...Theory/GS1140 Project: Professional Organization and Problem 10-8-2014 Florida Green Building Coalition “Providing statewide green building programs with economic and environmental behavior..” The Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) is a nonprofit 501 ©3 Florida corporation founded in 2000 is dedicated to improving the built environment. The Location of the organization is 1415 Piedmont Dr. E Suite 5, Tallahassee, Fl. 32308. Their mission is “to lead and promise sustainability with environmental, economic, and social benefits through regional education and certification programs.” FGBC was conceived and founded in belief that green building programs will be most successful if there are clear and meaningful principles on which “green” qualification and marketing are based. We are a membership-based organization governed by a Board of Directors and corporate officers who are elected by general membership. The purpose of the FGBC are to administer certification programs based upon the green building standards, educate the general public, businesses, institutional and government bodies of the long term benefits of sustainable development and green building practices, and to provide opportunities for members and other interested parties to increase their knowledge of green building practices. Although there are currently three competing certification options in Florida, the FGBC certification standards are the only ones based on climate specific criteria to address...
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...ON-THE-JOB TRAINING at DOST-PAGASA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Submitted by: Jo Mari P. Quitain Submitted to: Rubinato Lubian III February 2014 I. Table of Contents Background of the Agency…………………………………………………………... 1 Mission and Vision…………………………………………………………………... 1 Functions…………………………………………………………………………...... 1 Divisions…………………………………………………………………………….. 2 About the Logo……………………………………………………………………… 3 II. Background of the Agency PAGASA means Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration which is one of the attached agencies of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) under its Scientific and Technical Services Institutes and it is mandated to “provide protection against natural calamities and utilize scientific knowledge as an effective instrument to insure the safety, well-being and economic security of all the people, and for the promotion of national progress”. The government agency was created on December 8, 1972 by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 78 reorganizing the Philippine Weather Bureau into PAGASA. * Mission and Vision Protecting lives and properties through timely, accurate and reliable weather-related information and services. Center of excellence for weather related information and services. * Functions * Maintains...
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...Atmosphere The atmosphere of Earth is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention (greenhouse effect), and reducing temperature extremes between day and night. Dry air contains roughly (by volume) 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.038% carbon dioxide, and small amounts of other gases. Air also contains a variable amount of water vapor, on average around 1%. The atmosphere becomes thinner and thinner with increasing altitude, with no definite boundary between the atmosphere and outer space. Structure of the atmosphere Principal layers of the atmosphere The atmosphere of the Earth may be divided into several distinct layers, as the following figure indicates. [pic] Troposphere The troposphere is where all weather takes place. The air pressure at the top of the troposphere is only 10% of that at sea level (0.1 atmospheres).The troposphere begins at the surface and extends to between 7 km at the poles and 17 km at the equator, with some variation due to weather. The troposphere is mostly heated by transfer of energy from the surface, so on average the lowest part of the troposphere is warmest and temperature decreases with altitude. The troposphere contains roughly 80% of the mass of the atmosphere. The tropopause is the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere. Stratosphere Above the...
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... the International Research Institute for Climate and Society and Columbia University, explained that natural weather patterns have prevented rain clouds from developing in the region. According to the researchers, a high pressure system over the West Coast was formed due to the cool temperatures brought in by a La Niña weather phenomenon in 2011. This then served as a roadblock that prevented storm clouds from entering California, Live Science reported. Richard Seager, a professor at Caifornia University's Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory and the study's lead...
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...The Emperor Penguin and its Endangered Enviroment The emperor penguin is one of the most interesting species of penguin. This flightless animal lives on the Antarctic ice and in the frigid surrounding waters. This bird has a life span of 15-20 years and lives in colonies. Its diet is mainly that of a carnivore. The majority comes from fish. With all the beauty and intriguing life style of this penguin, not all is good. This penguin is in danger. What is causing this danger? It is not any predator in its wild habitat, it’s the effect of human ignorance. Climate change is slowly destroying the ice the penguin lives on. The emperor is on a downward spiral in which extinction is possible at the end of this century. With climate change at a dangerous level, warming may melt sea ice at rates which will decrease its habitat to nothing. With all these dangers there is still more, over fishing by humans is depleting the food source. In this paper I will outline and describe the problems these penguins face. I will also give a brief background on this flightless bird. Emperor is the largest of all penguins—an average bird stands some 45 inches (115 centimeters) tall. Penguins withstand physiological adaptations and cooperative behaviors in order to deal with an incredibly harsh environment, where wind chills can reach -76°F (-60°C)(Van Woert, Michael). They huddle together to escape the wind and reserve the warmth. Individuals take turns moving to the group's protected and relatively...
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...lovers of the ocean. Some may even be scared of its power and the uncertainty that it radiates. But what you may not realize is that you don’t need to like the sea or live near a beach to be connected to the ocean. Oceans and coasts affect people’s lives every day, around the world. People need air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, new medicines, a climate we can live in, beauty, inspiration and recreation. We need to know we belong to something bigger than ourselves. We want a better future for those we care about. Because the oceans are the largest ecosystems on Earth, they are the Earth’s largest life support systems. To survive and prosper, we all need healthy oceans. ‘Oceans generate half of the oxygen people breathe. At any given moment, more than 97% of the world’s water resides in oceans. Oceans provide a sixth of the animal protein people eat’-I bet you didn’t know that. (Huber, 2010) They’re the most promising source of new medicines to combat cancer, pain and bacterial diseases according to the Marine Conservation Institute. Living oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reduce the impact of climate change. The diversity and productivity of the world’s oceans is a vital interest for humankind. (Norse,2013) Through extensive research on this topic, I have...
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...Corporate or Cowtown? “To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune; or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them?” These opening lines of William Shakespeare’s infamous soliloquy from “Hamlet” idealize my sentiments towards my decision problem: To pursue the path of the ‘Corporate Ladder’; one of a simplistic, ‘bare bones’, and uncomplicated lifestyle that I have in Columbus, OH (aka “Cowtown”)? I have hit the mid-life checkpoint and desire to have a plan in place so that it does not evolve into the proverbial mid-life ‘crisis’. My decision for this problem is based on objectives that meet my physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual wishes and goals. Among the alternatives I considered, I selected “Relocating/Transferring to another state with my current company” . I believe this alternative will provide an ideal mix of consequences and benefits such as flexibility, opportunity, challenge, short-term change and long-term sustainability, ability to modify the decision and its subsequent outcomes; as well as acceptable tradeoffs. The primary factors that led me to this selection are that this alternative lends itself to buying more time and gathering information to determine if this alternative is, in fact, the best alternative for me. This method helps to mitigate risk, but more importantly achieves my fundamental objectives, which were the determining...
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...Just as the earth is in constant motion, our environment is in constant change. Everyday there are environmental changes happening all around us. They can be gradual and happen over millions of years like the great Himalayas or they can be quick and sudden like an earthquake or tsunami. These environmental changes have a major impact on evolution. When a change takes place in an environment, organisms will either adapt to their new surroundings or they will no longer exist. As is the case with the Basilosaurus. 150 kilometers southwest of Cairo, Egypt, in the White Desert sands lies the Valley of Whales. Where once was the bed of the Tethys Sea, an ancient ocean, now it's remnants of a golden desert grave. Traces of ancient marine life...
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...Since 2000, the years have grown increasingly hot and it has been noticeable. This continued until 2014, the warmest year ever recorded. Sea levels have been rising quicker, and storms are growing more powerful. Soon civilization itself could be entirely wiped out. Americans all around the globe have started going green to prevent this. They started to use solar energy. Solar power has tripled in the last two years, and it still growing. Rhode Island is not much of a solar state, but that can change. If the whole world went (and stayed solar) it could stop global warming altogether! Unfortunately, there are people who would want to stop this. For example, the Edison Electric Institute, an organization dedicated to various electric utility companies, has begun to dismantle solar laws around the Midwest. They don’t care about how global warming will affect the environment if it means staying in business. Rhode Island may not be the state with the most solar panels everywhere and sunshine, but every state has a government. By showing how much we care about our country, we can convince the government to make these new solar goals. Together we can prevent global warming. President Obama is on the matter already. His new plan is called the Clean Power Plan. The Clean Power Plan would cut off nasty carbon pollution from dirty power plants. The reason for this is because power plants across the U.S. are...
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...Final Exam In the beginning of this semester I never thought to think how big my impact on the environment was. And now that the semester is over I know exactly what I as a consumer am doing to the environment. Everyone plays a big role in impacting the environment and everyone can play a bigger role in helping conserve the environment they live in. When it comes to air pollution, global climate change, changes in natural habitat, and water pollution I as a consumer negatively impact those four problems. With air pollution I affect it negatively by driving a car, running electricity, and other ways like using the stove in the kitchen. I affect climate change by driving a car, by buying things that come from factories that release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and by using electricity. When it comes to changes in natural habitat I impact it by living in a house that was built on natural habitat which then forced the environment to change, also by going to the mall and other stores that were built upon natural habitat. I impact water pollution by using harmful pesticides, buying food that comes from farms that irrigate, by wasting water like letting the faucet run, also by using fertilizer. Those are just some of the ways I as a consumer impact Earth’s environment. The five levels on which people can participate in working towards a sustainable future are as follows, individual lifestyle changes, political involvement, membership participation N60s, volunteer, and...
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...Planet Trojan X is approximately 110,546,002 Miles from the sun. Trojan X is very much similar to desert regions on earth with some exceptions. Such as instead of there being climate region changes, the entire planet has the same climate. Since the entire planet has the same climate type there was not much pressure on choosing the location to settle. There were a few things that proved to be necessary though such as a reliable water source and good food source nearby. We had found a great water source with an even greater wildlife and food source nearby. The timespan between night and day is very similar to earth’s timeframe with a few exceptions. Daytime lasts for only 8 hours and nighttime last for an average time of 16 hours due to the position of the planets in between Trojan X and the sun. In the region that we settled in there is a constant breeze that occurs, but on some nights there is a greater breeze that comes through and lowers the temperature drastically. Much like how the temperature in deserts on earth would be. It is very often that it rains on this hemisphere but that doesn’t mean it never rains. There is a timespan from where we will go 12 months with no rain and then the other twelve months of almost constant rain which makes crops a bit of a hassle for half the year. With the majority of Trojan X being a desert planet, there is an overabundance of sand. There are quite a bit of mountains a wild plants growing on them but over all its almost all sand. ...
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... This quote suggests that Paul’s father’s impression of Darwin is a city consumed by alcohol, and additionally consumed by its incarcerated inhabitants. Inhabitants with poor standards of education and with nothing intelligent to say. Paul’s father feels as though the people of Darwin do not appreciate or acknowledge his son’s talents and are therefore stupid. “The arsehole of the earth” (p9) This contributes to the mood of the book as it displays Paul’s father’s feelings of hatred and embarrassment towards the unfortunate city he lives in. He explains how disgusted he is by Darwin and how to him, it resembles a hole, a black abyss, an empty pit with nothing and no one of interest. Although Paul’s parents reaction to Darwin and its climate is more of a negative one, Paul seems to embrace his new environment. “ I loved the town of booze and blow at first sight. And above all its smell; those hot, steamy perfumes that wrapped about me as we stepped off the plane.” This is an important aspect of the book as it shows a different side of Darwin. The humid, exotic jungle like side to Darwin, which is foreign to...
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...are depleted, environment is degraded. One major component of environmental degradation is the depletion of the resource of fresh water on Earth. Approximately only 2.5% of all of the water on Earth is fresh water, with the rest being salt water. Water scarcity is an increasing problem due to many foreseen issues in the future, including population growth, increased urbanization, higher standards of living, and climate change. Climate change affects the Earth’s water supply in a large number of ways. It is predicted that the mean global temperature will rise in the coming years due to a number of forces affecting the climate, the amount of atmospheric CO2 will rise, and both of these will influence water resources; evaporation depends strongly on temperature and moisture availability, which can ultimately affect the amount of water available to replenish groundwater supplies. An increased population means increased withdrawals from the water supply for domestic, agricultural, and industrial uses, the largest of these being agriculture believed to be the major non-climate...
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...due to human interference and climate change. However changes within these forest and/or ocean ecosystems also impact the human population, as we depend on these crucial bionetworks for our very own existence. • The Boreal forest is a band of forest that stretches across the northern hemisphere, which includes the following countries: Canada, Russia, United States and the northern countries of Europe such as Sweden, Norway etc… (Green displays the areas where the Boreal forest is situated) • Within Canada, the Boreal forest region covers more than 290 million hectares. •This forest is primarily dominated by coniferous trees, namely: Jack Pine, Balsam Fir, Red Pine, White Pine, Black Spruce, White Spruce, Tamarack, Paper Birch, Eastern White Cedar, etc… • The leading cause of most threats upon ecosystem biodiversity is climate change; such is the case in Canada’s the Boreal forest. • Climate change also has an effect on the number of forest fires. • Invasive alien species are also a huge factor in destroying biodiversity in the Canadian Boreal forest. • The Boreal forest is the largest intact forest and wetland ecosystem remaining on earth. • One of, and perhaps the biggest threat to biodiversity in the Boreal Forest is Human infringement. • In summation the best way to preserve the Canadian Boreal forest would be to make people aware. If people are mindful then we can really put a stop to human encroachment, and perhaps climate change all together. We cannot...
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...Final Assignment Report Abstract Environmental design in architecture encompasses factors relating to the natural environment, and can be measured through the various green building council principles and guidelines. However it also needs to be seen holistically as an expression of culture, it defines the human environment. In this way regionalism is important, successful environmental design tempers and is able to manipulate the climate, or human senses, or both, here the thermal experience is introduced and the ecology of heat is important. Today, with the evidence to climate change indisputable, successful tempering, of the climate; this ecology of heat for human comfort range cannot simply be through the air-conditioner, it can turn to GBC's as a first step, but additionally it must look to design for the climate, for regionalism, with specific techniques and strategies. This will be looked at in detail by examining the works of Costa Rican Architect Bruno Stagno, both in his designs for buildings in the tropics, his formation of the Institute of Tropical Architecture (Instituto de Arquitectura Tropical) and his various writings relating to architecture and regionalism. Included in this is his approach to eco principles and how this has, and could benefit a Costa Rican GBC adoption of LEED. Introduction With today's contemporary architectural discourse, and indeed building industry, an outsider looking in can be excused for thinking environmental design is simply...
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