UNIT 5.2
Unit 5 Chapter 10 Discussion- Get Outside!
Okay- we are passed the halfway point of the course and you all have developed a strong background in environmental science. It is time to get outside and put it to good use! What I would like you each to do is (1) get off your bum, (2) step away from the computer, and (3) head out into your backyard, local public park or anywhere you have access to where there is a water resource (streams, lakes, ponds, oceans, etc.). Take a good look at how the water flows through, over, and below the ground. Look for the following: overland flow (i.e. runoff) after rain storms, the conversion of two streams together, small streams joining rivers, water seeping out of the ground into streams, streams flowing into and out of lakes or ponds, wells, dams, waterfalls, etc. Once you have a good idea of how the water around you is flowing, look around for any potential sources of pollution (agricultural byproducts, pesticides in lawns, storage drums, septic tanks, soil erosion, industry, etc.) Use this discussion board to tell the class about your experience. Tell us where you walked, what types of waterways you saw, and the potentials pollutants around you
UNIT6.2
We often think back on our childhood with a sense of melancholy about how much has changed (for better or for worse). Here is your opportunity to tell us about it…at least in terms of the weather/climate! What do you remember about the weather from your childhood compared to the weather we have now? Is it warmer, cooler, rainier, snowier, drier, stormier? You get the picture. This may be an easier question for those of us who have lived in the same region for most of our lives. Do you remember any particular storms or rainouts, or droughts that greatly affected your life? Please feel free to write about these as well, and include the year (if you dare!). Keep in mind, this is not just a trip through your meteorological history, I would like to you apply the concepts from the weather and climate material in Unit 6 to your discussion for full credit.
UNIT 6.3
We could all do more to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. But many times, the first step is to see how much we are emitting. Go to the following EPA website: .epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/ind-calculator.html”>http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/ind-calculator.html#c=theBasics&p=reduceOnTheRoad&m=calc_instructions. It is a personal emissions calculator. It will take 10-15 minutes to perform the calculation (f you look information up on your bills), so give yourself time to complete this task. How do your emissions compare to the national average (41,500 lbs CO2/yr)? Once you have completed your calculation, go to another part of the website that suggests actions you can take to reduce your emissions: .epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/index.html”>http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/index.html.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/index.html%20″>. Click on either “At home”, “At the office”, “At home” or “On the road”. Choose two things between the four categories that you feel you would actually do that would decrease your emissions, and tell the class about it (will it be hard/easy?, are you looking forward to it?, how do you plan to do it?, etc.). I will ask you to tell us how your changes are going in three weeks