...2030 AD… climate change has really begun to take a toll on Earth and its effects from the drastic rise in carbon dioxide to sea level rising at an alarming rate are causing it to be the most pressing concern of this time. As temperature rise the Mojave Desert, like all areas of the world, is reacting to these changing global conditions. This already arid landscape is becoming even more arid, conditions were once only found in Death Valley are now the common conditions of the Mojave. Not only is it dealing with the effects of climate change it is now being converted from a deserted area to communities covered in homes, shopping centers, roads, etc. Though some things have remained the same the changing landscape is creating a whole new environment and the impact of humans is more conspicuous than ever before. The Earth’s rising temperatures have brought damaged the once diverse landscape and now a lot of California looks very similar to the Mojave. The Mojave itself has become even more arid with conditions of that similar to Death Valley, summers as hot as 134 degrees Fahrenheit. Violent storms are becoming even more frequent from flash floods that carve and erode the landscape to the possibility lightning storms occurring at any moment. The amount of annual wild fires has increased as well since most of the vegetation is nonnative and not as...
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...(Hammons,2010) Joshua Tree National Park Park INT1 Task 2 By Kelly Jones Geography Joshua Tree National Park is located in southern California. It is positioned just east of Palm Springs and west of the Colorado River. You will find both the Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert located here. (National Park Service, n.d., a) Biotic Components Animals Bighorn Sheep Kit Fox Red-spotted Toad Elf Owl (National Park Service, n.d., B) Plants Joshua Tree Silver cholla Hedgehog Cactus Grizzlybear PricklyPear (National Park Service, n.d., C) Abiotic Components At Joshua Tree National Park the land has been characterized by extreme climatic changes. There are torrential rains, cool nights and dry days. Rainfall is seldom and unpredictable. Streambeds are usually dry and there are only a few waterholes. The area has two distinct seasons, summer and winter. Temperatures can get as high as 130 degrees fahrenheit in the summer, and below 0 degrees fahrenheit in the winter time. The low desert called the Colorado goes up to 3,000 feet. The higher desert called the Mojave goes up to nearly 6,000 feet. (National Park Service, n.d., D) Current Human Impact " ● ● ● The spread of non-native plants that have been made possible by visitors to the park have caused habitat destruction. This not only displaces native plants, but also increases the risk of fire. Recreational use of off-road vehicles like motorcycles and ...
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...conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert light into electric current using the photovoltaic effect.[2] Photovoltaics were initially, and still are, used to power small and medium-sized applications, from the calculator powered by a single solar cell to off-grid homes powered by a photovoltaic array. They are an important and relatively inexpensive source of electrical energy where grid power is inconvenient, unreasonably expensive to connect, or simply unavailable. However, as the cost of solar electricity is falling, solar power is also increasingly being used even in grid-connected situations as a way to feed low-carbon energy into the grid. Commercial concentrated solar power plants were first developed in the 1980s. The 392 MW ISEGS CSP installation is the largest solar power plant in the world, located in the Mojave Desert of California. Other large CSP plants include the SEGS (354 MW) in the Mojave Desert of California, the Solnova Solar Power Station (150 MW) and the Andasol solar power station (150 MW), both in Spain. The 250+ MW Agua Caliente Solar Project in the United States, and the 221 MW Charanka Solar Park in India, are the world’s largest photovoltaic power stations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power Solar power...
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... | | |Overpopulation is believed to be responsible for most of the current stress being put on | | |the environment. | | |As populations increase, resources become scarce. In many parts of the world, governments | | |struggle to meet the needs of the increasing numbers of citizens. | |Air pollution |Indoor and outdoor air pollution Such as Smog and other forms of air pollution have a | | |detrimental effect on our health and the environment such as acute respiratory infections.| | |Indoor air pollution is caused primarily by tobacco smoke, | | |emissions, asbestos, formaldehyde, radon, and household chemicals. Pollution is depleting | |...
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...The Impact Of Climate Change On Nature The Impact Of Climate Change On Nature Climate change affects are more complex than just a change in the weather. It refers to seasonal changes which occur over many years. Climate patterns play an important role in molding the ecosystems. Many wildlife species and human cultures depend on them. A change in climate can have a major impact on how and where plants and animals eat and live. For example, a change in the usual rain pattern or temperature can have a drastic affect on when animals breed, migrate, and hibernate. It also affects plant life cycles and their ability to grow. The impact that climate change has on nature can be catastrophic. Climate change has already had a noticeable effect across the globe and on the environment. Glaciers are shrinking, ice along rivers and lakes are melting earlier, plants and animals have shifted their ranges, trees are flowering sooner, and sea levels are rising. These effects were predicted in the past by scientists, and they are finally occurring. Most of climate change is caused by global warming and the greenhouse effect. (Gardiner, 2004) Global warming is a rise in the average temperature on the earth’s surface. Scientists who study the climate have evaluated climate patterns since the early 1800’s. From their evaluations, they have noticed a rise in temperature, from about 0.7 to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit and they estimate...
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...KERN COUNTY RECYCLING GUIDE 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS Curbside Recycling Programs ........................2 Drop-off Recycling Programs .........................4 Buyback Recycling Programs ........................6 Recycling Automotive Products ......................9 Recycling Bulky Waste ................................10 Commercial Recycling .................................11 Construction & Demolition Material .............12 Special Recycling Programs & Education ......13 Electronic Waste (E-Waste) ..........................14 Green Waste Recycling ...............................15 Recycling Hazardous Waste ........................16 Junk Mail ....................................................18 Recycling Market Development Zone ...........19 Waste Disposal Site Locations & Schedule ....20 A - Z Directory ............................................21 Illegal Dumping ..........................................30 www.KernCountyWaste.com IMPORTANT RECYCLING/ WASTE CONTACT NUMBERS Kern County Recycling Hotline ............................(661) 862-8979 Kern County Waste Management Department Local ........................................................................ (661) 862–8900 Toll-free ......................................................(800) 552–KERN option 6 ..................................................................... (800) 552–5376 option 6 TTY – ready............................................................. (800) 735–2929 Website ............
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...argument are renewables, such as wind and solar energy (the two most popular) versus fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas. Wind turbines can kill birds, cause health problems, and destroy forests and other wildlife. Solar energy is extremely costly (not only in money, but in energy as well) and it needs to be in the right climate to effectively capture the sun's energy. Fossil fuels emit carbon dioxide and other environment-harming pollutants. Despite coal's negatives, it is still critical for energy infrastructure in the United States because it is inexpensive, it is available, and the future of coal is becoming cleaner and more efficient all the time. Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy are very attractive because the wind will always be blowing and the sun will always be shining. It theoretically is a great way to harness energy; there is no burning of rocks or descending into mines just to get your energy like coal. Solar panels create a number of issues, most of which are harmful to not only the environment, but wildlife as well. According to Andy Tully of Oilprice.com, birds that are flying over or near a Mojave Desert solar panel thermal project, known as Ivanpah, are literally being roasted in...
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...Global Warming And Its Effects On The Coastal Areas of Bangladesh [pic] [pic][pic] GLOBAL WARMING: Global Warming is the rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere, including the surface air and oceans. In simple words global warming is when the Earth heats up. It is caused mainly due to increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. The greenhouse gases, include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, water vapor, traps heat and light in the Earth’s atmosphere, which increases the temperature. Today global warming is considered as one of the major environmental issues, which threatens to disrupt the basic balance of the environment and cause large scale destruction. The Greenhouse Effect: [pic] There are certain gases that raise the temperature by trapping the sun’s heat and energy. The Earth’s average temperature would have been about 60Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. colder if it weren’t for these gases. These gases are referred to as “greenhouse effect” because of the way they help to keep the Earth warm. The greenhouse effect makes the Earth suitable for all living things. The Earth might have been freezing or it might also have been burning hot if the greenhouse effect did not occur. However, the presence of too many such gases can cause the Earth to get unusually warmer. The plants would not be able to take such heat and eventually they would have died. The scarcity of plants would cause animals to die...
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...contributed 19 percent to our global energy consumption and 22 percent to our electricity generation in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Both, modern renewables, such as hydro, wind, solar and biofuels, as well as traditional biomass, contributed in about equal parts to the global energy supply. Worldwide investments in renewable technologies amounted to more than US$214 billion in 2013, with countries like China and the United States heavily investing in wind, hydro, solar and biofuels. Renewable energy resources exist over wide geographical areas, in contrast to other energy sources, which are concentrated in a limited number of countries. Rapid deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency is resulting in significant energy security, climate change mitigation, and economic benefits. In international public opinion surveys there is strong support for promoting renewable sources such as solar power and wind power. At the national level, at least 30 nations around the world already have renewable energy contributing more than 20 percent of energy supply. National renewable energy markets are projected to continue to grow strongly in the coming decade and beyond. While many renewable energy projects are large-scale, renewable technologies are also suited to rural and remote areas and developing countries, where energy is often crucial in human development. United Nations' Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that renewable energy has the ability to lift the poorest...
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...Electricity: What Powers Our Planet To Whom It May Concern: It’s dark and you are trying to sign paperwork. You want to turn on the lights so you can see better. With one flick, the whole room illuminates. But, congressman, let me ask you. Have you ever wondered how electricity works? What is it that makes electricity possible? What did it take for light to have the ability to stream out of the light bulb? We take electricity for granted, but not many of us actually look into it. People often do not know how electricity is the way it is, but instead they see electricity as something that is very accessible and plentiful. So, congressman, you have the money, and I have the brains. You want to know how to spend the 200 billion? I’ll tell you. Let’s start off with what electricity really is. You hear that word so many times in your daily life, but few have heard the scientific definition. Electricity is a type of energy produced from the existence of electrons or protons, either statically as a build-up of charge, or dynamically as a current. It is usually categorized into two different currents: alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). Alternating current is a constant flow of electric charge that reverses its course from time to time. Direct current is the opposite; it only runs in one direction. Within those two currents are things such as volts, watts, amperes (or amps), and ohms. Volts are the SI unit of electromotive force, the distinction of potential that would...
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...A Review of Management Problems Arising From Reintroductions of Large Carnivores Date: September 2014 Abstract | Introduction | Conclusion | Acknowledgements | References | PDF Abstract Large carnivores are often apex predators and are important in ecosystems as their behaviour promotes biodiversity. They frequently fall victim to anthropogenic causes of local extinction and subsequently, have often been the subjects of conservation efforts involving reintroduction programs. As land-use changes restrict ranges and reduce prey for large carnivores, the trend towards local extinction is set to increase; therefore ex-situ conservation is likely to be increasingly prevalent. Reintroduction programmes are divided into two distinct parts. The first part is pre-release, which includes selection, breeding, and preparation of animals. The second part runs from the time the animals are ready for release through the actual release process and may include post-release monitoring and the release of further, supplementary, animals where this is necessary and feasible. This study identifies and discusses a number of potential problems involved in the use of captive animals to seed reintroductions including welfare as well as ethical and political issues. Other challenges include the genetic and behavioural integrity of founder animals and disease control, both in captivity and post release. This study also identifies a number of points for consideration during and after release, including...
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...Capstone Project Ford Motor Company Submitted By Anurag Vats Ford Motor Company Company Information and Core Activities Ford Motor Company (Ford), incorporated in 1919, is a producer of cars and trucks. The Company and its subsidiaries also engage in other businesses, including financing vehicles. The Company operates in two sectors: Automotive and Financial Services. Its Automotive Sector includes Ford North America, Ford South America, Ford Europe and Ford Asia Pacific Africa. Financial Services includes Ford Motor Credit Company and Other Financial Services. Ford North America includes the sale of Ford- and Lincoln-brand vehicles and related service parts in North America (the United States, Canada and Mexico), together with the associated costs to develop, manufacture, distribute and service these vehicles and parts. Ford South America includes the sale of Ford-brand vehicles and related service parts in South America, together with the associated costs to develop, manufacture, distribute and service these vehicles and parts. Ford Europe includes the sale of Ford-brand vehicles and related service parts in Europe, Turkey and Russia, together with the associated costs to develop, manufacture, distribute and service these vehicles and parts. Ford Asia Pacific Africa includes the sale of Ford-brand vehicles and related service parts in the Asia Pacific region and South Africa, together with the associated costs to develop, manufacture, distribute and service these vehicles...
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...07-042 July 25, 2007 SunPower: Focused on the Future of Solar Power Rebecca M. Henderson, Joel Conkling and Scott Roberts It was December 2006. Tom Werner, CEO of SunPower, glanced down at his watch and shook his head in dismay. His run was not going well, despite the sounds of John Lee Hooker’s “Boogie Chillen” coming through his earphones. He blamed the board meeting later that afternoon. Given SunPower’s position as the producer of the world’s most efficient solar cells, also known as photovoltaics or PV, and recent forecasts that solar power might be on the edge of explosive growth, he knew that he’d be asked some tough questions. Werner wondered how fast the solar power industry was likely to grow and how long SunPower’s advantage was likely to last. How could SunPower compete with much larger companies like Sharp and Q-Cells? Or with the niche “technology play” firms that were springing up? How could SunPower’s current advantage be turned into an enduring competitive edge? As the sun began to rise, Werner picked up the pace again, and began jogging home. Environmental Issues One of the most important drivers of the world’s renewed interest in solar power was its ability to offer energy independence in combination with significant environmental benefits. After all, the earth received more energy from the sun than humans consumed throughout an entire year. Since the burning of fossil fuels generated a number of noxious substances including SO2, NO, NO2, and particulates...
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...provision of maintenance and parts; and effective regulation and oversight of system management and financing. I. Introduction The recent sharp increases in the prices of oil, natural gas, uranium and coal underline the importance for all countries to focus on development of alternative energy resources. For developing countries, these price increases can have ruinous economic consequences; for many countries already plagued by poverty this means a choice between fuel and food, health care, education and other essentials. Renewable energy resources need priority because: 1) the overwhelming scientific evidence that anthropological emissions of greenhouse gases from carbon combustion threaten catastrophic results from rapid climate change; 2) the severe health and environmental consequences from fossil fuel combustion being experienced...
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...various overseas extraterritorial jurisdictions. The 48 contiguous states and the federal district of Washington, D.C. are in central North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is the northwestern part of North America and the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also has five populated and nine unpopulated territories in the Pacific and the Caribbean. At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km2) in total and with around 316 million people, the United States is the fourth-largest country by total area and third largest by population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries.[12] The geography and climate of the United States is also extremely diverse, and it is home to a wide variety of wildlife. Paleo-indians migrated from Asia to what is now the US mainland around 15,000 years ago,[13] with European colonization beginning in the 16th century. The United States emerged from 13 British colonies located along the Atlantic seaboard. Disputes between Great Britain and these colonies led to the American Revolution. On July 4, 1776, delegates from the 13 colonies unanimously issued the Declaration of Independence. The ensuing war ended in 1783 with the recognition of independence of the United States from the Kingdom of Great Britain, and was the first successful war of independence against a European colonial empire.[14][15] The current Constitution...
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