Thesis-Based+Research+Assignment


 * //Rationale for Research/Introduction//

Why did you go down this research path?** I went down this research path because this is the part of environmental science that I find most interesting, coupled with the fact that I plan to go into environmental science, so this will give me an idea on how the science works and how it benefits the environment. I've always had a longstanding interest in the environment, specifically places such as forests/rainforests and the ocean, and it severely bothers me to know that much of today's technology has a negative impact on it, whether it be the ocean, forests, or the atmosphere. All aspects of the environment have been negatively affected in some way, and I'd like to know of the implementations that are being put forth, whether it be laws or new eco-friendly technology.

How is the study of environmental science beneficial to the planet's well-being, and what has improved as a result?
 * What driving question guided your research?**

What environmental laws have been put in place to decrease negative effects on the environment? What technology has been changed/introduced in order to either help the environment or be less harmful to it?
 * What more specific questions had to be answered before finally answering this driving question?**

A. "Role of Science at EPA." //Environmental Protection Agency//. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2009. .
 * Research**
 * 1) EPA scientists research efficient ways to deter significant problems, such as using a minimal amount of resources.
 * 2) This technique is especially effective in dealing with what are known as PCBs (harmful organic chemicals) that have been linked to serious health issues such as cancer.
 * 3) The EPA's goal is to deal with health hazards that the environment poses (although many of these hazards stem from man-made problems such as pollution).
 * 4) The most hazardous part of the environment is generally considered to be the atmosphere, as many pollutants, such as factory and car emissions, rise into the atmosphere.

B. "Laws, Regulations, Guidance and Dockets." //Environmental Protection Agency//. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
 * 1) A number of laws serve as EPA's foundation for protecting the environment and public health, for example the protection of endangered animals, or to reduce harmful chemicals in the environment.
 * 2) Some laws, such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, are just two examples of how environmental laws have been implemented in order to help water and air rebound from extensive pollution.
 * 3) The EPA is authorized by congress to write up critical details necessary to implement environmental laws, whereas non-detailed writings are generally too broad to be able to be passed as a law or regulation.
 * 4) Laws and regulations are normally implemented to deter an ongoing issue within the environment.

C. //Hartwick//. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2009. .
 * 1) Environmental science is the study of the interaction of the living and non-living components of the environment with special emphasis on the impact of humans on these components.
 * 2) Some reasons for the study/becoming more aware of environmental science include the fact that the human population is growing at an explosive rate, and that the more people in the world strongly correlates with the amount of pollution that exists in the environment.
 * 3) Environmental science is not just one science; it takes elements from many other sciences such as biology, chemistry, and even physics, where thermodynamics also come into play.
 * 4) "Most scientists are convinced that this is an unsustainable population size and that we must reduce our growth rate. While many developed countries have reduced their population growth rates, most developing countries have high birth rates. The United States is the only developed country that is still rapidly increasing in population size, mostly due to immigration rates."

D. "Environmentally Friendly Technology Can Produce Commonly Used Compound, Ethylene." //Science Daily//. N.p., 7 Feb. 2008. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
 * 1) "This is a clean, energy-efficient way of producing a chemical that before required methods that were expensive and wasteful and also emitted a great deal of pollution."
 * 2) Developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy, this high-temperature membrane can produce ethylene from an ethane stream by removing pure hydrogen.
 * 3) Ethylene is the most commonly-produced/used organic compound in the world, which required wasteful and harmful methods to produce it.
 * 4) It has a wide range of uses, being used by farmers to help plants grow and ripen, to being used by even doctors/surgeons as an anesthetic.
 * 5) The membrane does not come into contact with oxygen or nitrogen, and thus does not produce harmful greenhouse gases.

E. "Biography of Rachel Carson." //U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service//. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
 * 1) Rachel Carson was a Biologist known for her research on the harmful effects of the pesticide DDT, as explained in her book //Silent Spring//.
 * 2) Discovered abnormalities in fish and other wildlife.
 * 3) Abnormalities are always seen in fish and other wildlife first, so biologists were able to detect them before humans became widely exposed to such effects.
 * 4) Carson's findings resulted in the banning of DDT.
 * 5) "With the publication of //Silent Spring//, Carson is credited with launching the contemporary environmental movement and awakening concern by thinking Americans about the environment."
 * 6) Rachel Carson's discovery of the harmful effects of DDT was one of the key factors in the increase of environmental awareness.

F. "What are Environmental Engineers?" //University of Tennessee Knoxville//. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
 * 1) "Environmental engineers are skilled at analysis and design, and they apply their knowledge to protect the environment and human health."
 * 2) Environmental engineers do not just use one set of skills (i.e. mathematics) in order to do their jobs. They are heavily multi-disciplined, requiring knowledge of physics, biology, chemistry, and aspects of traditional engineering.
 * 3) The reason for the broad training of environmental engineers is that there are several different types of problems that exist in the environment, and no one specific science will suffice for tackling those problems.
 * 4) One goal of environmental engineers is to design new and improved ways to protect and improve the environment.

G. "Environmental History Timeline." //Radford//. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
 * 1) Although environmental issues have been around for thousands of years, not much could be done about them (and not much has been done) until about forty-fifty years ago.
 * 2) Serious environmental efforts began in the early 70s, with the establishment of the United States Environmental Protection Agency; the EPA was established as an independent agency by President Richard Nixon.
 * 3) The establishment of the EPA came shortly after the event that spurred the Environmental Movement: the Cuyahoga River, which at the time was one of the most polluted rivers in the country, managed to catch fire because of so many flammable pollutants; the flames are said to have reached up to five stories tall.
 * 4) At the time of the founding of the EPA, air and water pollution both dramatically decreased through cars producing less emissions and using only unleaded gas, and through a massive sewer expansion program.
 * 5) "This is the greatest work of our age -- to move the human situation from a destructive relationship with the earth to a creative one."

H. "Environmental Awareness 1970 – present." //Environmental Protection Agency//. N.p., 29 May 2008. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
 * 1) Rachel Carson's //Silent Spring//, published in 1962, brought national attention to the issue of pollution and other elements harmful to the environment.
 * 2) After the EPA was established in 1970, a number of environmental laws were implemented in the 70s.
 * 3) Evidence that environmental laws are, in fact, effective comes from core samples (sediment cores), which serve like a natural timeline: pollutants can be detected in these sediment cores. The fewer there are in a place on the core, the less pollution during that time, and vice versa.
 * 4) Sediment cores are obtained using a drilling rig (such as a diamond drill) in places such as estuaries or thick sheets of ice.

There really isn't much of an "opposing side" to environmental science; its status as a benefactor to the environment's well-being is simply undeniable.
 * Thesis**

The study of environmental science has been beneficial to the planet's well-being by promoting environmental awareness, which in turn leads to improved technology and the implementation of environmental laws and regulations.


 * Findings and Support for Findings**
 * 1) There is a rather long laundry-list of laws and regulations (so listing each and every specific one would take a while and be unnecessary), such as the Clean Water Act, that are designed to prevent further damage to the environment.
 * 2) B1, B2, B3, B4, E1, H2, H3
 * 3) A wide variety of technology has been produced in order to be more resourceful and less harmful towards the environment.
 * 4) A1, D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, F4, G4
 * 5) Widespread environmental awareness has ultimately led to ways of regulating and improving the environment.
 * 6) E1, E4, E5, E6, G2, G3, H1, H2
 * 7) Pollution in the atmosphere and water are two of the biggest problems in the environment, and a number of laws and technological advancements have been implemented to help clean them up.
 * 8) A2, A4, B2, D2, D5, E2, G3
 * 9) With an ever-growing population and severe environmental issues, it is essential that new methods of pollution-deterring are produced.
 * 10) A1, A3, C2, C4, G1, G2, G3, G4, G5

From this project, I have learned that there is a lot more wrong with the environment than I previously thought. There's much more to environmental problems than things such as pollution and global warming. Although pollution currently //does// account for many of the problems existing in the environment, it exists in more than just the atmosphere. For instance, there are cancerous chemicals known as PCBs, which can easily be found in polluted waters across the world - even in major water sources such as the Great Lakes and the Hudson River. There are also countless technological innovations that benefit the environment, such as the aforementioned membrane that produces ethylene without any of the negative side effects that usually come with its production.
 * Process Reflection**

In terms of higher-order thinking, I knew that there was so much about the environment that I had no idea about (such as PCBs, for example) so I tried to research ongoing problems with the environment and how each of these problems are addressed. I also researched what environmental scientists and engineers conduct research and how they actually approach environmental issues. Although I knew there were many laws meant to deter man-made pollution and other problems, I did not know the background behind most of these laws.

Although I feel like I've made pretty good progress so far, I still think I am searching too specifically, which severely limits my search results, whereas a broader search query such as "problems with the environment" would have probably been much more useful, as that would give me a full spectrum of the environmental problems as opposed to one or two specific problems.

As I said earlier, I had an idea of the problems going on in the environment, but I was unaware of the sheer volume of pollution and dangerous chemicals that exist all over the place, whether it be the atmosphere, water, or in other areas such as forests. For example, I knew pollution was a serious issue going on in the world, but I was unaware of the existence of chemicals such as PCB. I was actually very surprised that these chemicals are still being released into water and air, despite the conclusive evidence that proves how dangerous they really are.

These findings, or just about all of them, directly correlate back to my thesis, as many of them build around laws and regulations, improved technology, and how awareness of environmental issues initially started. This research will help me move forward with my project because it revolves around my thesis, and serves as a building block for further research.
 * Connections to the Overall Project**