Environmental Science
The video I created below describes the environmental issues Nicaragua is facing.
1. Water Pollution and Access
The first Nicaraguan issue is water, both accessing it, and its pollution. First off, half of Nicaragua’s population is under the national poverty line, living on under $2 a day! Therefore, they do not have enough money to buy or access clean water. They then use the lakes for all uses,such as drinking, cleaning, and washing. With the lack of resources, they do not have proper sanitation and sewage systems. This waste combined with pesticides runs off into Lake Managua which is now deemed unit for consumption! Most Nicaraguans, with no other choice, use the lake, and develop various health problems. According to WaterAid America, approximately 300 children die each year due to diseases caused by unsafe water and sanitation.
How is population a factor? As mentioned before the poverty in Nicaragua hinders the populations ability to access clean water, therefore they then use the contaminated lakes and develop diseases such as malaria, cholera, and hepatitis. With the population growing, more waste will be generated, and contaminating the lakes further.
What about sustainability? For the first aspect, society, the unsanitary water creates various diseases, and a burden on country’s healthcare system. For the economy there overall high poverty level hinders individuals ability to access clean water. it also hinders country’s ability to buy purifiers and aquifiers to clean the water. For the environment, the polluted and contaminated water which hurts wildlife and nature. Lastly, the people's well-being. They are subjected to health risks from unsanitary water as mentioned before like cholera and hepatitis.
LEARN MORE ABOUT WATER POLLUTION HERE:
UNICEF USA. (March 4, 2013). Clean Water in Nicaragua.Retrieved from:
https:www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNLZc8nANmE
National Geographic. (N.D.) Freshwater Pollution. Retrieved from:
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/pollution/
Annenberg Learner, The Habitable Planet. (2015). Water Pollution. Retrieved From:
http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/unit/text.php?unit=8&secNum=8
2. Deforestation
The second environmental issue Nicaragua is facing is Deforestation. 75% of forests have been turned into crops and pasture lands. Deforestation causes soil erosion, increased land damage, and habitat/biodiversity loss. With soil erosion, forests are cut down and Infertile agricultural land is generated. Often for agriculture a harmful process call slash and burn is practiced. This is when all plants and trees are burned down to clear land for agriculture. Without trees the soil is rather infertile, and more susceptible to erosion. Hurricanes, mudslides, and floods.also cause more destruction. Lastly, when the forests are removed, millions of indigenous and endemic species remove their homes. According to the Nature Conservatory, at the current rate of tropical forest loss, 5–10 percent of tropical rainforest species will be lost per decade.
How is population a factor? The answer is pretty clear: The population either uses land for domestic uses (farming,firewood) and development, both resulting in deforestation. As the population grows, there will be more demand for wood for energy and domestic use, therefore more deforestation.
For sustainability, the society is affected because they lose the beauty and sentimental value of the nature. Personal well-being is affected similarly. For the economics factor, Nicaragua nature appeal is a main factor of tourism which nicaragua prides itself upon. If the mountains beaches and wildlife were to lose their appeal the economy would suffer. Lastly, the environment is losing its biodiversity, soil, and habitat.
LEARN MORE ABOUT DEFORESTATION HERE:
Ted Talks, Susia Babicki. (June 17, 2014). Innovation by Reforestation. Retrieved From:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehsS9sBjm8c
National Geographic. (N.D.) Deforestation. Retrieved Form:
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation-overview/
3. Pesticide Use
The last Nicaraguan issue is the use of pesticides in Nicaragua. Nicaragua’s economy is based upon agriculture, which is a booming business. However, pesticides employed at farms in the the last 40 years have reaped deleterious effects.Pesticides harm one's health; diseases such as skin and breast cancer, nervous, digestive and immune disorders, and most commonly pesticide poisoning are very prominent. For the environment, pesticides weaken the wildlife, and its biodiversity. It disturbs many delicate ecosystems, affecting all aspects of the wildlife. Pesticide seep into the soil and affect the animals plants that live and feed upon the soil. The pesticides also run off into the rivers and affect the organisms in the water, and animals who eat those organisms. Through the water cycle, pesticides exist in the atmosphere as well. Lastly, pesticides are not cost effective!! %50 of production costs are spent on pesticides every year!
The majority of the population is involved in agriculture, and employ pesticides to increase yields in agriculture.
Due to the loose soil from erosion and deforestation, run-off from the fields (containing pesticides) feed into the lakes. The population who cannot afford to buy clean water use the lakes for drinking, washing, and cleaning, which results in various diseases. Nicaragua's population is expected to reach 7 million in 2025, so therefore more food will be needed to export and use, and will use pesticides to speed up production. This will then result in more negative effects.
Our last aspect is sustainability. For the society sector, the population is at risk to the various water-borne diseases we mentioned earlier. Nicaragua’s main source of income is agriculture, and with the inefficient cost of pesticides, the economy will be affected. For the environmental aspect, the pesticides are harming the ecosystem and wildlife. Lastly, the well-being of the Nicaraguans is at risk, for they are exposed to pesticides that run-off into the lakes.
LEARN MORE ABOUT PESTICIDES HERE:
Annenberg Learner, The Habitable Planet. (2015). Combating Pests and Diseases.
http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/unit/text.php?unit=7&secNum=5
Annenberg Learner, The Habitable Planet. (2015). Agriculture. Retrieved from:
http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/unit/text.php?unit=7&secNum=1