ES 160: Concepts of Environmental Science

Westminster College

Spring 2012

• Instructor
  • Dr. Douglas Armstead
  • Hoyt 124
  • 724-946-7201 or x7201
  • armstedn@westminster.edu
  
  
• Lecture
  • Hoyt 116
  • Tuesday & Thursday
  • 7:40-9:10 a.m.
  • Course Syllabus
  • Tentative Schedule
  
  
• Lab
  • Hoyt 319
  • Tuesday
  • 2:00-5:00 p.m.
  • Laboratories
  
  
• Text
  • Authors: W.P. Cunningham and M.A. Cunningham
  • Title: Principles of Environmental Science, Inquiry & Applications
  • Edition: 6th
  • Publisher: McGraw-Hill
  
  
• Homework
• Reports
• Events
  • The Westminster College Environmental Science Program will host Protecting Our Watersheds: Combining Advances in Materials Science and Bioretention Systems to Purify Stormwater, Reduce Infrastructure Costs, and Beautify Landscapes Tuesday Feb 7 at 6pm in Phillips lecture hall. The event is free and open to the public.
  • Fracking in our Community: Panel Discussion will happen Wednesday February 15, 2012 from 7-9pm at Wilmington Area High School Auditorium, 350 Wood St New Wilmington.
  • The community organization that is arranging for this event to happen meets very Tuesday at 6:30pm at the Westminster College Field Station to discuss natural gas extraction using hydrolic fracturing and its implications for the region.
  • Other events (including regional events).
  Course Supplementals
  • Environmental Programs at Westminster College.
  • Weather and Climate
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) releases reports on the panel's analysis and predictions for climate change. The Summary for policymakers and technical summary is a substantial review of the panel's findings and interactive maps of the predictions allow you to see what is predicted.
  • Carbon Dioxode and Methane are two potent greenhouse gasses. These graphs show how strongly infrared light is absorbed by Carbon Dioxide and methane compared to dry air which is 78% Nitrogen and 21% Oxygen. Wavelegths larger than 0.7 micrometers correspond to infrared light.
  • Energy
  • The closest Coal fired electrical plant to Westminster College is the New Castle plant owned by Genon of Houston TX which sells electricity to the PJM power grid and is locate near New Castle, PA.
  • The closest Nuclear power plant is the Beaver Valley Power Station with units 1 and units 2 on the Ohio river in Shippingport PA (~35miles east of Pittsburgh PA) which is also the site of the first commercial nuclear powerplant in the US.
  • The closest Hydroelectric plant to Westminster College is at the Kinzua Dam on Allegheny river just upstream from Warren Pa.
  • The closest solar power collection system to Westminster College is the demonstration facility on campus at the Field Station. Check out its recent output.