Environmental Studies and forestry

Assigned Critique #1:
1. The sustainability report of the company should indicate the vision and mission of the company. This report should show how the sustainability plan fits into the plan of the company long-term vision and mission.
It is imperative to note that Betchel’s sustainable practice is to help the customers to meet the government requirement for sustainability. The sustainability report should, therefore, involve the method used by the organization internal process in the improvement of its activities to fulfill its commitments to sustainable practices and management.
2. The concepts from this company sustainability programs that can be applied in other sustainable reports include how the organizations are meeting the international standards in the fields. Since sustainability is about the environmental, economic, social and governance performance, LEED accreditation in the construction and engineering personnel is necessary. Of importance also in the sustainability report is the engagement with the local communities, suppliers and contractors that apply the products of the company.
Assigned Critique #2:
1. As correctly indicated in the report, the vision of the CSR Company is to ensure that there is environmental sustainability of all the business processes and function. However the report fail to mention other components of sustainability such as measuring the impacts of technology to the customer base and business partners. Additional metrics that can be used in sustainability report include reduction of the energy used, reduction of the air travel. The carbon disclosure project is also necessary in undertaking the sustainable reporting.

2. Some of the concepts and sustainability terms that can be applied in other sustainable reports include Cisco Energy Wise that is a used by the company to measure and control the amount of energy used by the IT equipments. The other component is the use of the energy that is made from the renewable resources.
Assigned Critique #3:
1. The vision of the company is to implement the environmental strategy by creating vehicles that are preserved for a long period and enhance the benefits to the environmental, social and financial growth. Additional sustainable metrics found in the Ford’s sustainable metric include financial health, investment in the employees, fuel economy vehicles and the reduction of the emission of the carbon dioxide gases.
2. Ford sustainability strategy concerning the use of water in the industries can be replicated in other sustainable reports. It has invested in the technologies to increase re-use of water and reduce capacity of water used in the vehicles. The safety mechanism in the vehicles can also be applied in sustainable reports.

Compile a list of Best Practices for Sustainability Strategy and Reporting
•

Focusing on the material issues- the report should prioritize on the issues that are consistent with the global reporting guidelines.
• The sustainability strategy and reporting should be done to reflect the branding and the personality of the companies.
• The sustainable reports should manage the multiple audiences- This can be done by cresting concise report about the social responsive investment while putting many other information on the index table to be easily accessed by the interested stakeholders
• It is imperative to collect relevant and accurate data that enable the measurement and improvement of performance. This is important in carbon disclosure projects and other such initiatives
• The companies need to invest in technologies for reporting. This can take the form of customized information management system of the simple excel spreadsheets. Regardless of the methods, the system should ensure timely and accurate collection of verified data.

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND FORESTRY 4

Running head: ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND FORESTRY 1

THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF WATER SHORTAGE

Water is a basic need for the purpose of human existence. There are a variety of importance that are put in the availability of water and this includes; the use of water for food production, drinking and performing human activities. Water is used by both animals and human beings hence, it is very essential for all animals’ existence. The lack of water could lead to very adverse effects that could in turn lead to the destruction of all animals. There is thus, the need to maintain and device ways that could assist in the provision of water. Such device could include planting trees, constructing dams and well for the collection and storage of water. Water that is stored is often used during drought or when there is a shortage in water. This raises the question on what causes water shortage and what are the effects of water shortage?

Water shortage refers to the availability of water at minimal levels. Hence, there are a variety of factors that lead to water shortage. Some of the causes of water shortage include; increase in population, decrease in well capacity and increased water requirements. Looking at the first cause, it is clear that, when the population of the people increases, the resources available for human consumption decreases consequently. In this case, the availability of water that is required to satisfy the needs of the increased population is limited since; the human beings numbers are not proportional to the available water.

A decrease in the well capacity leads to a water shortage as the wells available are not able to store enough water that could be used by both the animals and human beings for survival. This in turn, leads to the occurrence of water shortage as the limited wells only store a limited amount of water. Another cause of water shortage is the increase in the water requirements. This refers to the uses of water in relation to the human needs and animal consumption. The uses of water are so many including; cooking, drinking, washing and food production.

The effects of water are just as many as the causes. They include; the deprivation of all animals the sense of life, the destruction of food and the inability to access energy that comes from the use of electricity. A shortage in water leads to the deprivation of both human and animal life. This is because, without water the animals cannot survive as water provides the energy needed for animal survival. In this case, animals would die if they lacked water. The shortage in water also leads to the destruction of food. This is because, water is needed to irrigate plants whose end product is food.

When the water is limited or minimal; it means a decrease in the availability of food. Lastly but not least, the shortage of water leads to the inability to access the recently essential source of energy which is electricity. The production of electricity completely depends on water. Thus, when there is a shortage in the availability of water, the amount of electricity produced would be minimal.
From the above causes and effects of water shortage; it is clear that, water shortage has adverse effects on both animal and human beings. The cause of water shortage is also attributed to the human existence.

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Chopping Trees

Outline
1.0 Introduction to chopping trees
1.1 Chopping trees is not healthy to the environment and leads to environmental degradation.
1.2 It leads to the destruction of animal habitats.
1.3 It allows individuals to gather wood that may be used for firewood and other supplies of wood.
2.0 The demerits of chopping trees
2.1 Chopping trees is extremely harmful to the environment as it leads to environmental
degradation.
2.2 Chopping trees promotes global warming and the changing weather patterns.
2.3 Chopping trees is a major cause of soil erosion and flooding.
2.4 It also destroys habitats for animals.
2.5 It leads to the reduction of atmospheric oxygen and destruction of plants that acts as
cures for several diseases.
2.6 It leads to the death of living organisms.
2.7 Chopping trees harms the aesthetic value of the environment.
2.8 Trees provide shelter to birds and other living organisms.
2.9 Chopping trees destroys the life cycle of living organs.
3.0 The merits of chopping trees
3.1 Chopping trees provide significant materials for building industries and the lumber.
3.2 Chopping exotic trees has export value and provide income to individuals and to the nations as a whole.

Chopping trees by clearing forests creates significant room for grazing land and agricultural production.
This land that becomes free after the trees are chopped becomes available for human habitation by hosting new populations.
Chopping trees create room for oil, gas, and mineral exploration.
Chopping trees provides safety as trees interfere with power lines and other hazards.
Conclusion of chopping trees
Chopping trees does not augur well to the environment and leads to environmental degradation.
It is highly destructive to the habitats of animals.
It is useful to the building industry.
Work Cited Chambers, Robert and Leach, Melissa. Trees and saving and security for the rural poor. Journal of World Development 17 (3): 329-342, 1989.

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Wangari Maathai and Sustainable Development

The lecture delivered by Wangari Maathai when she was receiving her Nobel Prize in Oslo on December 2004 focused more on the environment and its linkage to democracy, equitable development and peace across the world. The majority of the problems facing humanity can be traced to environmental damage that causes scarcity of resources. This scarcity can eventually cause poverty and conflict as people will be scrambling for the few available resources. Democracy also plays a significant role in ensuring responsible governance of the environment. Most of the countries with poor governance systems are likely to have conflicts, and poor environmental protection laws that are aimed at ensuring environmental sustainability (Maathai 517).

Extreme global inequities such as the injustices caused by the international economic arrangements and the existing consumption patterns have increased environmental degradation and conflicts worldwide (Maathai 518). In order to achieve environmental sustainability, democracy and peace, governments should protect and empower the civil society and grassroots movements that empower the masses by making them responsible citizens. Global industries and institutions should also acknowledge that the value of ensuring economic justice, equity, and ecological integrity is greater and cannot be compared with profits in any way.

Achieving this needs a shift in thinking on the global, regional, national and individual level. It is time for humanity to understand that environmental degradation is threatening their life support system. Addressing most of the problems facing humanity can be attained largely through assisting the earth heal its wounds. Since culture plays an important role in the social, political and economic life of communities, people should embrace progressive cultures and discard retrogressive ones for them to realize sustainable development. It is evident that peace, equitable development, sustainable environmental management, and democracy do not only influence each other, but are also inseparable (Maathai 517).

Work cited
Maathai, Wangari. “Nobel Peace Prize Lecture.” Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony in Oslo, Norway. 10 Dec. 2004. Keynote Adress.

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ENVIRONMENTAL LAW POLICY

In order to ensure a healthy environment, certain laws must exist that governs individuals operations within the environment. Various countries and bodies have enacted laws that aim at preventing cases of environmental pollution in various activities. The need for these laws has significantly increased with the rapid industrialization that has taken place over the years. Industrialization often results into discharge of certain effluents that are not environmental friendly. This therefore has resulted for the need to enact statutes that will govern the industries in their operations. Currently, the need to control environmental pollution has been an international agenda with various laws being enacted in various international forums that control certain activities of nations. Certain societal trends have greatly affected the enactment of these policies and will play an integral role in the future policy adoptions. Technological advancement in various societies will be a determining factor in various enactments as the use of these machines impacts greatly on the environment. Considerations should therefore be placed on various technologies used by various sectors in the society in the policy initiation procedures. The rising demand for the aquatic life will form an integral part in the enactments of these laws. Owing to the increasing demand for the aquatic life for various purposes there is needed to develop mechanisms to protect this environment owing to the contribution of the sector to various economies. Consequently, due to cases of deforestation that has been manifested in various societies, there is growing need to initiate laws that will protect the forest environment from destruction. This factor will therefore be essential in the enactments of various environmental laws. Certain medical statistics manifests that various human infections are due to consumption of unhealthy food stuffs that are polluted by various environmental aspects. This makes the environmental laws very essential in order to curb these cases of resulting infections.

The United States has significantly contributed to the adoption of various policies that controls environmental pollution. The United States played a key role in the Copenhagen climate summit in 2009. The summit basically targeted enactments of various environmental legislations. The United State contributed greatly in the introduction of these laws owing to its key membership in the UN council. Besides, the Congress of the United States has often enacted laws that controls various production processes. Industrial productions resulting into environmental pollutions have been barred by these laws enacted by the Congress. In addition, companies that have continuously indulged in these productions have been subjected to severe punishments. These laws have been adopted by various nations due to the country’s influence on various international issues. Besides, through the Obama’s regime various contributions have been made to the international environmental laws. In May 2011, president Obama entered into an agreement with Russia, North Korea and South Korea that strived to stop the production of nuclear weapons that impacted greatly to environmental pollution. Despite the violation of the agreement by key partners in the agreement, there has been a reduction in the use of nuclear weapons in various parts of the world.
Certain laws have been enacted that have greatly contributed to effective protection of the environmental in the international domain. The Congress in 2010 enacted the Environmental Conservation and Recovery Act. The act allows for proper mechanisms to be put in place that allows for conservation and for effective recovery of the waste products from various processes. The act allows for the recovery of the used by products from industrial procedures for re-use. This act has been adopted by various sectors in numerous countries owing the economic advantages of the process. For example, the act has been highly been adopted in the United Emirates countries owing to the insufficiency of various vital resources. Similarly, the water regulation act enacted by the House of Congress has significantly contributed to protection of environmental pollution. The act specifically aims at protecting various water sources by preventing the release of harmful effluents into the water sources. The act has been accepted by various nations owing to the essence of the water bodies to various economies. Besides, owing to climatic changes that has resulted into reduction in the levels of the water, various organizations have adopted the act in bid to minimize the usage of the available limited water sources. The act has also played a great role in preventing various infections that are often suffered as a result of water pollution.
Environmental interests can be achieved concurrently with the desired economic goals. Environmental interests are the concerns for environmental conservation and the elimination of the possible environmental pollutants. On the other hand,
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Federal bureaucracy

The issue of climate change cannot be localized; hence, different government agencies and state governments collaborate to address it. It also goes beyond national boundaries calling for a united front in dealing with it. Environmentalists have called upon the federal government to unify the fight against climate change so that results can be seen. Currently, many departments, agencies work on their own with conflicting interests; hence, the little that has been realized. This necessitated the constitution of the Federal adaptation task force to deal with the issue. It was supposed to come up with programs, and strategies that will integrate climate change into national planning.

The first department that comes up is the department of health and human service. Under it is NIEHS, which does research on how climate change affect people and investigates the best ways to deal with it. This department is also charged with the responsibility to ensure that the state is ready to deal with health issue arising from this. This is done under the center for disease control (CDC). The department of energy is not left out. It has the responsibility to mitigate its effects on climate change through policy review and innovations that would help the country to avoid negative effects of climate change.

Department of Defense of US (DOD) know the effects climate change will have on its activities; hence, it is on the forefront of identifying causes of climate change and the subsequent mitigation measures. In 2009, the navy instituted a task force to look into the implication of climate change, and preparations put in place to deal with such changes. The department of agriculture is the most affected by climate change, making it one of the departments responsible for looking for measures to mitigate the effects. Under it, are forests services responsible for extensive research in this field. They have developed interaction maps, and have climate change reaction structure.

Departments That Formulate and Execute Policies
Department of agriculture is charged with the responsibility of coordinating rural agriculture, and forestry related policies. It comes up with strategies t implements after assessing the situation. It coordinates with other federal agencies in the same line and interacts with the state law office on legislation about climate change. In the department of energy (EIA) provides statistical information needed for policy formulation and goes further to provide forecasts and chronological indicators about climate change. This department has support programs in areas of Carbon dioxide emissions, hydrology and human interaction. Its mandate is to understand how human activities have influenced climate change and come up with best ways to deal with it.

The department of housing and urban development implements several policies. It controls developments and comes up with smart solution in the built environment. In addition, the legal departments are responsible for overseeing that policies are implemented and people obey the rules set. The justice department, on environmental issues ensures that it minimizes the environmental impacts. As far as emissions are concerned, the transport department is on the forefront in policy formulation and publications. It targets reduction on the emission of greenhouse gases. The clear house in this department provides relevant information on how the department is prepared to deal with (GHG). It has tools and strategies to minimize the potential impacts. It should be noted there is no one stop office where one can get the information about climate change in the country. This has greatly reduced the efficiency of the sector.

Works Cited
Centers for Disease Control. National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network ,2010. Web. 13 September. 2013. <http://ephtracking.cdc.gov/showHome.action>
National Biological Information Infrastructure.GAP Analysis Program Land Cover Viewer , 2011. Web. 13 September. 2013 <http://www.gap.uidaho.edu/landcoverviewer.html>
National Integrated Drought Information System. U.S. Drought Portal ,2011. Web. 13 September. 2013. < www.drought.gov>

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Environmental Studies and forestry

Reflection about the environmental and analysis course

The environmental and analysis course is an interdisciplinary major that focuses on the association between human and non-human biosphere components. The major concerns approaches in the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and arts aimed at understanding and solving environmental problems. The course provides an integrated and uniting perspective on life, as well as programs for effecting constructive change. In this case, students in this course are prepared for graduate careers and work in teaching, law, environmental sciences, public policy and administration, environmental design, international affairs, and others. Developing sustainable ways of living is among the greatest challenges currently. However, the Environmental and Analysis program provides robust interdisciplinary education for students concerning environmental issues. The course enables learners to train widely in the social sciences, with clearly defined specialization in the environmental field. They are able to receive a broad introduction to the principle resource, energy, and environmental problems that face the society, along with the analytical tools applicable to comprehend them. Such tools comprise cost benefit analysis, policy development and evaluation, statistical evaluations, and technology assessment. In addition, students are able to obtain better appreciation of the comprehensive, international elements of environmental challenges. Likewise, the course encourages learners to apply fieldwork and internship that improve them past the library and theoretical activities to employ practice and research.
How a course such as environmental sampling and analysis can be integrated into environmental management system
The environmental management system provides a systematic and administrative structure, which can be used to integrate a robust and sustainable environmental management process. However, in itself, the system does not contribute any definition for sustainability or procedures of achieving sustainability. Therefore, environmental sampling and analysis can be integrated into the environmental management system to address problems through a continuous improvement mechanism through comparisons with what was previously done. A main feature of environmental information is that every observation relates to a specific location in space. In this case, the information on hand is normally sparse – a fact that, together with defective knowledge of the fundamental process, can lead to greater indecision regarding the real spatial value distribution. Such uncertainties need to be quantified and accounted for in decision making, hence the need for integrating both courses.

How as an environmental manager this course helps your future career
The Environmental Management System course is important because, as a manager in an organization, you will be able to manage its environmental impacts. These comprise energy utilization, waste, discharges/emissions, transport, and material utilization. On the other hand, climate change aspects are becoming increasingly well-known, as are legacy matters such as contaminated land. Other factors are included like effects on biodiversity (wildlife) as well as the utility of materials such as embodied water. Therefore, with the knowledge of environmental management system, a manager can identify significant effects related to the business. In this case, as a manager, you will be able to deal with and improve organization’s environmental performance and help to increase resources effectively. You will be able to generate monetary savings through well managed use of resources, as well as efficient practices. Additionally, it will be possible for the manager to improve the organization’s reputation and standing with partner organizations, stakeholders, client companies, and its own staff. Likewise, the manager will facilitate the organization’s adaptation to any changing environment. The Environmental Management System course provides skills to be an environmentally responsible person in an organization.
Important lessons learned from this course
With the skills of this course, one is able to identify, prevent, and reduce environmental risks by ensuring that sustainable development is obtained, such as energy saving. The knowledge also helps to improve or achieve employees’ awareness regarding environmental matters and responsibilities, increase efficiency, reduce costs, help to conserve resources, and prevent pollution, as well as improve environmental performance.

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Emergency Manager

Floods are very devastating when they occur since everything goes into waste; productivity of almost every aspect is put to a hold. Floods carry with them many negative factors or agents like disease causing elements and many other dangerous and unpleasant things. A flood prone community means an area where floods occur frequent in particular seasons of the year. This is the time when things get disorganized all over; water or floods displaces anything, including housing, health facilities, educational centers and many more. This call for emergency programs to be established for this is recurrent phenomena that will often hinder people, cut off some from crucial activities and services in life for some time.

Essentially, as an emergency manager in the flood prone locality, there are factors that would determine the resilience a community to floods. Various factors can be checked to determine the resilience of community to hazards. To begin with, it would be worthwhile to understand how people in the community use their existing skills, expertise, and resources to prepare for, and deal with the outcomes of emergencies. As a way of determining community resilience, an emergency manager has to know how people in a community adapt their everyday skills and employ them in extraordinary circumstances around their lives. Further, since people in a resilient community are aware of the risks that may affect them some specific details have to be ascertained. Thus, an emergency manager has to find out if people in a particular community understand the connection between risks assessed at a national level and those that exist in their local area how this creates vulnerability to them. A resilient community is known to work in conglomerate with emergency facilities, their native regime, and other pertinent administrations afore, in the course of, and after a crisis. Hence, an emergency manager will confirm if all these factors exist in the community, he is in charge to ascertain community resilience.

On the other hand, to determine whether a community will experience a natural hazard, there are factors that will help in identifying this effectively. The first item that will aid in defining manifestation of natural deathtrap is prophecy, this where a declaration of likelihood showing that an occasion will occur based on technical surveillance. Such surveillance involves observing of the procedure to recognize some kind of forerunner proceedings. The other thing involves projecting which is short term or long term prophecy in terms of greatness, position, time, and period of occasion. Finally an early warning, is affirming that a high probability of a perilous event will occur based on an extrapolation or prognostication.
Subsequently, Hamden is an area where the option of tremor harm is complex Connecticut regular. The other option is cyclone harm that’s typical is equivalent as Connecticut middling and lower than the nationwide middling. To communicate earthquake information, t emergency service providers and stakeholders in Hamden need to begin by arranging a shakeout testing by applying emergency communication resources. This is set to test how the resources would be applicable during an earthquake emergency. This should offer a platform for practicing an earthquake drill that will be used to educate the community members around Hamden concerning emergency preparedness. This will help community members understand that they have to do several things in case of an earthquake occurrence. Firstly, they have to dewdrop and grip on below a board or writing desk and esoteric a barrier until the quivering descents. Those with seats need to remain calm on or underneath it and they ought not to stand in the doorway. After the shaking, one ought to locate the next exit point and secure hazardous materials before exiting a building. These are important pieces of information that such a drill will be used to communicate.
From the USGS`s earthquake website, it has been noted that Connecticut had several earthquake occurrences in many years since the first one that records offer. The first tremor happened in the late 1700s and the next came in eighteen-thirties, forties, and fifties respectively. The others years were in mid-twenties and late sixties. This demonstrates that the area has not heard closely recurrent earthquakes. In those occurrences, the earthquakes had varied, but hazardous magnitudes. Earthquake preparedness influences emergency plan creation and maintenance in that it calls for regular drills, communication through various platforms to make sure the plans are updated and tested to function. Consequently, in the case of an earthquake, one is supposed to drop, cover, and hold under a table or desk until the shaking stops. One is not supposed to stand in a doorway and there is need to protect the head and neck using own arms. After the shaking stops, one has to move to the nearest exit and while securing a hazardous material before leaving using stairs not an elevator.
To determine the level of risk of a community from man-made hazards, one has to evaluate various factors. These factors may be generally termed as vulnerability of a community to hazards and disasters. The first factor is the immediacy of the community to possible perilous event; the next is population density in an area proximal to the occurrence. The third issue is the communal learning and cognizance of the artificial deathtrap. Finally, nonappearance of initial cautionary structures, strokes of announcement, and creation classes. These also comprise construction cryptograms; thus, these factors and elements will give the determination of the level of risk a community is in.

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Temperate Deciduous Forest

Description

Temperate deciduous forests are also known as the temperate broad-leaf forests. They are mainly characterized by trees that lose their leaves every year. They are located at the center of latitude areas and thus they are between polar and the tropic regions. These areas are exposed to cold and warm air, which makes these areas to experience four seasons. There is a temperature variance in these regions from season to season and have cold winters and hot or wet summers. In one year, the average temperature reaches at 100C. Temperate deciduous forests receive between 750-1500 mm of rainfall every year, which is spread all through (Johansson, 2004). When these trees are preparing for the winter, they change color and drop their leaves. They use this mechanism to survive in such conditions. Other adaptations to the cold winters is becoming dormant or going to sleep. Their barks are also thick, which offer protection from the cold weather. These trees grow and flower during summer and the spring seasons, when the weather is bearable. The types of plants that grow in these forests are mainly shrubs, trees and herbs, where most of the trees have broad leaves. Deciduous means “falling off or out at certain season”. This is why the word describes these forests in which their leaves fall off during winter seasons.

Location

These forests are located in the temperate zones, which are on the upper side of the tropical forests and on the lower side of the coniferous forests. In the map of the world, they are located in most parts of Europe, the eastern part of North America, Asia and in some parts of Japan. However, these forests seem to be diminishing in these areas. This may be because of human activity and climate change. The regions in which these forests are found have very rich soils and thus are good for agricultural practices. This explains why there are very little natural deciduous forests left since they have been eliminated for the purposes of farming. For example, almost all of the forests in North America have been eliminated and replaced with second growth forests. In the other part of Europe, only a few natural forests are left since most of them have been cleared for agricultural purposes. Other temperate forests are found in the Eastern Parts of North America where they range between 35-480N, and on the other side in Europe and Asia at around 45-600N (Reich & Frelich). There are however some deciduous forests in the southern hemisphere although the plants and animals found there are different from those found in the northern deciduous forests.

Types of plants

These regions are dominated by eucalyptus trees, fir, pine, spruce, cypress, and giant Sequoia. These forests are characterized by their hardy trees that are able to survive extreme weather. There are five zones that are found in deciduous forests where the first zone is the tree stratum zone. This zone contains trees such as beech, oak, maple, chestnut hickory, basswood, elm, walnut, and sweet gum trees. The trees in these regions have a height that ranges from 60 to 100 feet. The second zone is a sapling and small tree where it comprises of young and short trees. There is the third zone called the shrub zone, which consists of shrubs like rhododendrons, azaleas, huckleberries and mountain laurel (Orme, D. & Penny, 2006). The herb zone makes up the fourth zone of the temperate deciduous forest. It is mainly comprised of the herbal plants. The ground zone makes up the final zone of this forest and it contains mainly the lichen, true mosses and the club mosses. The deciduous forest experiences four seasons, which are summer, autumn, spring and winter. The leaves of most trees and other plants change their color during autumn and in the winter months they lose their leaves. These plants have found ways to adapt to the climatic condition of the place by leaning towards the sun and soaking up nutrients in the ground.

Types of animals

There is a great diversity of animal life found in temperate deciduous forests. They range from insects, slugs, spiders, salamanders and turtles. There are also broad winged hawks, snowy owls, Pileated woodpeckers and cardinals are found in these forests. Mammals that live here include raccoons, white-tailed deer, opossum, red foxes and porcupines. All these animals must be able to adapt to the changing climatic conditions of the area. Some of the animals hibernate while others migrate to favorable environments, during the harsh conditions (Jeffrey, 2001).

The economic significance of temperate deciduous forests

There are a lot of advantages that are accrued to the temperate deciduous forests. These forests are known for their biodiversity, which makes it suitable to be a home of many species of both plants and animals. These forests host most of the small animals and some reptiles like the salamander. A lot of birds are also found here especially during the summer seasons. Because there are a lot of trees, streams found here rely on these trees to keep dirt from contaminating them. This is an advantage to the life found in these streams especially the fish, since if too much dirt got into the streams, it could kill these animals and plants. Trees found here also provide a good ecosystem to the fish living in the streams. Therefore, both the animals and plants found in these forests contribute to the balancing of the ecosystem. When the tree leaves fall into the streams during the shedding period, they are fed on by the bacteria and fungi. In addition, the leaves are and the fungi are also eaten by some insects, which in turn provide food for the fish. At the end, the fish are a good source of food for the human beings and other animals (World Biomes, 2013).
Trees from the temperate forests are a good source of lumber, which is used to make houses and other wood products. These forests are also a good site for hiking and camping. Some countries preserve them as state and national parks and thus earn them income because they attract both local and international tourists. From this, they also offer employment to the people around. Temperate deciduous forests are also a good source of herbal medicine and they have been widely used in the medical fields, where most herbs have been found to cure different diseases. Several industries have been set up because of these forests because they use products like timber from the forest. These areas are a good place to do agriculture since the soil and the climate is favorable. Local people, especially those who are near them can use them for grazing purposes.

Threats to the temperate forests

There are a number of threats to the temperate forests, which are found to threaten their existence. One of the threats is global warming, which is causing greenhouse effects. Greenhouse effects cause the earth’s temperature to increase, which in turn will lead to desertification and thus loss of biodiversity. Due to the emergence of different industries, there have been many cases of logging, which leads to deforestation. Trees are also being cut down for the purposes of human needs like homes, farming and resorts. Other threats include mining and illegal harvesting of plants and animals, which include poaching (Nature Works, 2013).
In conclusion, temperate deciduous forests are a great treasure to the world and they have a great impact on human beings, plants and animals. There is a need therefore to make sure these forests are protected from harm so that there can be a balance in the ecosystem.

Works Cited
Jeffrey, S. Deciduous Forest Animals. (2001). Retrieved from http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/deciduous_animal_page.htm on 14th November 2013
Johansson, P. The Temperate Forest: A Web of Life. Berkley Heights NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2004.
Nature Works. Temperate Decidious Forests. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep8c.htm on 14th November 2013
Orme, D. & Penny, M; Woodward, John. Habitats of the World. Tarrytown NY: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2006.
Reich, P. & Frelich, L. Temperate Decidious Forests. Retrieved from http://cedarcreek.umn.edu/biblio/fulltext/t1896.pdf on 14th November 2013
Sayre, April Pulley. Temperate Deciduous Forest. New York NY: Twenty-First Century Books, 1994.
World Biomes. Temperate Forest. (2013). Retrieved from http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/temperateforest.html on 14th November 2013

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Environmental Pollution Scenario

Introduction
As cities grow, they experience many challenges (Farmer, 2013). Some of the challenges experienced by cities include overpopulation, pollution, loss of biological life, as well as, wetlands. For example, overpopulation increases pressure on the existing resources, as well as, social evils. On the other hand, pollution leads to the eruption of various diseases including waterborne and airborne ones. Consequently, there is a need to adopt various strategies, in order to address some of the problems affecting cities. Therefore, this report provides recommendations on some of the possible measures that can address the pollution problems facing the city in question.

Main Body
Based on my analysis, it is evident that the main problem facing the city in question is pollution. In this regard, the main factor causing pollution in the city is gas emission from vehicles, as well as, factories. Therefore, there is the need to address this problem with agency, in order to alleviate its associated dangers. Some of the recommendable measures of addressing the problem include encouraging alternative means of transport. Examples of the proposed, alternative means of transport include the use of bicycles, electric trains, and walking. Other alternative means of transport, apart from the three include encouraging commuters to use large capacity buses. However, these buses must be new and regularly maintained in order to ensure that they do not emit any smoke.

Use of large capacity buses will greatly help in reducing pollution in many ways. First, the use of the large capacity buses will significantly reduce the number of cars in the roads, as buses carry many people, compared to cars (Hill, 2004). Consequently, reducing the number of cars on the roads will significantly reduce smoke and gases emitted in the air.

On the other hand, encouraging people to walk or use bicycles will not only reduce pollution, but also enhance health of the city dwellers (Peirce & Weiner, 2008). Therefore, based on this fact, it would be prudent for relevant authorities to encourage city dwellers to walk, as opposed to using cars. Doing this is essential because it will greatly help reduce pollution in the city, as there will be fewer vehicles to emit gases in the air. In addition, there is a need for the government to invest in railway transport. In so doing, the government should focus on introducing electric trains, as they emit fewer gases. Further, the use of electric trains will help reduce traffic jams, hence pollution.

Apart from encouraging alternative means of transport, establishing green spaces or urban forestry is another vital step in addressing pollution in the city. Establishing green spaces will help reduce pollution, as the trees absorb carbon emitted by the locomotives (Hill, 2004). Apart from absorbing carbon produced, the trees will help reduce pollution, through producing oxygen (Peirce & Weiner, 2008). Therefore, based on this fact, it is vital for the government to set aside land for creating forests in the city.

Further, in addressing the pollution problem, it is necessary for relevant authorities to regularly carry out random testing on emissions. Doing this is essential, as it will greatly help control pollution. For example, when the tests establish that a certain factory emits harmful gases in the air, it should be closed down. Closing down such factories will help serve as a warning, hence ensuring others operate within the law (Farmer, 2013). In addition, it is necessary to encourage factories located within the city to fix reactive chemicals in their chimneys. Doing this will reduce pollution, as the chemicals will react with the gases produced, thus emitting harmless ones in the air. Similarly, there is the need for the government to ensure all the factories relocate to the city’s environs. Relocation of these factories will greatly help reduce congestion, hence pollution in the city.

In addition, there is the need for the government to improve the existing roads. In this regard, improving the existing roads entails expanding them, in order to allow free flow of traffic. Further, it is necessary for the government to construct new roads, in order to expand their capacity, thus allowing free flow of traffic (Hill, 2004). Consequently, reduction of traffic jams will help reduce emission of gases in the air, and hence pollution.

Conclusion
Despite the fact that the city faces many challenges in terms of pollution brought about by rapid population growth, there are a number of solutions to the problem. Some of the solutions in this case include expansion of roads, and random testing of emissions. In this regard, expansion of roads will help reduce pollution in the city through enhancing traffic flow (Hill, 2004). On the other hand, random testing of emissions will help tell if there is any pollution problem in the city, thus calling for appropriate response.

Other solutions to the problem facing the city include creation of forests within the city, and encouraging alternative means of transport. In this regard, creation of these forests will help reduce pollution through absorbing carbon emitted into the air, while producing oxygen. On the other hand, encouraging alternative means of transport, such as electric trains, walking, and bicycles will help reduce pollutions in the city, as bicycles do not emit gases.

References
Farmer, A. (2013). Managing Environmental Pollution. London: Rutledge.
Hill, M. K. (2004). Establishing green spaces or urban forestry. London: Cambridge University
Press.
Peirce, J., & Weiner, R. (2008). Environmental Pollution and Control. Chicago: Butterworth-
Heinemann.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION SCENARIO 4

Running head: ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION SCENARIO 1