Environmental Instructor...

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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Hi Reefers,

Last week I officially became an instructor at our junior college. I teach environmental science to 21 students twice a week. It's part time but it's great!!!

Last thursday was my first day, I opened up with a pop quiz which was a simple ice breaker and everyone got a 100% for introducing their class mates.

I hit up on wastemanagement and the importance of recycling; topics were landfill and the EPA. I then went into ethics and ecosystems and we had fun talking about Reef Corals and their importance in nature. :)

Okay, this week we are hitting up Global Warming and I decided to have them watch, The Day After Tommorrow. I then have handouts to give regarding all the principles that should be noted on this theme.

DJ Conn, this post is directed more to you since I'd like you to give me some suggestions on my students final project. They are to pick a contemporary environmental issue and take a stance for it or against it. They are to present it in oral or essay.

Can you give me some topics that you'd like covered or that have some interest to you? That would help me out so much, since I might be able to pick at your brain, just a little.

Thanks,

Michael Guerrero
 
djconn

djconn

New Member
Hey Mike,
Your new job sounds cool. A few topics that might work just off the top of my head:
  • The importance of controlled water (fertilizer) run-off into our oceans and reef habitats. Discuss the need for education and the pros/cons of limiting fertilizers in sensitive reef areas. How will it hurt their economy?

    The importance of emission control devices at power plants/refineries/petrochemical plants and how these pollutants affect global warming. You can link global warming (and higher ocean temps) to the decline of our coral reefs. Discuss the pro/cons of such devices and what their added costs mean to us as consumers.

    The importance of education in third world countries concerning reef destruction and over fishing. Abusive human activity has resulted to the loss of healthy coral reefs in the last 30 years in the range of 50 to 90 percent (Marine Fish and Reef Vol. 7).

    The importance of recycling and the proper disposal of acids, greases, solvents, paints and other hazardous materials. Discuss how they leach into groundwater and water table and how it will eventually lead to our oceans. Weight the cost to us as consumers for setting up recycling programs and the cost effectiveness of melting aluminum cans and plastics.

Of course, these are just topics off the top of my head and they all concern coral reefs and oceans. They are kind of biased but hey, I think that is what you were looking for. :lol:
 
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mikeguerrero

Active Member
DJ,

You are awesome, I love the topics and will use them in class. I want them to get started on them right away and they all sound relavent to our program of study.

I'll keep you posted on there development...

Thanks,

Mike
 
djconn

djconn

New Member
This may or may not be feasible but we could try to incorporate part of this webiste into your course. Maybe a few of the students could post their essays and findings on the site under a special post (Mike G's Environmental Essays)...simple cut and paste.

The essays that deal specifically with coral reef destruction would definitely be of interest to other members. I'm sure the students would also like the idea of their work being 'on the net'. You could perhaps give them extra credit or something.

Just an idea and something to think about.
 
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EcoSystem

New Member
I would really like to see something like that too. Great idea guys.

you know the motto...Save a reef, grow your own.
 
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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Hi DJ,

I think your idea about my students participating on your website is a great opportunity for them to get aquainted with my class.

I'm going to talk to them today and make your website an assignment for helping them complete a requirement for the class.

If it's okay with you, I'd like them to get on this site as a pre cursor to helping them complete the assignment: Picking a contemporary environmental issue and taking a stance for it or against it.

Your ideas that you threw up, I liked them. Maybe we can place them on the site and they can choose one of them. And then, they may have questions answered by the both of us and anyone else that would like to get involved.

Let me know if this will fly because it is about 20 students and I don't want it to burden you. But it sounds so cool to have them join this site.

Mike
 
Phischy

Phischy

New Member
Other Enviro Ideas not limited to reefs:

Air Quality:

Should California be able to set their own air quality standards at a higher level than those set by the Federal Government. This is a hot topic out here, cali has really crappy air in LA and other big metro areas and can only clean up their act to get to EPA standards if emissions are set higher than the feds. But since cali is a huge auto market, the auto industry is fighting it stating that if cali goes tigheter on emissions then they'll have to build all auto's to the higher standards for cost efficiency reasons. So, should a state be able to set tighter emissions than federal regulations in order to meet EPA limits?

Clean Diesel. Why don't we have it? Diesels are already super more efficient than gasoline cars but are dirty simply b/c the diesel available has a high sulfer content. Bush is introducing low sulfur variants but this also should be pushed to address the 'Rolling Smoke Stacks" of the big rig industry. Further, should Mexican Big Rigs be allowed to to travel the US with even dirtier Mexico Diesel? This is another big issue on boarder towns with already crappy air quality.

CAFE Standards. These guidelines for the fuel efficiency of an entire fleet of cars (by auto maker) have not been revised in over 20 years. Big big deal, espically as gas supplies are coming under greater worldwide demand. Auto industry is against it but they were also against unleaded fuel and catalytic converters. Save the planet, save on fuel.

These are off the top of my head, not exactly reef related but not everyone is into this hobby. And if you want to save the reefs by building your own, then only purchase farm raised products!
 
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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Phischy,

Thanks, I cannot thank you guys again but to move forward on this assignment. Since DJ has given me permission I will have all my students join Nano Tank beginning tommorrow.

Since we have personal pc's with every class room the process will be smooth. I just need to create a folder with the the thread to take place.

DJ, where would you like me to set up camp? In other words what area would you like the thread to be in? Under the lounge? etc?


Mike
 
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EcoSystem

New Member
Well my idea would be here...or maybe a new forum could be started for Environment/Reef related issues. That would be good to have.

I'd also like to put in my vote for a general equip forum. :D

djconn is going to have my head i am giving him so much work.

-Eco
 
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EcoSystem

New Member
djconn said:
hehehe...no worries Eco. That is why you're about to be a mod. :mrgreen:
Click to expand...
Haha...that is right...open mouth, insert foot. :lol:

-Eco

PS i think both an environment/reef and general equip forum would be a great idea anyway.
 
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