Radioactive Wastes and the Environment

Presenter: Joshua Sanderson

Date: Monday December 7th

Reading

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students/waste.html

http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/docs/radwaste/index.html

http://www.radwaste.org/

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to:

-Identify and discuss the positive and negative aspects involved with using nuclear power as an energy source.

-Identify key sources and leading causes of radioactive waste.

-Identify reasons to allow actions with radioactive waste byproducts to continue.

-Identify reasons to ban actions that create radioactive waste.

-Discuss the harmful effects radioactive waste has on our environment.

-Formulate a personal opinion regarding creation of radioactive waste and justify/qualify their own opinion.


Discussion Questions

Are there some good things that outweigh harmful effects of radioactive waste?

Should our government (or other governments) be allowed to participate in practices that created radioactive waste?

Should the government be allowed to put a radioactive waste dump anywhere they like?

What is your opinion of creating radioactive waste? Acceptable? Not acceptable? Both? Neither?

Has your opinion changed as a result of this presentation?

Implications of Human Population Growth

Presenter: Sarah Rock

Date: Friday December 5th

Readings

Steck, T.L. (2008). Human population explosion. Retrieved on December 3, 2009: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Human_population_explosion

United Nations Population Division (2009). the world at six billion. Retrieved on December 3, 2009: http://www.un.org/esa/population/unpop.htm

Chertow, M. (2008). IPAT equation. Retrieved on December 3, 2009: http://www.eoearth.org/article/IPAT_equation

Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BbkQiQyaYc

Powerpoint Presentation

http://www.slideshare.net/secret/cU7wJ3tGjL4zjc


Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to:

-iscuss the dangers brought about by excessive human population growth

-identify the ways in which humans avoid natural regulation of the population and discuss why they are important

-form an educated opinion about which of the dangers needs to be given the most attention in order to help the environment

Discussion Questions

Which danger do you think will cause our population to drop first?

In your opinion, which danger to you think requires the most attention in order to solve?

Do you think there is something that the government can do to regulate the human population?

If the government did step in, how do you think the majority of people would respond to the regulation(s)?

Please Take This Survey

One of my colleagues is working on a Ph.D. dissertation and she is interested in knowing how people perceive encyclopedia articles. She has sent me a survey that she would like to use as part of her research. She said that is should take about ten minutes to complete.

Thanks for participating in this survey. Please email me after finishing the survey to let me know you have done it.

http://www.uvm.edu/~ikubisze/experiment/

Alternative Energy Cars

Presenter: Cord Scorgie

Date: Wednesday December 2nd

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

-discuss the types of alternative energy cars discussed and their advantages and disadvantages

-identifythe difficulties of creating alternative energy cars

-discuss the difference between an 'economical' car and an 'environmentally friendly' car

- discuss current model alternative energy vehicles in an intelligent manner

Understand that a truly 'environmentally friendly' car does more than get good gas mileage

Discussion Questions

1)Do you think the government should take it upon itself to encourage alternative energy vehicles? (ie. Gas Tax)

2)Do you find any of the energy methods discussed to be more attractive than other methods?

3)Are you willing/able to change your driving style in order to be more fuel efficient?

4)What do you believe is the principle reason behind the push for alternative energy cars - environmental factors or economical factors?

5)What do you think needs to be done/can be done to push forward the development of alternatively fueled cars?

Bonus Question!)Would you ever drive a Prius? If no, good for you. If yes, seriously?

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Presenter: Greg Byers

Date: Monday November 30th

Readings

This page gives some basics about biotechnology. This is the home page, but it can be navigated through to get more information.

http://www.biotechknowledge.com/biotech/bbasics.nsf/basics.html?OpenPage

This website touches on some key areas.

http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:sc_MvSKCeh4J:www.greenfacts.org/en/gmo/index.htm+GMO+plants&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

More basic info with concerns and benefits.

http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml

http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php

These two sites touch on a specific issue.

http://www.gmo-safety.eu/en/

http://www.bt.ucsd.edu/

I also found a video that I may or may not show parts of.

http://www.monsanto.com/biotech-gmo/asp/default.asp


Powerpoint Presentation

http://www.slideshare.net/secret/owKzRxZru2Impr

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

-Identify and discuss the positive and negatives aspects of genetically modifying food crops.

-Discuss whether or not the benefits of genetically modifying crops outweigh the dangers.

-Identify a few of the methods used to modify plants.

-Discuss the moral issues that come with modifying an organism.

-Develop a stance on the issues being discussed.

Positive Environmental Impacts of Hunting

Presenter: Seth Kochel

Date: Friday November 23rd.

Readings

http://www.jstor.org/pss/3800518

http://www.nwtf.org/grants/2009/AWPF_09.pdf

http://www.safariclubfoundation.org/pr/pdf/muledeertranslocation.pdf

http://www.ducks.org/Conservation/HowWeConserve/1598/HowWeConserveHome.html

http://www.safariclubfoundation.org/pr/pdf/blackbear.pdf

Powerpoint Presentation

http://www.slideshare.net/secret/zO6NRFWSGiXKO5


Expected Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

-describe the positive impacts of hunting organizations

-discuss the difference between poaching/overhunting and conscientious hunting

-discuss hunters attempts to have as little negative impact on the environment as possible when taking game

-develop an educated opinion of hunting as a sport


Discussion Questions:

1. Has your opinion of hunting changed after hearing this presentation? If so, how has it changed?

2. Do you think there are any other laws that could be put in place to lessen even further the impact of hunting on the environment?

3. Do you think you can be a hunter while still being interested in helping our environment?

4. Do you think restoring species that had died out in a region is a good idea?

Global Warming and the Mitigation of CO2 in the Atmosphere

Presenters: Danielle Ang and Erin Yen

Date: Friday November 20

Readings:

Carbon Dioxide Mitigation Technologies
http://www.acri.fr/co2/diox-home.html

Worldwide carbon capture and storage projects on the increase
http://www.environmental-expert.com/resultEachPressRelease.aspx?cid=11254&codi=75112&lr=1

Carbon Sequestration
http://www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/carbon_seq/index.html

Biomass energy development and carbon dioxide mitigation options
http://www.uneprisoe.org/CopenhagenConf/hall.htm


Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

-discuss the effects excess carbon dioxide has on the environment and the importance of carbon dioxide mitigation.

-discss various methods of mitigating carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.

-discuss the pros and cons of carbon sequestration.

-compare and contrast the following mitigation processes: utilization of CO2 and the disposal of CO2.