Urban Dog Parks

In many urban communities, dog parks are a necessity. Because of the high human population density in urban environments, local laws and regulations concerning dogs tend to be more strict and play space for the animals is more limited. A dog park is a a fenced area specifically for dogs to exercise off the leash while owners supervise. These locations bring dog lovers together and the humans tend to have just as much fun interacting with each other as the dogs do. They are important to the health of dogs as well as the populations around them because they not only allow the dogs to exercise, but they generate a sense of community.

Community Gardens

Community gardens not only give local populations an area to grow plants, but they provide a safe place for all ages, incomes, and races to come together. A community garden is a plot of land that can be public or privately owned where members of the community are allowed to plant and harvest personal crops, create floral art, or just preserve green space. One great thing about many urban community gardens is that they are built on vacant or abandoned plots of land. This helps maintain the community. These public gardens teach the value of hard work, give an introduction to farming and food production, and allow communities to grow stronger, together.

Global Climate Change

The Medieval Global Temperature Optimum or the Medieval Warm Period refers to a period between AD 950-1250. During this time temperatures were abnormally warm. This warmest period of the last 2,000 years. Following the Medieval Warm Period was a time known as the Little Ice Age. It was cold period between AD 1350 and 1850. Summers were cold and wet; this lead to decreased agricultural output, and in turn, various famines across different areas of the world. Harbors and ports froze over limiting shipping. Three particularly cold intervals took place during the Little Ice Age. The first beginning about 1650, the second about 1770, and the last in 1850, each separated by spans of slight warming. Theories have been suggested as to why both periods took place, but none have been fully confirmed. 

Air Quality

Looking at the the Air Pollution map, the most polluted city in the USA is Anchorage, Alaska. The exact reason is not immediately obvious and is most likely a combination of various pollutant sources. Research into the economy of Anchorage revealed that transportation, military, and resource extraction are three of the largest industries. The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (TSAIA) is actually the world's third busiest airport for cargo traffic and the city is headquarters for several small airlines. The port of Anchorage receives 95% of all imports destined for Alaska. The military has a number of bases in the Anchorage area, their activities adding to the pollution problem. Petroleum extraction is a huge component of the Alaskan economy. It often involves drilling and heavy machine work, emitting large amounts of pollution. With ships and planes constantly streaming in and out of the city, oil extraction, and military presence, pollutants are bound to accumulate.  

How Aluminum is produced

                 Aluminum does not exist naturally in its metallic form. It is found only in combination with other minerals. It forms silicate and oxide compounds making up approximately 8% of the earth's crust. Mining companies excavate bauxite, a clay soil more common near the equator. The bauxite is moved to refinement facilities where it is crushed and mixed with a corrosive soda and lime solution. The mixture is heated and filtered, leaving a white powder known as alumina. The alumina is transported to a metal plant where it is turned into aluminum. The process to create aluminum requires alumina, electricity and carbon. Electricity is run between a negative carbon cathode and a positive carbon anode. The Alumina is passed between them where a reaction takes place producing CO2 and aluminum. The liquid metals is cast into extrusion ingots, sheet ingots or foundry alloys depending on the intended use. Below is a video that continues the process, explaining the creation of aluminum cans.

Traffic Observation Study

10/6/14

Objective: The objective was to observe passing cars and record data about each, so that the data observed be analyzed for patterns and abnormalities

Method: I sat on the corner of College Street and Elm Street (Mercer University Campus, Macon, GA) from 2:05-2:35pm and recorded the time at observation, car manufacturer/model, car color, and the number of commuters in each passing vehicle.

Results:

Time (PM)	Car Make/Model	Car Color	Number of Commuters
2:06	Honda Accord	Silver	2
2:09	Ford Explorer	Black	3
2:14	Toyota RAV4	Light Blue	1
2:14	Mitsubishi Lancer	Grey	1
2:19	Dodge Dart	Red	1
2:23	Honda Civic	Silver	2
2:24	Mazda 2	Red	1
2:26	GMC Sierra	Silver	2
2:34	Ford Fusion	White	3

Conclusion: During the 30 minutes I was sitting on the corner of College St. and Elm St. I observed 9 vehicles. The most common manufacturers I observed were Honda and Ford with 2 cars each. The average number of people in each car came out to be 1.66, which is disappointing when considering each can fit at least 4. Silver was the most common color observed, I was not surprised. The rate at which vehicles were observed varied greatly, but had it been linear I would have observed one car approximately every 3.25 minutes. 

Life Cycle Analysis of a Plastic Bottle

               Americans alone used 50 billion plastic bottles last year; every consumer either passively accepting or blissfully ignorant of the fact that the first step in the life cycle of a bottle is drilling and extracting oil from the earth. The nonrenewable natural resource is shipped to refineries where it is processed into tiny plastic pellets. This is known as the material production phase. The majority of plastic bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. The plastic pellets are purchased by bottle manufacturers who melt and mold the pellets into bottle shapes. Plastic labels are printed and attached in the manufacturing plant. The bottles are filled with treated spring or local tap water, concluding the product manufacturing phase. The bottles are then shipped to retailers and distributors.

               The next stage in the life cycle analysis is product use, beginning when the plastic bottles are purchased from retailers. The contents are consumed and the bottle is then disposed of, leading into the final phase. In the US, only 23% of the plastic bottles purchased by consumers are recycled. The remaining majority now sit in landfills and dumps across the country. The recycled plastics return to the material production phase and are turned into things like carpet and fleece; thus, the cycle continues.