The Department of Education (DepEd) will conduct the 2019 Brigada Eskwela

from May 20 to 25, 2019 with the theme “Matatag na Bayan para sa Maunlad na
Paaralan.”

The Brigada Eskwela is the National Schools Maintenance Week, that aims to
brings together all education stakeholders to participate and contribute their time,
effort, and resources to prepare public school facilities for the opening of the
school year in June .

The host region will hold the national kick-off program on May 16, 2019 in a public
school to be announced later.

School heads (SHs) shall take the lead role in planning the activities geared on
making schools ecologically conscious, resilient, clean, and conducive to learning.
Important reminders to SHs in the conduct of this activity are indicated in
Enclosure No. 1.

Individuals or groups from the national government agencies (NGAs), local

government units (LGUs), private sector, international organizations and other
parties, who or which are interested to help the schools and volunteers, may
coordinate with the External Partnerships Service (EPS) of the DepEd Central
Office, Education Support Services Division in the ROs, Social Mobilization and
Networking Section under the Schools Governance and Operations Division in the
SDOs and/or the school principal of the beneficiary school, for guidance.

All DepEd employees are encouraged to join the 2019 Brigada Eskwela activities
by volunteering their skills, sharing their time or providing in-kind support to public
schools near their residence. Interested employees are given two days to do
volunteer work on official time, provided that such work is approved by their
heads of offices.

2019 BRIGADA ESKWELA ACTIVITIES

The schedule of activities for the 2019 Brigada Eskwela implementation is as
follows:

Activity Schedule
Pre-implementation Stage of Brigada Eskwela (Assessment of Physical January 3-May
Facilities and Maintenance Needs of the Schools, Resource Mobilization,
Organization of Brigada Eskwela Committees and their Orientation on Specific 17, 2019
Roles and Tasks, among other activities)
Brigada Eskwela National Kick-off Program and Caravan May 16, 2019
Brigada Eskwela Regional and Schools Division Kick-off Program and on or before
Caravan May 20, 2019
May 20-25,
Brigada Eskwela Implementation and Monitoring of Schools
2019
Submission of Consolidated Brigada Eskwela Accomplishment Reports by the
June 28, 2019
Division Coordinators to the Regions
Submission of Consolidated Brigada Eskwela Accomplishment Reports by the
July 31, 2019
Regional Coordinators to the External Partnerships Service
Submission of Division Entries for the Brigada Eskwela Awards to the Regions July 31, 2019
August 1-
Regional Selection and Deliberation of Brigada Eskwela Awards Candidates September 27,
2019
Submission of Final List of School Candidates as Brigada Eskwela National on or before
Awardees to External Partnerships Service, including the submission of rating October 18,
sheets reflecting the ranks and scores of the awardee -candidates 2019
Within October-
Conduct of Brigada Eskwela Regional Awarding Ceremony
November 2019
November 28,
Conduct of Brigada Eskwela National Awarding Ceremony
2019
To implement the selection process in the Search for Brigada Eskwela Best
Implementing Schools effectively, DepEd hereby issues a set of criteria, and
details of which are provided in Enclosure No. 2.

The SH and school coordinator of the Brigada Eskwela Best Implementing

Schools sh

2019 BRIGADA ESKWELA ACTIVITIES

The schedule of activities for the 2019 Brigada Eskwela implementation is as
follows:

Activity Schedule
Pre-implementation Stage of Brigada Eskwela (Assessment of Physical
Facilities and Maintenance Needs of the Schools, Resource Mobilization, January 3-May
Organization of Brigada Eskwela Committees and their Orientation on Specific 17, 2019
Roles and Tasks, among other activities)
Brigada Eskwela National Kick-off Program and Caravan May 16, 2019
Brigada Eskwela Regional and Schools Division Kick-off Program and on or before
Caravan May 20, 2019
May 20-25,
Brigada Eskwela Implementation and Monitoring of Schools
2019
Submission of Consolidated Brigada Eskwela Accomplishment Reports by the
June 28, 2019
Division Coordinators to the Regions
Submission of Consolidated Brigada Eskwela Accomplishment Reports by the
July 31, 2019
Regional Coordinators to the External Partnerships Service
Submission of Division Entries for the Brigada Eskwela Awards to the Regions July 31, 2019
August 1-
Regional Selection and Deliberation of Brigada Eskwela Awards Candidates September 27,
2019
Submission of Final List of School Candidates as Brigada Eskwela National on or before
Awardees to External Partnerships Service, including the submission of rating October 18,
sheets reflecting the ranks and scores of the awardee -candidates 2019
Within October-
Conduct of Brigada Eskwela Regional Awarding Ceremony
November 2019
November 28,
Conduct of Brigada Eskwela National Awarding Ceremony
2019
To implement the selection process in the Search for Brigada Eskwela Best
Implementing Schools effectively, DepEd hereby issues a set of criteria, and
details of which are provided in Enclosure No. 2.

The SH and school coordinator of the Brigada Eskwela Best Implementing

Schools .

Animal production

Animal Production
The production of animal goods; such as meat, dairy, wool, and leather;
is a multi-billion-dollar-per-year industry and accounts for over half of
the value of U.S. agricultural products. Further, livestock products
supply about 13 percent of energy and 28 percent of protein in diets
consumed worldwide. Technological advances and the development of
science-based management practices and standards have enabled the
United States to make vast strides in the efficient and economical
generation of higher-quality animal foods and fiber products.

IMPORTANCE OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION

 To meet projected demand for animal products, the industry must
streamline production and advance capacity to prevent, detect,
diagnose, and treat animal diseases.

The health and quality of livestock is influenced by genetics, care,

nutrition, and environment. The quality of animal products is affected
by production methods and marketing practices. Scientists study the
conditions in which animals are raised as well as how animal products
are manufactured and marketed in order to produce:

 Good quality of life for animals

 Healthy livestock that reach full production potential

 A nutritious and safe food supply

Livestock Production &

Management
LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT
(AAS)
The Livestock Production and Management Associate of Applied Science program
focuses on the animal care and management, business management, and associated
services that are part of a livestock enterprise or related industry. Students choose a
species specialization in Beef, Small Ruminant, or Swine.

Students study the principles and processes of nutrition, reproduction, genetics, live
and carcass evaluation, and health and management of livestock, as well as
accounting and farm business.

We have two programs that may be of interest to you: Livestock Production and
Management and Animal Sciences with Beef, Small Ruminant or Swine
specializations.

Internship/Practicum

Introduction
It is well known that global population is still growing and it is expected to
reach 9 billion by 2050 and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations (FAO) estimates that this will increase the demand for high
quality protein such as meat.

Livestock sector is the largest user of natural resources with 80% of all
agricultural land used for grazing or animal feed production and 8% of the
global water use.

The European Union (EU) has to address a challenge due to it is necessary to

produce larger quantities of high quality and affordable meat in response to
an increasing global demand while making that production systems are
sustainable from environmental, social and economic points of view.

The EU livestock sector is the largest in the world and it accounts for 48% of
total EU agricultural activity with an estimated €130bn output value annually
and creates employment for almost 30 million people. Moreover, the
livestock sector supports the livelihoods in rural areas.

Sustainable livestock farming

Sustainable development is the efficient production of safe, high quality
agricultural products, in a way that protects and improves the natural
environment, the social and economic conditions of farmers, their employees
and local communities, and safeguards the health and welfare of all farmed
species.

An environmental sound livestock system is one that should address to:

  Adoption of practices and technologies for more efficient use of natural
resources per unit of animal food produced whilst maintaining or increasing
production.
 Improve environmental impacts including emission intensity of greenhouse
gas via improved production efficiency and decrease air, water and soil
pollution.
 Use efficient grazing systems and maintaining or enhancing biodiversity.
The social responsibility component of sustainability includes:

 Improving and maintaining the societies and communities where livestock

food products are produced.
 Safeguarding the health, well-being and social rights of workers, farm
managers and their families.
 Guaranteeing food safety and public health and improving animal health and
welfare.
Farm animals depend on human care and it is society’s responsibility to
respect their welfare. According to the Five Freedoms the ideal state to strive
for is that farm animals should be free from hunger and thirst, discomfort,
pain, injury and disease, fear and stress and they should be free to express
normal behaviour.

Reducing losses due to animal mortality and morbidity could greatly improve
the supply and access to animal protein. Currently, 20% of annual livestock
production is lost because of animal diseases. Animal health plans should
address prevention, control, treatment, and eradication of existing and
emerging diseases.

Food production must be economically viable: farmer and other food chain
stakeholders must be able to prosper and to sustain investment, while
consumers need access to quality food that is affordable. From an economic
point of view, sustainable livestock farming systems are characterised by:

 Enabling economically viable food production along the food chain.

 Ensuring farm operations obtain a fair share of the profits achieved in the
food chain.
 Supporting the ability of livestock producers to invest in sustainability
improvements.
There are different pathways to more economically viable livestock
production. From incentives that foster innovation adoption, to consolidation
strategies, increasing productivity efficiencies, a fair distribution of profits
along the food chain, economies of scale, focus on producing high quality,
value-added products as well as production insurance.
Policy recommendations
A sustainable livestock system cannot be implemented without constant
innovation and it can also not be implemented in isolation but should bring
together the views of policymakers and relevant stakeholders while being
supported by informed consumer choices. It must also be noted that policy
choices should seek for balance among the different pillars of sustainability.
The following policy actions are recommended in order to achieve more
sustainable livestock farming systems:

1. Improve the impact of livestock on the environment and climate

 Support the adoption of best practices and innovative tools for
improving resource efficiency and reducing environmental impacts.
 Focus EU efforts in regions with the most nitrogen and phosphorus
surplus to further improve environmental impacts and share best
approaches.
 Effectively implement current EU legislation and improve coherence
among different food-related policy instruments, taking into account the
three pillars of sustainability.
2. Foster innovation in R&D, policy, and at the farm, as well as a knowledge-
based livestock sector:
 Maintain and increase public-private partnerships for R&D and
investment in the livestock sector.
 Set up an enabling and predictable policy environment, including
science-based decision-making for the assessment and adoption of
innovation, including emerging technologies in livestock production.
 3. Improve and sustain animal health and welfare
 Encourage EU-wide implementation of comprehensive animal health
and welfare plans on the farm.
 Safeguard pan-European access to a wide range of veterinary
medicines to keep animals healthy, minimise losses due to disease, and
for better viability of animals.
4. Maintain high living standards for farmers and the livestock supply chain
while keeping animal protein products affordable for consumers
 Stimulate the attractiveness of livestock farming and help guarantee
good working conditions, positive financial prospects, and access to
resources, training and education.
 Develop policies to make food production viable for farmers and
affordable for consumers through the use of research, innovation,
investment, capacity-building and knowledge transfer.
 Enhance the competitiveness of the EU livestock sector on the world
market.
5. Enable consumers to make sustainable choices
 Work with stakeholders and consumer representatives to co-develop
and validate scientifically reliable easy-to-understand information on food
and nutrition security, as well as, sustainability and innovation in livestock
production.
 Partner with international organisations and all relevant stakeholders to
enhance knowledge an understanding of welfare related practices in
livestock production.
 Set up a structured and continuous dialogue between policymakers
and stakeholders, including consumers, on identifying ways for improving
the sustainability of livestock
This post is a summary from the policy paper: “Sustainable livestock
production in Europe: A question of food security, climate and innovation”
(http://www.eaap.org/wp-
content/uploads/2015/11/Sustainable_livestock_A4_AW_261015_LoRes.pdf)

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Precision Livestock →
Introduction
It is well known that global population is still growing and it is expected to
reach 9 billion by 2050 and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations (FAO) estimates that this will increase the demand for high
quality protein such as meat.

Livestock sector is the largest user of natural resources with 80% of all
agricultural land used for grazing or animal feed production and 8% of the
global water use.

The European Union (EU) has to address a challenge due to it is necessary to

produce larger quantities of high quality and affordable meat in response to
an increasing global demand while making that production systems are
sustainable from environmental, social and economic points of view.

The EU livestock sector is the largest in the world and it accounts for 48% of
total EU agricultural activity with an estimated €130bn output value annually
and creates employment for almost 30 million people. Moreover, the
livestock sector supports the livelihoods in rural areas.

Sustainable livestock farming

Sustainable development is the efficient production of safe, high quality
agricultural products, in a way that protects and improves the natural
environment, the social and economic conditions of farmers, their employees
and local communities, and safeguards the health and welfare of all farmed
species.
An environmental sound livestock system is one that should address to:

 Adoption of practices and technologies for more efficient use of natural

resources per unit of animal food produced whilst maintaining or increasing
production.
 Improve environmental impacts including emission intensity of greenhouse
gas via improved production efficiency and decrease air, water and soil
pollution.
 Use efficient grazing systems and maintaining or enhancing biodiversity.
The social responsibility component of sustainability includes:

 Improving and maintaining the societies and communities where livestock

food products are produced.
 Safeguarding the health, well-being and social rights of workers, farm
managers and their families.
 Guaranteeing food safety and public health and improving animal health and
welfare.
Farm animals depend on human care and it is society’s responsibility to
respect their welfare. According to the Five Freedoms the ideal state to strive
for is that farm animals should be free from hunger and thirst, discomfort,
pain, injury and disease, fear and stress and they should be free to express
normal behaviour.

Reducing losses due to animal mortality and morbidity could greatly improve
the supply and access to animal protein. Currently, 20% of annual livestock
production is lost because of animal diseases. Animal health plans should
address prevention, control, treatment, and eradication of existing and
emerging diseases.
Food production must be economically viable: farmer and other food chain
stakeholders must be able to prosper and to sustain investment, while
consumers need access to quality food that is affordable. From an economic
point of view, sustainable livestock farming systems are characterised by:

 Enabling economically viable food production along the food chain.

 Ensuring farm operations obtain a fair share of the profits achieved in the
food chain.
 Supporting the ability of livestock producers to invest in sustainability
improvements.
There are different pathways to more economically viable livestock
production. From incentives that foster innovation adoption, to consolidation
strategies, increasing productivity efficiencies, a fair distribution of profits
along the food chain, economies of scale, focus on producing high quality,
value-added products as well as production insurance.

Policy recommendations
A sustainable livestock system cannot be implemented without constant
innovation and it can also not be implemented in isolation but should bring
together the views of policymakers and relevant stakeholders while being
supported by informed consumer choices. It must also be noted that policy
choices should seek for balance among the different pillars of sustainability.
The following policy actions are recommended in order to achieve more
sustainable livestock farming systems:
1. Improve the impact of livestock on the environment and climate
 Support the adoption of best practices and innovative tools for
improving resource efficiency and reducing environmental impacts.
 Focus EU efforts in regions with the most nitrogen and phosphorus
surplus to further improve environmental impacts and share best
approaches.
 Effectively implement current EU legislation and improve coherence
among different food-related policy instruments, taking into account the
three pillars of sustainability.
2. Foster innovation in R&D, policy, and at the farm, as well as a knowledge-
based livestock sector:
 Maintain and increase public-private partnerships for R&D and
investment in the livestock sector.
 Set up an enabling and predictable policy environment, including
science-based decision-making for the assessment and adoption of
innovation, including emerging technologies in livestock production.
3. Improve and sustain animal health and welfare
 Encourage EU-wide implementation of comprehensive animal health
and welfare plans on the farm.
 Safeguard pan-European access to a wide range of veterinary
medicines to keep animals healthy, minimise losses due to disease, and
for better viability of animals.
4. Maintain high living standards for farmers and the livestock supply chain
while keeping animal protein products affordable for consumers
 Stimulate the attractiveness of livestock farming and help guarantee
good working conditions, positive financial prospects, and access to
resources, training and education.
 Develop policies to make food production viable for farmers and
affordable for consumers through the use of research, innovation,
investment, capacity-building and knowledge transfer.
 Enhance the competitiveness of the EU livestock sector on the world
market.
5. Enable consumers to make sustainable choices
 Work with stakeholders and consumer representatives to co-develop
and validate scientifically reliable easy-to-understand information on food
and nutrition security, as well as, sustainability and innovation in livestock
production.
 Partner with international organisations and all relevant stakeholders to
enhance knowledge an understanding of welfare related practices in
livestock production.
 Set up a structured and continuous dialogue between policymakers
and stakeholders, including consumers, on identifying ways for improving
the sustainability of livestock
This post is a summary from the policy paper: “Sustainable livestock
production in Europe: A question of food security, climate and innovation”
(http://www.eaap.org/wp-
content/uploads/2015/11/Sustainable_livestock_A4_AW_261015_LoRes.pdf)

Animal husbandry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to navigationJump to search

Cattle feedlot in Colorado, US

Raising chickens intensively for meat in a broiler house, US

Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised
for meat, fibre, milk, eggs, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding and the
raising of livestock.
Husbandry has a long history, starting with the Neolithic revolution when animals were
first domesticated, from around 13,000 BC onwards, antedating farming of the first crops. By the
time of early civilisations such as ancient Egypt, cattle, sheep, goatsand pigs were being raised on
farms.
Major changes took place in the Columbian Exchange when Old World livestock were brought to the
New World, and then in the British Agricultural Revolution of the 18th century, when livestock breeds
like the Dishley Longhorn cattle and Lincoln Longwoolsheep were rapidly improved by
agriculturalists such as Robert Bakewell to yield more meat, milk, and wool.
A wide range of other species such as horse, water buffalo, llama, rabbit and guinea pig are used as
livestock in some parts of the world. Insect farming, as well as aquaculture of fish, molluscs,
and crustaceans, is widespread.
Modern animal husbandry relies on production systems adapted to the type of land
available. Subsistence farming is being superseded by intensive animal farming in the more
developed parts of the world, where for example beef cattle are kept in high density feedlots, and
thousands of chickens may be raised in broiler houses or batteries. On poorer soil such as in
uplands, animals are often kept more extensively, and may be allowed to roam widely, foraging for
themselves.
Most livestock are herbivores, except for pigs and chickens which are omnivores. Ruminants like
cattle and sheep are adapted to feed on grass; they can forage outdoors, or may be fed entirely or in
part on rations richer in energy and protein, such as pelleted cereals. Pigs and poultry cannot digest
the cellulose in forage, and require cereals and other high-energy foods

History of science

Portal:History of science
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The History of Science Portal

Newton's reflector, the first reflecting telescope

The history of science is the study of the development of science and scientific knowledge,
including both the natural and social sciences (the history of the arts and humanities is
termed history of scholarship). Science is a body of empirical, theoretical, and practical knowledge
about the natural world, produced by scientists who emphasize the observation, explanation, and
prediction of real-world phenomena. Historiography of science, in contrast, studies the methods
employed by historians of science.
The English word scientist is relatively recent—first coined by William Whewell in the 19th century.
Previously, investigators of nature called themselves "natural philosophers".
While empirical investigations of the natural world have been described since classical antiquity (for
example, by Thales and Aristotle), and the scientific method has been employed since the Middle
Ages (for example, by Ibn al-Haytham and Roger Bacon), modern science began to develop in
the early modern period, and in particular in the scientific revolution of 16th- and 17th-century
Europe. Traditionally, historians of science have defined science sufficiently broadly to include those
earlier inquiries.
From the 18th through the late 20th century, the history of science, especially of the physical and
biological sciences, was often presented as a progressive accumulation of knowledge, in which true
theories replaced false beliefs. More recent historical interpretations, such as those of Thomas
Kuhn, tend to portray the history of science in terms of competing paradigms or conceptual systems
within a wider matrix of intellectual, cultural, economic and political trends. These interpretations,
however, have met with opposition for they also portray the history of science as an incoherent
system of incommensurable paradigms, not leading to any actual scientific progress but only to the
illusion that it has occurred.
History of technology

History of technology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to navigationJump to search

This article is about the technology in human history. For the book series, see History of Technology
(book series). For the academic discipline that studies the history of technology, see History of
science and technology. For an account of the contemporary use of production techniques,
see Technology. For a historical account of economically important technologies, see Productivity
improving technologies (economic history). For other uses, see Technology (disambiguation).

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve
this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may
be challenged and removed.
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2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Main article: Technology

History of technology

By technological eras[show]

By historical regions[show]

By type of technology[show]

Technology timelines[show]

Article indices[show]

 v
 t
 e
The wheel, invented sometime before the 4th millennium BC, is one of the most ubiquitous and important
technologies. This detail of the "Standard of Ur", c. 2500 BC., displays a Sumerian chariot

The history of technology is the history of the invention of tools and techniques and is one of the
categories of the history of humanity. Technology can refer to methods ranging from as simple
as stone tools to the complex genetic engineering and information technologythat has emerged
since the 1980s. The term technology comes from the Greek word techne, meaning art and craft,
and the word logos, meaning word and speech. It was first used to describe applied arts, but it is
now used to described advancements and changes which affect the environment around us. [1]
New knowledge has enabled people to create new things, and conversely, many scientific
endeavors are made possible by technologies which assist humans in traveling to places they could
not previously reach, and by scientific instruments by which we study nature in more detail than our
natural senses allow.
Since much of technology is applied science, technical history is connected to the history of science.
Since technology uses resources, technical history is tightly connected to economic history. From
those resources, technology produces other resources, including technological artifacts used
in everyday life.

RELATIONSHIP OF TECHNOLOGY IN SCIENCE

History of Earth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to navigationJump to search

This article is about scientific evidence concerning the history of Earth. For the history of humans,
see History of the world.
The history of Earth concerns the development of planet Earth from its formation to the present
day.[1][2] Nearly all branches of natural science have contributed to understanding of the main events
of Earth's past, characterized by constant geological change and biological evolution.
The geological time scale (GTS), as defined by international convention, [3] depicts the large spans of
time from the beginning of the Earth to the present, and its divisions chronicle some definitive events
of Earth history. (In the graphic: Ga means "billion years ago"; Ma, "million years ago".) Earth formed
around 4.54 billion years ago, approximately one-third the age of the universe, by accretion from
the solar nebula.[4][5][6] Volcanic outgassing probably created the primordial atmosphere and then the
ocean, but the early atmosphere contained almost no oxygen. Much of the Earth was molten
because of frequent collisions with other bodies which led to extreme volcanism. While the Earth
was in its earliest stage (Early Earth), a giant impact collision with a planet-sized body
named Theia is thought to have formed the Moon. Over time, the Earth cooled, causing the
formation of a solid crust, and allowing liquid water on the surface.
The Hadean eon represents the time before a reliable (fossil) record of life; it began with the
formation of the planet and ended 4.0 billion years ago. The following Archean and Proterozoic eons
produced the beginnings of life on Earth and its earliest evolution. The succeeding eon is the
Phanerozoic, divided into three eras: the Palaeozoic, an era of arthropods, fishes, and the first life on
land; the Mesozoic, which spanned the rise, reign, and climactic extinction of the non-avian
dinosaurs; and the Cenozoic, which saw the rise of mammals. Recognizable humans emerged at
most 2 million years ago, a vanishingly small period on the geological scale.
The earliest undisputed evidence of life on Earth dates at least from 3.5 billion years ago,[7][8][9]during
the Eoarchean Era, after a geological crust started to solidify following the earlier
molten Hadean Eon. There are microbial mat fossils such as stromatolites found in 3.48 billion-year-
old sandstone discovered in Western Australia.[10][11][12] Other early physical evidence of a biogenic
substance is graphite in 3.7 billion-year-old metasedimentary rocks discovered in
southwestern Greenland[13] as well as "remains of biotic life" found in 4.1 billion-year-old rocks in
Western Australia.[14][15] According to one of the researchers, "If life arose relatively quickly on Earth …
then it could be common in the universe."[14]
Photosynthetic organisms appeared between 3.2 and 2.4 billion years ago and began enriching the
atmosphere with oxygen. Life remained mostly small and microscopic until about 580 million years
ago, when complex multicellular life arose, developed over time, and culminated in the Cambrian
Explosion about 541 million years ago. This sudden diversification of life forms produced most of the
major phyla known today, and divided the Proterozoic Eon from the Cambrian Period of the
Paleozoic Era. It is estimated that 99 percent of all species that ever lived on Earth, over five billion,
[16]
have gone extinct.[17][18] Estimates on the number of Earth's current species range from 10 million to
14 million,[19] of which about 1.2 million are documented, but over 86 percent have not been
described.[20] However, it was recently claimed that 1 trillion species currently live on Earth, with only
one-thousandth of one percent described.[21]
The Earth's crust has constantly changed since its formation, as has life has since its first
appearance. Species continue to evolve, taking on new forms, splitting into daughter species, or
going extinct in the face of ever-changing physical environments. The process of plate
tectonics continues to shape the Earth's continents and oceans and the life they harbor. Human
activity is now a dominant force affecting global change, harming the biosphere, the Earth's
surface, hydrosphere, and atmosphere with the loss of wild lands, over-exploitation of the oceans,
production of greenhouse gases, degradation of the ozone layer, and general degradation of soil, air,
and water quality.