Environmental Science 1302- Brien Watson

The desire for more renewable energy sources has become more apparent over time, resulting in a boom in alternative energy production. The transition to more “clean” and reliable energy has made way for a multitude of benefits for both the environment and the economy; however, the practice of using renewable energy in favor of its counterpart is not as perfect as many would like to believe. The industry itself is subject to much controversy, and its close involvement to many aspects of human life make it a prime topic for research.  A researcher looking at the issue from a positivism approach would analyze the correlation between the uses of nonrenewable energy and the extent of the impact they have on the environment. They would look at the scientific data proving the positive impact of using clean energy sources has on the environment, comparing it to more traditional methods, as well as looking at the data to prove that making the change would be sustainable. Additionally, a res...

               1.0 Points of View Within the first reading, presented by David D. Briske, Brandon T., Bestelmeyer, and Joel R. Brown, the authors are of the mindset that the method of preventing desertification, proposed by Allan Savory, isn’t as fool-proof as Savory claims. They share disbelief in Savory’s method because of the “lack of evidence regarding Mr. Savory’s claims that his grazing method can sequester vast amount of carbon dioxide from atmosphere into soils to reduce climate change” (Briske et al, 2014). They believe that instead of accepting Savory’s method of necessary period livestock trampling, it is better to prioritize the “more viable strategy of adaptation planning to minimize the risk of climate change on human livelihoods derived from livestock grazing” (Brikse et al, 2014).  The second reading, presented by David D. Briske, Brandon T., Bestelmeyer, Joel R. Brown, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, and H. Wayne Polleny, takes a look ...

                      1.0 Introduction to Regenerative Agriculture Regenerative agriculture is the practice of taking traditional agricultural/farming methods and making them more environmentally sustainable.  Traditional agriculture tends to focus more on prioritizing maximum product output and efficiency, and often utilizes artificial soils, fertilizers, and pesticides to increase and maintain farming output. This non-stop approach to agriculture has led to many negative environmental effects, such as fallow soil, desertification, increased carbon emissions, and climate change. Regenerative agriculture was created as a solution to the problems caused by traditional agricultural methods because, instead of going against nature, it works with nature to not only produce quality farming produce, but also keep the natural landscape healthy. It focuses on maintaining environmental biodiversity, improving the water cycle, ...

History of Agriculture Pre-Modern Agriculture 10,000+ years ago, humans switched from hunter-gathering societies to complex civilizations. Large scale agriculture develops in: Southwest Asia [9000 B.C.] (rye, emmer/einkorn wheat, hulled barley, peas, lentils, chickpeas, flax) Persian Gulf and around the Nile River; called the “Fertile Crescent” [7000 B.C.] (animal domestication of sheep, goats, and oxes) China [7000 B.C.] (rice and wheat) South America [3000-2700 B.C.] (maize, tomato, potato, pepper, squash, variety of bean) [5500 B.C.] Intensive domestication of animals and crop production leads to the settlement of human populations in specific regions. New agricultural techniques are developed. New World colonization leads to: The Atlantic Slave Trade Triangular Trade Expansion of European powers in the Americas Moving Towards Modern Agriculture: The Green Revolution Post WWII, agricultural production began to double at an increasing rate.  Chemical warfare in WWII led to the de...