APES News Reports E block!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Yellowstone Supervolcano- Henry Kinder

1. Henry Kinder, 1/31/12

2. Yellowstone: Benign National Park or Ticking Time Bomb?
The purpose was to educate the class about the possible threat of the caldera residing under Yellowstone national park.

Discussion Questions:

Given the information you have about the likelihood of an eruption, do you think resources should be spent trying to release pressure from the caldera? (Consider, this could potentially trigger an eruption)

- Can you imagine any possible environmental benefits from a Yellowstone eruption?
Are there ways in which we can mitigate the possible effects of such a daunting disaster?

Additional Research:
Full vid from class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vn6kxfD3Ek&feature=related

-http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/01/110119-yellowstone-park-supervolcano-eruption-magma-science/

-http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43329798/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/keeping-eye-yellowstones-supervolcano/#.TyYgKGOXRJU

Sources used:
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap_YUwdiy8I

-http://history1900s.about.com/od/horribledisasters/p/mtsthelens.htm

-http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60999-d142956-Reviews-Old_Faithful-Yellowstone_National_Park_Wyoming.html

-http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/how_volcanoes_work/Calderas.html

Monday, January 16, 2012

Ellie Saake -- January 12 2012

title: The Effects of Nuclear Weapons

purpose: The purpose of my presentation was to educate my peers on the detrimental repercussions of using nuclear weapons and of nuclear war. My presentation was also meant to encourage my peers to think critically about what to do with nuclear weapon technology, whether it should be stopped, and how that could ever happen. By showing the environmental and health effects of nuclear weapons, I hope that my presentation was able provide some justification for why WMD's receive so much media attention.

discussion questions:

1) What do you think of the United State's decision to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagaski?

2) Should all countries get rid of nuclear weapons? How?

3) Should the spread of nuclear technology be stopped? How?

follow up research:

- Nuclear Threat Initiative: http://www.nti.org/

- "The Ticking Clock of Iran's Nuclear Threat:" http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57359410/the-ticking-clock-of-irans-nuclear-threat/

- An overdramatic, mildly humorous "Nuclear War Simulation:" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p11DedOmig

- Nuclear Weapons: Who Has What at a Glance: http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/Nuclearweaponswhohaswhat

picture:

Nagasaki before and after the atomic bomb.

links to resources:

sites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionizing_radiation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_radiation

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/421827/nuclear-weapon

http://www.icanw.org/radiation-human-health

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki#Hibakusha

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_with_nuclear_weapons

http://www.nucleardarkness.org/index2.php

videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJe7fY-yowk

images:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionizing_radiation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_radiation

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/421827/nuclear-weapon

http://www.shrineofsaintjude.net/Hiroshima%20atomic%20bomb%20damage.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki#Hibakusha

presentation:

The Effects of Nuclear Weapons

Monday, December 5, 2011

Ellie Saake -- December 1 2011:

Title: Food Security & Climate Change
Purpose: The purpose of my presentation was to educate my peers on a different, but equally important, aspect of the effects of climate change on our world's ability to feed itself. Though the greater solution to this issue is indeed in making our planet greener, I thought that focusing on this specific aspect of climate change helps to show how a hotter climate has the capability to affect the normalcy of so many different things humans depend on.
Discussion Questions:

Which “solution” to food insecurity do you agree with most?
Do you think “neocolonialism” is a realistic outcome of nations
competing for food security?
Do you think that we will ever have a world where almost
everyone is food secure? Why or why not?

Follow-Up Research:

Video: EU's Discussion of Food Security Solutions
UN Warns of Food 'Neocolonialism'
Video: Food For Future (Part 1 of 3) -- Part 2 and 3 are easily accessible to the right of the video, initial focus on Australia.
Additionally: the video the was already linked in my powerpoint: Nasa Earth Science Food Consumption Video

Picture: This graph is created by a firm called maplecroft and it evaluate food security on 12 criteria. Some of these include: the nutritional and health status of populations, cereal production and imports, GDP, natural disasters, conflict and the effectiveness of government. Red countries are most food insecure, followed by orange, yellow and then green. There is not enough information to make conclusions about grey colored countries.

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:

Sunday, December 4, 2011

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

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

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

Sunday, October 30, 2011

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