Geo Essay

There are several significant geographic issues that the global community is currently facing. These issues must be looked at in depth and analyzed based on their effect on human life; be it culturally or economically. Two of the most important issues that are of utmost importance are the continued reliance on non-renewable energy sources, as well as environmental degradation and global warming.

Non-renewable energy sources consist of those resources that form so slowly that once used they cannot be replaced. Examples of non-renewable energy sources are comprised of fossil fuels such as petroleum, natural gas, and coal. The supply of these resources is finite, which means that they are available in only a limited fashion and will one day be gone. Non-renewable energy sources sustain the development of most developed countries (MDC’s), and are essential to their growth and maintenance. Less developed nations (LDC’s) do not rely on such energy sources, as they primarily use biomass fuels derived from plant material and animal waste. However, if these countries wish to become more developed, they will more than likely have to become reliant on already scarce non-renewable energy sources. This will only add to the problem that the global community is now facing, as the demand for these energy resources will continue to rise and their amount will continue to fall proportionately. Because of this, there must be a shift from reliance on non-renewable energy sources to renewable ones. By increasing the efficiency and technology of usage of renewable resources such as solar power, hydroelectricity, and geothermic, nations can move from being dependent upon resources that are limited to resources that are infinite and unlimited.

Environmental degradation refers to the diminishment of an ecosystem as a result of human activity, and occurs when people consume natural resources faster than the earth can replenish them. One form of environmental degradation is deforestation, which is the repeated clearing and burning of shrub and forest to make room for crops. This coupled with over cultivation leads to erosion, as the soil experiences a loss of topsoil and nutrients. This is a problem because many LDC’s are highly dependent on agriculture, and without sufficient soil they cannot plant crops.