairly stable year to year.

The first case study I chose discusses littering in Ireland, and it can be found here http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/litter.htm. In this case, Ireland’s cost of removing waste is expensive which lead to illegal dumping and littering. This poses a threat to their image, tourism industry, and food industry. In 2002, the Irish government made a levy on plastic grocery bags in order to reduce the 14,000 tons of plastic being put into landfills or thrown on the side of the road. One fundamental question about development asked in this module is, “What is it that we ultimately care about as a society?” In this study, Ireland is worried about their image as a “green” country, which could destroy a majority of their economy that is fueled by tourism. The levy has resulted in a 95% decrease in the use of plastic bags and a 1.1 million dollar revenue to be used for environmental initiatives in the future.

In another case study, found at http://www.sandeeonline.org/uploads/documents/publication/961_PUB_PB_60_Kanupriya.pdf, discusses the ineffective ban of plastic bags in Dehli, India and other ways to reduce their plastic waste. Due to poor waste management, plastic products, like shopping bags, are polluting the environment in developing countries. The government banned plastic bags, but with no effective enforcement, the ban did not work. Law makers then decided to try three different tactics; spreading the information about the cause, giving a cash-back incentive, and selling reusable bags. The cash-back incentive for not using plastic bags worked the best by 5.5%. While the decrease in plastic bag usage in Dehli was not as high as the decrease in Ireland, Dehli still saw a difference of about 23% decline. This study found that multiple tactics, not just one specific strategy, worked the best in order to make a change to fix a problem in their environment.

I’m from Northeast Philadelphia and the last thing police officers are looking for is littering. That being said, we have trash pretty much everywhere. I don’t think a plastic bag ban would work effectively where I live because people don’t care about the environment or where their trash goes after they throw it in the street. I think we would see a change if we used some of the strategies that were used in India. People would rather carry their groceries or bring their own bags to the store if it meant that they would get a percentage off their total cost. Different areas have different economics. I think for this reason, poorer areas would benefit from the cash-back scheme as opposed to Ireland’s plan to just ban the plastic bag completely. Each area has a different reason as to why plastic is or isn’t bad for their own environment. It just depends on the status of the area to decide whether the environment is a problem or if there are other pressing issues that need to be solved first.

A photovoltaic-powered pumping system is a fancy term for a solar energy-powered water pump.  According to Colby College, this device was studied in seven rural areas located far away from established electricity grids in Wyoming.  The subject locations required a lot of water to sustain their livestock, and the pumps were tested for efficiency and cost-effectiveness as an alternative energy source.  The users had some issues with their systems as the result of environmental factors such as high velocity winds, pump clogs, and freezing temperatures.  However, at each instance of a system problem, it was an easy fix.  All of the subjects reported being satisfied with the system overall.  Both the system owners and the local electric utility saved a lot of money, and the sites significantly reduced their demand for nonrenewable energy.  The goal of the development is to use solar energy as a cost-effective alternative energy source for pumping water in rural areas.  This relates to the module because it aims to create environmental justice for those who live in rural areas.  http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/sol-wy.html

The nonprofit organization called Aurore has received the Ashden Award, an international recognition for championing sustainable energy.  Aurore successfully supplied affordable electrical services to over 20,000 families in India by 2004 through photovoltaic water pumps, solar home systems, and solar lanterns.  Partnering with the Indian government, Aurore funded the bulk of startup and maintenance costs.  With the new home systems in place, users only pay 1,000 Rupees ($22 U.S.) as an initial charge, and then a monthly rental fee of 100 Rupees ($2 U.S.).  With 80% of Indians living on less than $2 U.S. a day, and 44% of Indians lacking grid electricity, the new pumps and solar energy have made huge impacts.  Many of the development goals are being reached with the new pumps, allowing those with low income and low access to electricity grids to live and work much more productively.  I feel this case ties in to environmental justice as well.  In parts of the world that need a boost to kickstart development, organizations like Aurore are helping to bridge the gap.  https://www.ashden.org/files/Aurore%20summary.pdf

I am from a rural suburb called Sugarloaf, PA.  Energy is provided to us in several different ways.  In recent years, I have actually noticed a significant increase in solar panels in my area.  I know of four separate households who have, or are in the process of implementing large-scale solar panels, in a small community.  These case studies were very insightful to me, because I always pictured solar energy as being much too expensive to be cost-effective, and I did not understand the full spectrum of uses solar energy can provide.  I have learned that the electricity to pump water can be easily powered through alternative sources.  In my hometown, there are parts that are definitely far from an electric grid, and so using solar power would likely benefit them in the long run.  In the case in India, it just goes to show that solar power is sustainable financially for even those in poverty if the community takes collective action.  As far as development goes in my community, I think our geography plays a huge role.  I live in a valley, but the surrounding mountains can be good locations for windmills.  In utilizing solar energy, I believe there needs to be more information put out to the community to get rid of the stigma that it is not sustainable.  There are many new neighborhoods being built around me, and I think those are key locations to hone in on.  With new homes, it is easier to start out with solar pumps and other systems, rather than having to replace older systems down the road.  All in all, I think my community has the ability to come together.

One case study that interested me can be found at the following web address:  http://allafrica.com/stories/201602150493.html.  It describes how some people in Ethiopia are raising money to build a dam by having a lottery.  The lottery system was modelled after the American system where an individual purchases tickets in hopes to win one of the many amazing, worth-while prizes. These useful prizes included things like motorcycles, seven laptops, five TV sets, two refrigerators and a purifier. This makes their lottery unique because it is not just money that they could win, it is useful “tools” that will help them advance in life.The author goes so far as to say that it is an “historic” event in this country; never before has Ethiopia had such large-scale lotteries to aid a community.  I find it to be very neat that the lottery is supporting the environment; the people are considering “sustainable development”!  With the money raised from the lottery, it will fund the construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile River in Grand Ethiopia. These people are thinking ahead to future generations by providing a means to have ample supplies of water.  I think that this a very inventive and unique way to effectively raise money for their environment and its people.  The people feel good about spending money to help fund a community project.  

A second interesting case study that I read can be found at http://education.nationalgeographic.org/news/case-study-friends-lake-turkana/.  Interestingly enough, this study also takes place in Ethiopia (and parts of Kenya) and is about the construction of a dam.  The Gibe III Hydroelectric Project was started in 2006 to create a hydroelectric power plant and was funded by the government.  An environmental justice organization called “Friends of Lake Turkana” (FoLT) are fighting the construction of the Gilgel Gibe III Dam on the Omo River on the grounds that a dam upstream from Lake Turkana would radically alter the landscape of the lake region, change the chemistry of the lake, and devastate the lake shoreline.  All of that, they continue, would have a huge impact on the local environment and fishing and agriculture economies and, therefore, cannot condone the dam . They also maintain that the dam would cause an alteration in the huge animal populations of the area.  FoLT people do not want their government funding the dam.  

These two studies are alike in that they both took place in Ethiopia and involve the construction of a dam. Both communities are trying to decide what would be ethical as far as the development of their society.   The case studies are not alike, however, in who is funding the dams and how the communities “feel” about the projects.  

As I read my first case study, I couldn’t help but think of The Pennsylvania Lottery run by the Pennsylvania government which is used to benefit “older Pennsylvanians”.  In both the PA Lottery and the one in Ethiopia, people buy chances to win prizes (monetary or physical prizes) and the proceeds are used to help residents who may not have a lot (both monetarily and physically). These two lotteries are trying to decrease health disparities between young and old, or haves and have nots.  The lotteries are used to, in a sense, “sustain” a group of people and positively develop their quality of life. It’s neat that both sides of these lotteries (the people of the winning ticket and the people who benefit in the long run from the lotteries) benefit from it.

1. The case study I read was from allafrica.com, and it talked about Tanzania’s Free Education Policy and the challenges that it is facing. In January 2014, President Ali Mohamed Shein of Tanzania declared a Free Education Policy, which started in July 2015. His goal was to encourage parents to keep their children in school, at least for a basic education, and it really took off a lot faster than they expected it to. They are facing a few challenges that they hadn’t expected before, including congested classrooms, limited facilities, and a shortage of qualified teachers. The families in Tanzania did not have the money that they used to have to pay for education, which included money for fees, learning materials, and uniforms for their children. If we looked at Tanzania’s GDP as we did in the past module, I would question that while the parents did not have money to pay for the education, does the country have enough money to provide an education that is of high enough quality?    http://allafrica.com/stories/201602240982.html
2. The second case study I chose was from the Center for Global Development, and it talked about curbing tobacco use in Poland. There was a really high rate of smoking tobacco in Poland, causing numerous health problems such as lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and low birth weight. After research in the 1980s had been done to look at health impact of smoking and the link between smoking and cancer, the Polish parliament passed new legislation in 1995.  It included larger health warnings on cigarette packs, a ban on smoking in health centers and workplaces, a band on electronic media advertisement, and a ban on tobacco sales to minors. This relates to our last module because it takes into account the quality of life over Poland’s GDP. “In 1990, the probability that a 15-year-old boy born in Poland would reach his 60th birth­day was lower than in most countries, and middle-aged Polish men had one of the highest rates of lung cancer in the world.” http://www.cgdev.org/page/case-14-curbing-tobacco-use-poland
3. My hometown is Wyomissing, PA, which is right outside of Reading, PA. Reading, PA has a pretty high crime rate, and in November 2011 it was named the poorest city in the nation.  The Reading school district has about 18,000 students, and I got to do some observation hours in one of the elementary schools in the district. In Pennsylvania we pay a school tax, although we don’t have to pay for things like learning materials or uniforms like they do in Tanzania. The elementary schools in Reading were so over-populated that teachers sometimes had over 30 children in their classes, and it was often hard to find enough space for all of the children or find substitute teachers. While over 30 students does not compare to the 200 students in some Tanzania classrooms, it does show how having less teachers and equipment and more students has an impact on the quality of education.  Reading school district is still developing at this time, just as Tanzania schools are, but because of its geographic location near many more affluent school districts in Pennsylvania, I do believe Reading has an advantage.

The first case study that I’ve selected takes place in Santa Monica, California. The information has been provided by the City of Santa Monica, so it is possible that there may be some bias in the information. The goals of this course of action were to implement sustainable development in the areas of community and economic development, construction and development, education, energy, hazardous materials, housing, purchasing, solid waste, storm water and wastewater, transportation, and water. The general goal of sustainable development is to generate development in the present without comprimising the needs of future generations, so the development that the city is doing needed to be environmentally, socially, and economically friendly in the present and in the future, which is generally extremely difficult to do without impacting fossil fuels, freshwater resources, minerals, trees, and food sources. Here is a link to the web page: http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/sc-ca.html

The second case study that I’ve selected takes place in Malaysia. The information comes from the Ministry of Tourism in Malaysia and studies by professors at the University of New South Wales. This case of sustainable development is interesting because the ultimate goal is to increase tourism in their country. The specific goal is to implement sustainable practices into resource development and operation. This would generate more tourism because the amount of visitors that support environmentally and socially responsible tourism is increasing. This is an extremely difficult challenge for Malaysia because tourist locations consume more energy, water, and non-durable products that other buildings of similar size. This sustainable development could be incredibly important, not only for the natural resource conservation for future generations, but also for the increased tourism and lift to the economy for future generations as well. Here is a link to the web page: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265051293_Sustainable_resort_development_Malaysian_case_studies

My hometown of Lititz, Pennsylvania is in the middle of a huge economic and social development. I see how my small town is growing commercially and residentially through new buildings, homes, and businesses. My hometown is similar to Santa Monica’s development in terms of recognizing the need to develop sustainably to ensure the welfare of future generations, however sustainable development on the west coast in 1994 is different than sustainable development in rural Pennsylvania due to the differences in resources, climate, and topography. We can learn from Santa Monica that there are a lot of different aspects that an area needs to focus on to ensure sustainable development. My hometown’s development is similar to that of Malaysia’s because Lititz is a hotspot for tourism and intends to keep it that way. It is different again because of the differences in climate and demographics in Lititz and Malaysia. Lititz can learn from Malaysia in that a way to ensure tourism growth is to develop in a sustainable way.

In many areas, families are given the choice on how many children they would like to have, but in China the people are limited. The goal of this development is to use population control to control other aspects of society, such as sustainability. Since China has one of the largest populations, they want to regulate the population so resources can be available for everyone. Throughout history, the policy regarding the number of children in a family has changed with changes in political stability. During the late 1950s to the early 1980s, there was strict enforcement of the One Child Policy. Through this, the government wanted to slow down population growth. The fertility rate declined in the 1970s due to government changes but preferences for having children continued to change. With an increase in agricultural production the incentive to have more children increased. Through this study, it is shown that government enforcement of a policy like this only has short-term decreases. Unless a drastic change in personal preference to have children occurs, the population cannot have a consistent effect on the development of the country.

Source: http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/pop-chi.html

Tuberculosis is a dangerous disease and it is also the third leading cause of disease and disability among adults throughout the world. Millions of people are infected each year and around two million die each year because of it. In China, tuberculosis is the leading cause of death from infectious disease. In 1991, China launched a program to help treat and cure patients in 13 of the 31 provinces. Through this, health workers were trains to help patients take their treatment and treatments were recorded so that there was an account of how effectively this program worked. Through this project, they were able to achieve a very high cure rate for new cases and for patients who had previously undergone treatment. The numbers of deaths due to tuberculosis declined drastically and more have been prevented. According to the World Bank and the Center for Global Development, this is ranked as one of the most cost-effective of all health interventions.

Source: http://www.cgdev.org/page/case-3-controlling-tuberculosis-china

Comparing these two case studies on population regulation, it can be seen how the population affects multiple aspects of society and vice versa. These case studies directly relate to when I lived in Shanghai, China. Majority of families in the city only have one child and the large generation gap can be seen. It is also evident that there is a lot of care to make sure that the people are taken care of so that deadly diseases like tuberculosis do not make an appearance. Through the rapid development of China up until this time, the effects of development can be seen. For example the environment has been greatly affected because of urbanization and pollution is a major problem for many areas. We can learn from the cases that population and disease control can be controlled to influence change on society and development. They show that changes are possible but sometimes, in the case of population control, they are not as steady as they are expected to be.

In two refugee camps in Kenya named Kakuma and Dadaab, there has been an effort to get solar cookers into these camps. Through demonstrative workshops, the women in these camps have been taught how to use these cookers. Since the cooker is made from local materials, it is inexpensive and easy to use with little to maintain. These characteristics help with how successful these cookers have been. The goal of this cooker is to try and help those in these camps save their rations of scarce food which they often trade for fuel wood and to give them an alternative when they run out of fuel wood. Through the use of these cookers, the cooking food can often be left unattended which give women more free time to do other tasks. In this module, there is talk about unsustainable development, which is doing things we cannot do forever suck as use fossil fuels. These cookers help future Kenyans because once fuel wood runs out, they will have these cookers to fall back on. (http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/sol-ken.html)

In Paris, France there has been an agreement to end the use of fossil fuels because of the climate change that has been happening. In an effort to get the world to use clean energy for 100% of their energy and to have no greenhouse gas emissions, there has been an agreement between countries in the United Nations. This agreement between about two-hundred countries protects many places around the world. Through the agreement the goal is to “avoid super-droughts, rising tides, dangerous floods, deadly heatwaves and other ills associated with run-amok global warming.” The world is starting to realize that through the use of fossil fuels the environment will not be able to stay sustainable. They are working towards all clean energy between 2050 and 2080. This huge change will not happen fast but it will help save the planet and the human race itself. (http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/12/opinions/sutter-cop21-climate-reaction/index.html)

In a suburb that is located right outside of Philadelphia, there have been some record breaking weather patterns. Between the largest snow since the 1980s to the highest temperature in decades, Downingtown, Pennsylvania has been impacted by great climate change. Through the expansion of the town, there has been a large flow of people that come to live in this place. With the expansion of the population, there has been an effort to try and cut down on the use of fossil fuels. New houses are being build with solar panels on their roofs. This turns the house from using fossil fuels to using clean energy. Although the use of these does not save us time like the cookers do in Kenya, it does save money and energy. It helps with the greenhouse gas emission and brings us one step closer to cleaner air, similar to the world effort. Through these cases, we can see the impact we have on the planet and how we can eventually change our habits to keep sustainability on Earth.

The first case study I have chosen is from Colby College, and it takes place in Japan dealing with bicycles as transportation policy. This is the link to the case study: http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/trans-jap.html .This case study focuses on how Japan has adopted the bicycle as an essential component of transportation. In order for bicycles to be accepted as a mode of transportation, the atmosphere for cycling must be appropriate. Gasoline in Japan costs 3.1 times the rate in the United States. A sixty-mile trip in Japan can cost close to $60. The government of Japan were highly in favorable of bicycle transportation. Due to favoring bicycle transportation, the government raised automobile registration to $1,000 a year and parking fines up to $1,500. By doing this, the government achieved their goals by restricting pollution-emitting vehicles. This study and ideas relates to term unsustainable development discussed in the module. Unsustainable development is defined as things that we are doing today that we cannot continue to do in the future. We are harming our environment by all of the use of automobiles daily.

For the second case study, the location of the development study is in China. In this case, the focus is on water scarcity and climate change. This is the link to the case study: http://chinawaterrisk.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Chinas-Water-Crisis-Part-1.pdf . China‘s water pollution is a result of industrial waste water discharges, untreated domestic sewage and non-point source pollution mainly from agriculture. Water-stressed environments such as those in China face difficult times as climate change threatens to exacerbate an existing water crisis. China‘s population is estimated to increase by around 10% to a population of 1.46 billion over the next 20 years. The pressure on already scarce water resources resulting from rapid urbanization coupled with the demands of quadrupling per capita GDP by 2020. The government in China decided to take action by constructing a project which involves three phases with routes in the west, east and centre of China, which will ultimately transfer 36 billion cubic meters of water per year from the South to the North. The Eastern and Central line was completed in 2014, and the Western line won’t be completed till 2050. This study relates to the term sustainable development mentioned in the module. Much of our development depends on natural resources that either cannot be replaced such as water.

Currently, I live in Pottsville Pennsylvania. In my hometown, we do not use bicycles as transportation and we have a sufficient supply of water. My town is vastly different from Japan. We strictly rely on automobiles to get us from point A to point B. It’s rare to see a person riding their bike down the highway to get to their destination. Japan’s government raised their automobile registration and fines to help save the environment. Fortunately in my hometown, water scarcity is not a problem. My water supply comes from a reservoir on the Gordon Mountain which is about 20 minutes from my house. This reservoir provides water to surrounding homes and areas. There was a storm that occurred in my hometown Wednesday night. There is still a lot of flooding in surrounding areas, and these areas may be experiencing dirty water. Examining where and when these case studies takes place is important because we can gather information from other resources and see what materials are and are not available. It’s important to look at case studies like the ones I’ve listed because we learn more about our own environmental issues and how we can help fix them.

Study Case 1:

Topic: The Narmada Valley Dam Projects

In India there are issues with flooding, irrigation for agricultural crops and issues with power. The government of India proposed building 3,200 dams in the Narmada Valley of India. They believe that these dams will provide the Narmada Valley with flood control, hydroelectricity and irrigation control for crops. With these potential benefits come large consequences for the Narmada Valley. The case study took the example of the largest proposed dam in the Narmada Valley, the Sardar Sarovar Dam, and analyzed the impacts it would have on the surrounding area. The Sardar Sarovar Dam would displace more than 500,000 people. The dam would also destroy valuable fertile land for agriculture. This land is some of India’s most fertile land. On top of that the dam would only produce around 50 megawatts of power, and this power would account for the power required to run the dam. This case is an example of the downsides of development. India is a low income country with a high population. India’s GDP is around $1,500 per capita. To compare the United State’s GDP is around $53,000 per capita. India’s money investment into these dams could turn losses for the people of India and for the government itself. The project isn’t sustainable because it displaces people, destroys fertile land and doesn’t provide enough power to justify its existence. The case study suggest that the first step for India to take to save the Narmada Valley Dam Project is to reassess the social and environmental impacts that these dams would have in the Narmada Valley. Furthermore, the case study also suggested that alternative energy sources tat are more effective be implemented instead of relying on hydroelectric dams alone.

Link for case study 1: http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/Jones/narmada.html

Topic: Zimbabwe National Water Project

Zimbabwe has water quality issues in many of their small towns and villages throughout the country. The country has an active proposal to the World Bank for financial support for a project that would improvement to small town water supplies. The proposal did introduce an analysis of the social and environmental impacts of the project as well. One positive social impact from this project is the production of jobs and availability of clean water for many of the smaller areas in Zimbabwe. The proposal claims that most of the environmental impacts are negative, but that these impacts are small. These impacts include soil disturbance, pollution of air quality, and minor deforestation. If these impacts are minor then the project should be able to keep the environmental impacts low enough to make it sustainable while providing clean water to small towns in Zimbabwe. However, this proposal comes from the government of Zimbabwe and doesn’t offer a third part view. It is hard to tell if the actual social and environmental impacts will be the way they are stated in this report. Zimbabwe is a low population and low income. Their GDP is around $950 per capita. This project would cost upwards of $14 million which is reasonable for a project that would result in clean water for the citizens of a low income country.

Link to case study 2: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/AFR/2015/10/25/090224b08316b20f/2_0/Rendered/PDF/Environment0an0er0supply0subproject.pdf

Topic: Tioga County, PA Deforestation

In the late 1800s Tioga County, PA was a booming area. I am from this county and have learned about the history through my schooling back home. Tioga County was known for its coal mining, lumber and tanneries back in the late 1800s to mid 1900s. Today there isn’t much left other than farms and small businesses. There was a point in our county’s history where lumber hit a high demand and high price point. As a part of expanding the counties development many of the counties residents started cutting lumber for sale. At one point there were almost no trees left in entire county. Some hills of trees were completely cut down. Another development impact for Tioga County was the coal mining boom. Furthermore, Towns like Blossburg were known for their lucrative coal mines. Many towns were built and prospered during the coal mining boom in the county. However, this development led to negative consequences no one knew about in that time period. The Tioga River was polluted with acid mine drainage which causes an orange coloration to in the water and has killed almost all aquatic life in certain parts of the River’s ecosystem. These two cases are similar to the case of India’s Narmada Valley. If the people of Tioga County had known the consequences of mining coal and cutting down trees aggressively without considering the impacts on the environment then they could have preserved the Tioga River and the forests in Tioga. This is why India needs to analyze the environmental impacts of the dams in the Narmada Valley before they build them so that they are prepared for the consequences and can make sure the impacts are small as possible. In comparison to the Zimbabwe case the Tioga County incidents were far different. Zimbabwe is taking the time to analyze all of the impacts of creating an efficient water supply in the small areas of Zimbabwe, whereas in Tioga County no one analyzed any of the risks or impacts until the damage was already inflicted. Today the coal mines are no longer functioning in Tioga County and the forests have rebounded to full strength in much of the county.

The first case study I chose was “North River Sewage Treatment Plant”. The city planning commission didn’t get the input of the community on what their opinions of a treatment plant, which made it a bigger problem. The city then promised to build a state park which did not happen until 23 years later. The problem is that in the sewage treatment plant located in the northern part of Manhattan, New York City had an overbearing odor. The community made complaints about this issue and the problem is the odor is a bigger problem in the summer. Many of the residents that live there have complained about health risks and symptoms they have experienced due to the noxious odors. I think that this study relates to some of the information that was in this module. The reason why is in the reading I read how the impacts of the environment can harm certain people or groups, which then raises an issue of environmental justice. The goal is being able to handle this issue better and the only way is by carefully monitoring the levels of hydrogen sulfide. Although not all the issues have been addressed properly such as the smell, but an investigation has taken place to address this concern. The sewage treatment plant’s location was a bad location not to mention it was originally supposed to be located somewhere else. Overall, there is not much that can be done other than to maintain the odors and keep the hydrogen sulfide under control.

http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/ny.html

For the second case study, I chose “The reusing of waste water to reduce fresh water withdrawal”. The purpose of this concept is to reduce the amount of fresh water is used by the industrial process. It also hopes to cut down how much water is released to the public. This plant is located in Iberian Peninsula in a dry area Spain. This article relates to the module because it mentions how natural resources can’t be replaced. The thing is we take our resources for granted and they are becoming scarce. The Villaluenga cement plant has been able to reduce the amount of water they used. This plant is now able to use water plants and can recycle water to not use fresh water. This can help save a lot of water which helps with our natural resources. Overall, this has been able to reduce the amount of water being discharged and used.

http://www.lafarge.com/en/spain-reusing-waste-water-reduce-fresh-water-withdrawal

These two cases are different from one another. I believe these are both important because they can occur anywhere. I currently live in Mont Alto, PA, but I am from Abbottstown, PA. Thankfully, there are no current environmental issues that are a concern at the moment back where I am from. I think the reason for that is because I live in a small town and it’s rather easy to maintain everything going on. Although just because this isn’t a concern in my town it does not mean it does not occur in other places near me. For example, York is about 25 minutes away from where I am and I know that they face some odor problems like the residents of New York City in Manhattan. I think because they are cities they will face more situations like these with sewage treatment plants. I think that the concept of the case study on reusing wastewater to reduce the amount of fresh water being used is very important because it can help the environment by reducing the amount of water that is being used. I think that we are not aware of our environment issues because we take things for granted such as our natural resources. Although these case studies teach us a lot of things because we are not aware of situations that occur around us. By being able to understand current environmental issues we can help develop new strategies to improve these current problems.

Environmental Justice Case Study For The Detroit Intermodal Terminal Project

For the first case study I have selected the one located in Detroit, Michigan. The Domestic case study was done on “The Detroit Intermodal Freight Terminal Project,” by Ashley Atkinson of the University of Michigan. The link is http://www.umich.edu/%7Esnre492/Publish/ashley.html. The Detroit Intermodal Freight Terminal project (DIFT) is meant to help Detroit increase in the freight transportation business. This project aims to develop facilities that will be able to handle future freight shipments needed by those certain businesses. The DIFT project deals with what the module identifies as environmental justice. For a while Detroit was of the poorest and most dangerous places to live. Its this population living within this environment that will suffer from the economic development of the DIFT project. Businesses may benefit most from this project as stated previously, but environmental justice is the idea that there are also populations which will suffer from this type of burden. The people living in Detroit area will have to sacrifice their health as the DIFT project could “add to the existing health conditions.”

Unsustainable Case Study On Taking Control of Pollution in Mexico City

My second case study was on the control of air pollution in Mexico City, Mexico by Michelle Hibler. The link is http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Resources/Publications/Pages/ArticleDetails.aspx?PublicationID=567. The goal of this study is to reduce the emissions of pollution and to educate people within that area on hoe they can help find a solution. Due to Mexico City’s location there are low levels of oxygen; causing the combustion of other gases. These gases are penetrated by sunlight, leading to the creation of smog. This smog is a key factor in causing the emissions and human health issues within Mexico City. It is also stated that people within Mexico City don’t realize they too are a factor in causing this pollution. This case study relates to the idea of unsustainable development. This type of development indicates that there needs to be a cultural change among the people of Mexico City. In order to do this, it suggests the “need for better communication about government programs’ in improving air quality.” This would cause a break within the current issue of the unsustainable development within Mexico City.

Living in Los Angeles, California with Smog and Air Pollution

Both studies can be compared and contrasted to when I lived in Los Angeles, California. LA is known for producing a lot of smog due to the use of transportation as well as from the factories. These human errors are what causes an unstainable development, similar to the environment in Mexico City. These pollution emissions within LA do not effect one particular group in general, like the DIFT project within Detroit. Smog can effect every human within that particular environment, therefore disproving the idea of environmental justice in LA. In both cases it seems as though education and regulation could be the key parts in advancing development with the LA area. By educating people of the problem and enforcing certain regulations based on facility growth, this would be to aid in reducing the pollution problem. Examining where and when the certain case study takes place is important because it allows us to understand and see what specific materials and resources are available and who has access to those environmental goods for example in Detroit and Mexico City.

There is currently a two-year drought in Somalia that is affecting the poor and farmers the most. The article begins with an interview of a pastoralist in Somalia who had been scarily affected by this tragedy. His owns a small farm, when the drought started he owned 20 cattle, his herd is now literally died down to 5. The cattle were the main source of income for his family. A family who is in debt and often goes with little to no food for days. Because the drought has taken over most lands, the small fields that are still available for grazing have been completely used up. This forces many families to have the same problem as the first pastoralist and abandon their lands for urbanized areas. With less farmers and pastorists helping the economy, there is even less economic circulation. There are about 4.7 million starving people in Somalia, that’s about 40% of the population. There are many organizations trying to help Somalia including the UN who see that this is a serious epidemic.

http://www.irinnews.org/node/255998

The malnutrition on children and mother in India has been declining. Although, since India became independent, it has been one of the world leaders. But how are 1.5 million children dying before their first birthday every year? Why do some areas only have about 18 hospital beds per 100,000 people in the area? This is because there is such a severe difference in classes in India. There is basically no health care for most of India and there has not been a lot of help from the government. Only 15% of the population has health care and it is some of the best in the world while the other 85% of India is left with extremely unsanitary and over crowded hospitals. As the populations become further and further away from very populated areas, the health care becomes worse. There are less supplies and development on the land the further away from the urban cities there are. Various organizations such as FSD are trying to help this serious problem that also effects the economy, health, education and general living conditions in India.

http://www.fsdinternational.org/country/india/healthissues

I grew up in Branchburg, New Jersey, a majority of the town is suburban with a mix of many different types of houses and incomes. These two cases from Somalia and India are honestly nothing like my home town. Because I am in a populated area and near a city there has never been a water shortage in my life time. Also, many have efficient health insurance because of the class structure in my town where most have jobs that supply health insurance. Also being in a populated area, there are enough taxes to support large enough hospitals to care for a large amount of the population. I have learned that being in rural areas does not allow for enough population to keep an economy alive.

Case Study 1:

Topic: Population Control

Geographical Area: China

Link: http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/pop-chi.html

Source: Carol A. Scotese and Ping Wang, “Can Government Enforcement Permanently Alter Fertility? The Case of China”, Economic Inquiry, October 1995, p 552-569.

This case study analyzes China’s population control policy and its impacts. China has the highest population in the world which creates serious economic and social challenges. Overpopulation can increase the consumption rate to a level such that the available resources can’t meet the demand which means exceeding the carrying capacity. To prevent such thing, China has applied several population control policies. In 1970, the government encouraged people to marry late, allow long time spacing between births, and have fewer children. In 1979, China started the “one child per family policy” which limited households to only one child. The government offered special benefits to households that agreed to have one child. Households who didn’t abide by the policy faced paying fines. The article claims that these policies resulted in a fertility rate decrease only on the short run while changes in preferences towards fertility resulted in a long-term decrease.

Case Study 2:

Topic: Population Control

Geographical Area: India

Link: http://acaneretuedutr.weebly.com/uploads/9/0/1/5/9015786/todaro_case_study_6.pdf

Source: Todaro, M. P., & Smith, S. C. (2009). Economic development. Boston: Pearson Addison Wesley.

This case study examines the relationship between population control and economic growth in India. India’s population is expected to surpass China’s population by 200 million in 2050. This raises concerns about the ability to sustain such growth. In 1949, India tackled this challenge by introducing family planning programs nationwide. However, that wasn’t effective enough which led to government-enforced sterilization in some cases. Despite this, Kerala, a state in India, has focused on poverty reduction and human development which in turn led to reduced fertility rates even less than that of China. The case study suggests that India’s increased economic growth might be correlated with lower fertility rates. At the same time, it claims that in Kerala’s case it was more because of changes in norms of behavior and values that emphasize women’s empowerment.

Comparison to Libya:

Compared to China and India, Libya has a population size of roughly 0.006% of the population size of India and China. In terms of population density, Libya has 4 people per sq. km, India has 436 people per sq. km, and China has 145 people per sq. km [1]. Libya’s population growth rate is one of the highest in North Africa, with the majority of the population being younger than 30 years old [2]. So, I think at some point in the future Libya might face similar population control challenges. It is critical to handle such a challenge early on, because Libya’s agriculture is restricted by the environment where only 1% of the land is utilized [2]. So it might be difficult to sustain high levels of population in terms of food availability. From China’s and India’s experience, we can learn that population control can be achieved most efficiently through education, poverty reduction, and women empowerment. This would help change social norms and values to ensure a brighter future.

[1] http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.DNST

[2] http://www.britannica.com/place/Libya#toc46548

1.The Narmada Valley Dam Projects http://www.umich.edu/%7Esnre492/Jones/narmada.html

This case study from the University of Michigan focuses on the large hydroelectric project along the Narmada River in India. The government is pushing the project to develop its natural resources for it’s social needs such as electricity, transportation, and water supply. By constructing over 3,000 dams, the project also must relocate over 1.5 million people.¹ This project has been in construction since the 1960s but has been intermittently paused when relocation efforts were doubted by those effected. The study recommends the government review social and environmental impacts as well as find energy alternatives using previously established departments. Although the government strives to improve their energy resources, they disregard large rural populations that depended on monsoon flooding for their rich soils and in turn the agricultural and forestry resources that will be devastated by implementation of dams as water management.

  2. Zambia’s Gwembe Tonga Relocation http://jrs.oxfordjournals.org/content/6/2/123.short

This case study looks at a large group of development refugees that were relocated after dam construction on the Zambezi River to examine the effects government policies on relocation have over time. The findings show several negative attributes of environmental developments, such as the number of refugees of civil war and border disputes are similar to those of development projects. Citing many similarities between political and development refugees, the case reports resettlement of land needing to be regarded as a dynamic process.² Different stages need to be developed to recognize that it is not a temporary settlement for these people and needs to regard future generations. The Gwembe Tonga People moved to separate countries (one native- Zambia, and one adjacent-Zambawe) that enabled a comparative view of the same people in different refugee settlements.

 3. Pine Grove Truck Ramp Relocation             Pine Grove, Pennsylvania

After a horrible accident that cost a life when a truck lost it’s break coming down Pine Grove Mountain, the local government rallied to implement a truck ramp half way down the Centre County side. The idea of a ramp was highly sought by the public as well for safety, however the actual ramp placement has proven useless (truck lost its breaks after the ramp shortly after the ramps construction) as well as increasing poor water drainage and forced relocation of the nearest residences. This local example of environmental development relates to the other two cases in the “environmental bad” of necessary relocations. Although on a smaller scale than the international cases, they all show how those of less power generally are outspoken by those with more power (in these cases: the government). Looking at these cases we can observe the need to assess a larger scale of impact on the human-environment systems at play within the site of development as to not disregard better alternatives to the common goal.

1. Nisha Kapadia. “India’s Greatest Planned Environmental Disaster: The Narmada Valley Dam Projects.” University of Michigan. February 24, 2016. umich.edu
2. T. Scudder. “Development-induced Relocation and Refugee Studies: 37 Years of Change and Continuity among Zambia’s Gwembe Tonga.” University of Oxford. 10 March 1993.

According to AllAfrica, a news source spanning across the African continent, central towns in Namibia are predicted to run out of water by September of 2016. Three main dams are suppliers of water to the town, and unless it rains, the town will run dry. These water shortages would affect households, businesses, and the economy greatly. Namibia has been in a severe drought and unfortunately, there is little rainfall predicted to save this situation. To fix this crisis developmentally, the towns must reduce consumption and build underground water resources. Saving water by 20% could prolong water presence for another six months. Also, recycling water from sewages could ensure water usage for a longer period of time. Besides reduction, building underground taps could also prevent this shortage. Since majority of the water loss is due to evaporation, moving it to an underground aquifer would prevent this. These ideas directly relate to the idea of sustainable development from the module. Sustainable methods are being created to prevent shortages.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201601130754.html

Another water crisis has been occurring right here in the United States. A common discussion in the news lately has been about the lead water in Flint, Michigan. As a cost-cutting measure, Flint began getting its water from the Flint River rather than Lake Huron. As a result, residents began experiencing high levels of lead pouring from their tap. The lead water has led to skin lesions, hair loss, high levels of lead in the blood system, vision loss, memory loss, and psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and learning disabilities in children. It is predicted that this problem will affect residents for years. Daily household tasks such as bathing, cleaning, and washing cannot be done without lead infiltrating their systems. To fix this massive problem, Flint will need more funding for mental health services. Since the lead is affecting many people psychologically, mental health services will be needed. Funding will also need to go towards switching the water source back to Lake Huron. Water is a natural resource, making this another example of sustainable development.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/05/health/flint-michigan-water-investigation/

These are two separate examples of global water crises. While Namibia is experiencing a shortage of water, Flint is experiencing contaminated water. I’m from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and I am privileged enough to never have to worry about water. As opposed to these locations, I have never dealt with a water shortage or contaminated water. Although I have never experienced them, I think these two scenarios prove that it is not impossible. Water is finite, and if contaminated or depleted, it is not easy to fix. In order to advance development where I live and perhaps prevent situations like this from happening, I think it is important to keep our water clean and safe. In Flint’s case, switching the water source to the Flint River was a disaster due to the high lead levels in the water. Had that river been uncontaminated to begin with, the switch would not have been so catastrophic. In Namibia’s case, although we don’t get our water from local dams, reducing water use is still important.  Examining location in a study like this is important because of the differences in Earth’s richness. Like the module explained, some areas are poorer and more prone to drought–like Namibia–and some are richer. I am lucky to live in an area that doesn’t have to worry about water shortages.

The first case¹ I want to look at was accessed through the Colby College link. It is a case study investigating the water management in in Latin America, specifically Mendoza Argentina. The historical geography of the area behind its water use has been slightly turbulent, from the 15^th centuries Spanish colonizers to the point where independence was gained by the countries. It highlights a history where Europeans have introduced their own brand of agriculture and crops that contrasted the local needs of the indigenous plants. This made way for the people to adapt their water needs to make ways for arid environments with ill equipped irrigation methods to meet the new needs of the farmer. Grapes and specifically wine became a major asset and when countries gained independence and discovered ground water, attempts were made to regulate the near impossible to regulate ground water sources. This created a point where governance became necessary because of the lack of community action. The history here parallels the lessons in the video showing how technology were transferred as civilizations migrated like how the migration out of the fertile crescent allowed for the advancement of farming technologies throughout Egypt and Europe, but to a slight extreme because it did not share the longitude that allowed for the ease of transferring crops and technologies and required the countries to adapt methods and finally end up with governance over their water sources.

The second case study I wanted to visit was found on Science Direct and it highlights the European Union attempting to use its geographic history and water sources to dictate better methods for the implementation of irrigation water. The two cases shown are comparing the Sinistra Ofanto, case used in multi crop areas of Italy, versus the Portuguese Monte Novo case. This shows how two different methods of irrigation established by local government, the first Sinistra Ofanto is a routing of Ofanta River into irrigation channels and irrigation systems. The system uses extensive PVC piping and modern SCADA technologies to monitor usage, but, not being a perfect system, farmers have to rely on well water when it comes to the water shortages. The Monte Novo case was almost reverse engineered, it was a water system comprised of a reservoir and irrigation system that was created to incentivize farming vice boosting an existing market. This caused a problem because of the crops that came in due to a lack of dialog. The crops that were introduced were high water demand crops and ended up turning lower water prices into higher water prices than originally. These cases show a couple of parallels to the Mendoza Argentina case because of the increased need for increased irrigation services to enable or incentivize farming in environments that do not naturally lend to their respective crops, and then eventually led to governance injecting itself into the situation and regulation water prices and usage.

These cases hit similarly to the area I currently live in because they are direct parallels. The Central Coast of California has introduced many different crops in a specifically arid environment much like the Mendoza, Argentina case. The region, which is heavily involved in California’s drought, has become a region where the economy has become very dependent on farming even to the point it has turned into a point of tourism for the region. The Wine industry similarly to all the cases has become a point of contention with respect to water use, governance has come in conflict with the local industry and now similarly to all the previous cases ground water is coming to the point at which it will be regulated because ineffective methods or insufficient methods of irrigation and supplying water. The things we can learn more importantly from the Sinistra Ofanto case where innovation and expense was put forth into creating a more effective method of water irrigation where governance over ground water sources became a last resort. We can look at these case studies and see how a comparable environment and comparable necessity for similar crops required innovation and increased irrigation. Then take these methods as a way to change the local policies and how we get our water.

• “Water Management” accessed on 21 Feb 2016, http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/wat-arg.html
• “Improving water-efficient irrigation: Prospects and difficulties of innovative practices” Accessed on 21 Feb 2016, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037837741400211X

CASE STUDY 1: http://allafrica.com/stories/201602101046.html

The source AllAfrica is an aggregator of news from all across the African Continent. From the article I picked, it talks about how Ethiopia is on the verge of running out of their food aid unless donors step in. In Ethiopia, the El Nino weather phenomenon has caused drought and flooding across Africa, potentially causing a great catastrophic escalation in severe acute malnutrition (SAM), especially amongst children. The goals of development are to try and bring in $245 million dollars in emergency food aid to help prevent malnutrition from occurring. In our reading, it talked about how agriculture is not equal amongst different parts in our country. This is true because Ethiopia does not have key factors for the regions growing conditions such as good temperature, precipitation, or soils. Their environment is very dry and destroys the growing areas. Another topic that the article relates to is end uses. Unfortunately, Ethiopia does not have good end uses. Because Ethiopia does not have successful agriculture, their end uses do not include proper nutrition, and obviously not tasty meals because they need a substantial amount of food.

http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourwork/our-projects-and-initiatives/crisis_in_haiti.html

CASE STUDY 2: From the United Nations Development Programme, it talks about Haiti’s recovery from its devastating earthquake to sustainable development. Since 2010, Haiti has successfully pulled through the humanitarian recovery phase and seen significant socio-economic gains. Their goals of development are focused on long-term support to help build a structurally sound, resilient, and sustainable Haiti by reducing their disaster risk and bettering their environmental protection. However, like our reading, Haiti faces environmental determinism. Their lack of forests and the degradation of ecosystems increase Haiti’s vulnerability to natural disasters. Our reading discusses how humanity impacted Haiti’s environment; however, the disastrous earthquake cleared a large majority of it. Haiti also connects to environmental possibilism by their recovery methods. For example, what seemed impossible in 2010 happened over the course of years. The country has steadily boosted the net enrollment rate in primary education and achieved equal participation of boys and girls. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS has stabilized, and nearly 70 percent of households now have access to an improved source of water.

Currently, I live in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, where I am from, there is a surplus amount of food supplied in multiple grocery stores, fast food restaurants, and basically all around. My town differs tremendously from Ethiopia’s catastrophe of lack of food. Malnourishment is a problem that Doylestown rarely faces, unless a family cannot afford the proper foods to eat and feed their children. Also, my environment has very good agriculture to grow crops. Many families grow their own foods in their gardens because of the good temperature, precipitation, as well as soils. However, similarly to Haiti, Doylestown is destroying the environment and forests. Although Doylestown did not face an earthquake like Haiti did, trees are still being knocked down so new houses and developments can be built. Doylestown differs from Haiti because it is not prone to natural disasters. Based on the case studies, Doylestown’s development surpasses both Ethiopia’s and Haiti’s.

I looked up the deforestation problem in Madagascar, and how that effects the country’s development. I used the Colby website to find my information and the link is https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog030/node/355. This case study talks about the historical and present day problems in Madagascar caused by deforestation. In 1896 the people of Madagascar used shifting cultivation to survive. They would plant and grow crops on a certain area, and then burn the fields when they became not fertile anymore. This destroyed the land and made it useless for future generations to farm on. The government realized this was a problem because eventually there would be no more land left, so they banned this practice. However the people did not comply with this ban and it was very hard to enforce. This relates to the idea of sustainable development that was discussed in the module. The Madagascar people are developing by crowing crops and selling them, however this is not sustainable development because they are ruining the land and future generations will not be able to use it.

The second case study I looked up is about deforestation in India. I used fao.org as my site for information and the link is http://www.fao.org/docrep/article/wfc/xii/0250-a1.htm . The deforestation of the tropical rainforest in India has increased greatly in recent history, and it has come to the point that if something isn’t done the entire rainforest will be destroyed. I find it interesting that people in India are using the forest and its different resources for different things, such as firewood and grazing, to try to develop, but they are really just killing the forest, and hurting their development in the long run. They are taking too much of the forest to fast and soon it will all be gone. The goal of the development is to be able to use the forest in a healthy way that helps the people, and will keep the forest alive for future generations. This would be sustainable development, which was talked about in the module. To help the government has created initiatives for protecting the forest, and has removed subsidies that encouraged deforestation.

These two case studies talk about deforestation, which is a topic that can not be directly related to my hometown which is Wyckoff, New Jersey. However my hometown is only about a 30 minute drive from New York City, so it seems as if about every year a new proposal is created to build more apartments or townhouses in my town. Sometimes these projects get approved and more apartments are created. This helps development because it beings more people into my town, which create more cash flow which increases the equality of life. However if every project like this was approved, we would use up all of the land and trees on my town and that would hurt our development. We would kill all of the natural resources around us, just like what is happening in the case studies that I looked up. It is very important to have a balance in order to create sustainable development.

1. This case study was taken from the following website: wbcsdpublications.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Rio-Tinto-–-Achieving-the-Goal-of-Net-Positive-Impact-on-Biodiversity.pdf. This study highlights the efforts of the company Rio Tinto in various countries, although their main area is in Australia and North America; however they are branching out elsewhere in the world. They are a world leading company in “finding, mining and processing mineral resources”. This case study illustrates this company’s efforts to implement a biodiversity strategy, which would help them to achieve their business goals, but also conserve the world’s resources and environmental areas. Their main goal was to achieve an NPI (Net Positive Impact) on the natural environment. This approach thus exemplifies the idea of environmental justice because through this, they can attempt to keep the environment healthy for future generations to come.

2. This case study was taken from the PaveGen company website, producer of kinetic energy powered walkways and floor tiles, and was done in Saint Omer, France in 2014 outside of a train station. Here is a link to the website http://pavegen.com/projects/saint-omer-train-station-northern-france . The goal of this study was to determine how much energy could be obtained from simply walking each day. As people tread on a sidewalk with the inset pavers, they are actually creating energy by the pressure they exert onto it. Since they were placed outside of a train station with high foot traffic, they were able to obtain enough energy to power bench lighting and USB ports. This is sustainable because everyone walks anyway, furthermore these tiles are made of about 90% recycled material. The only thing I would be wary of with this product is what happens to it when it needs to be replaced? As with the electronic issue discussed in the module, we would have to find out what would happen to it afterward.

3. I live in State College, PA, a college town with a total population of about 100,000 during the school year. The first company, Rio Tinto is a mining company, but they are still trying to find ways to make their business sustainable and promote environmental justice by implementing the NPI so that, although they will still continue mining, they can mitigate a fraction of it, leave more than they take, so to speak. Here at Penn State, I think we try to do a similar thing with recycling. We still produce a lot of waste, but the university has developed an easier way to recycle by having bins for nearly everything around the campus, thereby mitigating our negative impact on the environment. As for the sidewalk pavers, I don’t believe we do anything like that here in State College, and although we are not a big city with train stations, etc. the campus does have its fair share of foot traffic. Neither of these issues really has to do with geography, except for how large the population is in a particular area and how much the people there are motivated to conserve energy and biodiversity.

In India there is a case study known as the The Narmada Valley Dam Projects. (http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/Jones/narmada.html). This is the largest river development scheme in India with the purpose of irrigation, power production, and flood control. However, with these beneficial consequences in mind, there are more negative consequences that follow. In order for this project to be completed people are going to be forced off of their homelands along with the extensive loss of forests and agriculture land. The benefits of the power dam are also questionable. The power used to run the dam will be more than what the dam will produce. Due to the climate the dam will have to be emptied during monsoon season in order to avoid flooding. If the dam is empty there will be no water left to irrigate with. This case study shows how a project with good intentions leads to more negative consequences than positive ones all of which are at the cost of people and the environment.

Here in the United States there was an environmental study about the plastic micro beads in face wash. (http://www.refinery29.com/2016/01/100202/microbeads-beauty-products-environmental-effects). The results of this study came as a shock to many people, because how could something so small be so bad. Well, not only were these little beads polluting our water systems and being ingested by fish. They were also involuntarily being ingested by us. Due to the fish eating these plastic beads the pollutants from the plastic would be in the fish, and then we would eat these fish with plastic in them. So not only are we indirectly eating plastic, we are also doing more damage to fish which are already a limited resource. In order to resolve this issue Obama has passed a law banning the use of these beads in facial wash.

I live in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania and we have a large recreational lake known as Lake Raystown. This lake was man made by the building of a dam. Just like in the India case study in order to build this dam several local families had to move and many acres of farm land were lost. The ban on the facial wash although it might not have research on how it affects my local area, due to my personal use of these products the effects are more than likely prevalent in my local streams. I have stopped using these products after I learned about their affects though. In order to advance development in my local community they could add new attractions to the lake in order to draw more tourists and therefore create more jobs, and bring in more money to the local economy, which in turn would lead to development else where in the community. 

In the Indian Ocean nation, the floods and droughts have increasingly become more frequent and progressive. In order to stop the negative effects that the floods and droughts create, Sri Lanka plans to build two new reservoirs and update 260 kilometers of canals that link existing reservoirs. Building the two new reservoirs and updating the 260 kilometers of canals will help to capture heavy rainfall. The rainfall captured can be used for irrigation in dry periods. Currently, Sri Lanka does not have the ability to use the rainfall effectively and most of the heavy rainfall gets washed out to sea. The extra water will also help to generate electricity by being funneled into hydropower dams. As stated in module five, using fresh water supplies for irrigation and drinking is an example of unsustainable development. Since it is an example of unsustainable development, the natural resources cannot be replaced as fast as they are being used up. However, with this development in Sri Lanka, it is a way to utilize water more efficiently.

http://www.irinnews.org/news/2015/12/07

In the United Kingdom, a case study was done in order to determine how plant life affects a streams health. “Good Ecological Status” for bodies of fresh water was the goal of this study. This study found that macrophytes, which are large, submerged plants, alters river flow and traps sediment.  With that being said, the plant plays a very large role on the ecological well being of the stream/body of water. The study also found that the trapped sediments release methane. The release of methane causes concern about the agricultural practices and the negative effect that they have. These findings have helped in the development of a software tool called, LEAFPACS. This software helps to predict the amount of macrophytes that should be in a fresh body of water, which helps to maintain “good ecological status” in that area.

http://www.rgs.org/NR/rdonlyres/A8790D89-3B41-4328-9996-7A48C428A485/0/120413MTCFG14Final.pdf

I am from Mountaintop, Pennsylvania and in my town there has been problems with the water supply in the past. Many years ago there was a factory in a nearby industrial park and chemicals and waste from the factory affected the water supply on a certain road in my town. A few people were affected by the bad water supply and one woman even passed away from the using the contaminated water.   It is very important to pay close attention to the ecological health of the bodies of water in all areas, which is proven through this example and the two case studies above. The second case study, which used the software, LEAFPACS, in order to determine the quality of water in fresh bodies of water could be a good solution in my town in order to monitor the water supply.

1. http://allafrica.com/stories/201602031412.html
   1. The first case study from one of the sources given deals with the Zika Virus.  This study is by Sola Ogundipe, and talks about how the once eradicated virus in the US, Zika, is now coming back as a problem, but is affecting many other countries such as Nigeria (where this study is focused).  It is expected that about 4 million people would be affected by this virus by the end of the year.  The World Health Organization is treating this virus very seriously, and advising pregnant woman not to travel.  In terms of development, the WHO is not sure what to do because even in developed or high income countries like the US, the virus is still persistent.  The WHO wants to use the advanced technology and science of the developed United States, to help find a vaccine, or treatment for this virus so that babies are not born with microcephaly, a brain defect.
2. http://www.cgdev.org/doc/millions/MS_case_1.pdf
   1. The next study that I found was from a different source, and it discussed the concept of eradicating smallpox worldwide, and was written mainly from the World Health Organization.  In the 60’s smallpox was considered a very big deal, and eventually it became eradicated.  It was prevalent in some of the low income countries, and the World Health Organization used the idea of development to eradicate the disease.  The US is a high income country, so the WHO wanted to use the resources of the US to help create a vaccine, or treatment for smallpox.  Along with this came an ethical question if the successes of a developed country should help an underdeveloped country.  The end use of this development idea was to eradicate smallpox, and through the idea of development this occurred!
3. Throughout both of these case studies, it was proven how the varying levels of development impact society, and how one can affect another.  These case studies are similar because they both deal with diseases/viruses affecting a large population, and how higher income countries such as the US were used to fix the problems in the lower income countries.  I currently reside in New Jersey, and these case studies relate to the development of my area.  Since the Zika Virus is a current problem, development plays a large role.  The development in the US is very great in the sense that there is an established civilization, tons of resources, and an advancement in technology.  Through all of these things in the US, and considering the time we are currently residing in where Zika is a problem, these resources, and the development of our country can help this problem in non-developed country.  For example, the developed US can use science, and money to research more and hopefully develop a vaccine.  Through both of these case studies, and the current ongoing problems, development plays a huge role in making sure the end uses are important and relevant to the problems.

1.       After looking at a few case studies, I chose to write about the one regarding solid waste management in Ireland. The source of this case study is an article from Colby-Sustainable Development. The problem stated is that solid waste in Ireland has increased tremendously in the past few years and the biggest element is the plastic bags. It says in the case study that supermarkets and stores supplied the people with 1.26 billion plastic bags and only 0.5% of them were recycled. In 2002, the government of Ireland the Plastic Bag Environmental Levy which removed almost all plastic bags and replaced them with cloth or paper bags. This levy reduced the plastic bag consumption about 95%. The case I chose ties in with the lesson because the reduction of plastic bags helped to improve the well-being of the people by developing a better system of bagging.

http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/litter.htm

2.       The second case study I have chosen is one about a reforestation program in India. The source I got the article from is Lafarge Worldwide. Deforestation in India has become a huge problem over the years and Lafarge has taken a role in planting trees in areas of India. It says in the case study that Lafarge has planted 70,000 saplings to help the reforestation efforts and that the saplings planted typically have an 80% survival rate. This means that eventually, there will be about 56,000 more trees throughout India. This act allows future generations to have wood for building and the animals would have a larger environment to live in. this ties into the lesson because the whole point of development is to improve the state of society for the future.

http://www.lafarge.com/en/india-a-reforestation-program-support-local-biodiversity-plans

3.       Both of the case studies I have chosen can relate to my home town of Kingston, Pennsylvania. Every store you go to gives you a plastic bag when you leave. Since Kingston is a pretty big town, there are many plastic bags that are not recycled properly and go to the land fill. My town would benefit greatly from the use of cloth or paper bags, just like Ireland. The second case study relates to my hometown because there is a place that my friends and I take our vehicles off-roading and it has recently been affected by deforestation. Where there was once many trees surrounding the trail, there is now just open land. This may not seem like a big deal, but if the trees continue to be cut at this rate there will be almost no wooded areas around me. Therefore reforestation developments need to be put into action.

Case 1:

The case study I have chosen is the Chad/Cameroon Oil and Pipeline Project. The study covers a pipeline being built from Chad to Cameroon’s Atlantic coast. The people of Chad and Cameroon want Environmental Justice since they feel this pipeline could destroy nature and their water supply if there was even one spill because of the seventeen major river crossings. This would in turn destroy the local fishing and tourist businesses that the local villages depend on for survival. While the World Bank and Exxon wanted to build this pipeline, the people of these countries were not all for the construction of it. The pipeline will now be buried instead of above ground and it being built to limit environmental harm unlike before. This case study shows that developing countries might not always be the best choice of action. The link (http://www.umich.edu/%7Esnre492/Jones/pipe.htm)

Case 2:

The second case study is about improving the health of the poor in Mexico. The poor people of Mexico are extremely unhealthy and it causing illness, poor reproductive outcomes, and infant mortality. If they did not live in unsanitary living conditions and have poor nutrition, this might not be happening. While the people of the country want and need help, Mexico cannot give it to them. It will cost astronomical amounts of money to solve their problem. The study had a program to see if this method would actually work and were successful. Children under the age of 5 in the program were twelve percent less likely to contract an illness compared to the children that were not in the program. Adults had a nineteen percent less chance of illness compared to those not in the program. This program will work if it receives funding. The link (http://www.cgdev.org/page/case-9-improving-health-poor-mexico)

Case 3:

I live in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, where there has been a boom in new oil wells going up. This is similar to the Chad/Cameroon pipeline because they have brought jobs and development to my town. It is different because the wells were welcomes unlike the pipeline going across Africa. The Mexican case study is similar to my hometown because people get sick everywhere. But unlike Mexico, we have a healthcare system that can prevent and cure these diseases and poor reproductive outcomes. One thing we can learn is to make sure development is wanted and just so a Chad/Cameroon issue does not happen. This could be made possible by town hall meeting to discuss the outcomes of a new pipeline. But it all boils down to the time and place. The time and places you try to develop are a huge factor if a project will be completed or not.

Case 1: In 1994, the Nam Theun-Hinboun hydropower project was approved for construction. The 210 MW run off river dam on the Theun River in central Laos was the first of many hydropower projects planned for this area. Over 5,000 people in the near 25 villages were forced to resettle in other places. The resettled groups suffered from declining nutritional intake, rising sickness and mortality rates. Furthermore, thousands of people living downstream have been affected poorly by the dam as well. The villagers downstream have been impacted by decline in fish catches, flooding of their vegetable gardens, and fresh water shortages. The rural people of Laos rely mainly on wild fisheries as a major source of income and protein. The module gave many examples of the downside of development. I believe this is another example, many groups voiced their concerns about the project and how it would affect the surrounding areas. This project raised issues of environmental justice. The villagers around the area have been affected poorly by the hydropower dam. Similar hydropower projects have revealed the same problems.

http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/Jones/namtheun.htm

Case 2:

El Niño effects Peru roughly every five to seven years. The major impacts are on farming and fishing industries, which are the back bone of Peru economics. El Niño has been around for thousands of years. During an El Niño year the whole weather system reverses which brings a tropical, rain and low pressure system over Peru. The ocean water in Peru warms up and the fish reproduce in lower number and remain further out to sea. The warmer temperature cause snow to melt in the Andes Mountain which trigger land and mud slides.  During the El Niño year Peruvian economy can loses up to 5% of its total income. Peruvian’s are taking steps to minimize the effects of the El Niño Southern Oscillation. Satellite data can now give warning to when El Niño years will arise. This will let farmers take protective measure and let other people leave their land before it starts to flood. Peru is not a very well developed country. However, they are now taking step to become more developed and be able to sustain their everyday life even in an El Niño year.

Click to access ElNinoanddevelopmentinPeru.pdf

My hometown of Pittsburgh is affected by both of these case studies. The two case studies are very different. The first case study about the hydropower dam shows how development can have bad consequences. The second case study shows that with development even in an under developed country is possible with the right tools. I believe Pittsburgh could benefit from a hydropower dam. However, after reading this case study the effects of the dam would need to be researched thoroughly. The location of the dam would be key to where, who and how it affects the surrounding area and people. Pittsburgh is currently having a very odd winter cause by El Niño. The El Niño weather patterns cause Pittsburgh to have a warmer winter. The case study showed how the next El Niño year would be predicted.  Pittsburgh could benefit if an El Niño year was predicted by preparing for a warm winter. For an example, construction projects would be able to be continued throughout winter, cause less layoffs and less overall delays in the project.

Source:

http://www.wpxi.com/news/weather/11-things-know-about-el-nino-2015-16/nnNgS/