Should we be trying to extract/recycle these materials more in the United States? Should we be requiring others to meet our environmental and societal standards?

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Reading and Reflective Writing – Assignment #1

Discussion
Answer the following questions in a few paragraphs. Do not repeat the questions or, conversely, just provide answers to the questions. The discussion needs to be written in paragraph form – as a discussion.
a) How do lithium batteries work, and what materials are involved?

b) How do we, currently, get most of these materials? What problems do these methods (for procuring these materials) face (e.g., do we have enough; environmental concerns; social concerns)?

c) How are we trying to move away from mining, and how are we improving that process? What are some of the obstacles to that process?

Reflection
Address the following questions, in paragraph form.

a) How has your understanding of electric vehicle (EV) batteries or all “green” battery solutions changed? Have you ever thought about where the materials for cars, cell phones, windmills, solar panels. . . comes from and at what cost?

b) What did you learn about the environmental and social implications of switching to greener energy sources. . .or at least lithium batteries? How does this make you feel about the use of electric cars, cell phones, technology in general. . . either in the big- picture or just your own use?

c) Should we be trying to extract/recycle these materials more in the United States? Should we be requiring others to meet our environmental and societal standards?

d) Are there things you can do as an individual or as part of a larger collective to help address concerns related to these materials and processes?

e) Did you learn anything else that surprised or impressed you?

Define the term thoroughly, in your own words. Explain the importance of the term using evidence. Discuss how the term affects living things and the physical world.

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Sustainable Living Guide Contributions: Sustaining Our Atmosphere and Climate

The topic for this paper is energy conservation.
Must be 3 paragraphs long.
Use 3 scholarly sources.
It must be in APA style using the correct voice.

Description for the paper:

Review Chapters 5 and 6 in your course textbook.
In the template, you will

Define the term thoroughly, in your own words.
Explain the importance of the term using evidence.
Discuss how the term affects living things and the physical world.
Suggest two specific actions that can be taken to promote environmental sustainability in relation to the term.
Explain exactly how those actions will aid in safeguarding our environment in relation to your chosen term.
Provide detailed examples to support your ideas.

Write a short personal essay on your favorite forest or favorite tree–the idea is to write about your personal connection to forests or trees, in Michigan or elsewhere.

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Personal essay about my favorite tree/ forest type

Write a short personal essay on your favorite forest or favorite tree–the idea is to write about your personal connection to forests or trees, in Michigan or elsewhere. It must be submitted in WORD format.

• You can write a short essay about your favorite forest/tree,

The printed paper should be 3-4 pages long, double-spaced with no larger than 12 point font and with 1″ margins. This is essentially an essay, but it can be a short non-fiction story as check sentence structure, spelling and overall flow of the paper.

Which of these things do you think is the most important use of energy, and why? What is one method you currently use (or would like to use) to reduce energy consumption in your home?

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Environmental science Unit 4 – Discussion Board

We all use energy in more ways than we think. Turning on the lights in our bedroom, running our kitchen faucet, cranking up the furnace during cold winter nights, and even the choice to keep our windows open or closed—all of these impact the energy we consume. Some decisions can also save you money, but these choices also impact our environment.

Watch this video on ways to save energy around the home.

Think of some things in your house that use energy. Then, answer the following questions:

Which of these things do you think is the most important use of energy, and why?
What is one method you currently use (or would like to use) to reduce energy consumption in your home?

Link to the video:

Which of the choices above is the most important to you? Why? Think of an example of an environmentally friendly meal you could make at home. In what way(s) is this meal environmentally friendly?

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Environmental Science Unit 3 – Discussion Board

Eating food grown using sustainable methods, such as natural pesticides and crop rotation, is better for the environment than eating food grown using conventional methods, such as synthetic pesticides.
Eating plant-based food is better for the environment than eating meat-based food. Plants require less land, water, and resources than livestock.
Eating imperfect food reduces food waste. A great deal of fruits and vegetables are thrown away because of their appearance.
Eating locally grown food reduces CO2 emissions from transportation.

Watch this video to learn more about how your food choices impact the environment.

Link to the video:

Imagine that you want to use your food choices at home to practice environmental sustainability. Thinking about the choices above, answer the following questions:

Which of the choices above is the most important to you? Why?
Think of an example of an environmentally friendly meal you could make at home. In what way(s) is this meal environmentally friendly?

 

Do we have an obligation to future generations to change the way we are impacting the planet? What about an obligation to other species on Earth? Why or why not?

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Chasing Ice Discussion

Consider and comment on what you knew about climate change and the climate crisis before watching the film. Have your ideas shifted or changed? How? In what ways?

Balog admits that he was previously skeptical about humans’ ability to alter the chemistry of the air we breathe, but he changed his mind after learning new information about the history of our climate. Why is this process of re-evaluating your ideas based on new information so important? Why do you think that some people have a difficult time integrating new information into their knowledgebase?

The effects of our changing climate are already being felt in our daily lives. In what ways have you experienced and/or been impacted by the climate crisis? Where have you seen the effects?

There is an important relationship between the arts and sciences. Chasing Ice is a good example of how leveraging this relationship can be a more effective way to present conceptually challenging information. What other opportunities can you identify to bring together the arts and sciences around the topic of the climate crisis? What are some challenges you can identify?

Do we have an obligation to future generations to change the way we are impacting the planet? What about an obligation to other species on Earth? Why or why not?

There are many reasons why well-meaning and informed people do not always act in accordance with their intentions and beliefs. What prevents you from acting on the climate crisis? What about the university, what do you think prevents North Carolina Central University from taking action on the climate crisis? How might we address these individual and institutional challenges that prevent us from taking action?

How do your choices impact your ecological footprint? What can you start doing today to begin having a more positive impact on the environment?

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Unit 2 – Discussion Board

Did you know that everything we do, everything we eat, and everything we throw away has an impact on the environment? We all have an ecological footprint, which is a way to measure how much land and water are required to produce what we consume and to absorb the waste we generate.

Consider how your choices impact the environment, and then answer the following questions:

How do your choices impact your ecological footprint?
What can you start doing today to begin having a more positive impact on the environment?

What is biodiversity? Why is biodiversity important? What are some of the key threats to biodiversity? Does biodiversity benefit humans?

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Biodiversity

1.What is biodiversity?

2.Why is biodiversity important? Discuss its importance on a planetary level, on an ecosystem level, and on a personal level. Include a photo illustrating a demonstration of biodiversity that is important to you.

3.What are some of the key threats to biodiversity? Use specific examples, such as focusing on threats to coral reefs or other highly diverse ecosystems.

4.Does biodiversity benefit humans? Explain your reasoning using at least one example.

5. In your opinion, who is responsible for protecting biodiversity? How should this protection be carried out? Use at least one specific example in your answer.

What did you find most interesting? What did you already know? What did you learn?

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El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the Pacific Ocean [also called El Niño-La Niña Cycles] is associated with a band of warm ocean water that develops in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific.

El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is perhaps the most important ocean-atmosphere interaction phenomenon to cause cyclic global climate variability.

Go online and find a recent (published within the last 2 years) article from a reputable source regarding ENSO.

Submit a one page (approximately 250 word) summary of the article. What did you find most interesting? What did you already know? What did you learn? Was there anything that surprised you in the article.