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Web
Infomation Evaluation:
I. Do
a web search on the words "GAIA AND ECOLOGY".
Choose one site that you find interesting (don't just choose
the one that pops up -- scroll downwards and choose from
all of the sites (hundreds!) that are listed. We want to
make sure we get several different ones from the whole class).
For
each site, evaluate the information provided by answering
the following:
•
Who is the source? Is
it clear and easy to find who the organization represents?
Is it a person or group whose history and interests you
know anything about? What are the goals of the organization?
Is there any conflct of interest in presenting information?
Are they representing any special interests? Does
the site present information in an unbiased way?
Does it use broad generalizations to discredit its opponent
or are their analyses well-reasoned?
• Can you verify the information
in the page using other sources?
•
Does the site do a good job citing its sources?
• Is their information based on scientific evidence?
Email
the web address to me at shall@coloradocollege.edu.
Be prepared to access your web site from class and present
your findings.
Environmental
Organization Evaluation:
Following
are a list of organizations that you might find when searching
for environmental conservation groups. Do a web search on
each of these. Who are they really? What interests do they
represent? Are their views based on scientific facts? Explore
these organizations using the guidelines above.
Greening
Earth Society
The Nature Conservancy
Environmental Conservation
Organization
Conservation International
Global Climate Coalition
Come
to class prepared to discuss your findings.
Explore
Topics in Global Environmental Change
Go to
the McGraw Hill Enviromental Science Student Learning Center
page for Current
Environmental Issues. Choose one of the many issues
listed, and learn as much as you can about it by searching
the web, following the links, etc. Be prepared to share
what you learned with the class. You will have 5 minutes
to enlighten us! Make sure you presentation includes answers
to the following questions:
What
is the issue?
Why is it important?
What is the science behind the issue?
What are the obstacles to solving the problem?
What can we do about it?
How
to calculate the time left for a non-renewable resource
with increased resource use per year (From
Bartlett, 1998, Forgotton Fundamentals
of the Energy Crisis)
T =
Exponential Expiration Time (time it will take for a resource
to run out given an exponential increase in its consumption)
k =
Fractional rate if increase (e.g. 1% rate of increase in
consumption = 0.01)
R =
quantity of resource (e.g. 2120 billion barrels of oil left
in the world)
r =
current rate of use (quantity/year): (e.g. US consumption
rate as of 1999 is 7.1 billion barrels/year)
T =
1/k * ln [k * R/r +1]
So,
at the current rate of consumption, the US would use up
all the world's oil at
2120
billion barrels / 7.1 billion barrels/year =
2120 / 7.1 = 298.6 years
But
at a 1.4% increase in energy consumption per year in the
US, the time it would take for the US to use up all the
available oil in the world is:
T =
1 / 0.014 * ln [0.014 * 2120 / 7.1 +1] ==
71.43
* ln(5.18) =
71.43
* 1.645 = 117.5 years
What
Alternatives to fossil fuels do we have?
Research
one of the topics below. Begin with information from your
book, and then find at least three web sites on this topic.
Prepare a coherent 10 minute presentation on your topic
using Powerpoint or overheads.
• Hybrid fuels
(2 people): Automobiles and Cogeneratoin
• Solar Heat (low temperature) (2 people)
• Solar Electricity (high temperature and batteries)
(2 people)
• Fuel Cells (2 people)
• Biomass (3 people)
• Hydropower (2 people)
• Wind (2 people)
• Geothermal (3 people)
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