GT 2.15--2.19 (thru Biodiversity). WW 103-125 (thru Plagues). McK thru John Burroughs
GT
- In what sense does Greta think our pattern of repeated non-binding commitments "works"? What doesn't she like about pictures of polar bears in the arctic? 91 Is she being too hard on humanity?
- What happened in the weeks following the 2021 Glasgow climate summit? 93 How would you overhaul the global climate response system, to better effect?
- Recent research shows what about our influence on fire weather conditions? 97. What should we be doing about that?
- What percentage of the Amazon forest could be gone by 2050? 100. Should other nations have an "intervention" with Brazil?
- What do some people misleadingly mean by "sustainable forestry"? 105. In general, do most people seem to understand the distinction/tension/contradiction between environmental sustainability and economic growth?
- What's the impact of the "third wave" of anthropogenic climate change, and how much of it can be seen from space? 107 Is this an example of what Stewart Brand and others thought would be transformational about seeing the "whole earth"? Were they wrong?
[Notice, I've appended discussion questions to the factual-textual questions above. This is the sort of thing I'd like to ask you all to help me with: pose more discussion questions in the comments area, as well as your responses to them. ]
WW
- How much of the earth's surface is water, how much of our diet is from the sea, how much of our carbon emissions is sequestered there (and with what result)? ? 103-04
- Why is the decline and death of coral reefs bad news? 105
- A total shutdown of what would be inconceivably catastrophic? 107
- Why do you feel more awake taking a brisk walk outdoors? 109
- How many die from air pollution daily? Globally, that's what? 110, 113
- Breathing Delhi air in 2017 was equivalent to what? 112
- What newly-understood pollution threat particularly indicts consumer culture? 114
- Again, what is the Catch-22/devil's bargain involving aerosols? 116
- What do scientists suspect may be trapped in Siberian ice? 120
- How much has insect-born disease increased in the U.S. in the past dozen years? 123
McK
- How did "ecotourism" impact the Adirondacks in the 19th century? 113
- Frederick Law Olmstead was an early exponent of what persistent theme? What did he sayt "makes the Park the Park"? 120, 125
- On what holiday does "humanity look futureward"? 126
- Who started the wildlife refuge system, the forest service, and the national parks and reserves system? 129
- What stage had we gotten past by May 1903, according to the president? 133
- What animal rivals the bear for making noise in the woods? 139
- What are life's most precious resources, according to John Burroughs? 147
- What does Burroughs say the indestructibility of matter implies for natural/cosmic history? 165
Pose your questions, especially discussion questions, in the comments space below.
In regards to what animal rivals the bear for making noise in the woods, it would be us. Human noise pollution and the effects it has on animals is an interesting topic and is studied across many National Parks and nature areas. One out of Vail, Colorado, showing that increased trail use by hikers and mountain bikers disturbed elk so much the cows birthed fewer calves. Another out of Grand Teton National Park showed that backcountry skiers scared bighorn sheep during winter when food was scarce, with potentially lethal consequences. Humans are more impactful than probably realized.
ReplyDeleteAlex Wiseman
ReplyDeleteMcK 1. How did "ecotourism" impact the Adirondacks in the 19th century?
Ecotourism brought increased attention to the natural beauty of the Adirondacks, leading to increased visitor ship seeking recreation and the enjoyment of nature. The rise of tourists spurred the development of hotels, guide services, and other infrastructure, which all boosted the local economy. However, it also led to environmental impacts like deforestation and habitat disruption, as more land was developed to accommodate tourists. I can attest to this myself having grown up in Upstate NY. The Adirondacks are the go to vacation destination to this day, which has had an impact on the natural ecology.
Katherine Welch
ReplyDeleteGT 1
Greta states that the pictures of polar bears show something that isn’t an “everyday issue.” Even though this is an awful situation, I don’t think that she is being too harsh, because these types of pictures are supposed to cause emotional uproar, but they do not convey issues that have a huge impact on the human race’s health and/or quality of life.
Discussion Question:
ReplyDelete“How do you feel about Trump’s regard of the environment, and his policies regarding it?”
“What are the potential environmental impacts of Trump’s presidency? - “Drill baby drill” “
“Should the economy be the greatest concern for presidential candidates?”
Why is the decline and death of coral reefs bad news? WW 109
ReplyDeleteThe decline and death of coral reefs is bad news because once coral reefs die off, so do the animals and plants. Coral reefs are home to many biodiverse ecosystems and are vital for the marine life population. Algae will soon take over the dead coral reefs and they will be wastelands.
The dying coral reefs are imperative to house a vast catalogue of fish and coral species and could imbalance tropical ecosystems and furthermore broader systems. walking outside gives you vitamin D. John says, "books, friends, and nature."
ReplyDelete