Question One
Sustainable agriculture is a farming strategy that is widely based on an understanding of the relationship between the environment and organisms. Ideally, sustainable agriculture is not at odds with human populations because it leads to the production of more healthy foods that can feed huge populations of people. Furthermore, sustainable agriculture is an approach that can be used to feed a rapidly growing human population while minimising the agriculturally-related impacts on the environment, animals, and human health (Mason, 2003).
The ecosystem challenges associated with agribusiness include habitat loss and land conversions as a result of deforestation. Specifically, agribusiness leads to the clearing of natural habitats to give way for farmlands, which threatens numerous plant and animal species as well as entire ecosystems (Mason, 2003). Some of the approaches that can be used to prevent deforestation include instituting laws and regulations that govern the felling of trees. Furthermore, governments can prohibit the clearing of forests. Developers and constructors can also be obliged to plant trees in the vicinities of the constructions to replace some of the felled trees (Mason, 2003).
Question Two
Fracking or hydraulic fracturing refers to a process that is widely used to drill and fracture shale rocks at high temperatures to produce natural gas. Even though the process has been used for numerous years, most companies in the United States now view it a cheap option, and there are growing concerns regarding its potential effects to the local communities. The health risks associated with fracking are skin rashes, respiratory difficulties, neurological problems, and digestive disorders (Finkel, 2015). The process requires the use of numerous chemicals that eventually leach into the nearby groundwater, which finds its ways into homes. People are exposed to the contaminated water through bathing and drinking, among others (Finkel, 2015).
References
Finkel, M. (2015). The human and environmental impact of fracking: How fracturing shale for gas affects us and our world. New York: ABC-CLIO
Mason, J. (2003). Sustainable agriculture. Washington: Landlinks Press
