Unit 3: Environment

Unit 3: Environment Reflective Assessment

        Arne Duncan, the secretary of the US Department of Education, speaks about the importance of environmental education,  "Meeting the needs of our global citizenry- ecologically, economically, culturally, spiritually, and more- requires understanding and creative problem solving. Environmental education equips learners with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to address complex environmental challenges..." (Duncan). For the last eight weeks our entire curriculum has been based on the environment. The reading and annotating of The Sixth Extinction, my environmental research paper, and my unit project, have all contributed to my journey to better understand the environment and the risk factors that are affecting the balance of ecosystems across the globe. 

       The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, is a non-fiction book written by Elizabeth Kolbert, a journalist form The New Yorker. The book informs that Earth is in the middle of a current, man-made sixth extinction. Kolbert chronicles mass extinction events that have already taken place in the past, and how wide spread and accelerated extinctions of our present time. Our class only read and annotated the last seven chapters of the book because they highlighted the modern day sixth extinction. Ocean acidification, coral bleeching, deforestation, global warming and continental drift are all contributing to the sixth extinction. This book really educated me about how the environment is being impacted and the major affects that us human have on the planet. Learning about how dangerous and widespread these issues are, has motivated me to make a difference in the world. 

       One major part of our environmental unit project was to write a research paper on the any environmental issue we would further like to learn and educate others about. I chose the issue of ocean acidification. Ocean acidification occurs when human-generated carbon dioxide is emitted into Earth's atmosphere and absorbed by oceans. Since the beginning of industrialization the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased immensely. Ocean acidification is a huge problem and is changing ocean chemistry as we know it. Before this unit I had never even heard of ocean acidification, but now if someone asked me what it was I would be able to speak about for at least an hour. I have realized that humans can mostly be blamed for the mass risks that are affecting the balance of all life. If it was not for this unit I would continue being ignorant about these major problems, that are contributing to what might be the biggest mass extinction the world has ever experienced. 

       After writing our research papers we had to come up with a solution for whatever environmental issue that we wrote about, so in my case I had to come up with a solution for ocean acidification. We contacted various experts so that we would be able to come up with a solution that would actually impact and reduce the affects of ocean acidification. Based on the information we received from the emails, my partner Makenzie and I decided to make a solution centered around a plant called eelgrass. Our solution for ocean acidification was a floating device that contains eelgrass, that would have solar panels on the top that power a fluorescent white lights that would keep the eelgrass photosynthesizing constantly. We built a model of the solution and tested it and the results proved that if this device was made with the correct materials, then it would actually reduce ocean acidity and increase pH levels. It felt incredible to create a solution that could actually have a positive impact on the world. I am so happy that I was able to be apart of such an interesting and eye-opening project.

       Overall, this entire unit has proven to be extremely influential. I have learned so much and many of these concepts have really impacted my education regarding the environment. The balance of all life is being affected negatively at such a rapid pace, and many people are still ignorant about the mass environmental issues that are occurring right now. All living organisms depend on other life forms to survive and flourish, so if the life forms we depend on become extinct, much like the domino effect we will all begin to fall.

                                   pH levels of ocean water before and after solution was applied

                                                           

                                                           Model of our solution

                               

                              Examples of some of my sketchnotes from The Sixth Extinction