Depletion of Natural Capitals By Buzz Pfeiffer And Dallas Reed

Advanced societies Heavy burdens on natural resources Depletion increase with population growth Societies fail = destruction of social and cultural infrastructure.

Easter Island First settlement- Polynesian 300AD 1600’s =no trees Warfare and strife prevailed European arrival (dead statues).

Where did the trees go? Farmers clearing To move the statues Personal resources

What happens with out trees? Erosion Poor absorption of precipitation Find new places to live. Disease, starvation, slavery, raids.

Haitis Situation Severe Deforestation % Charcoal demand %-99% Sugar /coffee production

Clear depiction of Deforestation

Effects of Deforestation Worsens drought, leads to desertification Agricultural productivity Damages…dams, irrigation, roads… acres lost annually

Deforestation of Haiti

Indias Predicament Water deficit-104% Population 1 billion 2050 pop. ~2billion 80% gets food from agricultural infrastructure…so far.

Look out India!

Objectives To provide our audience with the understanding that fresh water, forests and the biodiversity they supply are already under considerable stress. We wish to accomplish an educated understanding for our audience that as the human population grows greater stress will be applied to the earths natural resources. The audience should know that as population increases resource deficits become larger populations can fail (crash).