Impact Assessment and Protection of the Environment
In unit three, students examine different aspects of human impact on the environment including warfare, advances in technology, disasters and consumerism. Students first learn about the historical impact, particularly the move of people into the cities. They will gain an understanding that the impact on the environment is immense and quite varied. Students will also acquire knowledge about the impact that energy resource development has on the environment and will consider the impact human development has on the water supply.
So far in the course we have looked at human impacts on the earth. Our activities relate directly to our society’s cultural norms — specifically, how nature is viewed in western culture — a resource to be used by humans. How might the future of the earth be different under a different set of values: that is the guiding theme of this unit.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge is Canadian wisdom that is older than Canada itself. With so many environmental challenges facing current and future populations, what can we learn from our traditional past that might help us better achieve environmental sustainability. Check out the following film for an introduction on the concept:
So far in the course we have looked at human impacts on the earth. Our activities relate directly to our society’s cultural norms — specifically, how nature is viewed in western culture — a resource to be used by humans. How might the future of the earth be different under a different set of values: that is the guiding theme of this unit.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge is Canadian wisdom that is older than Canada itself. With so many environmental challenges facing current and future populations, what can we learn from our traditional past that might help us better achieve environmental sustainability. Check out the following film for an introduction on the concept:
This documentary is a great example of how traditional ecological knowledge is being practiced in the Arctic:
An Introduction to Impact Assessment
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Good News Fridays Presents.. Easy Like Water
WE all know global warming has a big impact on the climate change, and climate change have raised sea levels in southern Bangladesh. To face the rising sea levels in Bangladesh Arctic Mohammad Rizwan introduced solar-powered floating schools. His guiding principle was that if children cannot come to school, then school should come to them.
Easy Like Water Film Trailer
Tour the boat
http://www.easylikewater.com/about/the-boats/
http://www.easylikewater.com/about/the-boats/
All About Rainforets
- Create a note in your binder titled, “All about Rainforests”
- Create a venn diagram in your notes to show the similarities and difference between temperate and tropical rainforests using the following links: Tropical and Temperate Rainforests
Types of Rainforests - Draw a diagram in your notes describing the layers of a Rainforest Canopy:
- Discuss which of the earth’s spheres are connected to the rainforest canopy. Explain how using the image as a guide.
- Use the following link to create an annotated map identifying Global Rainforest Hotspots (include 10 notes).
- Rainforest Photo Essay
- **Click the following link for a map exemplar and notes for completion:
- CGR4M_AK-rainforest hotspots
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Notes:
rainforest_destruct_note.pdf | |
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layers_of_rf.pdf | |
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Our Dying Seas
World Wide Water Facts
Available water A Per Person Comparison
Isreal 0.4m India 2.2m China 2.3m Mexico 3.8m Australia 19.0m Brazil 42.9m Canada98.5m Notes:
Activity:
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Blue Gold: World Water Wars
Horizon - Death of the Oceans
The Story of Bottled Water
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ISSUES FACING GLOBAL WATER SUPPLY
Water Scarcity
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Water Resources in Africa
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Conflict at the Local - National Scale
The River Nile Conflict
The impacts of the Nile on the politics of the North African region have been so significant that they threaten to spark an interstate conflict, which could potentially destabilize the whole area. The countries in the Basin depend heavily on the Nile, which is the only major renewable source of water in the area; consequently, it is essential to their food and water security.
The Egyptian and Sudanese monopoly over the water resources in previous years had served to exacerbate regional tensions. The signing of various agreements during colonial times allowed for this distribution; the two most prominent agreements were signed between Egypt and Britain (1929) and Egypt and Sudan (1959). Increased co-operation between upstream nations has resulted in the binding Entebbe Agreement, which is restructuring allocations and control over the Nile’s resources. The geo-political shift in the region has led to a proliferation of upstream developments, including dams and irrigation networks. These developments are often met with threats from Egypt, which is extremely protective over its decreasing share of the Nile’s water. Egypt, however, must engage in peaceful interstate co-operation to secure its water supplies. The Nile faces an uncertain future amid developmental and environmental pressures. Alternative water sources, in the form of desalinisation, aquifers and other such solutions, simply must be found to reduce the region’s dependency on the river. Nile River Dispute
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Sharing the Nile
Egypt & Sudan Oppose Water Deal
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The Colorado River
Flowing Through Conflict:
The Colorado River is the seventh largest river in the U.S., supplying water to over 30 million people. It is also one of the most diverted, silted, and heavily litigated rivers in the world. The farmers and residents of the rapidly growing western states rely on the river for irrigation, drinking water, and electricity. This demand has permanently altered the river's ecology. The Colorado River: Flowing Through Conflict shows us the river's entirety—from its headwaters in the Colorado Rockies to the dry riverbed that once reached the Sea of Cortez—in an oversized, full-color,
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The Colorado River is a lifeline in the desert, its water sustaining tens of millions of people in seven states, as well as endangered fish and wildlife. However, demand on the river's water now exceeds its supply, leaving the river so over-tapped that it no longer flows to the sea
America's Most Endangered River
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Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, located in Yiling District, Yichang, Hubei province, China.
The Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest power station in terms of installed capacity (22,500 MW). Except for a ship lift, the dam project was completed and fully functional as of July 4, 2012, when the last of the main turbines in the underground plant began production. Each main turbine has a capacity of 700 MW. The dam body was completed in 2006. Coupling the dam's 32 main turbines with two smaller generators (50 MW each) to power the plant itself, the total electric generating capacity of the dam is 22,500 MW. As well as producing electricity, the dam is intended to increase the Yangtze River's shipping capacity and reduce the potential for floods downstream by providing flood storage space. The Chinese government regards the project as a historic engineering, social and economic success, with the design of state-of-the-art large turbines, and a move toward limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Great video on the human cost of building this megaproject: Living with the Dam Interactive Map:
Activity:Use the resources above, as well as, your class notes to create a spatial journal on the Three Gorges Dam in China.
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Video:In this unit, we are looking at different approaches to managing natural resources. While TEK promotes values that are in harmony with nature, the more dominant values that are at the foundation of industrialized nations are ECONOMIC values. Behind these values, economic prosperity takes centre stage and leads to megaprojects like the one explore in the following video, check this out:
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CLIMATE CHANGE
Mapping the Impacts of Climate Change
Rachel Pike: The Science Behind a Climate Headline
In 4 minutes, atmospheric chemist Rachel Pike provides a glimpse of the massive scientific effort behind the bold headlines on climate change, with her team — one of thousands who contributed — taking a risky flight over the rainforest in pursuit of data on a key molecule.
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John Oliver: Climate Change Debate
John Oliver brings an end to the climate change debate with the help of Billy Nye and a few other scientists
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Note:
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Web Quest:
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