Liliana Calambaz

Human activities influence the environmental stability.

Woods are disappearing due to human actions, such as: cut trees, transport them and sell them in a discriminatory way, indiscriminate actions, which are violation laws that protect the environment in Colombia. Forests have direct influence in the climate because they absorb and store carbon dioxide, likewise they help to preserve flora and fauna which offer great beauty and importance  to the country, in the same way the animals would not become extinct so soon because they would have an adequate environment for their development. Despite, the unconsciousness of people in front of the ecosystems and their balance in the environment, it has caused great ecological problems and negative impacts, which are threatening the survival of all living beings.

In the past, it was believed that deforestation contributed to the development of a country because woods were replaced by farmland and trees were used as energy and as raw materials like for the manufacture of paper, furniture, house constructions and a variety of tools for a lot of uses as human civilization powered their modern lifes. Nowadays, there are areas of the country which have lost the natural resources that predominated in them due to deforestation, for instance: shortage of water, erosion of grounds, immoderate felling of the forests, in general, deterioration of the diverse ecosystems, therefore they are contributing to regional and global climatic imbalances. At last but not least important, deforestation also causes several problems such as: soil erosion and destabilization of water tables, which in turn favors floods or droughts. Drought reduces food production resulting to insufficient food.

Taken from: http://www.rcnradio.com/locales/frenarian-en-el-huila-la-generacion-
de-energia-en-el-quimbo/

Forests play a key role in the environmental balance but it's becoming clear that humans have caused a great unbalance environment. Personally, it has now become necessary for all countries in the world to recognize this fact and plan what is known as “sustainable development” because these problems not only affect Colombian population but world population. It is high time we realize that we are an integral part of the environment and therefore we have a great responsibility towards maintaining the environment.

Feedback

By Astrid Garnica

I read your essay and it seems to me that this is a problem that affects all regions. Although the cutting of trees has brought us several benefits regarding its usefulness of wood and the variety of ways in which we can adapt it to our needs, we are not aware of the serious error that is being committed because, as you mention, the trees are a source of water, a resource of first necessity. Every other day, space is being taken away from the forests due to the extension of the population and the need to build a home. From my point of view, I can say that we only have to take care of and try to preserve the forests since they have an important role in the purification of the air, something that benefits us all.

By Fabiola Suarez

Liliana, I read your essay, it is interesting. I know about what are you talking about, in the town in which I’m living is a paper factory called Georgia Pacific. These paper factory is owner of long extensions of land in different places around to the town, close to the different natural parks that we have here. Georgia Pacific cut the trees and overseeding those, however, this situation has consequences over the live of the millions of animal species and the soil. While I was looking for information to write my essay, I found some documents from 2007 about Georgia Pacific, through those years this paper factory had a legal issue with the government because they were put into St. John’s river their sewage or wastewater after the process of extraction of the pulp of the trees for to make the paper. I could not find more information about what was happening in the next years, but I guess it’s a solved situation because here the law enforcement works better.

As far as I am concerned this paper factory have several farm trees here still, and the process of cut and overseeding continue. It is a sad situation because here as in our country there are beautiful places with a lot of wildlife. Close to me there are more than ten natural parks where you can go for hiking and camping, I love go there because my personality for me to be in nature is pretty important and help me to relieve from anxiety and stress. There you can see foxes, bears, snakes, birds, butterflies, and a big variety of insects.

Liliana, you made a great job in your essay. I could not detect errors in this.

By Luis Serrano

I checked your essay, it is a bit similar with my environmental problem, the water our most precious liquid. It seems to me that the environmental problems in your city could be a cultural problems, as you have described there is not control agencies that regulate this phenomenon, and the worse yet the people in this city seems do not care about it; it is a shame that not have we do not have that culture of protecting our nature resources.

On the other hand, I think that your essay is ok, but your topic sentence I cannot see it in your introduction, you talking about the “water source contamination”, and you start with some problems, “However, as long as it growth, the contamination will be more evident, Pitalito has several environmental problems” perhaps you should focus on water pollution first, by mean of a persuasive statement that catch the reader’s attention, for example “Pitalito may run out of water in a couples of years”.

By Paola Mora

I've read your essay, and I agree with you, deforestation is a worrying environmental problem, it is affecting the human being life and the flora and fauna in our country, the air contamination has increased, some animal species and plants could disappear due to tree felling, thanks to lack of responsibility and environmental awareness. We see big companies building big dams, which cut down a large number of trees; even forests. The mining, both legal and illegal; the overgrazing and subsequent soil erosion.

The trees, the animals and the plants are indispensable in our lives, we need consider our acts, and contribute for a better society and environment.

I consider that as a future teacher we could play a key role not only teaching a second language but also teaching about humanity, about environmental awareness, and many many things that are very important in our lives. It is important acquire an integral training and training better people than we could be.

Audio Link

AUDIO BY LILIANA CALAMBAZ

References

Rodriguez, N., Armenteras, D., & Retana, J. (2012). Effectiveness of protected areas in the Colombian Andes: deforestation, fire and land-use changes. Springer.  13(2) p 423–435. Taken from: http://www.ecolmod.unal.edu.co/unciencias/data-file/user_26/Rodriguez%20et%20al_REC_2012.pdf

Armenteras,  D., Rudas, G., Rodriguez, N., & Romero, M. (2005). Patterns and causes of deforestation in the Colombian Amazon. Elsevier. 6(2) p 353 -368. doi=10.1.1.460.7681&rep=rep1&type=pdf. Taken from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.460.7681&rep=rep1&type=pdf

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