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Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 1

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Biodiversity LossLoss <strong>and</strong> degradation of habitat fromclearing grassl<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> forests <strong>and</strong>draining wetl<strong>and</strong>sFish kills from pesticide runoffKilling of wild predators to protectlivestockLoss of genetic diversity fromreplacing thous<strong>and</strong>s of wild cropstrains with a few monoculture strainsSoilErosionLoss of fertilitySalinizationWaterloggingDesertificationAir PollutionGreenhouse gas emissions from fossilfuel useOther air pollutants from fossil fuel usePollution from pesticide spraysWater wasteAquifer depletionIncreased runoff <strong>and</strong>flooding from l<strong>and</strong> clearedto grow cropsSediment pollution fromerosionFish kills from pesticiderunoffWaterSurface <strong>and</strong> groundwaterpollution from pesticides<strong>and</strong> fertilizersOverfertilization of lakes<strong>and</strong> slow-moving riversfrom runoff of nitrates <strong>and</strong>phosphates fromfertilizers, livestockwastes, <strong>and</strong> foodprocessing wastesHuman HealthNitrates in drinking waterPesticide residues in drinking water,food, <strong>and</strong> airContamination of drinking <strong>and</strong>swimming water with disease organismsfrom livestock wastesBacterial contamination of meatFigure 14-18 Natural capital degradation: major environmental effects of food production. According to UNstudies, l<strong>and</strong> degradation reduced cumulative food production worldwide by about 13% on cropl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> 4%on pasturel<strong>and</strong> between 1950 <strong>and</strong> 2000.overcutting its forests, <strong>and</strong> overpumping its aquifers.”See his guest essay on the website for this chapter.Other analysts disagree. According to a 1997study by the International Food Policy Institute, Chinashould be able to feed its population <strong>and</strong> begin exportinggrain again by 2020 if the government investsin exp<strong>and</strong>ing irrigation, using more water-efficientforms of irrigation, <strong>and</strong> increasing agricultural research.Also, recent satellite surveys show that Chinahas about 40% more potential cropl<strong>and</strong> than previouslythought. In addition, the World Bank concludedin 1997 that China’s domestic food production shouldkeep up with its population growth for the next twoor three decades without having to import largeamounts of grain. China’s food production dilemmaillustrates how the problems of population growth,economic development, <strong>and</strong> environmental degradationcan interact.290 CHAPTER 14 Food <strong>and</strong> Soil Resources

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