According to Volkert Engelsman, an activist with the International Federation of Organic
Agriculture Movements, “We are losing 30 soccer fields of soil every minute, mostly due to
intensive farming.” As such, the FOA has created an International Treaty on Plant Genetic
resources for Food and Agriculture. This treaty “greatly promotes the conservation and
utilization of plant genetic resources. First of all, the conclusion and subsequent ratification of
the Treaty by more than 135 countries implies that many governments have now recognized the
importance of plant genetic resources, the threats to their survival, and the need to develop
specific policies in order to conserve them and make their wider use.
Plant genetic resources have reached the agenda and raised the attention of policy makers and
politicians.”
As an environmental engineer working for the city of San Jose, write a memo to the Board of
Directors for Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) to argue that reducing
greenhouse gas emission should be a very important part of their strategic plans, and suggest
ideas for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable farming methods. Give a
persuasive argument about why California’s farmers should significantly reduce greenhouse gas
emissions; discuss the consequences of global warming and its possible impacts on our state.
Then suggest 3-4 ideas for reducing greenhouse gas emission in California. Focus on at least two
ideas: minimizing soil degradation, implementing
organic/chemical-free growing method(s), banning factory farming, improving animal waste
disposal, regulating toxic agricultural run-off.
Sample Solution
