Sunday, November 29, 2009

The Clean Water Act

http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/cwa/
http://www.essortment.com/all/cleanwateract_rgrl.htm

Read the above articles.
As you read the articles. Keeping in mind that the CWA was ratified in 1972 and ammended in 1977.
1. What types of water are NOT covered by the Clean Water Act?
2. What types of runoff are NOT addressed in the latest version of the CWA?

If you were a lobbyist how would you create awareness over issues that should be addressed concerning all forms of water as it pertains to human health and environmental integrity? Have the answers to these questions ready for our initial discussion on Fossil Fuels. Look up any instances where the CWA needs to be changed and enforced to protect sensitive environments.

Don't forget to comment at the bottom!

Petroleum

Read the articles listed below. Copy the questions on a separate word document and answer the questions as you read.

http://www.livescience.com/environment/080625-oil-drilling.html
http://www1.american.edu/projects/mandala/TED//projects/tedcross/xoilpr15.htm#r3 (TED stands for Trade and
Environmental Database)

1. What tools do petro geologists use to determine if an area might contain petroleum?
2. What damage might this technique have on the environment?
3. What was the important statement made in the article concerning recovery of ecosystems in Prince William Sound?
4. What is the reality of the impact of future drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge on the price of gasoline at the pump?
5. Describe the impact of drilling for oil in Ecuador has had on human health, on the Rain forests.
6. Describe the impact of burning “waste” natural gas on villages in Nigeria.
7. What industries have been disrupted in Columbia by oil drilling and exploration?
8. What is the danger to pipelines in Azerbaijan, due to the unstable political climate?
9. What is the major problem associated with oil reserves in Kazakhstan?
10. What has been the impact of tanker traffic through the Mediterranean?

Don't forget to record your visit and any comments you might have!

Monday, November 2, 2009

What you need to know about what coal is and what it is not.

http://www.ket.org/Trips/Coal/AGSMM/agsmmhow.html

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem00/chem00349.htm

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Are-Synthetic-Diamonds-Made?&id=1195234

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-does-coal-become-a-diamond.html

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-charcoal.htm

http://www.velvitoil.com/Charmake.htm

Your assignment is to write a four or five sentence summary about each of these six short articles in preparation for our class on coal. This homework assignment will count toward your grade for this unit. Don't forget to make a comment at the bottom. That counts too!!

You may find your own article on how coal is formed, how charcoal is made, and the formation of diamonds