Abstract This paper explains that children brought up on a farm are at a higher risk of exposure to pesticides. The writer states that basic hygiene practices and proper education are the solution to removing this risk.
From the Paper "Pesticides contain harmful effects to human, as repeatedly reported by series of studies of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Pesticides can be included into high-level danger category for its long lasting potential hazard. However, the continuous usage in farming areas sometimes goes far beyond the awareness of the farmers to protect their family - especially children - from the pesticides effects. Farmer groups stay away from the health concern due to lack of information and regulation of pesticides use."
Abstract This paper explains that, although the American consumer has become comfortable with the debate about the safety of genetically modified seeds, in Europe and Africa, some individuals have labeled imported GM produces as "eco-terrorist" practices of sabotage by the U.S., preferring to starve rather than to eat this type of food. The author points out that, misguided as it may have been, the African nations' banning of GM seeds was an attempt to set local, national standards for the creation of a form of modern agriculture that was ?right for Africa.? The paper states that one of the problems in much of the world is not a lack of technology, but a lack of government infrastructure.
From the Paper "Thomas DeGregori sees such hysteria as a form of Luddite technophobia. (DeGregori, 2002, 152). He also sees the African example as a dangerous result of first-world generated fears regarding important new agricultural technology. The capitalism that fueled genetically modified crops that are more resistant to disease and easier to produce in difficult climates, DeGregori suggests, will be the salvation of the world, if only environmentalists will step aside. DeGregori, it must be noted, does not stand alone on the world agricultural state in his fervent belief in the value of capitalism. "
Abstract This paper explains that, of all the innovations discovered during the Middle Ages, the plow is considered the greatest transformer of social and cultural change. The author points out that the initial effect of the shift from horticulture to agriculture was an increase in food production because societies that adopted the plow were able to produce more food in a given territory than those that relied on the hoe and digging stick, thus leading to the development of permanent settlements. The paper relates that one of the most profound changes associated with the plow was the development of a system of writing because the trade of agricultural and other goods had to be tracked.
From the Paper "So deep were the diffusions of the agricultural techniques that before the First World War, farmers composed the largest single group in every country. They no longer made up the population everywhere, as they had from the dawn of history to the end of the Napoleonic Wars, a hundred years earlier. But farmers still made up a near-majority in every developed country except England and Belgium--in Germany, France, Japan, the United States--and, of course, in all underdeveloped countries, too. And with the current transformation, these agricultural producers are not "farmers" in most senses of the word; they are "agribusiness," which is arguably the most capital-intensive, most technology-intensive and most information-intensive industry."
Tags: plow, writing, settlements, war, agribusiness
Abstract This paper states that there has always been a natural variation in rainfall, temperature, and related conditions in certain parts of the world, leading to food insecurity due to variation of agricultural production. The author points out that existing socioeconomic effects often occur faster than the changes in the environment, which cause the socioeconomic changes, and thus, it is difficult to forecast them. The paper states that, because of climatic changes, the entire world will move into an unfamiliar situation, as human beings would be stepping beyond the limits that the world can provide them in support.
From the Paper "For the 21st century, agriculture requires that it may be integrated as a total system with the components of environment, society and economy. Only this will lead to development for meeting the needs of the present generation and also take care of the next generation. It is now estimated that the people of the world will increase by almost 3 billion in the next fifty years, and most of this growth will be in the developing countries. This will happen in spite of the fact that even today, some 800 million people go hungry every day and another billion live a day on less than one dollar. This is the food insecurity and poverty that affects one-fourth of the population of the world. It shows clearly that we have not been able to take the necessary corrective actions in spite of the tremendous scientific progress and economic developments that are being made now. To meet our food security and poverty dangers, we must ensure that proper agricultural and rural development take place."
Abstract This paper explains that Americans had been cultivating the hemp plant for hundreds of years, but, in 1937, the Marijuana Prohibitive Tax Act outlawed the growing of any kind of hemp. The author points out that there are as many as 25,000 industrial uses of hemp, including rope, clothing, diapers, car parts, and carpet; oil from the seeds is used in shampoo, beer, vitamins, and lip balm. The paper stresses that hemp production is a growth industry around the world, and American farmers are losing revenue to foreign nations that allow the growing of hemp, such as Great Britain, France, and Spain.
From the Paper "Contrary to popular misconception, the hemp plant is not marijuana. Known by the botanical name "cannabis sativa," hemp does not contain the narcotic qualities of marijuana, and so its growth is not dangerous to the community. While many people believe growing hemp is just like growing marijuana, there are numerous differences. Hemp grows taller than marijuana, and they are spaced quite close together in the fields, unlike marijuana, which is spaced out for optimum leaf growth. In addition, hemp produces more flowers and seeds, while marijuana cultivation is mainly concerned with unfertilized female plants, which create more leaves."
Abstract This paper describes the history and causes of the deforestation of Ghana. The paper points to economics and greed as the primary causes of this deforestation and points out that, while there have been some attempts to protect the natural landscape of Ghana, the overriding poverty of the country makes it vulnerable to environmental exploitation as a means of boosting the economy.
From the Paper "According to Microsoft's online Encarta, in the 19th century, the southern half of Ghana was completely covered by hardwood forest, however, by the year 1995, such large portions of its forests had been destroyed, over logged, or cleared for mining, that only 39.7 of the entire country remains forested, with (during the period from 1990-1996) more than 1.3 percent continuing to be lost every year (Encarta)."
Abstract This paper discusses the author's view that scientists, in their attempts to improve the quality of plants and thereby increase the world's food supply through the growth of genetically modified (GM) foods, have the potential for creating monstrous effects in the Earth's environment, on the internal environments of the humans, and on other creatures who eat the GM food.
From the Paper "Teitel and Wilson mention a Dutch researcher who is attempting to breed genetically engineered plants that can produce drugs and vaccines in nectar so the drugs can be ingested by eating honey. At first glance, this looks like it might not be too bad. After all, if one goes to the local health food store and asks a knowledgeable clerk what to do for springtime allergies, her or she might well recommend eating local honey. Because local honey probably contains traces of the very pollen that's making noses run, it is supposed to have the same effect as an inoculation meant to desensitize people to those substances. So wouldn"t the Dutch researcher's work be even better" Before anyone could answer that question, the answer to what happens if a bee or two escapes needs to be answered."
Abstract The importance of wheat to the Canadian economy is not a new phenomenon. On the contrary, as far back as the 18th Century and earlier, there existed a significant agricultural sector. As the political environments differed in Upper and Lower Canada, though, so too did the development of agriculture, particularly the cultivation of wheat. To understand the importance of this crop, this paper sheds light on the impact of the wheat staple in the late 1700s and early 1800s on the Canadian economy. It presents information on different backgrounds and institutions that were involved and shows that the history of wheat cultivation in Lower Canada was greatly influenced by the colonial institutions of New France.
From the Paper "This pattern of landowners moving into Lower Canada created a new demand for agricultural land. In addition to the existing French Canadian settlers who still farmed the seigneurial land, many English settlers either settled as new free-hold tenants, or bought seigneuries. Some French farmers were displaced onto land further north, away from the St. Lawrence where most of the seigneuries bordered. These displaced farmers were forced to attempt to cultivate less fertile land in order to serve the demand for wheat exports to Britain. This "displacement... was caused by the growing population on the established seigneuries... and the apparent unwillingness of French Canadians to leave their native land." (Marr, 1980, p83)."
This paper reviews Sally Clarke's article, ?New Deal Regulation and the Revolution in American Farm Productivity,? which states that this regulation in the 1930s made possible the acquisition of labor-saving farm machinery.
Abstract This paper explains how the New Deal eliminated earlier concerns and conflicts between safety and productivity. The author states that this article recognizes the roles of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Farm Credit Administration (FCA) in the farmers? investment strategy and that the economic impact of government regulation interfered with market forces in ways that did not always benefit the economy of the country. The paper concludes, in terms of history, that the article shows that the past needs to be taken into account for both its successes and its failures, if things are to move forward in a significant way.
From the Paper "Clarke makes several points to advance her argument. Firstly, she points out that high sales figures for tractors starting in World War I may be misleading, as they do not focus on the farmers who might potentially have bought tractors and did not. When calculating the relative number of farmers potentially benefiting from purchasing tractors, Clarke finds that fewer farmers in the Corn Belt than expected owned tractors in 1929. This advances the argument that economic factors led to reluctance to invest in new technology during this time. The author further reinforces the point by citing the farmers? tendency to protect assets due to the instability of commodity markets."
Abstract This paper examines several areas of concern for agricultural economists when they look towards the future. Some of these areas of interest are nutrition and health, the possibility of using food products for uses other than consumption, and genetic adaptation of crops. However, the paper highlights three major interests of agricultural economists, the supply of food available, farm productivity and profits, and agriculture production that will be friendly to the environment.
From the Paper "The availability of food supplies in the world is a primary interest and concern for agricultural economists. In an article by Lester Brown, he compares our use of the natural resources to the use of an endowment, which we have now started to utilize in addition to the interest and this leads to bankruptcy. He states, "By satisfying our excessive demands through overconsumption of the Earth's natural assets, we are in effect creating a global bubble economy" (Brown 1). Several issues impact the concern of the world's food supply."
Abstract This paper explores the causes of the Industrial Revolution, suggesting that the primary cause was the occurrence of an "Agriculture Revolution" in Britain in the century following 1750. In exploring this topic, the paper also describes the causes and outcome of the Agricultural Revolution, features of the Industrial Revolution, the social consequences of the Industrial Revolution, as well as Karl Marx's and Emile Durkheim's theories about the Industrial Revolution.
From the Paper "Most historians are in agreement that the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain following mid 1700s could not have been sustained if enough food was not available to feed the country's rapidly growing population during the period . On all previous occasions of rapid population growth in the country's history, i.e., in the Roman period, around 1300, and in 1650, lack of sufficient food for a population larger than 5~6 million, had proved a stumbling block for further population growth. However, the mid-eighteenth century saw a number of developments in agriculture that enabled sufficient growth in agricultural output to support a much larger population. These developments and the resultant growth in the output of food crops can be considered as nothing short of an ?Agricultural Revolution.? (Overton, 2002)"
Abstract This paper discusses this differences between green and black tea and explores the positive effects these teas can have on various diseases. The paper examines the composition of the various teas, explaining the different chemical compositions. The paper analyzes several studies performed in an attempt to establish a connection between tea consumption and the occurrence of cancer.
From the Paper "Despite the success of such business concerns as Starbucks, it is tea and not coffee that ranks as the world's most popular drink next to water. This much-loved beverage is produced from the bright green, oval leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis L. Today, about 75 percent of the tea produced worldwide is black; about 23 percent is green; and approximately 2 percent is oolong. Green tea is obtained from fresh leaves that are steamed and dried and therefore retain a composition more similar to the fresh leaf. The leaves contain several polyphenolic compounds that give tea its specific taste and color. The most significant polyphenols present in tea are flavanol tannins (flavonoids), commonly known as catechins, which are very beneficial antioxidants. Antioxidant is a classification of several organic substances, including vitamins C and E, vitamin A--converted from beta-carotene?the mineral selenium and carotenoids or pigment that adds color to many fruits and vegetables. At the molecular and cellular levels, antioxidants deactivate particles called free radicals (in the form of oxygen). These can damage cell walls in addition to some cell structures and the genetic material within them."
Abstract This paper gives a full overview of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB). The paper presents background information on PCBs, including their sources, cleanup efforts, stakeholders, and similar toxins. The paper emphasizes environmental and water quality applications.
From the Paper "Advances in the treatment of affected aquatic systems have been made and PCB contamination is becoming less widespread. The stakeholders associated with this issue are large electrical companies like White-Westinghouse and General Electric and biotechnology corporations such as the Monsanto Company. The electric companies needed a chemical that could be used for industrial cooling and the Monsanto Company used their technology to create this chemical. (Schmidt,48)"
This paper discusses concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) for swine and the environmental and human health hazards typically associated with such practices.
Abstract This paper explains that recent changes in swine-management practices, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), have resulted in a growing controversy surrounding the environmental and public health effects of modern swine production. The author points out two problems in swine-management practices, including an increase in health hazards because of the confined spaces, and public relations problems for the industry, particularly in the communities immediately situated near such facilities. The paper relates that the industry deal with these issues by using sound environmental health practices in the workplace and by providing anaerobic lagoons to help remediate the large amount of biological wastes that are inevitably generated at such CAFOs.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Background and Overview
Environmental and Health Hazards Associated with CAFOs for Swine
Current and Future Trends
Conclusion
From the Paper "During the last half of the 20th century, agricultural growth and development in the United States has become more closely linked to a wide range of social and environmental problems. Partially because of the industrialization of farming and food production, soil and water resources have been degraded, wildlife habitats have been destroyed, and rural communities have been dissolved and uprooted.The scale, mechanization, specialization, capital-intensity, and chemical-intensity of agricultural production have dramatically increased, with the result that large agribusinesses and individual farm operators have come under greater environmental scrutiny associated with the broader "greening" of public opinion since 1970."
Abstract In 2002, the Bush administration announced the "Healthy Forests Initiative," a plan to reduce the risk of forest fires through logging. This paper critically examines the initiative, its advantages and disadvantages, and the effects it may have on the environment.
From the Paper "Our environment and related issues have been of importance throughout recorded history. On a grand scale, countless wars have been fought over environmental concerns, most prominently resources. We depend on our environment for survival; if we destroy it, we have destroyed ourselves. Something so important is of course a matter of great concern to a government that is responsible for its people. Unfortunately, the United States government also has economic concerns. Often these two issues bear significance to each other, but it is rare that the two are reconciled or balanced. More often, one triumphs at the expense of the other."
Tags: administration, bush, environment, fire, forest, government
