When viewing the article’s headline, what was your initial immediate reaction, opinion, or bias regarding the issue presented in the headline and tagline before reading it? As you read the article, explain how the article confirmed or challenged your initial opinion or bias. How was your opinion or bias affected (reinforced or changed) after reading the article about the issue?

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View articles related to the earth, ecosystems, and the environment.

Visit the website Science News For Students. View articles related to the earth, ecosystems, and the environment. Examples of topics include pollution problems, ecosystem analysis, climate change, water or ecosystem resources, sustainability, or other topics related to Environmental Science.

Link to website: https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/topic/earth-environment

Links to an external site.

Instructions: Choose one article from Science News For StudentsLinks to an external site. Complete the four response sections for the article as instructed below.

    • Please note that the article’s topic must be related to the earth, ecosystems, and the environment. Examples of topics include pollution problems, ecosystem analysis, climate change, water or ecosystem resources, sustainability, or other topics related to Environmental Science.
    • Do not choose the “Scientists Say” titled articles. “Scientists Say” articles will not be accepted and will receive a grade of zero. You are welcome to message me (no later than 24hrs before the due date) with an URL link to the article you want to use if you have any questions.

PDF version of instructions: EVR1001 Semester Project Article Review Instructions.pdf

Download EVR1001 Semester Project Article Review Instructions.pdf

Format your paper as such:

Article Title, Author, URL link (website link to the article)

    1. Section 1 response – Summary
      • Summarize in your own words what the article is about. Ensure to include the key points and arguments of the issue or event. Your summary should also answer the following questions: (1) What are the article’s purpose and objective? (2) What are the study’s main findings (results)? (3) How will the findings contribute to further research or implications?Note: Your summary must be at least one paragraph (3 or more complete sentences). Your response should be objective (without opinion), and the grader should be able to understand the article based on your summary. (10 points)
    2. Section 2 response – Impact
      • Answer the following questions: (1) Were you aware of this issue presented in the article before learning more about it? (2) How might this issue affect you or your community? (3) What are your thoughts about this issue’s larger-scale effects (regional or global)? (4) What do you think are two future implications, impacts, or outcomes of the issue locally and globally?Note: Please answer each question in complete sentences; this section response must be at least one paragraph (3 or more complete sentences). Responses will be subjective, based on or influenced by personal feelings or opinions. (10 Points)
    3. Section 3 response – Opinion
      • Answer the following questions: (1) When viewing the article’s headline, what was your initial immediate reaction, opinion, or bias regarding the issue presented in the headline and tagline before reading it? (2) As you read the article, explain how the article confirmed or challenged your initial opinion or bias. (3) How was your opinion or bias affected (reinforced or changed) after reading the article about the issue?Note: Please answer each question in complete sentences; this section response must be at least one paragraph (3 or more complete sentences). Responses will be subjective, based on or influenced by personal feelings or opinions. (10 Points)
    4. Section 4 response – Rationale
      • Answer the following questions: (1) Why did you select the article, and how is the issue or event related to the content of our course, Introduction to Environmental Science? (2) Which aspects of the article caught your interest; why was it newsworthy to you? (3) What are two new concepts or ideas you learned from the article?Note: Please answer each question in complete sentences; this section response must be at least one paragraph (3 or more complete sentences). Responses will be subjective, based on or influenced by personal feelings or opinions. (10 Points)

Write a research paper or a research proposal based upon the designated field study to be conducted throughout the semester.

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Environmental Science Question

FINAL PAPER AND PRESENTATION: Each student is required to write a research paper or a research proposal based upon the designated field study to be conducted throughout the semester. Specifics on the subject and the format will be 3 explained and discussed during the course of the class. A PowerPoint presentation of each paper is also required (15-20 minute presentation and 5 minutes Q &A).

Students are allowed to collaborate on final papers, yet individual final submission is required. Students are encouraged to use a variety of media, including photos, videos, and web resources to be creative for their final product. Email me ppt files for feedback at least a day before the final presentation. The length of final paper: min. 3500 words up to 4,200 words (excluding tables and figures) with references (min. 20 references)

Identify one product that you use for each of the categories on the Home Chemicals activity sheet. If you do not use a particular category of product, simply enter the phrase “do not use” and explain why.

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EVR1001C- Lab: Resource / Waste – Home Chemicals

Identify one product that you use for each of the categories on the Home Chemicals activity sheet. If you do not use a particular category of product, simply enter the phrase “do not use” and explain why. For example, if you do not use pet care products, enter “do not use” in the “Product Name” column and “do not have a pet” in the “What the Warning Says” column.

For each product identified that you do use, indicate the following:

  1. The product name
  2. What the product does, also known as the product “service”
  3. Whether there is some type of warning about using the product.
  4. What the warning says.

Answer questions 1 & 2 on the activity sheet when you have completed the inventory.

After doing this, select three products from your household product list which you think may be “hazardous” based on the warnings listed on the products. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines hazardous as any material that is ignitable, corrosive, explosive, or toxic to humans, plants or animals. List the three products on the Activity Sheet.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) maintains a database that contains a wide variety of information on over 5,000 consumer products. Information contained in the database includes the chemical ingredients, the manufacturer and contact information, as well as any possible acute and chronic effects associated with the chemicals that make up the products.

Go to the NIH Household Products Database. In the Quick Search box on the right side of the screen. Look up the first potentially hazardous product you have listed. Scroll down the page until you come to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) link and click on the link. Follow the directions on the remainder of the Activity Sheet and answer the questions

NIH Household Products Database: https://www.whatsinproducts.com/

Convert this value to knots, where 1 m s-1 = 1.94 kts. How well does the observation match the calculation? Draw two arrows depicting the balance between the Coriolis force and pressure gradient force on the map in 2b.

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Lab 8 – The Geostrophic Wind and ENSO

All questions subsets are worth 5 points.

1.) Recall that the Coriolis force can be computed as where V is the wind speed (in ms-1),   is the earth’s angular rotation rate about its axis, and  is the latitude.

On an isobaric map, the pressure gradient force is computed as where g is the gravitational constant of 9.8 ms-2, Z is altitude,  is the difference between two altitude lines, and d is the distance between the altitude lines.

 

The geostrophic wind is balance between CF and PGF. To avoid sign confusion, and since wind is always a positive value, we’ll use absolute values. Solving for V gives where  represents the geostrophic wind.

  1. Consider this 300-mb map from Nov 1, 0000 UTC. The fastest winds are surrounded by shaded isotachs. Label the polar jet with PJ and the subtropical jet with SJ. (5 pts)
  2. If one zooms into Washington

Compute the geostrophic wind. Assume the latitude is 48.2486ºN, m, and d = 175000 m.

  1. Convert this value to knots, where 1 m s-1 = 1.94 kts. How well does the observation match the calculation?
  2. Draw two arrows depicting the balance between the Coriolis force and pressure gradient force on the map in 2b.
  3. If this situation were in a trough, the observed wind will be ( more less ) than the geostrophic wind.

2.) The Troup SOI is used by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology to assess ENSO conditions. The equation is:

= (average Tahiti MSLP for the month) – (average Darwin MSLP for the month)

= long-term average of  for the month in question

= long-term standard deviation of  for the month in question

Tahiti’s average pressure is usually larger than Darwin’s average pressure, and the differences also vary monthly.

Hence, it’s the monthly pressure anomaly differences, normalized by their monthly PDIFF standard deviation, which best measures the Southern Oscillation. The multiplication by 10 simply provides a more relatable value range.

Using this convention, the Troup SOI ranges from about –35 to about +35. It is often rounded to a whole number. Sustained negative values of the Troup SOI < −8 indicate an El Niño episode. Sustained positive values of the Troup SOI > +7 indicate a La Niña episode. Sustained values between -8 and +7 indicate “neutral” ENSO conditions.

Column B in the assignment spreadsheet contains  for January from 1866 to 2022. Years are listed in Column A.

  1. What is for January? Show the answer here and the uploaded spreadsheet computation in Cell E3.
  2. What is for January? Show the answer here and the uploaded spreadsheet computation in Cell E4.
  3. in January 2021 was 7.9 mb. Show the Troup SOI calculation below.
  4. In January 2021, was there an El Niño episode, La Niña episode, or a neutral ENSO condition? Assume this value’s magnitude has been sustained for a few months.
  5. Read https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evolution-status-fcsts-web.pdf . What is February 2023’s ONI? Is there currently an El Niño episode, La Niña episode, or a neutral ENSO condition?

Present a series of paragraphs that discuss the risk of the toxicant, the potential for exposure or likelihood that it would be found locally in our food or water, and potential effects of the concentration levels found. Find real data for the concentrations that have been found and discuss this information.

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Disscution-1

For this discussion please conduct research on a contaminant that has been found in our food and/or water. Conduct a literature review for a specific contaminant that has been found in food and/or water and find at least three references, two of which must be journal articles. You can have more than three references. Your original discussion should present a series of paragraphs that discuss the risk of the toxicant, the potential for exposure or likelihood that it would be found locally in our food or water, and potential effects of the concentration levels found. Find real data for the concentrations that have been found and discuss this information. Make sure and discuss specific locations where the contaminant has been found to be a problem. In a second post discuss what can be done to reduce the risk of this contaminant to human and or ecological health. Finally, discuss the current or future regulatory considerations for this contaminant. Make sure and use in text citations following APA or another accepted style. In text citations should include (Author, Year). Please go to http://libguides.wku.edu/stylewrite to review using various styles for citations. Also, you need to have a references list at the end of each discussion. Make sure this follows an appropriate style. You may use another style besides APA, just make sure you are consistent.

Do you know how sewage is handled in your home? Do you have a personal septic tank or is there a sewage management facility in your community?

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Sewage and wastewater treatment

Assignment

Do you know how sewage is handled in your home? Do you have a personal septic tank or is there a sewage management facility in your community? In this assignment you will explore both.

Part 1: Septic Tanks

People who live too far from urban areas will not have drainage pipes connecting their waste water to a sewage treatment plant. In this case septic tanks are used. Do some online research and explain in about a paragraph how septic tanks works? What are some environmental dangers with regard to septic tanks? This should take up to 250 words.

Be sure to use your own words and cite and reference any quotes!

Part 2: Wastewater Treatment

If you live in an urban area your water will most likely be treated at a facility. As discussed in the lesson, there are several ways to treat wastewater and the sludge resulting from the treatment process. Wastewater is often released in different areas depending on where you live.

Go to the NYC website that explains how New York handles the waste water of millions of residents: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/dep/water/wastewater-treatment-system.page. Answer the following questions in complete sentences. You can do this in paragraph form or by providing bulleted/numbered answers to each question:

a. What are the stages of waste water treatment

b. What is used to disinfect the final water before release?

c. Where is the wastewater released?

d. What methods are used to treat sludge?

e. What happens to the biogas that is created during sludge treatment?

Explain in your own words how scientists have determined that a large surplus of carbon in the air is from the human activities of burning fossil fuels. Describe 5 ways that we could supply the world with energy without using fossil fuels.

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Investigate Your Fossil Fuels Consumption

To aid us in our estimation, we will use the online Fossil Fuels Calculator that will convert the measurable items that we use into amounts of fossil fuel that have been consumed. This calculator is able to do this based upon some assumptions about the mix of fuel in this country. To use the calculator, you will need to find out or estimate the following quantities about your lifestyle:

  • The average number of miles that you drive each year, and the mileage of your car(s).
  • The number of miles that you drive/fly each year on airlines, buses, trains, taxis, and motorcycles.
  • The amount of electricity that you use in your home each year.
  • The amount of natural gas, propane, kerosene, or heating oil that you use in your home each year.
  • The amount of gasoline that you use in your lawnmower/weed eater each year.

Plugging these numbers into the calculator will allow you to estimate how much of each fossil fuel you are responsible for consuming each year. After doing this, answer the questions on the Fossil Fuels – Capstone activity sheet ( attached below)

online fossil fuel calculator: https://esa21.kennesaw.edu/activities/fossilcapsto…

DISCUSSION POST:

1. Refer back to the Earth – the Operator’s Manual video assignment ATTACHED and any notes that you took from it to review your learning.

2. Post a new thread in which you respond to the following prompts questions:

  • Explain in your own words how scientists have determined that a large surplus of carbon in the air is from the human activities of burning fossil fuels.
  • Describe 5 ways that we could supply the world with energy without using fossil fuels.

Wind and solar energy are two renewable sources that will be available forever. In your opinion, how big a part will wind play in the energy portfolio of the world?

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Answer the question

Wind and solar energy are two renewable sources that will be available forever. In your opinion, how big a part will wind play in the energy portfolio of the world?

Discuss the cost of 1MWh of wind energy. Compare it to the cost from other sources. The retail price of 1MWh (what you pay) is about $120/MWh.

Identify a local environmental challenge. Summarize the local environmental challenge. Support your summary with at least 2 sources from the University Library, reputable environmental groups, or government websites.

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People, Science And The Environment

Assignment Content

  1. A local middle school science teacher is teaching students how information collected about the health of the environment can be used to positively change human behavior. The class wants to learn about a local environmental challenge and if there are any related local regulations or policies. They also want to know how they, individually, can make a difference. As a member of the community and a person interested in environmental science, you have volunteered to create a video presentation to share with the middle school science students to help. Keep in mind that middle school students are typically in grades 6–8 and are 11–14 years old. Your presentation must be comprehensive and at the appropriate level for your audience to understand.
    Consult the following resources to create a video:

    Note: A transcript for each video is available.
    Create a 3- to 4-minute video, with the transcript and References in a document file, about how the students can influence positive change on a local environmental challenge. Review the Influencing Environmental Change Transcript Example as you prepare to record your video content and for some ideas for how to talk about these sorts of ideas to a middle school audience. Please see the FAQ in Course Questions discussion for more help. Include the following components in your video:

    1. Identify a local environmental challenge.
    2. Summarize the local environmental challenge. Support your summary with at least 2 sources from the University Library, reputable environmental groups, or government websites.
    3. Explain why this challenge is relevant to the middle school class. Remember that while it is important to be honest with children about the realities of the health of the environment, be sure not to scare them. Focus on why it should be important to them, and that they can take action to help.
    4. Identify any local regulations or policies that have been created in response to this challenge. Remember, the purpose of this presentation is to help the students think about how they can change their behavior, not to teach them about regulations. Only mention the regulations so that students can understand how society has used regulations to change behavior. Do not spend too much time explaining details of the regulations to the students.
    5. Recommend 3 sustainable actions the middle school students can do in response to this challenge to help.

    Submit your assignment. Make sure your last name is included in your file name.

Examine your current water use and then examine several lifestyle changes that could reduce your overall water usage.

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EVR1001C- Lab: Water use and conservation

In this activity, you will be asked to examine your current water use and then examine several lifestyle changes that could reduce your overall water usage.

To do this you’ll be using an online water calculator that asks you to provide some information about water-using activities and uses this information to calculate your overall water use. Download and save to your computer the “Water Use and Conservation Activity Sheet.” You will be using it throughout the rest of this lab and will be submitting it. Now, use the water calculator to examine water use in your household, completing the Water Use and Conservation Activity Sheet as you progress.

Water Use Calculator

Before proceeding, review the following brochure from the U.S. EPA, which describes concepts about general water usage in the U.S.

How We Use Water in These United States

Next, review the following brochure from the U.S. EPA before proceeding, which describes the breakdown of water use in a typical home and offers simple suggestions for improving water efficiency.

Using Water Wisely in the Home