1. Critical Global Environmental Issues
Dr. Jessica Braswell, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science

2. As you know, the world is facing a number of environmental threats
These threats overlap and influence each other.
Agriculture, particularly conventional ag, plays a role in ALL of the major env. threats

3. Global Environmental Issues
Industrialized agriculture
Water depletion
Water pollution
Air pollution
Climate change
Biodiversity loss
Invasive species
Human population growth

4. Agriculture Industrialized agriculture: “high-input” farming
Water
Fertilizer
Pesticides
Agricultural practices influenced by
Climate
Economics
Local, national, international politics

5. Environmental Impacts of Agriculture
Loss of soil fertility
Air and water pollution due to fertilizers and pesticides
Water depletion

6. Environmental Impacts of Agriculture
Conventional agriculture is totally dependent on fossil fuels.
4 kcal of energy used to produce 1 kcal of food in conventional ag. Cannot be sustained with a finite resource.
17-19% of our fossil fuel use goes to agriculture.
Reliance on fossil fuels

7. Water Depletion Water Use Irrigation Drinking
Agriculture
Landscaping
Drinking
Washing, bathing, flushing toilets

8. Water Depletion

9. Water Depletion
Water is being used at an unsustainable rate and we can already see the effects of this depletion. We take more water out of groundwater supplies than is replenished.
40-70% of our water usage goes to irrigation (depending on climate). Furthermore, and average of 40% of irrigation water is wasted.
Organic farms usually have irrigation systems that deliver water directly to the plants, thereby reducing waste.

10. Impacts of Water Depletion
Peakwater.org
Luke Robinson (flickr)
Surface water, and the livelihoods it supports, diminished
Reduced water supplies for drinking and irrigation

11. Water Pollution Nutrients from fertilizers and animal wastes Pathogens
Sediment
Debris
Toxic chemicals
Svsu.edu

12. Water Pollution Pollution does not respect international borders
Tragedy of the commons
Bordersewagecoatlition.org

13. Impacts of Water Pollution
Aquatic habitats no longer support life
Water becomes unsafe for drinking and irrigation, health problems arise

14. Air Pollution Particulates, toxins, smog
Mainly results from the combustions of fossil fuels, mining, agriculture

15. Impacts of Air Pollution
Health problems
Maltaweather.info
Global climate change
Acid rain

16. Climate Change
Increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases
Mainly from the combustion of fossil fuels, deforestation, and agriculture
Carlyle Calvin

17. Impacts of Climate Change
The Telegraph, UK

18. Biodiversity Loss Loss of species, purposeful or accidental
Protection and enforcement highly variable among nations

19. Impacts of Biodiversity Loss
Ecosystems compromised
Loss of potential medicines and food resources
Loss of ecotourism

20. Invasive Species Purposeful or accidental introduction
Outcompete or eat native species
Introductions increase along with global movement of people and goods

21. Impacts of Invasive Species
Vpr.net
Native species decline
Biological and structural habitat changes

22. Human Population Growth
Population growth rates
Less than –2%
–2–0%
0–1.44%
1.44–2.5%
2.5–3.5%
More than 3.5%

23. Impacts of Human Population Growth

24. As you know, the world is facing a number of environmental threats
These threats overlap and influence each other.
Agriculture, particularly conventional ag, plays a role in ALL of the major env. threats