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Summary and reflection on North America
Part 1
This section highlights key issues that have been discovered in North America. First and foremost, the uneven distribution of natural resources. North America is formed by the Caribbean, Central America, and North America itself. That is geographically they form the continent North America. The continent of North America does not produce enough oil to serve the whole continent, thus depend on imports. The United States has been ranked among the top producers and consumers of oil. Since they still import oil means that they consume more than they produce. This trend is likely to impose dangers on the environment if other forms of energy are not resorted to.
Secondly, there is increased deforestation, pollution and the reduction of freshwaters. All the factors herein may affect ecological balance. In studying this, important topics of how dams can destroy estuaries, and the harmful effects of over-pumping water bodies were covered. Pollution is a significant threat to the environment. These issues can be further broken down into air and water pollution and how they affect different components of the environment.
Thirdly, a vital issue to note is population. For proper planning of the states, census, an activity conducted after every ten years to count people is effective in North America. According to statistics, the population has been increasing over the past years, and that can be attributed to several factors, including immigration. Some of the things put into consideration when conducting census are hospitals, schools, among other essential services needed to sustain the population. Immigration also has its effects on the economy, positive and negative, that have been discussed extensively in this study. Regions immigrants reside have also been identified.
PART 2
Agriculture is among the activities that contribute to North America’s GDP. Dairy farming is done in some parts of North America, wheat and small grain farming too. However, agriculture comes the need to build dams that are imposing a threat to freshwater bodies as water is pumped to dams. Freshwater bodies are home to most living creatures, such as fish. Therefore, when the water level drops, there is a likelihood that salty water will contaminate and, in the long run, harm these creatures. As seen, agriculture contributes to the continent’s economy, and fishing is among the agricultural activities that sum up to farming. The climate of North America allows for agriculture, thus an advantage to sustain the food industry.
The population of North America is continually increased mostly as a result of immigration. Statistics had shown a steady increase in the numbers in the last ten decades. With the rise, new mechanisms need to be adapted for sustainability. The significant advantage of immigration is that those people who come into the continent are mostly young, translating to the ability of them contributing to the growth of the economy by working in industries. On the flip side, this interferes with the planning and leads to over-consuming products, for instance, oil, which has to be imported to carter for the whole region.
Human activities have contributed significantly to pollution in the region. Deforestation is increasing by day to provide land for immigrants coming. Industries also produce emissions that are released to the air, and some waste is also discharged into rivers and soil. Among the sector that is contributing significantly to pollution is the food industry, which has resulted in soil degradation. For the increasing population to be sustained, food security has to be among the things considered. In this quest, efforts to use fertilizers and greenhouses have increased over time. All these factors result in the deterioration of the ozone layer that protects us from the harmful rays. As the layer continues to be depleted, global warming is slowly kicking. Global warming is a result of climate change. We risk having increased respiratory infections and cancer. Climate change also increases the chances of having floods due to the excess hit that increasing water levels in the oceans and seas. Future generations are sadly going to be affected significantly with climate change if North America cannot change its approach towards sustaining their economy. That is, safer methods have to be invented, such as safer oils and safer farming practices that do not impose danger on food security for North Americans.
California had the most significant number of immigrants as of 2017. Immigrants are spread across several metropolitan regions in North America. Thus, North America has more than three cultural representation across. This imposes a challenge to how all these cultures will be harmonized into one for peace and unity. One thing the country has done to make sure different cultures see themselves as North Americans is to view all races as a strength for the nation. That is, the continent has accepted them entirely. However, that does not mean that there are no challenges concerning multiculturalism. There is still a challenge in understanding different cultures and how they operate, for instance, what may be regarded as acceptable in one culture may be considered negatively by another culture. All in all, diversification brings about productivity (Reynolds). North America, as other continents equally face the same challenges mainly as regards to human activities that affect climate significantly.
Works Cited
Reynolds, Katie. “13 benefits and challenges of cultural diversity in the workplace.” HULT International Business School (2019). <https://www.hult.edu/blog/benefits-challenges-cultural-diversity-workplace/>.