Environmental RAFT Assignment: Choosing a Topic and Beginning the Research

Biodiversity Biodiversity Serves the Planet: Water purification Pollination Disease control - natural enemies (predators and parasites) of disease carrying organisms, (for example, ticks and mosquitoes) control diseases such as malaria, Lyme disease, hantavirus and cholera. Biodiversity Feeds the Planet: Food – – More than 7000 species of plants are cultivated or harvested from the wild. – Fish and other marine animals provide 20% of animal protein consumed, at a value of $50- $100 billion annually. – Medicines of the top 150 prescription drugs in America contain chemicals derived from plants, fungi and other species.

Renewable Energy Green Revolution 1.Europe DECOMMISSIONED more coal, fuel oil and nuclear capacity than it installed in Solar energy is now working at night on a commercial scale. 3.In the space of just 5 years, Portugal's electric grid leapt from 15% to 45% renewables. 4.Subsidies to fossil fuels worldwide outweigh renewable energy support by a ratio of 12:1. 5.Iceland’s power supply went from 75% imported coal to more than 80% local geothermal and hydro in 30 years. 6.Our energy needs can be met by 95% renewable energy by 2050.

Canadian and Global Water Crisis Global Facts 1.1 billion people (1/6th of the world’s pop’n) lack access to clean water. 2.6 billion people (40% of the world’s population) lack adequate sanitation (toilets). 1.5 billion people suffer from illness due to water-borne parasites. 6,000 children die every day from illness caused by water-borne diseases. Canadian Facts About 39% of First Nations water systems deemed 'high risk' At any given time there are upwards of 1,400 water advisories issued throughout Canada. 1,400 water advisories

International Trade of E-Waste Annually, some 53 million tonnes of e-waste are produced. Electronic waste now makes up 5% of all municipal solid waste worldwide, nearly the same amount as all plastic packaging, but it is much more hazardous. E-waste is now the fastest growing component of the municipal solid waste stream because people are upgrading their mobile phones, computers, televisions, audio equipment and printers more frequently than ever before. Mobile phones and computers are causing the biggest problem because they are replaced most often. A majority of the waste is simply thrown away, but an increasing amount is being recycled. Recent estimates have found that about 20 percent of the waste is properly recycled. What happens to the rest? Much of the waste finds its way to developing countries (e.g. Ghana).

Using our Library’s Resources One of your sources must come from Global Issues in Context Use the ‘advanced search’ tool to help you find a relevant article Type in key words (e.g. topics, places, years) If your search does not find useable results, do some digging find more search words