I have always had an affinity for NASA, never wanted to be an astronaut, but I have always admired what they did….explore. But they explore not only space, but our earth itself.

So we are on the the carbon cycle, and I love talking about the carbon cycle because, it really intertwines all that we have learned this year. Atmosphere, land, water, and life! They are all related in a complex way, and we will try to see through some of that complexity.

So the carbon cycle involves the cycling of well carbon, but specifically carbon dioxide. It is all over the news as a result of CO2 being being a greenhouse gas and contributor to ocean acidification. There are sources and sinks of CO2 on the planet, most being natural untill you count US. We are a major source, that has disruppted the balance of CO2 in the atomsphere.

This is why I trully admire NASA, because they are actually looking for answers instead of complaining about it like popular media seems to do.

NASA monitors CO2 levels via satelite to detect both sources and inks of atmospheric CO2. This and only this will help us to actually improve the conditions on our planet.

Check out this video from youtube. It is the 2nd in a really geeky series of 4 videos about NASA CO2 monitoring project. If you want more….the other videos are in the related video section on youtube.

I hope you got something out of our fieldtrip to the Shoremont water treatment facility. At the very least you should recognize that we are very lucky here in Rochester to have such a readily available source of fresh water. Many place aournd the country, let alone the world, envy us for that. When freshwater becomes more scarce, Rochester might be a hotspot. Maybe you will be working in that field, who knows.

Anyway, check out the Monroe County Water Authority water quality summary for 2009:

2009-AWSS-Data-Table

So a big disaster has yet again happened in the glf coast and within the oil industry. I think it is great that we have a high standard of living here in the US I wouldnt want it any other way for my kids, but this is the risk we take when we have such a oil rich economical diet.
This weeks “article” is a podcast from NPR…….I suggest looking around at some of the other podcast available if you are interested. Remember post back and article or something related and double your points.

Oil Spill Threatens Gulf Coast Oysters

Welcome back! This week we will be finishing up our exploration of the phenomena of El Nino. While El Nino is a natural event, check out this video about plastic in the ocean. Definitely not natural, and definitely something that needs to be addressed asap!

I couldnt beleive when I first heard this story, why are we such careless slobs?

Can changes in the Pacific ocean effect us here in western new york? We shall see after our work on Topic 3 and El nino. Bottom line, I hope you understand that water has a significant impact on the planet.

Check out this NPR story. It dates back to winter, but it exemplifies what I hope you will learn from studying El Nino.

Behind The Weather: Strongest El Nino In A Decade

btw, this is the second post of this marking period. Dont fall behind, you are required to do more this quarter. 8 total if you are counting. I will be on vacation next week so no blog. have a great break……go outside!

mc

Why is it that our search for life outside this planet has so much to do with water? Why not other chemicals like carbon, nitrogen, etc that life is based on. Is it that water has some unique chemical and physical properties? Check out this video an tell me what oyu think.

You will have 8 BLOG posts due this quarter, get an early start and double up. Find an article related to the topic and post it in your response or print it off and bring it in and I will double up the points for your effort!

I am no expert but I think of myself when I use electricity and energy. I mean I drive a V8 gas guzzler 38 miles a day, and my son often leaves his bedroom light on all day. So how did we get like that. Just yesterday I saw a kid (maybe 21 idk) chucking beer cans out onto the highway.

I am not here to rant, my point is, why dont we make something of it the waste. All this trash tand waste that we create……..shouldnt we use it to satisfy our glutony for energy? I am not willing to give up my truck, but I am willing to put cheap fuel in it!

Farming Fuel in Middle Eastern Salt Marshes_ Scientific American

Here are some people who are onto something………

7th week of the marking period, got your blogs done? Remember you need six!

This one should get you interested, or grossed out. At the very least think about what you put down the drain! Enjoy

pharmies in water

So this week we started talking about soil and soil characteristics in the terrestrial systems unit. Soil is a simple thing to most people, but to an environmental scientist it is extremely complex. We will only tickle the idea of soil science in topic #2, but you should start to recognize that the systems we study, influence other systems on the planet, even when we are looking at a small component of the terrestrial system….soil.

This weeks blog post is extraterrestrial, but it may help you to recognize how something seemingly unconnected to life like soil, could actually have a huge impact on it!

Martian Soil resembles veggie dirt

For the real geeks…….

http://www.space.com/common/media/video/player.php?videoRef=270707Phoenix

I dont know what it is about human nature that we resist change so often. Please check out the article about wind farming. This is happening here! Many people oppose it and idk why. It is a win win situation. Jobs, clean energy, less reliance on foreign oil!, I just dont get it. What do you think??????

Developers around the world are buzzing about New York’s pl