1. SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
Finish Latin America Geo Notes Environmental Issues in Latin America HW: FG Environmental Current Event due Friday

2. Current Event Country Taylor: Brazil Taylor: Cuba Ethan: Ecuador
Will: Uruguay
Bryce: Peru
Mechenzie: Haiti
Graham: Guyana
Angelina: Mexico
Clay: Paraguay
Ralph: Puerto Rico
Ava: Brazil
Morgan: Peru
Zeren: Haiti
Sophia: Colombia
Havana: Venezuela
Caden: Nicaragua
Mollie: Bolivia
Amy: Argentina
Christian: Belize
Sadie: Brazil
Nicole: Guatemala
Alex: Dominican Rep.
Adam: El Salvador
Sean: St. Vincent & Grenadines
Eric: Mexico
Autumn: Haiti
Sylvia: Costa Rica
Sabrina: Suriname
Edward: Jamaica
Dana: Panama
Rachel: Honduras
Sophie: Chile

3. Current Event Country Chloe B.: Brazil Caleb: Mexico Brooke: Ecuador
Mitchell: Nicaragua
Mariana: St. Kitts & Nevis
Livi: Honduras
Jacob: Haiti
Luka: Guyana
Ethan: Paraguay
Natalyn: Mexico
Sebastian: Barbados
Maizy: Belize
Taylor: Peru
Ryan: Panama
Cole: Colombia
Trent: Suriname
Jennifer: Haiti
Chloe G: Cuba
Nyah: St. Lucia
Dot: Brazil
Rachel: Costa Rica
Madison: Dom. Rep.
Arman: Guatemala
Nadeia: Chile
Matthew: Puerto Rico
Seth: Brazil
Cobyanne: Bolivia
James: Uruguay
Javon: Peru
Jackson: Venezuela
Andrew: Argentina

4. What causes buildings to collapse in Earthquakes. : https://www
What causes buildings to collapse in Earthquakes?: mCg Which countries are prepared for Earthquakes?: Q

5. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN LATIN AMERICA:
RAIN FOREST RESOURCES 5

6. “Rainforests” around the world cover approximately 5% of the earth’s total land mass. Most are found at or near the Earth’s equator in “tropical” climate regions (biomes).
Equator 6

7. The Amazon Rainforest in South America is the world’s largest rainforest. Most of it is located in Brazil.
Amazon Rainforest

8. RAIN FOREST DEFORESTATION
However, today nearly 78 million acres of rain forest are destroyed worldwide each year-about half the size of Texas.
Global Rates of Rain Forest Deforestation in Perspective:
2.47 acres per second: equivalent to two U.S. football fields
214,000 acres per day: an area larger than New York City
At the current rate of deforestation, the world’s rain forests will be gone in years! 8

9. Rainforests: An Important Global Resource
Within your group, discuss and write the reasons why should we care about what is happening to the world’s rain forests? Provide at least 3 reasons

10. Causes of Deforestation
Within your group, discuss and write the possible causes of deforestation.

11. SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 Deforestation of Amazon and Haiti
HW: Current Event due Tomorrow
Haiti Article Questions due Tomorrow

12. Rainforests: An Important Global Resource
The world’s rainforests are considered an important global resource for three reasons: 12

13. Rainforests: An Important Global Resource
1) Its vegetation helps to clean the earth’s atmosphere of excessive Greenhouse gases.
* plants absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.
Think of the rainforest as an air cleaner 13

14. The rain forest acts like a thermostat and water facet.
Rainforests: An Important Global Resource
2) Helps regulate the earth’s precipitation and temperature.
The rain forest acts like a thermostat and water facet. 14

15. The Amazon and Brazil’s Drought
koEPI

16. A DIVERSE ECOSYSTEM
The world’s rainforests shelter several million species of plants and animal.
In fact, 50% of all plant and animal species are found in the world’s rainforests. 16

17. So in this sense, think of the rainforest as the world’s pharmacy.
Rainforests: An Important Global Resource
3) Shelters several million species
of plants-many of the
ingredients found in modern
medicines are found only in
plants from the rainforest.
So in this sense, think of the rainforest as the world’s pharmacy. 17

18. Why is this happening? 18

19. Timelapse Video of Amazon Deforestation

20. Most of the world’s rainforests are located in third-world nations
(economically underdeveloped nations). 20

21. Why would these people do something that appears to be harmful not just to the planet, but also to themselves in the long-term?
CAUSES OF
DEFORESTATION 21

22. Causes of Deforestation :22

23. 1) Land is needed for farming to feed a rapidly growing population.
* Remember, most rainforests are found in third-world nations that depend on agricultural production to earn a living. 23

24. 2) Increased global demand for timber products: Governments sell logging concessions to raise money to pay international debts or to develop their economy/ infrastructure. 24

25. 3) Increased global demand for meat products:25

26. 3) Increased global demand for meat products:
Cattle prices dramatically increased thus turning livestock into a valuable export. Rain forest was converted into cattle grazing land 26

28. Since the world’s rain forests are a global resource, do we and the rest of the world have a say in how the people of Brazil and South America use or manage their natural resources (rain forests)? 28

29. Finding Solutions- What are we to do?
How do we balance “competing interests?
The economic needs of developing nations
The need to protect a vital global resource 29

30. FINDING SOLUTIONS TO SAVING LATIN AMERICA’S RAIN FORESTS
DEBT-FOR-NATURE-SWAP
Private environmental groups help Latin American countries pay off their foreign debt, and Latin American countries agree to protect certain portions of the rain forest from development.
Off-limits to development 30

31. FINDING SOLUTIONS TO SAVING LATIN AMERICA’S RAIN FORESTS
2) Develop “ecotourism”
Tourism based on the natural beauty of the environment. This will provide an economic alternative to farming and timber exports as a means of income. 31

32. 32

33. Eco-Tourism 33

34. Haiti Quick facts: Poorest country in western hemisphere
40% unemployment
Ethnic makeup: 95% black (descendants from African slaves)
Population: 10 million
Former sugar cane colony of France
Comprises west third of the island of Hispaniola
Located in the Caribbean Sea
Prone to earthquakes and hurricanes

35. Destruction of Haiti