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Exploring Earth Science for Everyday Living

Discover the importance of Earth Science in daily life through interactive learning activities and discussions on environmental issues.

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Exploring Earth Science for Everyday Living

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  1. Unit 1: Environmental Issues Mr. Ross Brown Brooklyn School for Law and Technology

  2. How do we use Earth Science in our everyday lives? • 8 September 2017 • Do now: Base your answers to these questions on the map below and on your knowledge of earth science. The map shows the partial storm track of a hurricane and the hurricane watch area where it is predicted to reach land. Numbers 1 through 4 show positions of the hurricane on four different days at 12 noon Why was a hurricane watch posted for the coastal areas shown? • to tell people where the hurricane started • to encourage residents to travel to the watch area • to warn people of life-threatening conditions • to alert residents of climate changes

  3. How do we use Earth Science in our everyday lives? • 8 September 2017 • Do now: Base your answers to these questions on the map below and on your knowledge of earth science. The map shows the partial storm track of a hurricane and the hurricane watch area where it is predicted to reach land. Numbers 1 through 4 show positions of the hurricane on four different days at 12 noon In which compass direction did the hurricane travel from day 1 to day 4? • northwest • northeast • southwest • southeast

  4. Aim: What are the many areas of Earth Science? • 11 Sept 2017 • Do now:

  5. Aim: What are the many areas of Earth Science? • 11 Sept 2017 • Do now:

  6. Aim: What are the many areas of Earth Science? • 11 Sept 2017 • Exit:

  7. Why do we study Environmental Science? • 12 Sept 2017 • Do now: What is your environment? What components make up your environment? • Make a list of 10 things in your immediate environment.

  8. Why do we study Environmental Science? • Environment: the sum of all the conditions surrounding us that influence life. • Environmental Science: field of study that looks at interactions among human systems and those found in nature.

  9. Why do we study Environmental Science? • Ecosystem: a particular location on Earth with interacting components that include biotic (living) or abiotic (nonliving) components. • Environmentalism: a social movement seeking to protect the environment through lobbying, activism, and education. This is different than environmental science.

  10. Why do we study Environmental Science?

  11. Why do we study Environmental Science? • Environmental Studies: includes environmental science AND economics, environmental policy, ethics, literature, etc.

  12. Aim: In what ways does technological change impact human lives? • 13 Sept 2017 • Do now: List everything you ate for breakfast today or dinner last night. For each item or ingredient, how and where and by whom was it all produced/ grown/ manufactured?

  13. Neolithic & Industrial Revolutions

  14. Aim: In what ways does technological change impact human lives? • Please read and annotate the article you received. • On the back, jot down some of the pros and cons of either the Neolithic or Industrial Revolution. Be prepared to share some of your thoughts with the class.

  15. Aim: In what ways does technological change impact human lives? • 13 Sept 2017 • Exit – Briefly write on one of these topics: • I wish I were a hunter-gatherer because….or; • I am glad there was a Neolithic Revolution because….or; • I wish I was alive before the Industrial Revolution because….or; • I am thankful I live today, in a post-industrial society, because……

  16. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • 14 Sept 2017 • Do now:

  17. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? Los Angeles in 1880… ….and 2009

  18. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment?

  19. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Natural environments have ecosystem services, processes that produce life-supporting resources • Clean water • Timber • Fisheries • Agricultural crops

  20. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Environmental indicators: describe the current state of an environmental system • Biological diversity • Food production • Average global surface temperature & CO2 levels • Human population • Resource depletion

  21. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment?

  22. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Biodiversity exists on three levels • Ecosystem • Species • Genetic

  23. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Genetic diversity – variation within a population • Higher diversity means better able to respond to environmental change

  24. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • 15 Sept 2017 • Do now: The environment provides resources, such as clean water, habitats for fisheries and wild game, timber, and pollination of food crops. Additionally, the environment is responsible for cycling nutrients, moderating weather, cleaning water, and much more. These benefits are referred to as: • Natural goods • Provisioning services • Regulating services • Ecosystem services • Support services

  25. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Species – a group of organisms distinct from other groups based on morphology (body form and structure,) behavior, or biochemical properties. • Species diversity – number of species in a region or habitat • Higher diversity means more productive and resilient

  26. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment?

  27. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment?

  28. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Not all extinction is our fault • Background extinction rate – rate at which species go extinct over long terms. • Speciation – evolution of new species

  29. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment?

  30. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Ecosystem diversity – how diverse are the habitats in a particular region?

  31. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Food production, the ability to grow food to nourish the human population • We measure this per person, or per capita (capita = head, like cabeza!)

  32. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • 18 Sept 2017 • Do now: Common global-scale environmental indicators include all of the following except: • Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations • Human population • Natural resource depletion • Ocean fish harvest • Pollution in a local stream

  33. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Average Global Surface Temperature and Carbon Dioxide (CO2 ) Concentrations • Diversity and food production rely on stable climate • Regulated by our atmosphere

  34. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Greenhouse Gases: atmospheric gases that trap heat near Earth’s surface • CO2 • H20v (water vapor) • CH4 (methane)

  35. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Scientists believe the increase in greenhouse gases has anthropogenic causes • Cause by humans!

  36. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Human Population – size as indicator • Currently about ___________________ • Every 24 hours, _________ infants are born…. • ….but only ___________ people die • ~ 8.1 and 9.6 BB by 2050 • Can the Earth support all these people? • Finite resources! 7.2 Billion 387,000 155,000

  37. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Resource depletion: the absolute quantities diminish • Some are finite and can’t be reused • Coal, oil, uranium • Some are finite but can be reused • Aluminum, copper • Some are renewable, but require time • Timber

  38. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • Rate of resource consumption is a function of rate of development • Development: improvement in human-well being through economic advancement.

  39. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • 19 Sept 2017 • Do now: How does fish and meat consumption in developed and developing nations compare? • Developing countries consume slightly more meat and fish per capita • Developed countries consume slightly more meat and fish per capita • Developed and developing countries consume about the same amount of meat and fish per capita • Developing countries consume about four times more meat and fish per capita • Developed countries consume about four time more meat and fish per capita

  40. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • How quickly are we using the resources? • Do the math! • Estimates of amount of forest clearing worldwide • Est #1: 1 acre/ second • Est #2: 80,000 acres/ day • Est #3: 32,000 hectares/ day • Convert the first 2 estimates to hectares per year and compare • The significant figures of a number are digits that carry meaning contributing to its measurement resolution.  1 hectare = 100 meters2 2.47 acres per hectare (think sig fig) 0.40 hectares per acre

  41. Aim: How can we measure impact of humans on the environment? • The Cats of Borneo – Place these events in order

  42. THE DAY THEY PARACHUTED CATS IN BORNEO (Operation Cat Drop) • In the early 1950’s the Dayak people in Borneo suffered from malaria. The World Health Organization had a solution: they sprayed large amounts of DDT to kill off mosquitoes which carried the malaria. The mosquitoes died and the malaria declined. But there were some unforeseen side-effects. Among the first was that the roofs of people’s houses began to fall down on their heads. It seemed that the DDT was also killing a parasitic wasp which had previously controlled thatch-eating caterpillars. Also, while the DDT killed mosquitoes, others insects, such as roaches, merely stored DDT in their bodies. The roaches were eaten by lizards which also inhabited Borneo. Instead of killing the lizards the DDT only slowed them down. This made it easier for cats to catch the lizards, one of their favorite foods. The lizards eventually disappeared and the cats died from eating the poisoned lizards. Rats moved in because there were no cats to control their population. Rats brought in plague and typhus which threatened the human population. With no way to bring the rats under control the World Health Organization sent out emergency calls for cats. An air drop was organized that parachuted 14,000 live cats into Borneo in an attempt to solve the problems created by the original actions of WHO.

  43. Aim: What is Sustainability? • 25 Sept 2017 • Do now: Which of the following events has increased the impact of humans on the environment? • I. advances in technology • II. reduced human population growth • III. use of tools for hunting • I only • I and II only • II and III only • I and III only • I, II, and III

  44. Aim: What is Sustainability? • Review: what did we say were the five key environmental indicators? • Biological diversity • Food production • Average global surface temperature & CO2 levels • Human population • Resource depletion • We use this information to guide us toward sustainability, living on Earth in a way that allows us to use its resources without depriving future generations of those resources.

  45. Aim: What is Sustainability? • Perpetual resources: we won’t run out (Sun) • Renewable resources: we can generate more of them (timber) • We must not deplete faster than they can regenerate • Unrenewable: limited, & then gone. (Oil, gas) • We must use sparingly • Environmental systems must not be damaged beyond ability to recover

  46. Aim: What is Sustainability? • Sustainable development: balances current human well-being and economic advancement with resource management for the benefit of future generations. • Easter Island

  47. Aim: What is Sustainability? • Sustainability and consumption • What do we need? How much? • Basic needs • Complex needs • Biophilia: love of life. Humans love life, so we protect it. Parks, preserves, etc • Ecological footprint: a measure of how much a person consumes, in terms of the area of land required to support that person’s lifestyle

  48. Aim: What is Sustainability?

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