As we've noted in class, the model of modernization and development that Latin America has embarked upon during the last few decades has created serious environmental problems.  These often were exacerbated because governments put off addressing them in an effort to rapidly push forward development programs.  Thus, agricultural development efforts have led to deforestation, serious pesticide and herbicide contamination, the poisoning of migrant workers and rural communities, and the development of pesticide resistant pests.  Mining and oil exploration have contaminated ground waters and drainage systems, severely affected rainforest and other ecosystems, and have threatened indigenous and peasant communities.  Industrialization and urban growth have created a host of public health issues.  Overuse of waters has increased salinization of the soils and depleted aquifers in many parts of the continent.  Large-scale projects such as road building and the damming of rivers have threatened delicate ecosystems.  Often the response to these concerns by governments has been slow and lukewarm; powerful economic forces often prevent any substantive measures from being implemented.  Often environmental groups in these countries are small and underfunded.

In this project I would like you to select one environmental issue or an environmental group working in Latin America.  Using two or three sources on the Web (perhaps it is best to use the electronic resources of the library), respond to the following questions:

1. Identify the principle causes of the environmental damage of one particular area of concern (pesticide contamination in one area, a mine, petroleum exploration in an area, deforestation in one country, etc.).  What is the history, briefly, of the environmental conditions you are exploring?  What groups (governmental agencies, ranchers, oil companies, etc.), organizations, institutions, seem to be involved in causing the environmental damage you are examining?

2. What are the actual environmental issues involved, and what are their causes?  What environmental damage has actually occurred?

3. What groups (peasants, specific indigenous groups, etc.) are most affected by the environmental conditions, and how have they been affected?  What groups have mobilized to end environmental damage (these might be national or international)?  What are they advocating, and what tactics have they used to publicize their efforts?

4. Ultimately, what are the larger long-term environmental and human impacts of this environmental issue?   Who will be most affected?

This is due on Nov. 14.  Your report should contain a list of your sources, a map of the site of environmental concerns, and a well written paragraph responding to each of the questions above.  Write your paragraphs as a press report (or as an informational piece that you might be presenting to a legislator):  sufficiently extensive to provide all the information you deem necessary to understanding the particular case you have studied, but no longer than necessary, since you will lose the attention of the reader.  This will be the criteria that I will use in grading the project.