New Ways to Teach - The Next Generation Science Standards

     As of just a few weeks ago a proposed new national science standard was released saying that the topic of climate change will be taught more deeply to students.  It will be have students learning fewer concepts but it will be done with a deeper understanding instead of just memorizing facts.  This is the first time since 1996 that there has been a national effort to change the way science is taught in a classroom.  Each state is said to decide whether or not it will adopt the new benchmarks.  The environmental curriculum is being tested through the California teachers as a state initiative along with the National Geographic Society and others.

More information about the new standards:  Next Generation Science Standards

Source:  New Teaching Standards Delve More Deeply into Climate Change

Watanabe, Teresa. "New Teaching Standards Delve More Deeply into Climate Change." Featured Articles From The Los Angeles Times. LA Times, 9 Apr. 2013. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://articles.latimes.com/2013/apr/09/local/la-me-0410-schools-science-20130410>.

Earth's Health

     The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), is setting up monitor stations that will take snapshot of different locations throughout the country in order to measure the health of different ecosystems.  By doing this scientists will be able to better monitor how different factors influence the ecosystems and how they are doing so.  They believe that by doing this they will be able to understand more about global warming and it's affects on different areas with the least amount of natural interference as possible.
     By 2017 the network is set to be fully operational and provide research information for up to thirty years. There will be recording stations at 106 different sites, 60 on lands and 46 at sea, each equipped with various sensors.

Source:  How's Earth's Health?

Main, Douglas. " Network Will Track Ecosystem Health | LiveScience ."Science News – Science Articles and Current Events | LiveScience . OurAmazingPlanet, 22 Apr. 2013. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://www.livescience.com/28933-national-ecology-network.html>.

Self Healers

  Coral reefs throughout the years have been damaged due to warming of ocean temperatures.  In earlier thinking coral reefs that had become damaged were thought to only be able to heal themselves through new recruits from other close reefs, but new research, published in the journal Science, an isolated reef off the coast of Australia that was damaged back in 1998 has once again become healthy in a short time with help of good water quality and low human impact.

     In 1998 a four degree rise in water temperature persisted for a few weeks which lead to the bleaching out of corals within the area.  During this time seventy to ninety percent of the corals within the reef were killed.  After about six years the surviving corals within the isolated area began to reproduce, after becoming mature,  and created new colonies.

Source: Isolated Coral Reefs Can Heal Themselves


Main, Douglas. " Isolated Coral Reefs Can Heal Themselves | Coral Bleaching | OurAmazingPlanet.com ." Home | OurAmazingPlanet.com . N.p., 4 Apr. 2013. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/4328-coral-reefs-can-regenerate.html>.

Radiative Forcing

     Radiative forcing (RF) describes the difference between the energy that is gained by Earth and then later lost to space.  The IPCC uses radiative forcing with assessments, “to denote an externally imposed perturbation in the radiative energy budget of Earth’s climate system, which may lead to changes in climate” (Braun, 2013).  Greenhouse gas concentration can change and cause a disturbance in the radiative forcings that are calculated.  It is used to assess and compare natural and human related drivers of climate change.  It ranks and quantifies the different influences of climate change but doesn’t represent overall climate responses (IPCC, 2007).

     Radiative forcing can be related to the greenhouse effect as well, both natural and human enhanced.  The imgage belshows a number of radiative forcing drivers, the first two bars, both red, are greenhouse gases, mainly driven by human forces.  Both of these have a large radiative forcing affects.  CO₂ emissions cause an increase of RF.  This is due to the fact that carbon dioxide influences the amount of heat that is captured within the atmosphere.  The more heat that is captured due to that specific greenhouse gas, which is influenced by human activities such as driving cars, the higher the radiative forcing bar for that driver.  The third bar that is shown depicts ozone RF, depending on the good or bad ozone there is either a negative or positive RF, which can also be affected by human activities.  

A simple graph showing the components of radiative forcing.  Bars in red show where heat is added while bars in blue show cooling influences.  Heating affects have positive values, while cooling affects have negative values.

Braun, Carsten. 2013. The Concept of Radiative Forcing. Handout.

IPCC. 2007. "2.2 Concept of Radiative Forcing - AR4 WGI Chapter 2: Changes in Atmospheric Constituents and in Radiative Forcing." IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2013. <http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/ch2s2-2.html>.

It's Good. It's Bad. It's Ozone

The ozone and climate change are connected to one another here on Earth.

                             There are two different types of ozone, the good ozone and the bad ozone.

            The good ozone, located in the stratosphere, creates a sort of shield that protects us from the harmful UV rays that enter Earth’s atmosphere.  The UV radiation, instead of penetrating down to Earth, is converted into heat through a molecular reaction of ozone being split apart, but is continually re-joined with other oxygen molecules, thus forming an ‘ozone-oxygen cycle’.  Human-made compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that are added to the atmosphere cause an even greater breakup of ozone and allow more UV radiation to get down to earth (The Good, the Bad and the Ozone, 2013). 

            Bad ozone can be found in the troposphere, which is where life on Earth is found.  Ozone in the stratosphere can cause lung damage to humans.  One of the biggest contributors to harmful emissions in our breathing air is car exhaust (The Good, the Bad and the Ozone, 2013).  Bad ozone can also damage crops and other vegetation that cycle carbon dioxide in our air (EPA).

            Back in 1974 it was discovered that CFCs were in the stratosphere destroying ozone molecules.  A thinning of the ozone layer above Antarctica caused an urgency to stop production of CFCs and led to the creation of the Montreal Protocol, phasing out CFC use and stopping the hole from becoming larger (Doniger, 2012).  Solomon and Chanin (2011) talk about how CFCs along with other greenhouse gases deplete ozone, but also contribute to climate change.  With more ultraviolet light able to reach Earth’s surface there can be damage to plants and animals DNA.  Overall, with the ozone thinning and more heat energy becoming trapped in the atmosphere of the Earth an overall warming affect is likely to happen (Solomon, 2011).

Doniger, David. "The world's governments saved the ozone layer. They can save the climate too. | David Doniger - China Dialogue ." China Dialogue - China and the world discuss the Environment . N.p., 11 June 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. <http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/5295-The-world-s-governments-saved-the-ozone-layer-They-can-save-the-climate-too->.

EPA. "Ozone - Good Up High Bad Nearby | Air Quality Planning & Standards | Air & Radiation | US EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013. <http://www.epa.gov/oaqps001/gooduphigh/>.

Solomon, Susan and Chanin, Marie-Lise. 2011. The Antarctic Ozone Hole: A Unique Example of the Science and Policy Interface. Science Diplomacy. 189-195.

“The Good, the Bad and the Ozone”. Handout. 2013. <http://earthsobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Ozone/Ozone.php>. and <http:http://www.nasa.gov/missions/earth/f-ozone.html>.

Massachusetts and Climate Change

Climate change is a global phenomenon that is sure to cause a disruption in the normal way of doing things in the coming years.  As the amount of greenhouse gases increases and global warming continues there is going to be a change throughout the world for its climates.  Here in Massachusetts there are a multitude of different impacts that are going to eventually change the way we live from winter sports, to coastal economy, and the seasons that we are known for.

Climate Change in Massachusetts
Impacts	Description / Explanation
Average Annual Temperature Increase	Northeast has been increasing by 0.5% per decade; Reducing snow cover, diminishing fall foliage, driving out native species, increasing invasive species
Winter Temperature Increase	Rising more than twice as fast as annual averages; 4⁰ warmer on average since 1965; Less precipitation as snow (affects economy - shorter ski season)
Average Sea Surface Temperature Rise	Due to carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases; 2012 highest since 1854, above 51⁰; Decline in marine species (cod, right wales); Warm waters increase lobsters( Lower market price)
Ocean Acidification	Due to added carbon dioxide; Decline in marine species (cod, lobsters, right wales, scallops); Fish abnormalities; Reduce plant life
Rising Sea Levels	Rising around the globe; Changes in Ocean Circulation; MA loses average of 65 acres a year; Devastate coastal communities; Destroy treasured landmarks; Freshwater wetlands destroyed; Local wildlife washed out; Marshlands destroyed (No wave buffer, wildlife habitat, or pollutant filter)
Extreme and Severe Weather	Extreme downpours and snowfalls increased by 85% since 1948; Intense precipitation as well as longer dry spells
Lower Snowfall Levels	Amount of snow is declining; less snow falls overall and earlier snowmelt
Drought Stress	Tress become more stressed losing autumn vibrancy; More vulnerable to fire; compromise jobs in multiple industries
Driving Out Native Species	Temperature changes cause locations of native species to move; Move to suitable habitat
Increasing Invasive Species	Insects normally kept in check from cold will be able to expand more; Invasive plants move in
Change in Tree Species Composition	Suitable habitat for species will change causing the native trees to change their locations in order to thrive
Streams	Affected by trees which control erosion, cool waters, and provide food sources; May affect brook trout and Atlantic salmon; Timing and extent of stream flows affected
Loss of Brook Trout/Atlantic Salmon	Affect New England economy of freshwater fishing
Shoreline Change	Due to rising sea levels; Acceleration of erosion; Threaten estuaries and salt marshes
Extreme Heat	Increase in number of hot days in large cities; Vulnerable populations such as small children, elderly, and poor at risk for heat stress, heart attack, and death
Air Quality	Air pollution from smog and ground ozone; Cardiovascular and respiratory disease stress; Poor air quality days increase; Accelerate pollen production; Extend allergy season, increase asthma risk
Agricultural Impacts	Decrease in milk production due to heat stress;  Decrease in crop yields due to rising temperatures, prolonged heat
Winter Recreation	Snowfall decline; Less lake ice; Shorter ski season; Increase snowmaking; Higher operating costs
Season Change	Spring arriving sooner; Summers growing hotter; Winters warmer and less snowy
Summer	Average temp rise; higher heat index and humidity; Expanded season; Summer weather arriving earlier
Fall	Increasing temperatures; Delay in arrival; reduced stream flow
Winter	Recreational changes; Less snow and more rain
Spring	Arriving sooner; Ending earlier; Disruption of plant and animal life cycles; Damage due to extreme precipitation

"Massachusetts Climate Choices in the Northeast: Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment." Climate Choices. Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2013. <http://www.climatechoices.org/assets/documents/climatechoices/massachuetts_necia.pdf>.

Markey, Edward. "The New New England; As Historic Storm Approaches New England, Rep. Markey Releases Report on Climate Change’s Effects on Region." Welcome to The House Committee on Natural Resources - Democrats - Ranking Member Edward J. Markey | The House Committee on Natural Resources - Democrats - Ranking Member Edward J. Markey. Natural Resources Committee, 25 Oct. 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2013. <http://democrats.naturalresources.house.gov/press-release/historic-storm-approaches-new-england-rep-markey-releases-report-climate-change-s>.

"The Changing Northeast Climate." Climate Choices. Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2013. <http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/global_warming/The-Changing-Northeast-Climate.pdf>.