You can help conserve fresh water by taking short showers instead of baths and by turning the water off while brushing your teeth. A growing population means more mouths to feed. Farmers try to keep up with this increased demand, but more than 800 million people in the world don t have enough to eat. In many places, farmers use chemical fertilizers and pesticides to get bigger crop yields. Many scientists are looking for other, safer options besides these chemicals.
Many people come to cities to find jobs and a better standard of life.
But not everyone has found a better life in the city, and homelessness has become a problem in many urban areas. Habitat for Humanity is one organization that helps make sure people in the cities have houses. So far, the group has helped build more than 300,000 homes for people in 59 countries. In some countries, many children do not have access to basic education. This means they do not even learn to read and write.