Zach - The California Delta

1) Name and Date: Zach Zeff, 12/01/2011

2) Title of presentation and purpose:

• Title: The California Delta
• Purpose: Educate the class on the delta and a recent development that they can participate in.  A development that would affect all people in california.

Discussion questions prepared for the class to consider:

• What do you think? Should the tunnels be built? Why?
• What would happen to the delta if too much water was used?
• How would this impact us? The bay?

Follow up research to add to the discussion:

• Getting involved by visiting www.bdcpweb.com, Bay Delta Conservation Plan Website. 
• Currently, the legal battle between water contractors and representatives of california ongoing.  Just talk as of now.

Picture:

http://www.usbr.gov/mp/BayDeltaOffice/images/delta_map.jpg

Links to all resources: (Content, Video, Images)

• Content:

http://www.water.ca.gov/swp/delta.cfm

http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-10-31/news/30344434_1_water-suppliers-delta-accord-bay-delta

• Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j04_HEnt2uU

• Images:

http://www.usbr.gov/mp/BayDeltaOffice/images/delta_map.jpg

http://www.water.ca.gov/suisun/photos/images/SMHMrelease.jpg

http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2009/06/01/delta_smelt_in_hand2_usfws_peter_johnsen_2008_1_1_1.jpg

http://www.cldadmin.co.uk/get_involved.gif

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/06/03/nyregion/lens-533.jpg

http://www.stainlesswaterbottles.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/plastic_water_bottles.gif


PowerPoint:

Claire Schurz, 11/15,

Title: 7 Billion and Counting
Purpose: To examine the effects of the growing population on our world's water supply, specifically the Tibetan Plateau
Discussion Questions:
How does overpopulation ad the water crisis relate to Tragedy of the Commons?
Is it hopeless? Should population control intervene?
What can change? How can we learn to live with less?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOLf2RbxmzE&feature=relmfu

No! It is not hopeless.  Change can come in one of two ways.  Either there will be a disaster (war, poverty, hunger, disease, etc.) that will decimate the population OR we can learn to live with less.  Population control does not need to intervene we just need to learn to live with less.  From a water lens, this can be done by eating less meat.  As seen in the video above, livestock requires tons of water from the time it is born to the time it arrives on your dinner plate.  I'm not asking that everyone becomes vegetarians but the whole American idea that dinner must consist of beef cannot sustain us any longer.  We must adapt! Also, we can take shorter showers, turn the sink off when we are not using it,  drink tea vs coffee, etc.  There are also fundamental changes we can make in our irrigation systems to make sure that not one drop of water is being wasted.  Planning irrigation can help tremendously with this.  Just imagine how much water we can save if everyone thought more consciously about how much they were using and how to cut down on it.

Picture: major rivers flowing from Tibetan Plateau
http://delhigreens.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/tibetan-plateau-and-its-signifiance-to-India.jpg

Sources:
http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2008/world/china-tibet-and-the-strategic-power-of-water/
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/04/tibetan-plateau/larmer-text

Dubai: What is going on there?

Lena Kristy
Presented 11/09/11
Purpose: To educate the class about Dubai as a classic example of the Tragedy of the Commons and to question the city's right to not only use up all of its resources, but our's as well.
Questions:
How do you think Dubai's rapid industrialization effects global climate change?
How will Dubai's natural habitat be harmed?
What would be the best energy source for an extremely energy indulgent and demanding place like Dubai?
Research:

http://www.dubai-architecture.info/DUB-GAL1.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/28/business/energy-environment/28dubai.html

Picture: 

http://news.mongabay.com/2005/0823-tina_butler_dubai.html

Links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPHR5LLvpx4

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=the+world+dubai&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&client=safari&sa=N&rls=en&biw=1080&bih=576&tbm=isch&tbnid=Jf9ON-6W8Tp1ZM:&imgrefurl=http://dubai-architecture.info/DUB-GAL1.htm&docid=-KWbhCu3rFrlzM&imgurl=http://dubai-architecture.info/TheWorldDubai-custom%253Bsize_796,485.jpg&w=795&h=485&ei=gv_CTrGIO8_ZiQLC8-SDDA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=421&sig=107075273281164029834&page=1&tbnh=96&tbnw=157&start=0&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=95&ty=33

The Tiny House Movement

The Tiny House Movement

1. Tiffany Chang, Presented 10/25/11

2.1 The Small House Movement: A presentation to raise awareness about a relatively new financial, social and environmental movement and discuss its pros and cons. Also, to discuss whether students would ever consider living in a tiny house.

2.2 Discussion Questions:

-What do you think the cons of living in a tiny house would be?

-Would you ever consider living in a tiny house? Why or why not?

            -Determine your ideal square footage (50 to 1000 square feet) and room       requirements.

            -Where would you put your house? Where would you travel to?

            - At what stage(s) of your life would you want to live or not live in a small house?

-In your opinion, what is the strongest reason for living in a tiny house? Is economic viability, sustainability, simplicity or something else?

-How do you see the future of tiny housing? Is it here to last? Is it key to solving global climate change and population growth?

2.3 Interesting Follow Up Research Links (Not in the Presentation):

-Small House Society Website

-"Let's Get Small" An Article by the New Yorker on Jay Shafer

-Video Interview with Peter King by Stuck in Vermont

-Article by Dee Williams on Building Her House

2.4 Picture:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128109273

2.5 Presentation Resources:

- NY Times Overview Article

- Tumbleweed Tiny House Co Website (House Manufacturer)

-Video of Jay Shafer's House

-PBS Video on Dee Williams

- 16 Year-Old Tiny House Builder

-Tiny Green Cabins (House Manufacturer)

More Resources:

-Living Off The Grid- Article on Pros and Cons

-Huffington Post Article- Effect of Recession on Movement

-Small House Style Article

The Powerpoint:

Alec White Keystone XL (Tar Sands Pipeline)

What is Keystone XL?

•        A proposal for an oil piepline spanning from northern Alberta to Texas.

•        More than 2,000 miles long

•        Alberta’s Oil Production:

•        Athabasca oil sands of North Alberta.

•        First drilled in 1967

•        Now about 1.1 million barrels a day.

Arguments supporting Keystone XL:

•        Construction will create 13,000 jobs.

•        It will give Texas refineries more oil.

•        It will reduce the U.S’s dependence on foreign oil.

Arguments Against Keystone XL:

•        A spill will ruin drinking water for 2 million people.

•        Will actually increase gas prices in the United States.

•        Will help fuel global warming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGFjIhl50SA

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNpQ2nTUYkU

Discussion Questions:

•        1. Do you support or oppose Keystone XL? Why?

•        2. How harmful would the effects be if it leaked?

•        3. Should the U.S focus on finding more oil or new energy sources (wind power, ethanol etc.?)

Bibliography:

•        http://www.tarsandsaction.org/spread-the-word/key-facts-keystone-xl/

•        http://www.transcanada.com/keystone.html

Henry Kinder Ocean Dead Zones

Henry Kinder. 10/7/11

Dead Zones: Ocean’s Silent Killer

Purpose: to educate the class on the harm dead zones can cause on healthy, bio-diverse marine ecosystems. 

Discussion Questions:  

How are Climate Change and Dead Zones related?

What affect have humans had on Dead Zones?

How can algae farms be used as a carbon sink in a sustainable way?

Research:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4624359/ns/us_news-environment/t/dead-zones-counted-oceans/

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090417161506.htm

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/01/090128-ocean-dead-zones.html

Links:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh5Ev8VEbZ0
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZgcQoXmu9Y
• http://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/topics/deadzone/
• http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/oceancolor/additional/science-focus/ocean-color/dead_zones.shtml
• http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/deadzone.html
• http://toxics.usgs.gov/definitions/hypoxia.html

Loss of Snow pack due to Global Warming

Keegan Cohen 10/5/11

Discussion Questions

Do you think that tackling this problem is too little too late, or is there hope for the snow pack?

What can we do as individuals to help mitigate this problem?

How relevant is this problem to the Bay Area?

Further Research

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x55056 

http://www.worldweatherpost.com/2011/06/12/scary-snowpack-stories/

Links I used

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/02/mount-kilimanjaro-snow-ca_n_342777.html

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/06/13/244161/usgs-global-warming-rockies-snowpack-loss-western-water-supply/ 

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/reducedsnow_more.htm 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er4Ngr7rVBA