Sociology Assignment: Forest Ecosystem and Energy Efficiency

This sociology assignment explores the crucial role of forest ecosystems in providing essential goods and services, including food, wood, and medical plants, while also offering recreational and health benefits. Forests are highlighted as significant carbon storage units, crucial for maintaining ecosystem balance. The assignment further examines the rising value of energy-efficient properties in Australia, emphasizing their lower operating costs and contribution to environmental sustainability. The report highlights the increasing market demand for such properties, driven by their higher occupancy rates and the growing emphasis on green building practices. It also discusses the potential of solar energy adoption in Australia, driven by rising energy consumption and the nation's favorable environmental conditions, while addressing the country's focus on zero carbon emissions through initiatives like the Nationwide House Energy Rating.

Running Head: SOCIOLOGY
Sociology
Answer
Student Name
[Pick the date]

SOCIOLOGY 1
Answer 1
Forest ecosystem plays a very important role in offering various benefits in terms of
health and product services to human society. Forests help in providing various goods which are
basic requirements of society such as food, honey, wood, medical plants and so on. Forest is also
considered as a perfect place where people living in society can relax and enjoy nature. It also
offers health service to society by providing them a positive landscape for activities such as
cycling, running, climbing and so on. Such activities ensure the physical strength and
psychological stability of people which are connected with spiritual associations with forest
(Kane, Dhiaulhaq, Sapkota & Gritten, 2018). Forest is also considered as the largest storage
house for carbon and helps in maintaining a positive ecosystem balance for society.
Forest absorbs carbon dioxide and provides oxygen which is one of the major benefits for
human society. Another major benefit of the forest is that it helps in recycling water by
absorbing water from ground through their roots and then discharging water in the atmosphere
which helps in maintaining the quality of the atmosphere. Forest ecosystem system helps in
providing high-quality benefits by offering their air purification service, wood to maintain heat
and cooking food. Forest has actually increased the quality of living by offering sources of
income, medical products and other wood volumes along with carbon storage service (Ford &
Keeton, 2017). Carbon storage displays a trade-off relationship in terms of water yield. Forest
offer bamboos which are highly used in various kinds of construction services it may be building
house, market or commercial buildings.
Answer 2
As per reports, it has been explored that in Australia, energy-efficient properties market
rate is getting higher value because it offers an effective use of energy which lower operating
cost by enhancing internal comfort. In addition, it also helps in reducing cost which is part of
utilization along with maintaining ecosystem balance. Rapid increase has been noticed in buying
and leasing energy-efficient properties after 2014 because it helps owners to occupy rates which
are higher than other properties that are using an energy source. Energy-efficient construction
has increased the operating income of the property owners.
According to the report, it has been found that Green building is significantly increasing
market value of property due to high use of energy which otherwise get wasted in the form of
exhaustion and contributes to global warming. In Australia, use of energy sources such as solar
system fitment on the rooftops is going to increase because due to increase in population energy
consumption is going to hike up to 56% up to 2040 (Zuo & Zhao, 2014). This is major concern
in terms of global warming as per Australian Sustainable built environment council and therefore
they have focused their interest towards zero carbon emission by launching Nationwide house
energy rating under which at least 6 ratings must be there for property. Australian environment is

SOCIOLOGY 2
favorable to solar energy as compared to United States which offers them better capability of
utilizing solar energy as compared to United States.
References
Ford, S. E., & Keeton, W. S. (2017). Enhanced carbon storage through management for old‐
growth characteristics in northern hardwood‐conifer forests. Ecosphere, 8(4), 01721.
Kane, S., Dhiaulhaq, A., Sapkota, L. M., & Gritten, D. (2018). Transforming forest landscape
conflicts: the promises and perils of global forest management initiatives such as
REDD+. Forest and Society, 2(1), 1-17.
Kwan, Y., & Guan, L. (2015). Design a zero energy house in Brisbane, Australia. Procedia
Engineering, 121, 604-611.
Zuo, J., & Zhao, Z. Y. (2014). Green building research–current status and future agenda: A
review. Renewable and sustainable energy reviews, 30, 271-281.