ESS 330

Gaza's Polluted Sea The ecosystem services that come from the ocean are valuable to the people of Gaza. Because of the political crisis, the Palestinian President asked Israel to cut the power supply to Gaza in order to prevent further feuding. However, this inadvertently lead to raw and partially treated sewage being leaked into the sea since the beginning of the summer. Not only has the pollution lead to beaches being closed due to safety concerns, but fisherman already struggling to make a living are facing even greater hardships now. Seafood like crabs cannot be harvested because of the pollution. Consumers refuse to buy any seafood, even fished from outside of the polluted area, for fear of contamination. With seafood being the main export of Gaza, it is very difficult for many people to make a livelihood, especially during the political instability. The goal is to use solar power in the future in the case of power cuts which would allow for waste treatment to continue, how...

Ethiopian Drought and US Aid Currently, Ethiopia is in its third consecutive year of drought. This has resulted in the government putting in place a 10-month state of emergency that was recently lifted. Not only is the drought causing problems with food production and cattle herding, but there is also a fear of conflict resulting from instability in the government and neighboring countries. Drought on the border of Ethiopia and Somalia has caused prolonged problems for herders searching for grazing land. There is fear that these climate-induced stressors could result in conflict amongst herders. In response to the drought and possible conflict, the United States has donated aid to help combat the drought and the resulting famine that continues to occur. The goal is to help Ethiopia switch from a herding economy to an agricultural economy which could help provide different food sources while also improving the economy so that future aid is not needed. This article shows the int...

Deforestation and the Cocoa Industry in Ivory Coast On Ivory Coast, rain forests are continually being deforested to make way for profitable cocoa plantations. Currently, over 80% of the rain forest coverage has been cleared and it is predicted that by 2030 no more rain forest cover will remain. Trees are removed one by one to provide fertile soil for cocoa planting, increasing the deforested land daily. Governmental agencies responsible for the protection of these rain forests have not been actively monitoring the area, therefore trees continue to be cut down. Although cutting down trees provides more sunlight for cocoa growth, it also limits shade protection from excess sun that can scorch and destroy the plants. Even with the benefits that the rain forest coverage can provide, the people of Ivory Coast continue to illegally deforest land in order to make a living. The cocoa industry remains one of the country’s leading sources of economic growth. Farmers here are concerned...

  Kabul's Access to Clean Water The city of Kabul is growing rapidly, making it difficult for the infrastructure to support its population. As a result, drinking water is becoming increasingly contaminated. According to government officials, an estimated 70% of water is said to be safe, which still leaves a large majority of the population with unsafe water. In these areas, the citizens must boil their water before consumption or bathing. Ironically, Afghanistan has major sources of pristine water, however the cost of delivery and the risk of violence is too great to distribute the water. This leaves many in the population who are not wealthy enough to have modern water treatment and septic systems at the risk for waterborne diseases. Water can often be overlooked as a valuable natural resource because it does not have the monetary benefits of a resource like oil, but it is still valuable in other aspects. By putting a price on the lives saved instead of the cost of delivery...

Virunga National Park: Power Plants and Natural Resource Exploitation The Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to Virunga National Park, an ecologically diverse area of land. The area lacks electricity, infrastructure and overall development, making it difficult for anyone to make a living. Because of these economic stressors combined with the already high political tensions, many people turn to illegal natural resource extraction. The trees in Virunga National Park are often deforested to make charcoal while rebels and oil prospectors also exploit the area. Even though the national park is estimated to be more valuable when protected, the direct and indirect values of tourism, fisheries and hydropower development do not combat the immediate need for sources of energy and income to support the expanding population. This results in continued attempts to use the national park for land expansion, food, and fuel. Although hydropower is being implemented in the area, it is a very s...