Evironmental Problems Facing Costa Rica Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Evironmental Problems Facing Costa Rica - Essay Example This paper takes a look at the serious environmental problems caused due to water pollution and deforestation in Costa Rica (Donald Smith, Costa Rica Deals with Environmental Pressures, for National Geographic News, news.nationalgeographic.com December 14, 2000). The population of Costa Rica was 862,000 with a per capita water supply of 110,209 cubic meters in 1950. By 1995, population rose to 3,424,000 and water depleted to 27,745 cubic meters (Tom Gardner & Robert Engelman, Sustaining Water, Easing Scarcity: A Second Update, Country Profile: Costa Rica, ncseonline.org). Covering 19,560 square miles, Costa Rica boasts of almost five percent of all known species in the world. Dense rainforest, rare tropical dry forests, the montane cloud forest cloaking the slopes of volcanoes, the dry savanna, the soft white beaches, and the coral reefs make Cost Rica an environmentalist's favored destination. Costa Rica alone has as many plant species as the whole of Europe, and the number of insect species in a hectare of rainforest is so great that no successful count has been made. Biologist L.H. Holdridge said in 1847 that Costa Rica had 12 zones ranging from tidal mangrove swamps to subalpine param based on a system he devised to analyze temperature, rainfall, and seasonality (Christopher Baker, Flora, Ecosystems, www.photo.net). Biologists believe that deforestation and river contamination has imbalanced the eco system leading to premature extinction of species. Forests, grasslands, wetlands, and coral reefs continue to disappear as human ecological footprint continues unsparingly across the globe. Today the world is warmer by about 1F (0.6C) than it was a century ago. It may not sound alarming, but the fact that scientists have shown a lot of concern makes for introspection. The effect of earth warming has seen many species of seabirds failing to breed because of the sharp decline in sand eels, which these birds eat. Sand eels in turn are dwindling because the cold-water plankton on which they feed is replaced by plankton that thrives in warm water. Tens of thousands of seabirds like kittiwakes, terns, and guillemots that feed on sand eels have shown a distinct decline in breeding. Insects play an important role in pollination. Without pollination, fruits and vegetables will disappear. People fail to realize that insects are a part of the food cycle and play an important role in sustaining life on earth. Insects also eat other insects to control the population insects we call pests. The praying mantis is a supreme example of an insect that helps control the population of other insects. Insects have been around for over 400 million years. They have an exceptional ability to evolve into new species when faced with new environmental conditions, and they are quite resistant to extinction. 3.0 The Impact of Pesticides Use of pesticides to terminate harmful insects can endanger the helpful and immunize

The Capture of Jerusalem by Saladin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

The Capture of Jerusalem by Saladin - Essay Example The rival troops rumbled over Jerusalem because there was a lot of tension and the Holy City was weakened. The Templar and Hospitaler Knights were continuously at logger heads. The battle of Hattin decimated the soldiers and Knight of the Latin States. On 2nd October 1187, Saladin captured the Holy city. The Muslims clambered up and removed the crosses that had been mounted by the Crusaders on the Cupola of the Dome of the Rock. Islam controlled Jerusalem from that day until the 20th century. Challiton, who was a cruel Crusader Is known to have massacred Muslim pilgrims because they steps on his turf. This seems to have instigated Saladin and his army to capture Jerusalem in their vow to revenge the action of Challiton. Additionally, at that time Jerusalem had difficulties with their leadership and this made them predisposed to enemy attack. Saladin and his army took over the Holy Land. The significance of Jerusalem in Muslim lore increased over the years. Saladin had sworn that he would stop killing the Christians after they had taken over the city. This story is of much significance at it gives a history of where the Muslims and the Christians started to have disputes each other. This is a conflict that is still taking place up to date. This story gives as the real facts of what events took place before Saladin, a Muslim leader took over Jerusalem .If we compare him to Challiton, the Crusader’s leader we can deduce that Saladin was a noble man that stood to his words. His courage, moderation and justice were character traits that seemed to have earned him lasting respect. This reading gives a history of a famous leader, Saladin in relation to the fall of Jerusalem. I believe that Saladin had every right to take over Jerusalem as it was being managed by wicked leaders. The part I enjoyed most was the character displayed by Saladin. His adherence to the ideal of Justice and magnanimity as well as his leadership skills will be