1 Course Introduction 2 Geology 101: Earth Processes and Environment Syllabus & overview of topics The big challenges Why Geology Matters Dr. Steve Kuehn What is environmental geology? Major Earth systems and cycles Course web site: What do geologists do? Why be a geologist? http://hub.concord.edu/sckuehn/node/2 http://www.youtube.com/user/americangeosciences Course overview: 3 Earth Materials Minerals and Rocks 4 Age and history of the Earth Fig 9.13 Understanding Earth images from Understanding Earth Plate Tectonics Earth on the move 5 Geologic hazards - faults and earthquakes 6 This Dynamic Earth - USGS Turkey - Chapter 18 Understanding Earth 1
Volcanoes and volcanic eruptions 7 Landslides 8 Redoubt volcano, Alaska in 1992 - USGS photo plume-dds-39-img0065.jpg Seattle, WA Flooding 9 Water resources 1996 flood in Liuzhou, China Chapter 13 Understanding Earth Owens Lake, CA Mining and Mineral Resources Energy Resources 2
Glaciers, Ice ages, and Long-term climate changes 13 14 Energy, Air Pollution, & Climate Fig. 15.2 Understanding Earth Humanity s Biggest Challenges 15 Humanity s Biggest Challenges 16 Population growth drives increasing demand for resources Economic growth and increased living standards multiply this increase Declining availability & quality of many resources Rapid resource consumption Pollution and environmental change/degradation Reducing the impacts of hazardous Earth processes Linear vs. exponential growth Adapting to continuing environmental & climate changes Sea level rise Changes in precipitation, temperature, and storm patterns Image credit: Reichard, 1,000 Relationship to politics, government, economics, health, war, etc. Deals with issues related to the interaction between people and our environment Directly addresses many of humanity s biggest challenges 17 Economics and (vs.) Environmentalism One challenge: disconnected economics The indirect costs or impacts of resource consumption are often not factored in to the direct cost of those resources (externalities) Image credit: Reichard, 18 Includes: Hazards & risks Resources Environmental change and degradation 1-17 How are costs allocated? Who pays? Who should pay? Examples? The Dangerous Disconnect Between Economics and Ecology http://ineteconomics.org/video/interview/william-rees-dangerous-disconnect-between-economics-and-ecology Economics vs. Ecology http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcwylpsrxaq Ecocide and Capitalism s Crisis http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/elist/elistread/powerful_new_documentary_links_ecocide_to_capitalisms_crisis/ It's time for a new economic paradigm http://www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/science-matters/2009/08/its-time-for-a-new-economic-paradigm/ Putting a value on nature could set scene for true green economy http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2010/feb/10/pavan-sukhdev-natures-economic-model 3
Economics and Environmentalism 19 20 Why do we have environmental regulations? (Are they just for the owls, frogs, and fish??) Hazards vs. risks Why do we have regulations on land use and construction? Goal: To reduce the risks to human populations and the environment How does insufficient regulation cost us? How are those costs allocated? Who is affected, and who pays the bill? How can we find a balance? 1-20 Earth as an Interconnected System 21 22 Water Image credit: Reichard, Fig. 12.2 Understanding Earth 23 24 Carbon Nitrogen Source: https://eo.ucar.edu/kids/green/cycles7.htm Others: energy, atmosphere, ocean, rock https://eo.ucar.edu/kids/green/cycles1.htm 4
What do geologists & earth scientists do? Resource exploration, extraction, conservation, & management Minerals, Oil, Gas, Water, Soil, etc. Natural hazards assessment, protection Floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, coastal erosion, severe weather Environmental cleanup Water/air quality, pollution, mine remediation Consulting Teaching & research More: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxbijh4ftyo (Why Earth Science) http://www.agiweb.org/education/whyearthscience/why_earth_science.pdf http://www.agiweb.org/workforce/ http://serc.carleton.edu/departments/professional/employment.html 25 Where do geologists & earth scientists work? Oil & gas companies Mining companies Environmental & consulting companies Engineering & construction firms Federal Government (USGS, USFS, BLM, NASA, national labs) State & local governments Universities Schools and more. 26 Where the Jobs Are (and who is seeking those jobs) 27 Change the equation STEM http://changetheequation.org/stemdemand Jobs, jobs everywhere (in earth science), but not enough people to fill them http://www.earthmagazine.org/article/highlights-2011-jobs-jobs-everywhere-not-enough-people-fill-them Good salaries in geoscience http://www.agiweb.org/workforce/currents/currents-064-2011geoscisalaries_state.pdf 95% of geology students are happy with their degree; Best result in poll. http://www.theguardian.com/education/2008/sep/11/geology.students?cmp=twt_gu Demand for math, science jobs only expected to grow (Aug 28, 2013) http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20130826/business/308260003/demand-math-science-jobs-only-expected-grow?nclick_check=1 When Grades Suffer, College Students Ditch Science, Math -- Along With Good Jobs (Aug 28, 2013) http://www.thestreet.com/story/12017592/1/when-grades-suffer-college-students-ditch-science-math--along-with-good-jobs.html College Grad, Will Work for Food (Aug 2013) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamai-blivin/college-grad-will-work-fo_b_3726012.html 5