Environmental Control in the Tropics-Its Problems and Its Opportunities

Abstract

With the increasing demand for food and raw materials due to increasing world population, there is a growing interest in the development of the tropics, as they cover most of that part of the world normally classified as under developed. To-day, as in the past, the principal barrier to the successful development of the tropics is the tropical environment. While we have now a great many new scientific techniques at our disposal for use in development, most of these are not directly applicable to the tropics. The special problems and special conditions of that area demand special consideration, and it is suggested that this can best be done by an "environmental "approach, the control of the environment for the health, comfort and convenience of man. The new definition of health, as accepted by the member countries of the World Health Organization, provides for this broad concept. Engineers have an important contribution to make, particularly in the field of sanitation and in a comprehensive consideration of the supply and utilization of water.