What’s destroying our rivers, the wetlands, the Great Barrier Reef, and is consumed in numerous amounts per person?

• What’s destroying our rivers, the wetlands, the Great Barrier Reef, and is consumed in numerous amounts per person?

By Cindy Orellana & Noelle Stewart

Why is sugar used?

• Large contribution to the economy.• Sugar cane is use in the production of ethanol • How is it used?

a) Is used as a sweetenerb) To preserved foodc) In medicined) Trade e) Candy!!!!

Environmental consequences

• Rivers such as Niger in West Africa, Zambezi in South Africa and many others have nearly dried up as a result of thirst.

• The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is suffering from large quantities of effluents (run-off water) and pesticides from sugar farms.

• The reef is also threatened by the clearing of land, which has destroyed the wetlands that are an integral part of the reef’s ecology.

How sugar affects us?

• Increases problems of obesity and other related chronic diseases.

• Increases the risk of heart problems. • Sugar is the main cause of diabetes,

hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.• Increases anxiety and depression.

What are the industries and government doing?

• Environmental groups are working on public education and legal campaigns to try to reform the international sugar trade.

• They are looking at the possibility of shifting agricultural production from sugar cane to products with greater added value, such as fruits and vegetables.

What should they do to address this problem?• Consumers and policy makers must work together to

make sure that in the future sugar is produced in ways that least harm the environment.

Interesting facts

• In the last 20 years, we have increased sugar consumption in the U.S. 26 pounds to 135 lbs. of sugar per person per year.

• In the 1880’s-90’s the average consumption was only 5 pounds per person.

• Sugar is one of the oldest ingredients, dating back to 326 BC!

• Sugar comes from two sources: sugar cane (grass) that grows in stalks in sugarcane fields and beets (root) that grow underground.

• http://cip.cornell.edu/DPubS?service=UI&version=1.0&verb=Display&handle=dns.gfs/1200428197

• http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/sugar.htm