Human Environment Interaction Beasley and James 2008-2009

What is Human Environment (HE) Interaction? HE Interaction comes in many forms, from everyday use of consumer products, to political agreements over environment resources, to natural hazards.

Compare Modification to Adaptation Human modification of the environment means that humans have actually changes some part of the physical environment (i.e. building a dam) Human adaptation to the environment is a changes in human behavior to cope with environmental conditions (i.e. different clothing)

KWL Chart What Do You Know? What Do You Want to Know? What I Learned?

Daily Examples List examples of how we interact (both positively and negatively) with our environment. Littering, cutting down trees to build houses, pollution from cars, using cloth bags rather than plastic at the store

Natural Hazards You will be assigned one of the following natural hazards Earthquakes Volcanoes Tsunamis Flooding Drought Forest Fires

James / Beasley August 30, 2010 3rd Period Hurricane James / Beasley August 30, 2010 3rd Period

How it Forms Hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean usually start off the coast of Africa. In the summer, warm and moist air rises from the ocean to form thunderstorms. Several thunderstorms come together to create a tropical disturbance. As the tropical disturbance grows, more warm and moist air rises from the ocean. This air begins to circle in a counterclockwise direction due to the Coriolis effect. Once wind speeds reach 74 miles per hour, the storm becomes a tropical cyclone (a hurricane).

Inside the Hurricane The main parts of a tropical cyclone are the rainbands, the eye, and the eyewall. Air spirals in toward the center in a counter-clockwise pattern in the northern hemisphere (clockwise in the southern hemisphere), and out the top in the opposite direction. In the very center of the storm, air sinks, forming an "eye" that is mostly cloud-free.

Tracking & Preparing for Hurricanes Meteorologists track a hurricane and then warn people in the storm’s path. When a storm might hit land within 24 to 36 hours, they issue a hurricane watch. When it is less than 24 hours away, they issue a hurricane warning. Meteorologists use the Saffir-Simpson scale to rate a hurricane’s strength from 1 to 5. These things give people a chance to prepare for the storm. Preparation Tips: Contact the local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter and ask for the community hurricane preparedness plan. This plan should include information on the safest evacuation routes and nearby shelters. Learn safe routes inland. Be ready to drive 20 to 50 miles to a safe place. Leave as soon as possible. Avoid flooded roads and watch for washed-out bridges. Secure your home by unplugging appliances and turning off electricity and the main water valve. Click metoerologists track a hurricane to see explanation on hurricane tracking / Click Saffir-Simpson link to see scale of hurricane strength.

Interaction with Hurricanes When a hurricane makes landfall, it lashes everything in it’s path with wind and rain. Fierce winds can uproot trees, shatter windows, blow off roofs, and flip over cars. Heavy rains often cause terrible flooding and sometimes deadly mudslides. A hurricane’s most destructive feature is the storm surge. In 1999, a Category 4 storm hit several Caribbean islands. Its 15-foot storm surge caused lots of destruction. Show 5 minute hurricane video after explanation.

Cleaning Up After a Hurricane Once a hurricane has passed, people face the task of rebuilding. A hurricane may destroy homes and damage schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, and power lines. Relief agencies are set up to find and treat the injured and to supply food, water, shelter, and clothing. The next task is cleaning up. This includes draining floodwaters, clearing roads, and knocking down damaged buildings. Because this work requires time and money, it may take months or even years for a Caribbean island to recover from a hurricane. Picture explanation from left to right: #1-Flooding in area neighborhoods / #2-Inside damage at residence / #3-Interstate 90 damage

Conclusion