Ecology
http://geology.com/articles/marcellus-shale.shtml
http://www.chevron.com/deliveringenergy/naturalgas/shalegas/casestudymarcellus/
http://sspp.proquest.com/archives/vol2iss2/0608-028.fiksel.html
http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=216878935&m=218122796
1. Property taxes in the Lansing Township, where Professor Walter lives, went up about 30% when the Cayuga coal-fired electric plant was shut down. One result of that was the cost of electricity in the area went up significantly. There is now a proposal to run a natural gas line to power the plant and put it back in to production of electricity. Is this a good idea? Why or why not?
2. The use of the Marcellus Shale as a source of natural gas has issues of concern that related to economics, technology (e.g. hydro fracking), sociology, and ecology. Do you feel clearly that one side or the other is the right approach? Why would you favor or oppose a development project in the Marcellus Shale?
3. Do you think that the US should have stiffer regulations on greenhouse gases (GHG)? Can you think of any situation where the US took a major role in cleaning up a GHG situation?
4. A major theme of Joseph Fiksel’s reading on Systems Thinking was the importance of resilience. Fiksel says there is “an urgent need for a better understanding of the dynamic, adaptive behavior of complex systems and their resilience in the face of disruptions.” Why do you think resilience is so important in environmental systems thinking and why especially for system disruptions?
5. We read about a program to save Ecuador’s very bio diverse Yasuni National Park where the country would forbid any drilling for oil in the Park if the Ecuador is paid $300 million dollars by the rest of the world. The program failed in less than a year. Why do you think it failed? Do you think the loss of biodiversity can be significantly slowed in Ecuador or other places and if so how?