Environmental Issues

MSU Dairy Farm

1.  What do they feed cows at the farm Why can cows digest things humans cannot
Aside from grass, cows are fed a scientifically formulated and balanced diet consisting of hay, grains, protein sources and other vitamins and minerals.  At times they are also given recycled ingredients such as citrus pulp, brewers mash and whole cottonseed.  Cows also consume a lot of water, up to as much as 25 to 50 gallons in a day.

Cows can digest things humans cannot because their digestive system is different from humans. Cows are ruminants and their stomachs are made in such a way that they can break down the cellulose content of what they eat.  Humans do not have the same kind of digestive system.

What are 3 environmental problems faced by a dairy operation such as this one, and how are they dealt with

Here are three possible environmental problems faced by a dairy operation
Nuisance  some locals feel that it is a nuisance to have a farm with livestock since it attracts flies and causes bad odor to the surrounding area.  Dairy farmers address this concern by always keeping their barns clean and having special manure storage facilities.  The diets of the cows are also specially formulated so that the manure produced will not have much odor.  Some farms even use air-filtration facilities to make sure that the air expelled from the barns are odor free.  Others use methane digesters to convert the manure into energy while also reducing odor.  

Ground Water Pollution  residents feel that dairy farms are a major contributor to the pollution of water sources which can possibly affect their health in the long run.  Dairy farmers assert that cow manure in their farms are properly handled to prevent runoffs.  Manure is either converted into energy or added to the soil as compost to create organic fertilizer.  Trees are also abundantly planted in the vicinity of the farm to act as natural buffers in controlling water runoffs to other areas, hence, areas outside the farm will be least affected if at all.

Air Pollution  other community locals think that livestock is responsible for chemicals in the atmosphere like ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen and other particulates.  As much as possible, dairy farmers practice recycling and environment-friendly systems to ensure that the quality of life is sustained and ecology is maintained.

How has changing the style of barn helped to reduce some of the environmental problems and made life more comfortable for the cows

The more recent style of barns allows more air to circulate, allows more space for the cows to move freely, gives the cows more comfortable areas to rest, and gives the farmer more waste management efficiency.  This means that there is a system being used to make the dairy farm more responsive to the needs of the farm cows as well as addressing problems of the environment.

Briefly describe the steps that bring milk from the cow to you.  Be sure to describe what pasteurization is.  (attach a separate sheet if necessary)

Milk is taken from the cow 2-3 times a day by a milking machine.  Milk comes from the cow at 100 degrees and is quickly cooled down to 40 degrees.  The milk flows from the cow to the cooled pipes to a refrigerated sanitary tank, which will be taken by a dairy truck to be brought to the dairy plant where it is pasteurized and bottled.  Pasteurization is a simple, effective method to kill harmful pathogens through heat treatment without affecting the taste or nutritional value of milk.  After being pasteurized, the milk is then bottled and sold to stores where consumers may now buy them.

Describe two examples of a waste material being converted to a resource at the dairy farm.

Manure in the dairy farm is converted into fertilizer by mixing it with the soil.  It can also be fed to methane digesters so they can be converted into energy or biofuel for use as electricity or for other purposes.

Water used for cleaning the barns can be recycled for use in farmland for irrigation purposes.

Human Population Lab  Part 1

Instructions

Sign up for a country India
Choose a country that you would be interested in studying in some detail.

Before Class
You will be researching basic demographic information about your country.  Here are some sites that might be useful

At this site use the InfoNation for comparisons of statistical data from many nations and Country At a Glance to view statistics on a specific country. There are many other useful sites which you can find by doing a web search of your particular country. You may need to gather information from a variety of sources.

Complete the following data chart for your country, and find the answers to the discussion questions. BRING YOUR DATA TO LAB.  This is a requirement for completion of the lab.  If you do not bring your completed chart to class, you will lose points for this lab.  Other students are counting on you to provide this information.In lab, you will work in groups to analyze your countrys statistics and compare them to other countries.  If we have time, you will also present the conclusions of your group to the class.

Human Population Lab, Country Data Worksheet     NameYour countryINDIADemographic DataPopulation in 2009 (or most recent available)1,156,897,766Area of your country in square kilometers (km2)3,287,263 sq kmPopulation Density as of 2001
(Number of humans per Square Kilometer)324Birth rate and death rateBR  21.72 births1,000 population

DR  7.6 deaths1,000 populationNet Migration
( means immigration, - means emigration)-0.05 migrant(s)1,000 populationPopulation projection to 20501,000,000,000Total Fertility Rate  (the number of children a woman will give birth to in her lifetime)2.68 children bornwomanLife expectancy (male and female)male 65.13 years
female 67.17 years

Infant mortality rate per 100050.78 deaths1,000 live birthsPopulation structure
(percents aged 0-14, 15-30, 31-40, 41-65, 65)0-14 years 30.5 (male 187,197,389female 165,285,592)
15-64 years 64.3 (male 384,131,994female 359,795,835)
65 years and over 5.2 (male 28,816,115female 31,670,841)

Economic DataGDP per capita (in U.S. dollars) 3,100 in 2009Poverty Rate 25Government education expenditure 3.2 of GDPAgricultural base

(self-sufficient vs. food importer) 165 billion (export) vs. 253.9 billion (import)Primary exports petroleum products, precious stones, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, vehicles, apparel

SocialPolitical DataEducation policy (literacy rate,   kids in school, avg. grade completed, etc.)definition age 15 and over can read and write
total population 61
male 73.4
female 47.8

Major religions Hindu 80.5, Muslim 13.4, Christian 2.3, Sikh 1.9, other 1.8, unspecified 0.1Health Care (availability) 5 of the GDPStatus of women (social status, property ownership,  of girls in school, etc)Maternal mortality in India is the second highest in the world, estimated to be between 385-487 per 100,000 live births.  Women constitute 90 per cent of the total marginal workers of the country Cruelty to wives comprised 28 per cent of all crimes in 1996.Policy on population (status of family planning, legality of abortion, availability of contraception, etc.) Two-children per family policy increased abortions of female fetuses due to preference for male offsprings contraception is available.Form of government federal republicNatural ResourcesEnergy consumption 400 KWH per annum

Now the worlds 5th largest producer of wind powerCarbon dioxide emissions 1,510,351 thousands of metric tons or 5.3 of total globalWater resources Only 62.3 per cent of Indian households have access to safe waterEnvironmental challenges (pollution levels, desertification, erosion, etc)60 of the land suffers erosion unsanitary practices of eliminating waste causes water pollution vehicles cause 33 of the air pollution land pollution due to pesticides and fertilizers.
Be prepared to discuss the following

The consequences of your countrys present population status (Demographic, Social, and Economic factors listed above) on the future growth of your country, natural resources, and environmental quality.  How might an increasing population affect air and water quality, habitat loss, energy use, etc  If your country has a decreasing population size, will an increased standard of living have an effect on the environmental quality of your country

An increasing population will mean higher population density.  This will result to more competition for resources, and therefore will result to more air, water and land pollution, more habitat loss and energy use.  If population decreases, an increased standard of living will definitely uplift the quality of life of the present members of the population.  Most likely, they will enjoy better health and a more comfortable standard of life.

The consequences of your countrys population status globally.  For example, does population growth in your country have an effect on environmental quality in other countries or vice versa  If your country has zero or negative growth, what is your responsibility regarding the affairs of other countries

Yes it does because even if the population is only in one country, the consequences of the action of one person can make a big difference on a global scale.  If my country has a zero or negative growth, my responsibility towards the affairs of other countries is to assist them with their problem on overpopulation, or at least to help them to bring down their population growth.  This will assure future generations of the assisted country to have more employment opportunities, better wages, a lesser drive to migrate to other locations, and a better perspective of life as a whole.  

Your countrys population policy.  Your country may already have a population policy.  What is it  How has it been implemented  What results or consequences have been seen If your country does not currently have a policy, develop your own based on the particular needs of your country.  This should be a statement about the best means for maintaining population growth at a desirable level.

India already has a population policy in place, namely, the two-children per family policy which was implemented in the year 2000.  At present time, there are some states which follow the rule while there are others which do not.  Due to the failure of following through with this policy, India continues to be the 2nd most populous nation in the world.  The current situation is somehow related to lack of education on the part of women in the Northern part of India where there is a lower literacy rate.  The best possible recommendation would be to elect a leader who would propose a population reform, set the example,  and make sure to follow through with it until the desired population rate is achieved.