Sunday, June 28, 2009

If the Earthquake doesn't get you, the Tsunami will...

Cascadia Region Earthquake Workshop  A very good example of a computer model.


Readiness for a potential magnitude 9.0 earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone from Vancouver, BC down to Northern California along the I5 corridor and the Tsunami that would follow along the coastline of Hwy 101.

Aren't you glad somebody is on this?

http://www.daretoprepare.org/  stock up on gallons of water and don't tell your neighbors...

Online Environmental Science Publications

Salon.com/Environment

Environment and Science: Reporting from Earth
It's your world, take care of it!

Grist

10 years of a beacon in the smog.

Portland Tribune: Sustainable Life

Portland Tribune Sustainable Life section of the local newspaper.

Worst Science Job Ever...

From Craigslist:

Anatomy Laboratory Technician (Portland)

--------------------
Reply to: job-mycwk-1218052580@craigslist.org
Date: 2009-06-12, 9:11AM PDT

Anatomy Lab Technician

Join a rapidly expanding Portland business providing the medical community with anatomical specimens for research and education. Seeking a person with excellent understanding of human anatomy and ability to work in a fast paced environment.

Basic job duties include:
o Coordinating outgoing shipments
o Transportation of donors
o Procurement of anatomical specimens
o Basic laboratory sanitation and maintenance

Requirements:
o College degree with coursework in anatomy with human cadavers
o Good driving record
o Attention to detail
o Ability to lift and maneuver heavy objects

More Reading You Don't Have Time For

Daniel Goleman Recommends "The Good Guide"








Don't Worry, Be Happy!

The sky is falling...but NASA has it all under control...

Use of physical models to test computer models based on mental models:

Magnetic Shield Cracks Found: Big Solar Storm Predicted

NASA says huge solar particle buildup inside earth's magnetosphere could be from tears that, when the sun's polarity is aligned with earth's polarity, will allow a flood of solar particles inside that layer of earth's atmosphere where many communication satellites orbit, some solar flares may even reach the earth's surface damaging the electrical grid.

National Geographic Earth's Atmosphere

Layers of earth's atmosphere.

Video about Solar Particle Damage to communication Satellites

A video about exactly how solar particles could cause damage to communications satellites and earth's electricity grid.

NASA SORCE solar particle probe

NASA has a space probe named SORCE to detect solar particles headed toward earth.

Smart Grid Central/

Smart Grid Central about efforts to decentralize the world electricity grid so as to reduce dependence on communications satellites and earth based electric transformers.

PSU Smart Grid

PSU Seminar on Smart Grid

Organizations Dedicated to Environmental Issues

http://www.lead.org/

Inspiring leadership for a sustainable world.  Professional certification and recognition for environmentally sustainable construction, design and talent.




Cascadia Region Green Building Council

Environmentally Responsible Construction









http://www.energytrust.org/

Official alliance for energy contractors in Oregon to qualify for green rebates. 

Saturday, June 27, 2009

George Taylor is NOT the Oregon State Climatologist

George Taylor, climate change skeptic, was never the "Oregon State Climatologist" as was widely reported, but was the manager of the Oregon State University "Oregon Climate Service". Due to his popular unconventional beliefs he was forced to resign in May 2008. .

George Taylor_(Oregon_State_University)

Documentary Waste=Food

Watch the film for free at this website:

GoGreentube Waste=Food

Books Related to Environmental Science

Many books were mentioned in week 1 of class.










Correction: Magnitude of Scale

In class we talked about the correlation of the circumference of the earth at approximately 25,000 miles to the moon at 250,000 miles away at an order of magnitude of about 10. This means that a physical model of a common globe of circumference of approximately 3 feet would have a corresponding moon a ball the size of the United States on the surface of that globe positioned about 30 feet away, an order of magnitude about 10.

I then said the distance to the sun would be an order of magnitude about 400. Actually, the distance from the earth to the sun would be about 93,000,000 miles, which would be an order of magnitude of 4,000. The sun has a circumference of approximately 2,713,406 miles around. That would correlate from a common globe to a ball about 300 feet around over 12,000 feet (2.25 miles) away.

So much space and such a tiny earth. The earth is a very special place.