SCI 275 Week 1 Root Causes of Environmental Issues

Review Figures 3-11 and 3-12 in Chapter 3 of Environmental Science. The figures show a flow diagram of root causes of environmental issues.

Select one root cause that you agree with and one root cause that you disagree with. In 200 to 300 words, describe how your selections are threats to environmental sustainability. Expalin why you agree or disagree with each of your selections.

Include three references to support your position. Use examples from the textbook, available videos, and/or reputable online resources.

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SCI 275 Week 1 Community Environmental Issue

Communities across the United States face environmental issues. To see what issues are confronting your community, go to the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s website located at: http://www.epa.gov/myenvironment/.

Enter your zip code.

Scroll down to My Environmental Reports. If the reports are insufficient you may search your own state’s department of environmental protection or department of environmental quality (state agency names may vary but are easily accessible through an Internet search).

Choose an environmental report about an issue in your state or community.

Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper answering these questions:

• What is the issue?
• Why is this an environmental sustainability issue?
• Whom does it affect?
• What are the causes of the issue?
• What are the environmental regulations related to this issue?
• How has this environmental issue been regulated or not regulated in the past?
• What solutions are proposed?

Format your paper according to APA standards.

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SCI 275 Week 2 Risk Assessment

Resource: Ch. 18 of Environmental Science.

Select one case study, or example, from Ch. 18 of Environmental Science that describes the impacts of a toxic substance on human health.

Answer the following questions based on the risk assessment principles presented in Ch. 18, and in Figure 18-10 of section 18.7 Risk and Risk Assessment.

Each response should be 1-3 sentences in length. Use two reputable sources and your textbook to develop your answers.

• Describe one case study presented in Chapter 18. Explain how the toxic chemical(s) from your selected case study affects human health.
• State the major source of this chemical(s) and its uses.
• Review Figure 18-10 and discuss whether you think the risks of this chemical are acceptable. Explain your answer using two factors for determining acceptable risk that are presented in Figure 18-10. Use cited evidence to support your position?
• Describe one limitation in risk assessment. Explain how you would resolve this limitation to improve the effectiveness of risk assessments. 

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SCI 275 Week 2 Conservation Versus Preservation

Resource: Chapters 11 and 12 of Environmental Science.

Conservation is the careful and sustainable management of a resource so that it can be used indefinitely. In contrast, preservation sets aside wild areas so that they remain untouched. Under preservation guidelines resources are not used. Under conservation guidelines resources are used.

Select one example of conservation and one example of preservation from either Chapters 11 and 12 of Environmental Science.  Your example can be based on a wilderness area, a biological resource (plants or animals), a natural resource (mineral, energy, etc.), or an environmental law presented within these chapters.

Answer the following questions. Each response should be 2-4 sentences in length. Use two reputable sources and your textbook to develop your answers.

• Describe your examples. Explain why these examples represent either conservation or preservation.
• Explain whether these examples successfully meet their respective objectives. Does the conservation example successfully manage the resource so that it can used indefinitely? Does the preservation example successfully set aside the resource so that it is let wild and untouched?
• Describe one way in which conservation success is measured in the assigned reading? Do you think that this is an effective measurement for conservation success?
• Think of two other ways (environmental, ecological, economic, social, cultural, historical, etc.) in which conservation success could be measured?

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SCI 275 Week 3 Energy Flow

Resource: Chapter 4 of Environmental Science.

Answer the following questions. Each response should be 3-5 sentences in length. Use your textbook to develop your answers.

• Review Figue 4-10, “Flow of energy and biomass through a food chain” in Ch. 4 of Environmental Science.  Describe the trophic levels presented in the diagram. Explain what is meant by a producer, first-order consumer, and second-order consumer.

• Review Figure 4-12, “Energy pyramids in two food chains” in Ch. 4 of Environmental Science. The figure description states, ” …more food is available to those societies that eat lower on the food chain”. Explain what this means by comparing pyramids (a) and (b). Do the benefits of eating lower on the food chain inspire you to make changes in your diet? Why or why not?

• Review Figures 4-13 and 4-14 in Ch. 4 of Environmental Science. Summarize the steps of the carbon cycle. How is carbon cycled back and fourth between the atmosphere, and plants and animals? Why should people care about the carbon cycle?

• Review Figure 4-15 in Ch. 4 of Environmental Science. Summarize the steps of the nitrogen cycle. How is nitrogen cycled back and fourth between the atmosphere and the earth. Which species plays a prominent role in cycling nitrogen? Why should people care about the nitrogen cycle?

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SCI 275 Week 3 Balancing Ecosystems

Resource: Episode 1 of Gamescape and Chapters  4, 5, and 6 of Environmental Science.

Complete Episode 1: “Balancing Ecosystems” of Gamescape.

Write a 750- to 1,050-word letter to the City Council in neighboring Glimmerville. In your letter, explain the situation with the Grass Carp and some of the challenges faced in restoring balance to Sparksville’s aquatic ecosystem.  Since Glimmerville is experiencing a similar situation, provide advice on how to restore their lake ecosystem. Include the following points in your letter:

• According to Ch. 6 of Environmental Science, what is ecosystem balance? Which reduction factors and which growth factors impacted ecosystem balance in Episode 1? Describe two ways in which the invasive species and native species impact ecosystem balance?

• Based on Episode 1 and the assigned readings, describe how native and invasive species might affect succession?  How might an invasive species impact the natural selection of the native species within a habitat? Describe how native and invasive species affect the flow of energy in an ecosystem?

• Describe four possible solutions to the Grass Carp invasion problem. Describe one advantage and one disadvantage for each solution.

• As you learned in Chapters 4 and 6 of Environmental Science, the flow of energy, species interactions, and natural selection change over time. Since ecosystems and species are in flux, why should humans strive to restore and maintain ecosystem balance? Use one example from Episode 1 and one example from the assigned reading materials to support your points.

Include the Episode Score Report that you generate once you complete the activities from Episode 1. The report is generated in PDF format.

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SCI 275 Week 4 Urban Sustainability

Select one of the following choices to complete.

Option 1

Video Resources:  “How to Build a Cooler City”, “The Thin Green Line: Investing in Urban Parks”, and  “Seeds of Progress: How Urban Farming is Changing Detroit’s Future”.

Select one video that inspires you.

Develop a 700- to 1,050-word plan to implement one of these programs into your neighborhood or hometown.

• Your plan should include a clearly defined goal, steps needed to reach your goal, resources needed to reach your goal, and any community support to implement your plan.

• Explain the beneifts of the program you selected and discuss which urban challenges it addresses.

Option 2

Resources: Chapter 17 of Environmental Science and Urban Sustainability Chart.

Complete the Urban Sustainability Chart to develop sustainability guidelines for your apartment, home child’s school, workplace, or place of worship.

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SCI 275 Week 4 Population Management

Resources: Gamescape Episode 2 and Chapters 9 and 17 of Environmental Science

Complete Episode 2: “Managing Population Growth” of Gamescape

As president of the City Council, you have been invited by the Mayor to give a PowerPoint presentation to Sparksville High School.

Develop a 7-10 slide PowerPoint presentation that explains the prairie dog land management issue. In your presentation include the following points:

• Discuss some of the challenges of urbanization and environmental benefits. Explain how the prairie dog land management issues are related to the challenges of urbanization.

• Explain the factors that influence population growth using prairie dogs as an example to illustrate your points. Briefly review how the natural environment is needed to support cities. Use the ecological role of prairie dogs and their benefit to land management and the city of Sparksville as an example.

• Describe the different policies that the city explored to manage prairie dog population growth, and discuss how these policies are rooted in environmental science and population dynamics.

• Discuss the final management decision, and explain how it balanced urban development with environmental sustainability. Include major challenges you faced in addressing this issue and reaching an optimal solution.

Include an introductory slide, a summary slide, and a reference slide.

Include 300 to 750 words in your speaker notes

Use your textbook and one outside resource.

Include supporting visuals, such as photos, diagrams, and/or graphs.

Include the Episode Score Report that you generate once you complete the activities from Episode 2. The report is generated in PDF format.

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SCI 275 Week 5 Indoor Air Pollution

Complete the Indoor Air Pollution Chart

Resources:  Chapter 19 of Environmental Science and The EPA website “An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)”. Retrieved from, http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ia-intro.html

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Indoor Air Pollution

Resources:  Chapter 19 of Environmental Science and the EPA web site, “Introduction to Air Quality”. Retrieved from,  http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ia-intro.html

Complete the following chart:

SCI 275 Week 5 Atmospheric Issues

Resource: Gamescape Episode 3. Assigned sections of Chapters 19 and 20 in Environmental Science.

Complete Episode 3: “Maintaining Terrestrial and Atmospheric Resources” of Gamescape

As Newly elected Mayor of Sparksville, the town’s citizens are eager to hear what you plan on doing to promote the local economy while maintaining a high level of environmental air quality.

Write a 700- to 1,050-word speech for a Town Hall Meeting that addresses the following points:

• State the current economic situation and the three choices that were available to the town of Sparksville.
• Discuss how these three choices would impact water pollution and indoor and outdoor air pollution. Explain how each of the three choices could be a point and non-source of water and air pollution.
• Describe how the air and water pollution generated from these sources can impact the health of Sparksville’s citizens, the local ecosystem, and the local economy. Include some potential solutions.
• Explain why your decision addresses the key environmental challenges and is the optimal choice given this situation.

Include two outside references to support your main points. One reference should be an academic journal found at the University’s library.

Include the Episode Score Report that you generate once you complete the activities from Episode 3. The report is generated in PDF format.

Format your citations consistent with APA guidelines.

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SCI 275 Week 6 Effects of Water Resources

Review the following multimedia located in the Electronic Reserve Readings:

• Video: Protecting Americans From Danger in the Drinking Water
• Diagram: Sources of Groundwater Contamination
• Map: Groundwater Pollution in the United States

Write a 2-3 sentence summary for each multimedia that you reviewed. Then, in 2-3 sentences explain how the environmental issues presented in the multimedia affects you directly and indirectly. (Some indirect effects might include higher taxes and health insurance rates due to clean-up and negative health effects.)

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SCI 275 Week 6 Water Resource Sustainability Plan

Develop a water sustainability plan for your city, hometown, or neighborhood. The plan should include sources of pollution and ways in which you plan on addressing these sources. Present your plan to the local city council.

Develop a 7-10 slide PowerPoint Presentation to present the sustainability plan. Include the following in your presentation:

• An introduction that identifies the main challenges of managing a fresh water resource in your home town or city.

• State the activities that have impacted this local fresh water supply. Include the name of the lake or river, the specific pollution sources, and the pollutants in your presentation. Descirbe how these pollutants have impacted (or could impact) human health, plants, and wildlife.

• Present a plan to clean up this pollution source, prevent future pollution, and to ensure that the water source is not overdrawn enabling long-tem use. Include specific methods from your research.

• Identify at least three stakeholders in your plan ( community residents, local government, businesses, non-profit organizations, etc.) Describe the local government policy that you will need in order to carry out your plan. And the role of each of the three stakeholders in ensuring that the water is used sustainably.

Use your textbook, and three additional sources. One of these sources should be an academic journal found at the University’s library. If you need assistance with identifying a academic journal article (also known as peer-reviewed articles), review the Finding Peer-Reviewed Articles document.

Include an introductory slide, a summary slide, and a reference slide.

Include 300 to 750 words in your speaker notes.

Include supporting visuals, such as photos, diagrams, and/or graphs.

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SCI 275 Week 7 Terrestrial Resource Challenges

Review this week’s multimedia and assigned reading.

Answer each of the following questions in 3-5 sentences:

• Describe two terrestrial resource challenges presented in the videos or assigned reading. What are the main causes for each environmental issue?
• How do these issues threaten sustainability? How do these issues affect you personally?
• Which solutions, if any, are presented in the video and assigned reading. If no solutions are presented, suggest one solution for each problem you selected.
• What do you believe is the major challenge in implementing your solution? How could this challenge be addressed?

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SCI 275 Week 7 American Rangelands and Forests

Complete the Associate Level Material: American Rangelands and Forests located on the student website.

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American Rangelands and Forests

Part 1

Choose either a rangeland or a forest of the United States and describe current federal management strategies. Explain federal efforts to manage these lands sustainably by completing the chart below.

Part 2

Take your information from Part 1 and use it to create a Sustainability Plan.

Your sustainability plan should present what, when, and how something is to be sustained and maintained now and into the indefinite future. Your plan can be submitted in a narrative or table format. The Corporation for National and Community Service (n.d.) provides the following list of components that make up a sustainability plan that should be included in your paper or table:

1. Action items: Provide the items or activities that need to be addressed or that need to occur. Refer to the following example:

My plan for sustaining clean air in my community is to develop an education program about air pollution-generating activities and their effects, schedule a presentation day and time, invite community participants, and research the effects of air pollution.

2. Order of action items: Discuss how the action items in Step 1 will align or occur. One event or activity should occur before another; thus, order the items into steps similar to the following:

• Research the effects of air pollution.
• Develop an education program.
• Schedule a presentation day and time.
• Invite the community.

3. Action steps: Explain how you are going to conduct the action items. How are you going to make each item or activity happen? Include individuals or groups who will help you conduct these activities. Use the following as a guide:

In order to schedule a presentation day and time, I will attend next month’s community homeowner’s association (HOA) meeting and request permission from the board to add it to the following month’s agenda.

4. Timeline: Estimate when you are going to conduct the action items, such as “In months 1–3, I will complete the research.” If an item or activity does not have a specific conclusion time, indicate that it is ongoing.

The following is a sample of how you might incorporate your sustainability plan into a table format—keep in mind this is an incomplete plan:

Blank Sample Action Plan

References

Corporation for National & Community Service. (n.d.). Sample sustainability plan. In Toolkit for program sustainability, capacity building, and volunteer recruitment/management (Section 4). Retrieved from http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/filemanager/download/online/sustainability_plan.pdf.

SCI 275 Week 8 Energy Resource Plan

Imagine that you are the Chief Environmental Officer for Volta Cars. Your current project is to reduce the company’s reliance on fossil fuels and replace it with one renewable resource.

Develop a 7-10 slide PowerPoint Presentation for the Board of Diretcors. The presentation will outline conservation education for Volta Cars employees and one renewable energy source that the company can use to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. Include the following points:

• Propose three major energy conservation steps that the company can take to reduce it’s reliance on fossil fuels.
• Outline energy conservation education training and  incentives for employees in order to implement your energy conservation ideas.
• Propose the use of one specific renewable resource to help reduce the reliance on fossil fuels. What are some challenges to implementing this resource?
• Expalin how you plan addresses this challenges or offset their negative effects?

Use your textbook, and two additional reputable sources.

Include an introductory slide, a summary slide, and a reference slide with three reputable sources plus your textbook.

Include 300-500 words in your speaker notes

Include supporting visuals, such as photos, diagrams, and/or graphs.

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SCI 275 Week 8 Impacts of an Energy Resource Plan

Resources: Chapters 14 and 15 of Environmental Science and Episode 4 of Gamescape: Controlling Energy Systems

Complete Episode 4: “Controlling Energy Systems” of Gamescape.

Imagine that you are preparing a 750- to 1,050-word letter for a time capsule for your great-great grandchildren which explains the long-term energy sustainability plan that you developed in Episode 4 of Gamescape.

Include the following points in your letter:

• Briefly describe the nation’s current energy situation, reliance on oil, and renewable energy sources avaible to us. Discuss some challenges that our nation faces with managing our energy resources and how these challenges have affect you personally.

• Describe the sustainability plan you developed in Epsiode 4 of Gamescape. Identify two strengths and two weaknesses in this plan. How can you address these weaknesses?

• Present three ways in which you hope our nation will educate people on renewable resources and wisely managing our fossil fuel supply.

• Close with one key message that you want your great-great grandchildren to understand about how our current society has managed our energy sources and their environmental effects.

Include the Episode Score Report that you generate once you complete the activities from Episode 4. The report is generated in PDF format.

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SCI 275 Week 9 Gamescape Summary

Resource: Gamescape Episodes 5

Complete Episode 5: “Building a Positive Environmental Legacy” of Gamescape.

Answer the following questions. Each response should be 1-3 sentences in length.

• Describe how you would balance the needs of Sparksville’s environment and economy. Explain your reasoning.
• Based on your experience of 25 years in Sparksville and this course , what do you consider to be the key principles required to reach sustainability?
• How will you apply these principles to address the environmental issue you selected for the final project? 

Include the Episode Score Report that you generate once you complete the activities from Episode 5. The report is generated in PDF format.

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SCI 275 Week 9 Environmental Science Final Project

Resource: Gamescape Episodes 1- 5, Environmental Science textbook, and four additional outside resources

Choose from one of the following environmental topics that is an issue in your area.

• Atmospheric Pollution
• Oceanic Resources
• Oceanic Pollution
• Energy Development and Management
• Agricultural/Rangeland Management
• Wildlife Population Management
• Habitat Restoration
• Forest Conservation and Preservation
• InvasiveSpecies Control
• Endangered Species Recovery
• Sustainable Urban Planning

Create a 10-15 slide PowerPoint Presentation. The presentation should provide a detailed description of a sustainability plan for your selected environmental issue. Include the following:

• Introduce your choice. Explain why this issue is important for humans, wildlife and the environment.
• Detailed description of the problem. Present specific details about your selection. This might include a specific habitat, ocean, species, forest, agricultural method, or energy source.
• What are the social, economic, and environmental perspectives regarding your choice?
• Explain how unsustainable human consumption has caused the problem. Describe the effects the problem is creating for people, wildlife, and the environment.
• Present a plan or approach that is currently being used to address this problem, or a similar problem. Is the current strategy effective. Why or why not?
• Your plan to reach sustainability. Consider the sustainability plans presented in the assigned reading, videos and the Gamescape Episodes.
• Explain how your plan includes social, economic, and environmental perspectives.
• Identify the stakeholders in your plan (local community residents, businesses, governmental agencies, non-profit organizations,etc.). What is the role of each of these groups in ensuring that the paln is successful?
• Close by reviewing your plan and explain why you think it will be more successful than current actions.

• Include 750 to1,050 words in your speaker notes.
• Include supporting visuals, such as photos, diagrams, and/or graphs.
• Include at least four outside sources. Two of the sources must be academic journal articles from the University’s library. If you need assistance with identifying a academic journal articles (also known as peer-reviewed articles), review the Finding Peer-Reviewed Articles document.
• Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.