ENVR SCI-1301 Brittany Sims

            When looking at our concept map, we can see that it revolves around Natural Resources. This can branch off in a multitude of ways, from sustainability to alternative resources, to renewable and nonrenewable resources.              Let’s first look at the sustainability of our natural resources. It all depends on how that resource is being maintained so as it’s not overused or over damaged in the long run. The problem with this is over population and over consumption our world is facing daily.              Next, we have our alternative natural resources which include synthetic materials. These of course are not quite as good of quality and may pose a threat if not properly disposed of. Let’s think plastic water bottles not being recycled to be reused in the future.         ...

  The concept map above explains the importance of biodiversity within our world, explaining and simplifying the two different values: Intrinsic and Utilitarian The concept map above shows how energy in our world works, how it is measured, and the different laws of thermodynamics - all supporting our way of life, biodiversity, and biomes. The concept map above explains our many different biomes - from tundra, to rainforests, to our grasslands. All supporting the biodiversity from the first concept map. With these three concept maps I will be explaining to you the details of energy, biodiversity, and biomes. They all correlate to one another, all interconnecting and working together to create the world we live in today.  Biodiversity is what gives us a diverse variety of life, leading to many different habitats and ecosystems that have formed throughout Earth’s existence. Thanks to nature’s diversity, humans have been able to evolve and survive. This includes our ever-expanding...

 Activity 2.2 - Cryosphere - Boulder Glacier in Glacier National Park, Montana circa 1910 M Elrod, Glacier National Park Archives -  8/24/2007 D Fagre & G Pederson, USGS Fagre, D. (2007).   Boulder Glacier . photograph, Glacier National Park, Montana.       Boulder Glacier . (2009). photograph.     Boulder Glacier 1910-2009     PROBLEM With global warming on the rise, we are seeing many of our glaciers rapidly decrease in size over the decades. As you can see with my examples of Boulder Glacier, near Boulder Peak in Glacier National Park, Montana, it has shrunk so significantly it isn’t considered a glacier according to the USGS anymore. Data has shown that Glaciers in Glacier National Park have shrunk up to 85% since the 1960’s.    EXPLANATION As we consume and release more emissions that continue to be trapped within our atmosphere, we will see many glaciers disappear in our life span. Global Warming has been on the rise ...