Referencing

Conversation Biology: Depletion of the Olifants River in the Kruger National Park. 2007. Received 19 April, 2012 from http://bcb706.blogspot.com/2007/03/depletion-of-olifants-river-in-kruger.html

E-Energy Market: Global resource depletion.n.a. [image online] Received from http://www.e-energymarket.com/shop/products/details/category/bookstore/product/global-resource-depletion.html

Environmental Scarcity and Violent Conflict:
The Case of South Africa. 1995. Received on 18 April, 2012 from\ http://www.library.utoronto.ca/pcs/eps/south/sa1.htm

HDR: Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Blu-ray Details and Cover Art. 2009 [Image online received from http://www.thehdroom.com/news/Ice-Age-3-Dawn-of-the-Dinosaurs-Blu-ray-Details-and-Cover-Art/5672

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown: the ice age is melting. n.a [image online] received from http://www.fanpop.com/spots/ice-age-2-the-meltdown/images/22618256/title/ice-age-photo

‪Irisperson415. 2011. Resource depletion [video from youtube] Received 19 April, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoW2aTsg2TQ

Jackass critics: An Inconvenient Truth.  Blaine. T. n.a. [image online] received from http://sweepstakesandcontestsdo.com/n.php?h=1&s=nl

Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region: Olifants river.n.a. [website online]Received 19 April, 2012 from  http://www.kruger2canyons.org/olifants.html

Lennteach: Heavy metals.n.a. [website online] Received 10 April ,2012 from http://www.lenntech.com/processes/heavy/heavy-metals/heavy-metals.htm

Movies pics:2012 movie DVD cover. n.a. [image online] received from http://moviespics.wcgame.ru/2012-movie-dvd-cover.html

Natural Resource Depletion and the Changing Geopolitical Landscape. Heinberg, R. 2012. Received 19 April, 2012 from http://oilprice.com/Geopolitics/International/Natural-Resource-Depletion-and-the-Changing-Geopolitical-Landscape.html

PRI: Putting a price on global environmental damage. 2010.n.a. Received on 18 April, 2012 from http://www.unpri.org/files/uop_press_release_final.pdf

Show movies online: Ice Age. 2012 [image online] received from http://www.showmoviesonline.com/show-movies-online/show-ice-age-online.html

The real Steve Grey: WATCH – Trailer For ‘Ice Age 4 Continental Drift’. 2011. [image online] Revceived from http://www.therealstevegray.com/2011/11/watch-trailer-for-ice-age-4-continental-drift/

‪VOALearningEnglish. 2010. This is the VOA Special English (Development Report, from ‪http://voaspecialenglish.com). [video from youtube] Received 19 April, 2012 from

2012 Ice Age (2011). n.a. [image online] received from http://www.free-covers.org/blu-ray-covers/2012-ice-age-2011-r0-blu-ray-cover-27729.html




The Effect of Water Depletion

DEPLETION OF THE OLIFANTS RIVER IN THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

With "54,575 square kilometres" (Olifants River), the Olifants River is the biggest river flowing through the Kruger National Park (KNP). This river is faced with a huge depletion of water content, quality and extinction of assets. This is due to irrigation, pollution, a For the past three years there has been no rain in the low Veld resulting in  as it has not rained much in the low Veld for the past three years. Abstraction for irrigation, changes in Olifants catchment (third-world) characteristics and other uses 'have decreased the runoff from the catchment, this river has stopped flowing only twice. There are about two million people who are depending on the Olifants River. 


There are dams which are built along the Olifants River, majority of these dams are a major source for water supply as well as processes. 


The following have contributed to the major deterioration of the water quality in the Olifants: River:
1) Soil erosion is mainly caused by "overgrazing and runoffs from Rural towns and villages"(Olifants River.1994)


The activities of supplying water to land or crops to influence growth


2) The intensity of development in the industrial sector- power stations


3) "Rapid Urbanisation" ( Olifants River)


4) "Mining activities and power stations scattered across the basin"(Olifants River) contribute to increasing pollution. 
Pollution by high metals ("Refers to any metallic chemical element that has a relatively high density and is toxic or poisonous at low concentrations" (Heavy Metals) and "high silt loads ("are generated when sediment-laden releases from the Phalaborwa Barrage are made" (Olifants River). This has caused a massive decline in fish species downstream in the KNP [from the Olifants River]" (Olifants River).


5) Domestic use in the rural areas example: washing clothing


In KNP the Olifants River is divided into different pools which are naturally made where the river is too deep. As the water is deteriorating animals such as hippos are in danger, as the pools provide water which covers their bodies. The negative effect of the hippos living in the river is causing a production of an excessive quality of dung in these pools. As the dung decomposes it removes oxygen in the water, causing the fish to suffocate. Another problem presented is according to Dr. Thomas Gyedu –Ababio, who is KNP Rivers manager said that at least five hundred dead species have been found on the banks of the pool after the birds have helped themselves to yhe found fish species such as;  the Catfish, Yellow Fish and Tilapia.

"There is an argument at stake between the arms of the government and the South African National parks (SANParks). The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) and the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWARF) are proposing to build a 21-storey dam on the Olifants River" (2007). The proposed reason will 'be to feed the mining interest and agriculture' (2007). However, the Olifants depend on the Steelport River as a main resource for feeding. The problem is that the De Hoop dam will depend on the Steelport River, thus negatively affecting the Olifants. They are strongly against the idea as they depend on the SteelPoort River for water and if the new dam is built then they will struggle and suffer during the dry seasons. The complication is that"The Olifants are a major supplier of water in the KNP "(2007).   


DWARF plans to start building the R4 billion De Hoop dam on a tributary of the Olifants River. The main reason for this dam will be to feed the mining interest and agriculture. De Hoop dam will depend on the Steelpoort River and Steelpoort is the major tributary feeding the Olifants . This idea is having a negative impact on the Olifants River as it is a major supplier of the water in KNP. Olifants is depending on Steelpoort for water and if De Hoop dam is built then the Olifants River will suffer further, especially during dry seasons. Negative effects on species is currently occuring: the hippos are struggling with the little water and fishes are dying out. This will eventually lead to the death of the Olifants River. There are already signs of depletion as hippos are struggling to survive in the small amount of water and decreasing fish species.


The drying out of the Olifants River will have a negative effect on tourism, wildlife and concession areas in The KNP. One of the attractions for tourists in The KNP is to experience fishing. An entrance fee needs to be paid as well as a fishing permit. This further leads to a positive impact on the economic point in KNP. In terms of business, one of the concerns is that if the Olifants River had to run dry it could possibly cause tourists to no longer want to visit the KNP. As the Olifants River is feeding both KNP and Mozambique, the building of the dam can have some political critics. Eco - tourism is   crucial to South Africa as it is unique and like no other. Attracting tourists contributes to the economy of South Africa as well as maintaing the KNP. Instead of reconstructing the natural formation of the Olifants River, an idea could be that if DEAT and DWARF supported the conservation of the Olifants River they could influence a fight for the destruction of the river rather than building human-made dams resulting in depletion of the Olifants river.  

article taken from: http://bcb706.blogspot.com/2007/03/depletion-of-olifants-river-in-kruger.html

Photography taken by: Earth Boy

How over population has a huge impact on resource depletion 

Agriculture - Farming

Agriculture is in fact a crucial necessity for our very survival. Used to provide our ever growing population with food security, ecotourism and job creation. However it has become a known fact that we need new environmental practices to keep up with our needs. Food prices are constantly increasing due to the lack of sustainability of farming methods.

“Agriculture has done more to reshape

the natural world than anything else

we humans do, both its landscapes and

its fauna and flora. Our eating also

constitutes a relationship with dozens

of other species - plants, animals and

fungi - with which we have co-evolved

to the point where our fates are deeply

intertwined.”   Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma

South Africa’s population is growing at almost 2% per year. The

population of 49 million in 2009 is expected to grow to 82 million

by the year 2035. In order to keep up with our expanding population, food production needs to double. Although South Africa’s agriculture sector is overall well developed and for many years a net food exporter, national maize production in South Africa relies

on the rainfall.The production has remained constant which is concerning as our produce needs grow and maize production may soon not meet

local demand, affecting both local and regional supply. Maize is the Countries dietary staple, export crop and livestock feed. This in turn starts to affect the red meat, chicken and dairy sector because the animals food supply demands start to grow as well. 

The increased use of farmlands in order to meet the needs of the growing population in turn has a negative effect on economic growth, social improvement, and trade. The rate of nutrient depletion in the soils is a damage that seems irreversible even with desperate measures such as doubling the application of fertilizer, manure or halving erosion losses would still not be enough to regain the nutrient loss. However one of the main reasons for a negative impact on South African agriculture is water availability due to climate change. This has caused a decline in the number of farmlands.  As farmers are relying on the over use of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides, the quality of the soil starts do diminish causing water pollution, soil erosion, exposes the workers to toxins and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

Scary Facts

Interesting facts:

Putting a Price on Global Environmental Damage

6 October 2010

By Principles For Responsible Investment

in 2008, the 'top 3000 public companies were responsible for $2, 15 trillion worth of environmental damage.' They were 'responsible for one third or $2, 15 trillion worth of all global environmental damage.' 

By 2050 the estimated cost for global environmrntal damage is $28 trillion

In 2008 the damage caused by human activity to the global environment 'represented a monetary value of $6,6 trillion.' This equates to 11% of the global gross domestic products (GDP).

'The most environmentally damaging business sectors are: Utilities; oil and gas producers; and industrial metals and mining'- they accounted for less than a trillion $ worth of harm to the environment in 2008. 

'The study projects that the monetary value of annual environmental damage from water and air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, general waste and depleted resources could reach $28.6 trillion in 2050, or 23% lower if clean and resource- efficient technologies are introduced.'

Cohesive policy and regulation is required to fully account for externalities and speed up the integration of material environmental issues into investment decisions. The bottom line is that if we are to achieve a sustainable global economy, then we must stop drawing down our natural capital." 

Paul Clements-Hunt, Executive Director, UNEP Finance Initiative

Source :http://www.unpri.org/files/uop_press_release_final.pdf

"From competition among hunter-gatherers for wild game to imperialist wars over precious minerals, resource wars have been fought throughout history; today, however, the competition appears set to enter a new—and perhaps unprecedented—phase. As natural resources deplete, and as the Earth’s climate becomes less stable, the world’s nations will likely compete ever more desperately for access to fossil fuels, minerals, agricultural land, and water" (2012).

United State of America:

"Unconventional hydrocarbon resources (such as natural gas liberated by the hydrofracking of shale deposits) are beginning to be commercialized, but come with high investment costs and worrisome environmental risks. U.S. extraction rates for many minerals have been declining for years or decades, and currently the nation imports 93 percent of its antimony, 100 percent of its bauxite (for aluminum), 31 percent of its copper, 99 percent of its gallium, 100 percent of its indium, over half its lithium, and 100 percent of its rare earth minerals" (2012).

China:

"China is the rising power of the 21st century, according to many geopolitical pundits, with a surging military and plentiful cash with which to buy access to resources (oil, coal, minerals, and farmland) around the planet. Yet while it is building an imperial-class navy that could eventually threaten America’s, Beijing suffers from domestic political and economic weaknesses that could make its turn at the center of the world stage a brief one. These include limits to available coal resources, a domestic real estate bubble, weakness in its banking sector, falling demand for Chinese exports in the U.S. and Europe, and widespread local political corruption" (2012).

Africa:

"Africa is a site of fast-growing U.S. investment in oil and other mineral extraction projects (as evidenced by the establishment in 2009 of Africom, a military strategic command center on par with Centcom, Eucom, Northcom, Pacom, and Southcom), but the continent also a target of Chinese (and European) resource acquisition efforts. Proxy conflicts there between and among these powers may intensify in the years ahead—in most instances, to the sad detriment of African peoples" (2012).
 

Coca-Cola Article: depletion of water resources in India

April 19, 2012

Coca-Cola Causes Serious Depletion of Water Resources in India: Liable for US$ 48 Million for Damages

 

Global Research, March 24, 2010

India Resource Center - 2010-03-22

New Delhi: In a major development, a High Power Committee established by the state government of Kerala in India has recommended today that Coca-Cola be held liable for Indian Rupees 216 crore (US$ 48 million) for damages caused as a result of the company’s bottling operations in Plachimada.

The Coca-Cola bottling plant in Plachimada has remained shut down since March 2004 as a result of the community-led campaign in Plachimada challenging Coca-Cola’s abuse of water resources.

The report and recommendations were welcomed by activists who have challenged Coca-Cola’s operations in Plachimada. Demanding compensation from the Coca-Cola company for the damages it has caused has been a central demand of the campaign from its inception.

“We welcome the Committee’s recommendations and now the state government must find the political will to implement the recommendations,” said R. Ajayan of the Plachimada Solidarity Committee, a statewide organization that has been instrumental in moving the compensation process forward.

The Adivasi Samrakshana Sangham and the Plachimada Solidarity Committee had submitted detailed proposals to the high level committee on the issue of compensation and the course forward.

“The Committee thus has compelling evidence to conclude that the HCBPL has caused serious depletion of the water resources of Plachimada, and has severely contaminated the water and soil,” said the report. HCBPL is the Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Private Limited, a subsidiary of Atlanta based Coca-Cola Company.

“The Committee has come to the conclusion that the Company is responsible for these damages and it is obligatory that they pay the compensation to the affected people for the agricultural losses, health problems, loss of wages, loss of educational opportunities, and the pollution caused to the water resources,” added the report.

The report made it clear that the numbers used in arriving at the $48 million compensation were estimates and “indicative in nature”, and “should not be treated as the outer limit of compensation.”

Importantly, the report clarified that the compensation suggested did not include damages as a result of water depletion caused by Coca-Cola, and such damages must be assessed.

The report also agreed that Coca-Cola should be held criminally liable for its reckless actions in Plachimada – a key demand of the campaign to hold Coca-Cola accountable. “The compensation is not to be viewed as a quid pro quo for not initiating criminal charges,” the report stated.

The Committee has also recommended that the government create a “dedicated adjudicating agency”, such as a Claims Tribunal, to move the process of compensation forward. Alternatively, the report suggested approaching the central government to set up an institutional mechanism to process the compensation claims under the Environment Protection Act.

Some activists have questioned the compensatory figure suggested by the Committee as being too low.

“A transparent and institutionalized process can revisit the recommended compensation numbers to make sure that Coca-Cola pays for all the damages it has caused,” said R. Ajayan.

Validating the long term campaign against Coca-Cola, the High Power Committee confirmed that the Coca-Cola company had violated a number of laws in its reckless operations, including: Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; The Environment (Protection) Act ,1986; The Factories Act, 1948; Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989; The SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989; Indian Penal Code; Land Utilization Order, 1967; The Kerala Ground Water (Control & Regulation) Act, 2002; Indian Easement Act, 1882.

Ironically, the report confirming Coca-Cola’s mismanagement of water resources and holding the company liable for $48 million in damages comes on World Water Day.

“We have attended every Coca-Cola shareholders meeting in the US since 2004 to remind Coca-Cola shareholders that the company management was being derelict in its duties by not disclosing the real financial liabilities the company was incurring in India,” said Amit Srivastava of the India Resource Center, an international campaigning organization.

“Coca-Cola shareholders need to pay attention because the company continues to have an atrocious record in India and communities and even governments are not just going to sit back and take Coca-Cola’s abuses. This should serve as a wake up call,” he continued, referring to other community-led campaigns in India, most notably in Mehdiganj and Kala Dera, where the company has destroyed water resources through over extraction of water and pollution.

Taken from:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=18305

Video 3

Renewable energy

The industrial world is constantly growing and developing whilst our ability to replenish fundamental resources is slowly diminishing. Consequently, in order to sustain our natural environment, it is imperative to protect and manage our resources carefully through biological and natural processes. As a result, should the level to sustain a certain resource decrease heavily; it may exceed the earth’s natural capacity to replenish it. Therefore, as human beings utilising such resources; it is in our best interest to avoid previously mentioned circumstances and manage and sustain our environment.

There are a number of methods that benefit the cause mentioned above, for example, energy.  For this reason, there is a list of the mainstream forms of renewable energy: Wind power, hydro power, solar energy, bio mass, bio fuel and geo thermal energy.

The stated example of wind power can be used to run wind turbines that generate electricity for the earth. In this instance, the wind speed increase shall ultimately lead to the power output increase. Thus, the idea to place wind turbines across the land, particular offshore wind locations that have higher wind resources, can contribute to the sustainability of energy whilst simultaneously increasing the global energy production.

Another resource that can be sustained through the use of human- made processes; is Hydropower. Accordingly, the energy in water can be controlled, maintained and used. Consequently, a number of hydroelectric gravity dams have been established across the world and contribute to a considerable amount of energy used globally. For example, the hydroelectric dam on the Columbia River, supplies four power stations and is the largest electric power-producing facility in the United States.

In conclusion, the final form of renewable energy to be mentioned is solar energy. The process behind solar energy relies on energy that is derived from the sun through the form of solar radiation. As a result, high temperature processes such as; ‘solar architecture’, ‘daylighting’, ‘solar hot water’ and ‘solar cooking’, can produce heat that is utilised for everyday industrial purposes.

Video 2

Here is a little video clip explaining the process of solar power generated energy

Apartheid

Apartheid as a cause of South Africa's scarcity of renewable resources

Studies have looked at environmental depletion and insufficiency of renewable resources and how this has    contributed to social instability in South Africa. The environmental issues have said to have been obscured by the negative social impacts of apartheid. The analysis focuses on how aspects of the apartheid era has     impacted agricultural productivity, soil erosion, and fuelwood availability within the former homelands and on migration rates to urban settings

British colonial rule gradually took land from Africans and in turn provided whites with 87 percent of the land, while blacks - almost 75 percent of the country's population - lived within the homelands, accounting for only 13 percent of the land. The black population in these areas sustained themselves through agriculture, local service industries, and as migrant labor in white-owned mines and industry.

The homelands became a dumping ground for the black South African population. From 1960 to 1980, the government forced 1.75 million people into the homelands to clear what it called "black spots" -squatter settlements in urban areas and rural villages consisting of blacks whose labor-tenant contracts on white farms had been canceled. The population density of the homelands increased dramatically as a result. Quasi-urban communities emerged on homeland borders as the labor force commuting to neighboring cities, mines, and industries grew rapidly in the 1970s. Other black workers lived in single-sex hostels near industries too far from the homelands for daily commuting. The remainder of the black population was restricted to legally defined "townships" lying outside white urban areas and was employed in industry and mines or as domestic laborers.  Rivers, steep valleys, and escarpments, or human-made barriers, such as industrial areas, commercial belts, and railways, separated racial groups. There was an over population on the lands that were assigned to the black South Africans. Poor land and the inadequacy of the infrastructure, such as sewage systems, water supplies, and energy sources, meant that the urban black population relied extensively for its day-to-day needs on the local environment - including small vegetable plots, local streams and trees. many of these communities are located in fragile environments close to hillsides and river valleys and the environment then quickly deteriorates.

Degradation and depletion of agricultural land, forests, water, and fish stocks threaten many societies around the world.

There are three  types of environmental scarcity:

(1)     Supply-induced scarcity is caused by the degradation and depletion of an environmental resource, for example, the erosion of cropland.

(2)     Demand-induced scarcity results from population growth within a region or increased per capita consumption of a resource, either of which increase the demand for the resource.

(3)     Structural scarcity arises from an unequal social distribution of a resource that concentrates it in the hands of relatively few people while the remaining population suffers from serious shortages.

According to the study, the depletion of agricultural resources results in civil violence and a troubled relation between state and society, resulting in falling agricultural production, migrations to urban areas, and economic decline in regions severely affected by resource depletion.

Our own personal example of violence affecting agriculture growth would be Zimbabwe. A country where farmers are forced to leave their lands, resulting in the lack of production and food supply.

http://www.library.utoronto.ca/pcs/eps/south/sa1.htm

The adventure of Earthboy story book

Story Book


As a group we decided to construct a simple children's story book in order to inform the new generation about how they as individuals can contribute to the replenishing of resources and ultimately sustaining our natural environment. This is a proposal demonstrating the effectiveness of conserving resources in a fun and interactive way whilst appealing to your children aesthetically.

Video 1

Welcome

Welcome to How to be an earth hero by saving our resources.

As a team we hope to inspire you to be or get involved with participating in the reduction of environmental issues. There are numerous environmental issues but we feel that the global village needs to be reminded, made more aware and thourally informed through creativity in order to be appealing. In doing so this will influence the issue to be directed to front-of-mind (dominant).

Master to Earthboy: Your mission is to promote, sell, inform and make the global village rethink about the crucial environmental issue:

RESOURCE DEPLETION

Unfortunately, if the media does not create hype about the environmental issue, society forgets and the importance disintegrates. There is vast amount of emphasis towards Global Warming and Climate Change. Societies are either directly or indirectly reminded constantly about this issue. For an example; Visuals (movie): 2012 and Inconvenient Truth. This is further highlighted through the animation movie Ice Age 1, 2, 3 and 4. The media played a role in distributing the idea that the world is going to end in 2012 to which some people believed. The bible is used for reference to these environmental issues for motive. Therefore, Global Warming and Climate change is positioned in the conscious minds of societies (children- adults).