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Activity 2.3.2 Ranches as Grassland Conservation

1. Exploratory In the podcast, Jim Howell went on to go over the important role that grasslands have in the global ecosystem . Grasslands are only roughly 40 percent of the world’s surface of land, and the grasslands are the most terrestrial ecosystem. The ecosystems act more like a carbon sink which stores more carbon than forests. This in turn helps out the climate changes. He then also goes over how because of the negative activities taking place such as urbanization, industrial agriculture, and overgrazing had been causing the grasslands to degrade over the past 200 years. He focused on using the technique of Holistic Management in order to restore these grasslands. Grasslands are important for the environment as they bring along healthy ecosystems, and having natural grazing patterns allows for the land to recover    2. Diagnostic Maintaining the Grasslands is important in keeping the ecosystems healthy and the spread of biodiversity. Being able to maintain the livestoc...
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Activity 2.3.1 Ranchers, Anglers, and Beavers

  1. Exploratory The research evidence supported the use of the grazing management and beavers for riparian restoration. The Beavers would create the dams, which would then cause the groundwater to elevate, which promotes the vegetation recovery, giving the plants time to regenerate. The recovery would improve the quality of the water, which then, in return, causes less erosion and supports biodiversity. So basically, the beavers enhance the health of the riparian health by helping the wetland form.( Fesenmyer ) 2. Diagnostic The reason that this occurs is that the grazing is impacting the riparian zones because it reduces the vegetation cover. this causes more erosion and degradation of the  habitats. by the beavers building the dams, they are able to mitigate the drought effects, which allows the animal species to recover.( Fesenmyer) 3. Cause and Effect If it is implemented to control the grazing and beaver activity, the affected zones would then see an increase in the vege...
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Actibity 4.2 - Environmental Policy Frameworks

       Davis & Lewicki (2003)   Brian (2003)   Gray (2003)   Identity- Who you are and your beliefs and values.  Legal- Focusing more on laws and regulations.  Values/ Identify- Values that can lead to decision-making.  Power- The power and influences of the negotiations  Political- the influences of political ideologies.  Values/Ethics- Reflects ethical values that could lead to decision-making.  Social Control- views of governance and authority  Economic- Highlights things such as cost and economics.  Fact Finding- The importance of data and scientific findings.  Characterization- how people are seen and how you are seen.  Cultural- explores the values and traditions.  Risk- The risk associated and how it's assessed  Fact Finding- The importance of data and scientific findings.  Demographic- Considers things such as age and ethnicity  Power- The power and influences of ...
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Activity 4.1 – US Environmental History and Major Regulations

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 Historical Summary           All throughout history, the environmental has changed in many ways. Environmental has evolved over the centuries from exploitation ideas to different approaches. This timeline is an overview of Americans' view of the developments that shape the environmental.     Starting in the early days and views on nature during the 17th-19th centuries. In early colonial America, humans saw nature as a primary resource. With the big plots of land that were seen as opportunities to be able to settle and grow more practices started being adapted to using nature, such as things like mining and farming. During this time people had thought that these resources had no limit. These views were helped by the concepts of Manifest Destiny. This time period showed that nature was important for humans to be able to utilize and grow, and by the 19th century, this was seen to fuel the economic growth of their settlements.    ...
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Activity 3.3.3 – My Plastic Use

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Introduction: While researching environmental concerns, I came across two articles discussing the risks associated with microplastics and PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances). Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic that are in the environment, which is when things we use, such as a water bottles break down. Microplastics get where they are because of the industrial waste and the breakdown of the plastics. PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals that have been used in various industries and consumer products since the 1940s. Known for their resistance to water and grease, they are commonly found in nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, and food packaging. However, PFAS are persistent in the environment and the human body, raising concerns about potential health risks, including links to cancer and other serious conditions. Due to their durability, they are often referred to as "forever chemicals." The first article points out that these substances have actually...
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Activity 3.3.1 Air Pollution Core Activity

Air Pollution Basics Sulfur Pollutants Sulfur pollutants, mainly sulfur dioxide (SO₂), come from burning fuels like coal and oil, which power plants and factories. When this gas mixes with water in the air, it makes acid rain, which can harm buildings, plants, and bodies of water. It also makes breathing harder for people with asthma or other lung problems. Freedman (2018) explains that efforts like using cleaner fuels and adding filters to smokestacks have helped lower sulfur pollution over time (pp. 366-381). Nitrogen Pollutants Nitrogen pollutants, mostly nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) (together called NOx), come from car engines and factories. These gases mix with sunlight and cause smog and ground-level ozone, which can irritate the lungs and make asthma worse. NO₂ also plays a role in creating acid rain and causes water pollution by encouraging the overgrowth of algae. Freedman (2018) points out that nitrogen pollution get...
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