Quarter 2 Article 3

2) World’s Largest Wind Farm to Be Built in the US

3) BC Upham, triplepundit.com 12/14/09

5) Miller Chapter 17

6) Area Covered: Regional- Oregon

7) Next year, the construction on the world's largest wind farm will begin in Oregon. The farm will have 845 MW of capacity by using 338 of General Electric's 2.5 MW turbines. It is predicted that the farm will produce 2 billion kilowatt-hours per year which will power 235,000 homes. This 2 billion dollar project will generate 400 jobs during construction and 35 to maintain the farm. According to USA today, most of the permits needed for the project have already been obtained which is crucial to the progression of this task.

8) I think that this is very important in moving our country towards cleaner energy. The technology for green electricity has been known but knot implemented to it's fullest potential; this project will influence other states and areas to use greener technology.

9) 2.5 MW turbines: These are General Electrics new wind turbines. They have higher energy capture, reliability and efficiency than the previous models.

Quarter 2 Article 2

2) CAMBODIA: Once ‘Extinct’ Crocodile Claws Its Way Back to Survival - IPS ipsnews.net

3) ipsnews.net Nov. 20, 2009

5) Miller Chapter 11

6) Area covered: regional- Southeast Asia

7) Siamese Crocodiles once inhabited an area that stretched far and wide across Southeast Asia. Due to habitat loss and poaching, the siamese crocs were named extinct in the wild. They were illegally hunted for their skin which is much softer than other crocodiles. This declaration occurred 20 years ago; although in 2000 several dozen of them were found living in Southwest Cambodia. Scientists feared the crocs found were a hybrid animal but DNA tests confirmed that they are indeed siamese crocodiles. The estimated population of these animals is 250 which are residing mostly in Cambodia. Scientists say that the news is very encouraging and shows that it is possible for the crocs to claw their way back from the brink of extinction. One last important point about the remaining crocodiles is that the mature adults that do exist are not genetically related which will increase the genetic diversity when breeding.

8) It is nice to see that a species thought to be extinct has independantly worked its way back into the ecosystem successfully. It gives hope for other critically endangered species by demonstrating that it is possible to re-establish a population after 99% of the original population is gone.

9) Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature: an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. IUCN's mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable

Quarter 2 Article 1

NRDC: Press Release - Killing Carp: Chicago Canal Poisoned to Keep Invasive Fish Out of Great Lakes


3) nrdc.org Dec. 2, 2009


5) Miller Chapter 11

6) Regional Area: Chicago Sanitary Ship Canal and Lake Michigan

7) Lake Michigan's ecosystem is already extremely damaged by the introduction of many invasive species. This is due to the canals that took the lake out of isolation and linked the lake with other water ways. The largest problem that is being faced right now is the Asian Carp. This fish is on its way towards Lake Michigan and it poses a big threat to the already hurt ecosystem. The Carp reproduces rapidly, filter feeds 40% of their body weight each day, and may eventually out-compete native species. To stop this, state and federal agencies have begun to poison the Chicago Sanitary Ship Canal to prevent the carp from entering the lake while maintenance is performed on an electrical barrier intended to keep the fish out.

8) I think that this is a good idea because the asian carp could be detrimental to the lake Michigan ecosystem. The poison may not be a good idea because the poison may travel down or up stream and even into the lake; but the electrical barrier is something that wont harm a lot of the aquatic life in the area.

9)Chicago Sanitary Ship Canal: The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, historically known as the Chicago Drainage Canal, is the only shipping link between the Great Lakes (specifically Lake Michigan by way of the Chicago River) and the Mississippi River system, by way of the Illinois and Des Plaines Rivers.

Coqui

Coqui
Sound Of the Coqui

APES Web Activity

1) a. World Pop. 6960718920
b. World Pop at my birth. 5383169361
c. Percent Change. 29.31%

2) US Pop. 307,962,040
COMPONENT SETTINGS FOR NOVEMBER 2009 One birth every.................................. 7 seconds One death every.................................. 12 seconds One international migrant (net) every............ 35 seconds Net gain of one person every..................... 11 seconds
3) Top 3 Most Populous Countries:
China: 1,338,612,968
India: 1,166,079,217
United States: 307,212,123
4) Chad 2000:
TFR: 6.6

Infant Mortality Rate: 113

Life Expectancy: 46
Growth Rate: 2.9%
Chad 2025:
TFR: 3.6
Infant Mortality Rate: 73
Life Expectancy:54
Growth Rate: 1.7%
Chad 2050:
TFR: 3.0
Infant Mortality Rate: 39
Life Expectancy: 63
Growth Rate: 1.5%





4) b. Puerto Rico 2000:
TFR: 2.0
Infant Mortality Rate: 10
Life Expectancy: 76
Growth Rate: 0.7%
Puerto Rico 2025:
TFR: 1.7
Infant Mortality Rate: 6
Life Expectancy: 81
Growth Rate: 0.0%
Puerto Rico 2050:
TFR: 1.7
Infant Mortality Rate: 4
Life Expectancy: 83
Growth Rate: -0.7%

5)
Total Fertility Rate in China is rapidly decreasing due to the one child policy.

6) Site: http://countrystudies.us/india/34.htm
Facts about India’s Family Planning:
- In the 1950’s, birth control information was available in hospitals.
- National Population Policy was adopted in 1976
- Family planning was a part of this larger goal to improve general welfare
- The population problem was taught in schools
- The many programs implemented in India did help but they could not stop the growth due to the large momentum that it had.

7) Ecological Footprint: measure humanity’s demands on nature.
= 5.37 Earths

Quarter 1 Article 10

2) Koalas 'could face extinction'


3) BBC News, Nov. 10th, 2009

5) Miller Chapter: 1, 8, 11


6) Regional: East and South Australia


7) According to researchers, the koala is on a fast path towards extinction due to a number of factors in Australia. These factors include development, climate change, brush fires, and chlamydia. In the koalas habitats there has recently been hotter and drier conditions which has hurt the nutritional value of their staple food, eucalyptus leaves. The eucalyptus leaves are very sensitive and koalas are very picky eaters which is not a very good mix. Scientists hope that these findings will persuade the Threatened Species Steering Committee to put the koala on the threatened species list.


8) I think that it is very surprising to read about the data found in the forests of Australia. In only a couple of years the koala numbers have plummetted and the reaction time of the support organizations may be to slow to help the koalas in time.


9) Australian Koala Foundation :(AKF) is an international not-for-profit scientific organisation that aims to diminish the threats to the survival of koalas and in doing so raise the awareness of the global community to help save endangered fauna and flora.

Quarter 1 Article 9

2) Brown Pelicans Recover from DDT, no longer Endangered
Posted using ShareThis

3) Roger Greenway, ENN
November 12, 2009

5) Miller Chapter: 1,8,11

6) National: USA

7) Recently, Secretary of the Interior, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, and the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the brown pelican has recovered and will be taken off the endangered species list. The brown pelican was put on the endangered species list after the pesticide DDT decimated their population around 1970. DDT was not the only factor, they also suffered from habitat loss and being hunted for its feathers although their comeback is largely due to the ban of this harmful pesticide.

8) I think it is great that the brown pelican has had such a strong comeback. I'm glad that people realized the problem and did something to fix it and help the pelicans. This proves that help from many different individuals, businesses, and organizations can help a very important cause.

9)DDT: dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane is one of the most well-known synthetic pesticides.

Quarter 1 Article 8

2) Degraded Habitats Push More Species to Extinction Worldwatch Institute

3) World Watch Institute
11/3/2009

5) Miller Chapter: 1, 8, 11

6) Global

7) Recently, a global survey was done on biodiversity and the species across the globe. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature found that 17,291 species are threatened with extinction and 11 species are either fully extinct or extinct out of captivity. These findings were out of 47,677 species across the earth. Annually, these numbers indicate how environmental change is altering natural habitats everywhere. To try and reverse the effects of environmental change, the Wildlife Conservation Society has been starting many breeding programs for endangered species. Some of these programs are happening right in our backyard; in the Bronx Zoo, they are currently working on breeding the Kihansi spray toad. Another example of a newly endangered and maybe extinct species is the French Polynesia Snail; it became extinct because of an intrusive species, the African giant land snail.

8) I was very surprised to read that so many species become extinct and endangered each year. It was also interesting to see that things we learn in class are really applied to the environment we live in; for example, the intrusive species in the Pacific Islands that wiped out several other snail species.

9) Wildlife Conservation Society: The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) endeavors to save wildlife and wild lands though careful use of science, conservation around the world

quarter 1 article 7

2) African Desert Rift Confirmed as New Ocean in the Making

3) Source: University of Rochester

Nov. 2, 2009

5)Miller Chapter: 14

6)Regional: Ethiopia

7) In 2005, a gigantic rift opened up in the desert of Ethiopia that was 35 miles long. There is a volcanic process going on underneath the rift, similar to the volcanic processes going on under earth's oceans. This leads scientists to believe that the rift is the start of a new ocean. They predict that the edges will suddenly break off in large chunks rather than gradually due to the highly active volcanic boundaries. One scientist figured out that the eruption of a nearby volcano triggered the "unzipping" of the rift by forced lava up through the earth. His research showed that the 35 mile opening happened in days which is incredible. This phenomenon will let scientists into the incredible magma system and the rifts it causes not only on land but also in the ocean.

8) I think that this event that has taken place in Ethiopia is amazing. It really is crazy how a 35 mile long hole can open up in just days. Scientists have always known about rifts and their size under the ocean but this occurrance let them know how it happens and how fast it can develop. I think it will be interesting to see how the events unfold and if this rift will become a new ocean.

9) Rift: place where the Earth's crust and lithosphere are being pulled apart.

Quarter 1 Article 6

2) Volcanic Air Pollution Chokes Locals: Discovery News

Posted using ShareThis

3) Discovery News

Oct. 28, 2009

5) Miller Chapter 18, 19

6) Regional: Hawaii

7) On the island of Hawaii, volcanic air pollution from the active volcano Kilauea has caused many health problems for the many people living there. The volcano has been erupting since 1983, releasing sulfur dioxide into the air which is blown toward southern villages by trade winds. Some of this gas is turned into hazy sulfate particles and combined with other gasses makes a volcanic smog. Testing that has been done on the island proves that people exposed to the smog develop more lung problems than others. These complications include bronchitis, asthma, lung infections, and sore throats. The likelihood of many of these problems doubled and some were even 5 times worse.

8) I found it very interesting that the gasses released by erupting volcanoes did more than just block out the sun. The people of Southern Hawaii have much more to worry about now that this study has been done and these results have been found. The volcanic pollution does not just cause major damage as it had originally been thought but also causes many more subtle health problems.

9) Hazy Sulfate Particles (SO4): Sulfates occur as microscopic particles (aerosols) resulting from fossil fuel and biomass combustion. They increase the acidity of the atmosphere and form acid rain.

quarter 1 article 5

2) El Nino to Help Steer US Winter Weather

3) source: NOAA News 10-15-09

5) Miller Chapter 5

6)National

7) Scientist predict that throughout the months of December, January, and February, El Nino will strongly impact the weather patterns throughout the United States. This expectation was released in the 2009 Winter Outlook by the NOAA's Climate Protection Center. They predicted that there will be warmer-than-usual temperatures in the north central area and below average temperatures in the southeast and mid-Atlantic regions. As for precipitation, there will be above average precipitation in the southern border states and drier conditions in the pacific northwest. Mike Halpert, deputy director of the Climate Protection Center, said "Warmer ocean water in the equatorial Pacific shifts the patterns of tropical rainfall that in turn change the strength and position of the jet stream and storms over the Pacific Ocean and the U.S."

8) I think it is very interesting to see what the Climate Protection Center predicts our winter to be like. When I first learned about El Nino I did not think that it could have such a profound impact on the temperature and precipitation of the entire country. I am interested to see if their predictions are correct and if El Nino will really have such a strong influence on each region in the US.

9) El Nino: A warming of the ocean surface off the western coast of South America that occurs every 4 to 12 years when upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water does not occur. It causes die-offs of plankton and fish and affects Pacific jet stream winds, altering storm tracks and creating unusual weather patterns in various parts of the world.

NOAA:an agency in the Department of Commerce that maps the oceans and conserves their living resources; predicts changes to the earth's environment; provides weather reports and forecasts floods and hurricanes and other natural disasters related to weather

Quarter 1 Article 4

2) U.S. maps protected Alaska habitat for polar bear

3) Source: Reuters; October 22, 2009

5) Miller Chapters 8, 11, 20

6) Local- Anchorage, Alaska

7) The US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed that 200,000 square miles of coastline and Arctic Ocean waters will be designated a critical habitat and be protected under the Endangered Species Act. The species that is endangered in this situation is the polar bear. This action to help these polar bears would be the largest area protected under the Endangered Species Act. One of the reasons why this proposal may prove to be controversial is that the land being protected covers part of the largest oil field that exists in the US. The governor of Alaska has made his opinion public and said that he does not want the Endangered Species Act to hinder resource development. The proposal will go under a 60 day public review before it is final.

8) I think that designating such a large area to polar bears is a great idea and it is well over due. The fact that the species is now being fully protected from the oil mines and things like that is reassuring. As for the governor of Alaska, it seems that he just wants money from producing resources in the state and doesn't really care about the endangerment of the polar bears which is not okay. Hopefully the proposal will be passed and the polar bears will be protected.

9)Endangered Species Act of 1973:was enacted to protect animal and plant species from extinction by preserving the ecosystems in which they survive and by providing programs for their conservation.

Quarter 1 Article 3

2)Green Roofs Shown to Offset Warming: Discovery News

Posted using ShareThis



3) Discovery News
October 6, 2009



5) Ch. 19, 20



6)Global


7) One of the most recent attacks proposed to fight the problem of global warming is filling rooftops with soil and plants. Naturally, you associate plants with taking in carbon dioxide which would be the main goal but the green roofs carry many other added benefits. These include absorbing and reflecting heat in the summer, acting as insulation in the winter, and soaking up rainwater to prevent flooding. These green roof tops would also reduce air pollution, noise pollution, and provide a habitat for some animals. All of these benefits last a long time except for removing carbon from the atmosphere. This does not last because the carbon emitted from the soil after matter is decayed balances out the carbon taken from the atmosphere by the plants in about 2 years. Although this seems to be a short amount of time, the results would make the project worthwhile.

8) I think that having green roof tops in the cities would be a really great idea because of all the major benefits it seems to hold. There is so much roof space in the cities across the world, it would be foolish not to put them to good use.

9) plant biomass: plant matter grown to produce electricity or heat

Quarter1 Article2

1) Quarter 1 Article 1

2)Wildlife and Habitat Conservation News:
Posted using ShareThis

3) From: R. Greenway, ENN

Published September 29, 2009 07:26 AM

5) Miller Ch. 12

6) National

7) The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service may remove the humpback whale from its list of endangered species. The species was on the brink of extinction in the 1960's until an international ban was placed on whaling which has resulted in a population increase of 4.7% each year. Humpbacks were hunted for their oil, meat and whalebone which reduced the population to between 5 and 10 percent of the original stock. This drastic population increase gives good reason to remove the species from the endangered list but many remain skeptical because of the risks humbacks continue to face. Driftnets, huge nets that range from 2 to 9 miles wide and 8 to 15 feet deep, continue to entrap and drown thousands of humback whales each year. Humpback whales may also be affected by climate change and ocean acidification which adds to the skepticism of taking them off the endangered species list.

8) I agree with many of the viewpoints in this article. While the humpback whales are making many large strides away from endangerment, there are still factors that plague their existence. Driftnets and the current climate problem may prove to be detrimental to this species of whale and it may be too soon to remove them from the endangered species list.

9) U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service: division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department of Commerce, NMFS is responsible for the stewardship and management of the nation's living marine resources and their habitat within the United States' Exclusive Economic Zone.

Driftnets: huge nets made of lightweight nylon which measure between 1.25 to 90 miles in length and 8 and 15 feet in depth. They are left to "drift" in the open ocean for periods of 8 hours or more

Quarter1 Article1

1) Quarter 1 Article 1

2) Climate Change Mitigation Strategies Ignore Carbon Cycling Processes Of Inland Waters, Scientists Say

Shared via AddThis

3) ScienceDaily: Sep. 27, 2009

4)--------------->

5) Chapter 3

6) International

7) Scientists have recently found that a critical player in carbon emissions and climate change has been unaccounted for in common carbon cycling models. In many carbon cycle models, inland waters such as streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands are only static roadways that transfer carbon from continents to oceans. In reality, the outgassing of respired carbon from rivers contributes the equivalent of 13% of annual fossil fuel burning. These findings were not accounted for in the "Kyoto Protocol" and this may lead countries to decide on a new climate agreement in 2012. The solution to the carbon cyle model problem is a "Boundless Carbon Cycle" which shows carbon transfers between the land-freshwater boundary, the freshwater-atmosphere boundary, and regional boundaries within continents.

8) I find this article very interesting because not many people would think inland waters would have such a profound effect on the atmosphere due to the small amount of area it takes up on earth's surface. This new data will definitely move scientists and policy makers in the right direction when it comes to protecting the environment and it's atmosphere.

9) Kyoto Protocol: an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.