Group Project Information
June 23-26, 2008
All participants will complete and present a Group Project during the workshop. These projects will involve collaborative research on an Earth Science topic with societal and local relevance.
Additional
information about the following is available on this page:
Schedule
Presentations
Preparing Your Presentation
Resources
Topics
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Monday 200 – 325 pm |
Initial Team Meeting
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Wednesday 220 – 325 pm |
Research and Group
Discussion
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Thursday 1245 – 115 pm |
Final Preparation of Presentation |
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Thursday 130 – 320 pm |
Group Presentations |
On Thursday
afternoon, each group will have 15-20 minutes for their presentation and
for leading a discussion to follow. Please plan for an oral presentation
of no more than 10 minutes, followed by 5-10 minutes for group
discussion and questions. A wide variety of technologies may be used for
the presentations (e.g., chalk-talk, poster-size visual aides, handouts, powerpoint, etc.). Each member of the group should participate in either
delivering the presentation or leading the discussion to follow. If you
need technical assistance in preparing your presentation, members of the
workshop teaching team will be happy to help.
Preparing Your Presentation
Each
presentation should focus on:
• Summarizing the Earth Science content relevant to your topic, and
• Explaining the connection between your topic and society
The topics listed below have been specifically chosen because they
include complex Earth Science content (with links across disciplines or
rich content within a discipline) and complex societal implications
(with credible “arguments” on “both sides” or more than one possible
“solution” to a “problem”). Please note that many of these topics are
very involved (and could form the basis for research over entire
careers) – don’t be discouraged if it seems difficult to assimilate all
aspects of your topic within the next few days! Do aim to provide the
entire class with general background on your topic, and with a synopsis
of the local impacts of your topic.
While at the
R.G. Drage Center, you will have access to the internet to research your
topic. You may also use and bring in other resources from home,
including scientific resources and materials such as local newspaper
articles. Please note that not all resources are of uniformly high
quality; please be cognizant of the sources of your information. For
additional information about evaluating the quality of web resources,
see
http://www.library.kent.edu/page/10475 Please note that many
of these topics focus on polarizing issues; it is useful to consult
sources with a diverse array of viewpoints when conducting your
research.
Topics
Click on the links below for a more detailed description of each topic and lists of suggested focus questions and resources. (Your presentation need not address all of the focus questions accompanying the following descriptions). Please note that the list of web resources provided for each topic is intended to get your group off to a quick start on your topic - please plan to extend your information gathering beyond the resources listed below.
Invasive Species in the
Great Lakes: Since the 1800's more than 100 non-native species
(also known as invasive or exotic species) have been introduced to the
Great Lakes. This has caused many economic and ecological repercussions.
What damage has been done to native food webs, habitat, trade, tourism,
and our local economy? How did this happen? What are we doing about it?
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/invasive/index.html
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/greatlakes/invasives/index.htm
http://www.great-lakes.org/exotics.html
http://www.greatlakesdirectory.org/great_lakes_exotic_invasive_species/great_lakes_exotic_invasive_species.htm
http://www.great-lakes.net/teach/
Dam Removal: In recent years, people in
Ohio and other places have attempted to reverse some of the human
impacts on waterways be removing dams along rivers. While simple in
concept, this can have a wide variety of impacts on ecosystems by
diverting sediment and nutrients, altering habitat, and influencing the
mobility of aquatic species. Why is dam removal considered such a high a
priority for environmental remediation? Have local dam removal projects
had the promised positive impacts on local aquatic environments?
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/WSRehab/
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/water/dsafety/lowhead_dams/framework/tabid/3359/Default.aspx
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/water/dsafety/lowhead_dams/case_studies/tabid/3347/Default.aspx
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Water/DamSafety/lowhead_dams/CountyPages/stark/tabid/3436/Default.aspx
Sulfate Deposition: Along with
energy, coal-fired power plants are known to produce a number of
pollutants, including sulfate emissions such as sulfur dioxide and
emissions of particulate matter (PM). What are the impacts of these
pollutants on people and the environment? Where are the concentrations
of these emissions highest in Ohio? What strategies might reduce future
emissions of these pollutants from coal-fired power plants?
http://www.catf.us/publications/reports/Midwest_Sulfur.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/air/oaqps/
http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/
http://www.epa.gov/air/particlepollution/index.html
http://www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/coalpower/ewr/air_quality_research/health_effects.html
http://www.dec.ny.gov/environmentdec/19027.html
Earthquakes in Ohio: Unlike the West Coast, Ohio is fortunate to have few earthquakes. However, earthquakes do occasionally occur in Ohio. What causes the earthquakes that occur here? What impacts have they had on Ohio's citizens and industries? How prepared is Ohio for future earthquakes?
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/OhioSeis/
http://ohiodnr.com/Portals/10/pdf/GeoFacts/geof03.pdf
http://ohiodnr.com/Portals/10/pdf/GeoFacts/geof22.pdf
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/states.php?region=Ohio
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/website/geosurvey/EARTHQUAKES/disclaimer.htm
Green Roofs in Ohio: With
concerns regarding global climate change, urban air pollution, and the
urban heat island, green roofs and parking lots have become increasingly
popular in a number of mid-latitude cities, including Chicago,
Philadelphia, New York, and Toronto. What potential benefits would they
have in Northeastern Ohio? What requirements do they have? Where would
they be most beneficial in our area?
http://www.epa.gov/heatisland/strategies/greenroofs.html
http://www.greenroofs.org/
http://www.garlandco.com/green-roof-history.html
http://www.greenroofs.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=40
Erosion Along Lake Erie's Shore: Fluctuating lake levels, impacts of winter storms and the varying integrity of shoreline soils and bedrock can generate significant problems with erosion along the shores of Lake Erie. Which areas along Lake Erie's shoreline are at greatest risk of erosion and why? What management strategies are being used by governments and property owners to address these risks?
http://www.dep.state.pa.us/river/docs/FS1518 Shoreline Erosion.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/image/viz_iss1.html
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/7830/default.aspx
http://www.csc.noaa.gov/cms/fellows/2005_OH.pdf
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Default.aspx?alias=www.dnr.state.oh.us/coastal
http://seagrant.psu.edu/publications/fs/Living_on_Pennsylvania_Coasts.pdf
http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/Communications/LakeLevels/index.html
Wetlands in Ohio: Ohio was originally rich with wetlands, but settlement and modern land use patterns have dramatically reduced wetland acreage in the state. Citizens, and local, state and federal government agencies are now working to mitigate future loss of wetlands. Why are wetlands important to people and to the environment? What strategies (including technology and legislation) are being used to maintain Ohio's remaining wetlands? In the future, can development and modern land uses be balanced with sustaining Ohio's wetlands?
http://ohiodnr.com/?TabId=998
http://www.epa.state.oh.us/pic/wetlands/html/wetland.html
http://www.greatlakesdirectory.org/wetlands/wetlands_resources.htm
http://water.usgs.gov/nwsum/WSP2425/history.html
http://www.oh.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp/wetlands_reserve_program.html
http://www.greatlakesdirectory.org/GLAHNF_wetlands_packet/wetlands_fact_sheets/OH_fact_sheet.htm
Combined Sewer Overflows: Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) are a particularly challenging problem in many areas of Ohio. Even though a significant amount of money has been devoted to addressing the problem, CSOs continue to negatively impact Ohio and its citizens. What impacts do CSOs have on the environment and on people? Why haven't CSOs been eliminated in Ohio already? What strategies are is Ohio (and its cities and counties) taking to reduce future problems with CSOs?
http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/cso/csoindex.html
http://www.neorsd.org/cso.php
http://www.epa.gov/owm/mtb/maxstrg2.pdf
http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/06/07/epawait.ART_ART_06-07-07_B1_126UNAU.html?type=rss&cat=21
Residential Recycling: Residential recycling has come a long way since the first Earth Day in 1970. Over the past few decades, many municipalities have pro-actively worked to develop effective residential recycling programs. In many areas, a significant amount of paper, glass, aluminum and plastic (and other materials) that would be destined for the local landfill are now collected, sorted and recycled. What approaches are Ohio's communities taking toward residential recycling? How have these affected Ohio's waste stream? What new strategies are being considered to make residential recycling more widespread, more efficient, and easier for residents and local governments?
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/recycling/
http://www.timetorecycle.org/
http://www.ohiodnr.com/Portals/15/tools/pubs/wastecharfinalreport.pdf
http://cuyahogaswd.com/
Ethanol:
Ethanol fuel has been widely advocated as a clean source of
alternative energy. However, calculations of how the carbon footprint of
ethanol compares to that of gasoline vary dramatically depending on the
parameters of the study. How can the impacts of converting ethanol fuel
be fairly assessed?
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/10/biofuels/biofuels-text
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/04/18/MNG7EPAN601.DTL
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1152747
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2007/apr/science/ee_ethanol.html
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10250420
http://www.ethanol.org/
Clean Coal: With the growing concern about chemical and carbon-based air pollution, the energy industry is looking toward alternatives for the future. The coal industry in Ohio and other states have pilot projects in place to evaluate the future possibilities for large-scale installation of "clean coal" facilities. These included an Ohio Edison demonstration project in the 1990's in Niles, OH (Trumbull County) which scrubbed flue gases for SNOX (sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides), and the more recent selection of a Tuscarawas County site which will evaluate methods for sequestering carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. What exactly are "clean coal" technologies? What problems do these technologies attempt to address? Have they been successful? Are they worth the cost?
http://www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/coalpower/cctc/summaries/snox/snoxtmdemo.html
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Portals/10/pdf/newsletter/oh_geo_07_no_2.pdf
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/03/15/20070315-F1-04.html
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=4D9BFC3D-E7F2-99DF-3E6E1A60C23D44E6&chanID=sa028
Non-Point Source Pollution and Water Quality: In recent decades, regulations and voluntary programs that address water quality have largely targeting "point source" pollutants. Attention is now turning to the more challenging problem of addressing "non-point source" (NPS) water pollution. What types of pollutants enter our waterways from NPSs and how do these affect the environment? Why is managing NPS pollution so difficult? What strategies are in place for reducing NPS pollution in the future?
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/whatis.html
http://epa.gov/nps/
http://ohioline.osu.edu/aex-fact/0441.html
http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/nps/
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wat/wq/bmps/npsaction.html
Reclaiming Urban Brownfields: As undeveloped land becomes more scarce, and abandoned industrial sites that are contaminated with pollutants become more plentiful, a movement to assess, remediate and reclaim these old sites is afoot. Today, brownfield reclamation is underway across Ohio, with much of this activity focusing on urban locations. What is a brownfield? What is involved in environmentally remediating brownfields? Have these projects been successful in Ohio? What technologies and strategies are being developed for use in future brownfield reclamation projects?
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/
http://ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/1527.html
http://www.ysu.edu/mahoning_river/Research Reports/river_brownfields.htm
http://www.epa.state.oh.us/pic/nr/2007/may/ClevelandBrownfield.html
In the coal country of southern and eastern Ohio, mining is a way of life. Unfortunately, this comes too often with an environmental cost, particularly after some older mines have exceeded their useful lifespans. Communities located near mines that were abandoned decades ago are now dealing with the impacts of acidic mine drainage in their local environment and, in many cases, in their local water supplies. A large number of organizations and individuals are now involved in the effort to clean up these mines. What is acid mine drainage (AMD) and how does it affect the local environment? What strategies are being used to address AMD from abandoned mines? What strategies and policies are in place to prevent AMD from currently operating mines?
http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/nps/NPSMP/ET/amdwq.html
http://www.osmre.gov/amdint.htm
http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/landrec/water.htm
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/mineral/aml/acid.htm
In April 2008,
the National Geographic channel aired a show called the Human Footprint.
The show gave a visual example of how much people consume their entire
life. The show mainly focused on the amount and where things come from,
but rarely on the impact they have on the earth. This is your job! Take
a couple of products that are mentioned and look into what goes into
those products. Then, explore the impact on the different earth systems
from using a lifetime of that product. Lastly, look into how reducing
that number would change the impact on the earth systems.
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Story?id=4618854&page=1
This article was done by ABC before the show aired. It is a good
summary and has a video and pictures from the show to go along with it.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/human-footprint/index.html
This is the website for the show itself. There are videos from the
show and information on where trash goes. Consumption Interactive is a
link at the bottom of the page and good for finding out more about
impacts of certain items, as well as your footprint.
http://www.wcs.org/humanfootprint/index.html
This website shows the human footprint’s impact on certain animals.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/earthpulse/index.html
Great maps on this website to show links between different systems.
The Human Condition section seemed to focus the most on the human
footprint, but others are worth exploring as well.
