Imperfect understanding of climate feedbacks is a major cause of uncertainty and concern about global warming. How can the use of climate models help in the understanding of these uncertainties?
When we can't see and or understand how things work, most people tend to feel some apprehension towards the unknown. Climate change is no excpetion to that idea. I think many people are overwhelmed by climate change becasue they don't understand it and cannot see it happening.
Enter climate models.
Models, in various aspects of our lives, help us experience things in a safe, non threatening situation. Climte models can help us understand the bigger picture of climate feedbacks and climate change. Take a look at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's website about climate models:
http://www.oar.noaa.gov/climate/t_modeling.html
This website helps explain why and how climate models are used. It then explains what they call "phenomena of intrest" but what I would explain more as a list of variables that are impacted by or cause an impact to global climate change.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
greenhouse gases and global warming
What is the relationship between increasing amounts of greenhouse gases and global climate change?
Most people believe that they have a basic understanding of global warming. Just to make sure, I'm going to go through a quick recap of glabal warming and climate change. Scientists believe that, currently, greenhouse gases are being produced in high amounts across the world. Those greenhouse gases, including methane, carbon dioxide, nitrious oxide and flourinated gases are staying in our atmosphere. Since they are staying in our atmosphere, more and more of the sun's heat is being trapped close to the Earth's surface and cannot escape back into space as would naturally happen. More of the sun's heat being trapped means highter surface temperatures.
For mor indepth information, check out the EPA's website: (or as Grandpa from the Simpsons kept calling it in the Simpsone movie..."Eeeeeepa, Eeeeeepa") :-)
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/index.html
Most people believe that they have a basic understanding of global warming. Just to make sure, I'm going to go through a quick recap of glabal warming and climate change. Scientists believe that, currently, greenhouse gases are being produced in high amounts across the world. Those greenhouse gases, including methane, carbon dioxide, nitrious oxide and flourinated gases are staying in our atmosphere. Since they are staying in our atmosphere, more and more of the sun's heat is being trapped close to the Earth's surface and cannot escape back into space as would naturally happen. More of the sun's heat being trapped means highter surface temperatures.
For mor indepth information, check out the EPA's website: (or as Grandpa from the Simpsons kept calling it in the Simpsone movie..."Eeeeeepa, Eeeeeepa") :-)
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/index.html
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
national, local and personal issues
I think that the United States’ contribution to the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere is our major climate forcing. Between our factories, power plants and car usage, the amount of CO2 we are responsible for is shameful. I see this in the city where I live and how I lead my life.
Cleveland has an underutilized public transportation system. Honestly, I only use it when I need to be sure I will not be drinking and driving from an event downtown. I have used the busses during Browns’ games and for St. Patrick’s Day. I don’t use it more because it isn’t as convenient as hopping into my car and driving, on my own time schedule, to the destination of my choice. Am I right? Am I wrong? Am I lazy? The answer might be yes to all three questions simultaneously, but my use of the system won’t be changing anytime soon.
I also don’t see many people using bikes or walking for their main form of transportation. I live very close to my job, yet I still drive. I blame it on my safety; my route to and from school could go through some questionable areas and I leave sometimes late at night. I blame it on my workload; I can’t carry my work home with me easily on a bike. I blame it on being out of shape; biking would get me into shape, I should look into it. I blame it on terrible and ever changing Cleveland weather; well, I can’t talk myself out of that one.
Do I understand that I’m contributing to the problem? Yes. Will I change my lifestyle? I wish I could say yes, but I doubt I actually will. I think this is the major problem. We all know we could be doing little things to help, but those things are inconvenient and take effort. I speak for myself only when I say I don’t want to be inconvenienced and I’m a bit too lazy to put in the effort.
Sorry, but I’m trying to stay honest.
Cleveland has an underutilized public transportation system. Honestly, I only use it when I need to be sure I will not be drinking and driving from an event downtown. I have used the busses during Browns’ games and for St. Patrick’s Day. I don’t use it more because it isn’t as convenient as hopping into my car and driving, on my own time schedule, to the destination of my choice. Am I right? Am I wrong? Am I lazy? The answer might be yes to all three questions simultaneously, but my use of the system won’t be changing anytime soon.
I also don’t see many people using bikes or walking for their main form of transportation. I live very close to my job, yet I still drive. I blame it on my safety; my route to and from school could go through some questionable areas and I leave sometimes late at night. I blame it on my workload; I can’t carry my work home with me easily on a bike. I blame it on being out of shape; biking would get me into shape, I should look into it. I blame it on terrible and ever changing Cleveland weather; well, I can’t talk myself out of that one.
Do I understand that I’m contributing to the problem? Yes. Will I change my lifestyle? I wish I could say yes, but I doubt I actually will. I think this is the major problem. We all know we could be doing little things to help, but those things are inconvenient and take effort. I speak for myself only when I say I don’t want to be inconvenienced and I’m a bit too lazy to put in the effort.
Sorry, but I’m trying to stay honest.
climate forcing and climate feedback resources
Science daily provides articles about all sorts of science topics, including global warming, which I have linked.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/global_warming/
About.com provides information in an easy to read and understand wording.
http://geology.about.com/od/nutshells/a/aa_climatenuts.htm
This also provides links to other information about global warming.
http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/climate-feedback.html
Some good pictures:
http://www.skepticalscience.com/images/climate_feedbacks.gif
http://www.gi.alaska.edu/~bhatt/Teaching/ATM656.fall2007/webproj/Brown/Climate%20Feedbacks.jpg
http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/future/images/heat-wiring-400.jpg
http://www.transitionguelph.org/images/greenhouse.jpg
http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/global_warming/
About.com provides information in an easy to read and understand wording.
http://geology.about.com/od/nutshells/a/aa_climatenuts.htm
This also provides links to other information about global warming.
http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/climate-feedback.html
Some good pictures:
http://www.skepticalscience.com/images/climate_feedbacks.gif
http://www.gi.alaska.edu/~bhatt/Teaching/ATM656.fall2007/webproj/Brown/Climate%20Feedbacks.jpg
http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/future/images/heat-wiring-400.jpg
http://www.transitionguelph.org/images/greenhouse.jpg
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
21st century learning
How do NASA, STEM, and PBL meet the needs of 21st century education?
After reading more about all 3 of the above listed items, it was sometimes hard to distinguish between them. All the acronyms integrate real world problems into student learning.
NASA and STEM really push the technology aspect of being a 21st century learner. Both of those arenas rely heavily on technology, but not just for word processing or designing a presentation, but the delve deeper. They hope for technology to be used as a tool to gather information or maybe talk with others around the country and/or world to collaborate on a project together.Technology skills that our studetns need to be successful in the 21st century are integrated into NASA and STEM's goals.
PBL does not rely on technology as heavily as NASA and STEM, but I think it can have a greater impact in my students' learning. PBL takes what students learn in the classrooms and applies that information to realworld problems. And, no you didn't read wrong, and no I don't have a typo (at least not yet), I meant to write "classrooms". This is what I'm most excited about for PBL. My students won't just be taking information from my calss and applying it to real world situations, but they will be taking what they learn in Math, English, Social Studies and Science and using it. What better way to show students that what we are trying to help them learn is purposeful?
If you think about teacher jargon and look at the 4 quardrant relevance/rigor diagram, making things relevent for our students is our goal. I especially believe that in my school and with my students, it's especially true.
I look forward to learning more about PBL, NASA and STEM and tyring to integrate them into my curriculum.
After reading more about all 3 of the above listed items, it was sometimes hard to distinguish between them. All the acronyms integrate real world problems into student learning.
NASA and STEM really push the technology aspect of being a 21st century learner. Both of those arenas rely heavily on technology, but not just for word processing or designing a presentation, but the delve deeper. They hope for technology to be used as a tool to gather information or maybe talk with others around the country and/or world to collaborate on a project together.Technology skills that our studetns need to be successful in the 21st century are integrated into NASA and STEM's goals.
PBL does not rely on technology as heavily as NASA and STEM, but I think it can have a greater impact in my students' learning. PBL takes what students learn in the classrooms and applies that information to realworld problems. And, no you didn't read wrong, and no I don't have a typo (at least not yet), I meant to write "classrooms". This is what I'm most excited about for PBL. My students won't just be taking information from my calss and applying it to real world situations, but they will be taking what they learn in Math, English, Social Studies and Science and using it. What better way to show students that what we are trying to help them learn is purposeful?
If you think about teacher jargon and look at the 4 quardrant relevance/rigor diagram, making things relevent for our students is our goal. I especially believe that in my school and with my students, it's especially true.
I look forward to learning more about PBL, NASA and STEM and tyring to integrate them into my curriculum.
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