Enviromental science

Do you know where your food comes from? Throughout history self-sufficiency has been the norm for acquiring food such as grains, meats, fruits and vegetables. People and nations grew their own food and traded only on a local level. Today, food trade between nations has intensified, food is shipped thousands of miles across the globe and World trade in agricultural products exceeds $1 trillion dollars annually!

Choose one of the foods from the table below that you may have in your kitchen, fridge or pantry. Determine where this food came from either from the label or from the list provided in this

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1. Describe the food item, where it came from (check the label or sticker) and use this calculator to determine how far it has travelled to reach your table. http://www.organiclinker.com/food-miles.cfm.List the food item.Where did it come from?How far has it travelled?
2. How does this vast movement of food from one nation to another benefit developing nations? Are there benefits to developed or wealthy nations?
3. There is an “eat local” initiative developing throughout the US and Europe. What are the benefits to buying fresh, local foods? Are there drawbacks? (Use the internet and the library resources to help you form your opinion.)
4. Can you live without the food item you chose? Is there a local substitute available? Knowing what you do of how Global Food Trade effects the global market and the economies of individual countries, explain your position on buying this food item in the future.

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Not all countries have moved through all four phases of the demographic transition. You are a consultant for a developing country that is not yet in phase IV of demographic transition.

In your own words, complete the following:

• Define demographic transition.
• Describe the 4 phases of demographic transition, including if the population is stable, growing, or declining in each. ·
• According to demographers, what factors lead to a decline in the crude birth rates (CBR) and crude death rates (CDR) in the epidemiologic and fertility phases of the demographic transition? ·
• Briefly describe three living conditions and/or environmental impacts in developed countries that have reached phase IV, and contrast them with these conditions or impacts in developing countries that remain in earlier phases. ·
• Assuming that the demographic transition phase IV is a goal for developing countries, what two programs or initiatives would you suggest to assist them in progress toward this goal?