Taylor+Cassidy

TAYLOR CASSIDY Outside of school, I enjoy my job at Country Kids Daycare. I enjoy running, as well. Day #1
 * What science topics do you see/ and or hear MOST about? Where do you see/ hear about this?
 * The science topics that I believe I hear most about are topics that deal with the small things we, as a part of this planet, can do in our every day lives to help conserve energy, get more use out of items, ect. I see and hear about this definitely at work. I with with kids at a daycare and I hear these topics discussed all around me. Even I discuss them. Kids need simple reminders such as to only use one sheet of paper towels to dry their hands, or to shut off the water completely after they are done washing their hands.
 * Explain why this topic is so popular
 * This topic is so popular because it deals with the little things we can do every day. Humans do not like making dramatic changes to their every day lives, so simple things such as recycling your papers and plastics or turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth are popular.
 * What is the goal of this science communication/ message?
 * The goal of this communication is to motivate and encourage people to believe that by doing the small things and making changes in their ever day lives that are not drastic, they can truly make a difference for mother nature.

Recycling image from Marion County Oregon's website. Link: []

Day #2 What are our options for energy sources? 1. Energy resource: Define and explain the difference between renewable and non - renewable resources. 2. Fossil Fuels: What are the three types of fossil fuels and how is each type formed? 3)
 * Renewable resources are those that are replaced in nature at a rate close to the rate of use. For example, sunlight. A non - renewable resource exists in fixed amounts or used up faster than can be replaced by nature.
 * 1) Coal - Formed by the remains of ancient forests, buried for millions of years.
 * 2) Oil - Formed by decayed, organic material from the sea.
 * 3) Natural Gas - Can be formed from the decay of almost any kind of organic material
 * We use fossil fuels as a source of energy. Explain how these natural resources store energy.
 * Fossil fuels contain the chemical energy that plants and algae obtained from sunlight and then stored in sugars. Just as energy chemical energy is stored in sugars, chemical energy is stored in fossil fuels. All it takes to release it is enough heat and oxygen to cause the fuel to burn.
 * How do we transform the stored energy that is within the fuels into electrical energy that we can use?
 * We do this through energy transformation, the process of changing __energy__ from one form to another. When sunlight strikes a plant, some of the energy is trapped through photosynthesis and is stored in __chemical bonds__ as the plant grows. We can recover that energy months or years later by burning wood, which breaks the bonds and releases energy as heat and light. More often, though, we use the stored energy in the much more concentrated forms that result when organic matter, after millions of years of geological and chemical activity underground, turns into fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, or natural gas. Major __byproducts__ are carbon dioxide and various residuals such as fly ash. Power plants use several methods to convert gas to electricity. One method is to burn the gas in a boiler to produce steam, which is then used by a steam turbine to generate electricity. A more common approach is to burn the gas in a __combustion__ turbine to generate electricity. Either way, we're reclaiming the power of sunlight. The only other original source of energy on Earth's surface is found in more local nuclear reactions, where atoms of radioactive elements such as uranium split apart into smaller atoms and liberate energy in the process. Harnessed as heat, the released energy boils water, producing __steam__ that turns __turbines__, thereby being converted to mechanical energy that acts like a __generator__, generating electricity. Nuclear energy currently provides 20% of total electricity generation in the United States. The average __emissions__ rates in the United States from natural gas-fired generation are: 1135 lbs/MWh of carbon dioxide, 0.1 lbs/MWh of sulfur dioxide, and 1.7 lbs/MWh of nitrogen oxides

4) Give two examples of renewable energy resources and explain one benefit and one consequence for using either of these two renewable energy resources. One benefit to using water: Wind energy is clean. Electricity generated by wind turbines won’t dirty the air we breathe or emit pollutants like other energy sources—that means less smog, less acid rain and fewer greenhouse gas emissions. One consequence of wind: kills large numbers of birds--about 1,000 birds killed per year, mostly predatory birds and many endangered species (one wind plant in California may have killed 10% of the golden eagles in the state)
 * Renewable energy resource #1 - Water
 * Renewable energy resource #2 - Wind

5) What is the connection between the terms: Crude Oil, gasoline, Petroleum and plastic?
 * Crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons that exists as a liquid in natural underground reservoirs and remains liquid when brought to the surface. Petroleum products are produced from the processing of crude oil at petroleum refineries and the extraction of liquid hydrocarbons at natural gas processing plants. Petroleum is the broad category that includes both crude oil and petroleum products. The terms "oil" and "petroleum" are sometimes used interchangeably.

Day #3 Why should we care about global warming? 1. Why should we care about global warming? It affects all of us and future generations.

2. Define Terms: 1) Greenhouse effect - The trapping of the sun's warmth in a pla net's lower atmosphere due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface. 2) Air pollution - the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damages the natural environment into the atmosphere. 3) Global Warming - A gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants. 4) Climate - The weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period. 5) Climate Change - The change in global climate patterns apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards, attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.

3. Questions: 1) "Scientists believe that it is human activity that is driving the temperatures up." What are humans doing that is contributing to global warming? > which requires the combustion of tremendous amounts of fossil fuels. These fuels have been storing carbon for thousands, possibly millions of years. When your car burns them, that carbon is instantly released as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. > 2) Explain the connection between fossil fuels and global warming - include terms: greenhouse effect and carbon dioxide in your response. 3) Describe one other factor that is contributing to the rise of the global warming phenomenon. 4) Describe two additional concerns to have if the global warming threat strengthens.
 * Scientists have concluded that most of the observed warming is very likely due to the burning of coal, oil, and gas. Things such as driving a car,
 * Fossil fuels and global warming are closely associated with each other. This is because the phenomena of global warming is triggered mainly due to excessive use of fossil fuels. //Greenhouse effect// is caused by greenhouses gases which trap heat. //Carbon dioxide// traps heat obtained from sunlight and does not let it dissipate out of the atmosphere. Burning fossil fuels releases a large amount of carbon dioxide into the air.
 * One other factor is the changes in solar output, meaning the amount of energy radiating from the Earth's sun is not consistent.
 * Sea levels could rise
 * Less fresh water will be available

4. More on why we should care: 1 and 2) Four reasons why we should care that affect me the most 3) There are many small things you can do to help reduce global warming. 1) Use less heat and air conditioning. Setting your thermostat just 2 degrees lower in winter and higher in summer could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. 2) Use Less Hot Water - Set your water heater at 120 degrees to save energy, and wrap it in an insulating blanket if it is more than 5 years old. Buy low-flow showerheads to save hot water and about 350 pounds of carbon dioxide yearly. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water to reduce your use of hot water and the energy required to produce it. That change alone can save at least 500 pounds of carbon dioxide annually in most households.
 * Some diseases may spread - such as malaria carried by mosquitoes
 * Species that depend on one another may become out of sync. - For example, plants could bloom earlier than their pollinating insects become active.
 * Floods and droughts will be more common - Rainfall in Ethiopia, where droughts are already common, could decline by 10 percent over the next 50 years.
 * Ice will continue to melt - Ice is melting worldwide, especially at the Earth’s poles. This includes mountain glaciers, ice sheets covering West Antarctica and Greenland, and Arctic sea ice.

Day #4 How is the balance of the carbon cycle affected? 1. How is the balance of the carbon cycle affected? 2.
 * People have affected the Carbon cycle by using fossil fuels. Fossil fuel is Carbon buried in the ground. When humans burn them, people therefore put excessive amounts of Carbon in the air.

[] A carbon sink is a natural or artificial reservoir that accumulates and stores some carbon-containing chemical compound for an indefinite period. The process by which carbon sinks remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere is known as carbon sequestration and any process that releases carbon into the atmosphere is known as a carbon source. 3 and 4. People have affected the Carbon cycle by using fossil fuels. Fossil fuel is Carbon buried in the ground. When humans burn them, people therefore put excessive amounts of Carbon in the air. Carbon is then cycled back into the ground when it is absorbed and sinks to the bottom of the ocean or in detritus in the soil; however, this happens over long periods and unfortunately fossil fuels are burned at a high rate. People negatively affect the carbon cycle by doing things like this:
 * [[image:carbon_cycle_591.jpg width="291"]]
 * Analogy - A carbon sink is like a sponge. A carbon sink is anything that absorbs more carbon that it releases whilst a carbon source is anything that releases more carbon than they absorb. Forests, soils, oceans and the atmosphere all store carbon and this carbon moves between them in a continuous cycle.

Burnin g Fossil Fuels Burning Wood Driving vehicles

People can also positively affect the carbon cycle by doing things like this: Using less fossil fuels Planting more trees

Day #5 What is the size of your (carbon) footprint?

1) A carbon and ecological footprint is how big or small of an effect on the earth you leave due to your use of carbon and everyday habits. In definition, 2) Discussion Post: My carbon footprint could definitely be smaller through the little things, such as carpooling to work or school with a friend. 3) Ecological Footprint Quiz: 4) 5) How can you make a Difference?
 * a carbon footprint is: the total sets of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person.
 * an ecological footprint is: a measure of human demand on Earth's ecosystem.
 * Number of Planets: It would take 4.3 planet earths to provide enough resources if everyone lived like me.
 * Pie Chart:
 * Food: 18%
 * Shelter: 13%
 * Mobility: 10%
 * Goods: 13%
 * Services: 46%
 * Two bad habits: Although I am a vegetarian, I eat foods that take much shipping across the world which wastes gas. Another is I drive to school and work everyday by myself, which wastes gas.
 * I could change these two by eating local products, which will not waste shipping, and carpooling to school and work which will not waste as much gas.
 * I do not think I as one person by changing my everyday habits can make a difference. I do not think a change in one person's habits would be enough for a big ecological difference. However, one person can share their knowledge which others and get a group of people to change, which would make a difference.
 * I do not think that I am fit to answer this question - as I myself am not convinced that one person can make a difference.