Atmosphere, Biosphere, Hydrosphere Groups Task

 Using this question, your invention must be:  Able to be used by someone or something.  Not so expensive that its not worth it to use  Represents environmental reform while also doing something else.  Your invention must not be:  Already invented  Imaginary or based on imaginary facts

 Atmosphere: Lordiclaire, Michael, Alyssa, Sang Uk  Biosphere: Cheryl, Catherine, Fidella, Kinski  Hydrosphere: Calvin, Carla, Denny, Michelle, Seorin  Atmosphere: Darrel, Jonathan, Susan, Adeline  Biosphere: Arjun, Gigis, Wenny, Hans  Hydrosphere: Richard, Natasha, Kang In, Vanessa

 The hydrosphere includes all water on Earth. In one respect, planet Earth is a misnomer in that 71% of the earth is covered by water and only 29% is terra firma. Indeed, the abundance of water on Earth is a unique feature that clearly distinguishes our "Blue Planet" from others in the solar system. Not a drop of liquid water can be found anywhere else in the solar system. It is because the Earth has just the right mass, the right chemical composition, the right atmosphere, and is the right distance from the Sun (the "Goldilocks" principle) that permits water to exist mainly as a liquid. However, the range of surface temperatures and pressures of our planet permit water to exist in all three states: solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (water vapor). Most of the water is contained in the oceans and the high heat capacity of this large volume of water (1.35 million cubic kilometers) buffers the Earth surface from large temperature changes such as those observed on the moon. Water is the universal solvent and the basis of all life on our Planet. It is an essential life-sustaining resource which led Benjamin Franklin to comment "When the well's dry, we know the worth of water."

 The term "Biosphere" was coined by Russian scientist Vladimir Vernadsky in the The biosphere is the life zone of the Earth and includes all living organisms, including man, and all organic matter that has not yet decomposed. Life evolved on earth during its early history between 4.5 and 3.8 billion years ago and the biosphere readily distinguishes our planet from all others in the solar system. The chemical reactions of life (e.g., photosynthesis-respiration, carbonate precipitation, etc.) have also imparted a strong signal on the chemical composition of the atmosphere, transforming the atmosphere from reducing conditions to and oxidizing environment with free oxygen. The biosphere is structured into a hierarchy known as the food chain whereby all life is dependent upon the first tier (i.e. mainly the primary producers that are capable of photosynthesis). Energy and mass is transferred from one level of the food chain to the next with an efficiency of about 10%. All organisms are intrinsically linked to their physical environment and the relationship between an organism and its environment is the study of ecology. The biosphere can be divided into distinct ecosystems that represent the interactions between a group of organisms forming a trophic pyramid and the environment or habitat in which they live.

 The atmosphere is the gasesous envelope that surrounds the Earth and constitutes the transition between its surface and the vacuum of space. The atmosphere consists of a mixture of gases composed primarily of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. It extends some 500 km above the surface of the Earth and the lower level (troposphere) constitutes the climate system that maintains the conditions suitable for life on the planet's surface. The next atmospheric level, the stratosphere (12 to 48 km), contains the ozone layer that protects life on the planet by filtering harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Since the Industrial Revolution, man has been altering the composition of the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels. Concern has been growing about rising concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chloroflurocarbons in the atmosphere because these "greenhouse" gases trap heat energy emitted from the earth surface and increase global temperatures (global warming). In addition, chloroflurocarbons are effective at depleting the Earth's ozone shield that protects the earth surface from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.

 Hydrosphere  Biosphere  Atmosphere

 1 Class Brainstorm and Research  4 Classes Research/Build Invention/Poster  1 Class Presentations  Earth Day exhibits

 Research: Information on pollution in your sphere. Where does it come from? What is it doing? What steps are being taken to improve it?  Invention: Design and build an invention that will help promote Environmental Reform  Poster: Design a poster that promotes your invention and Environmental Reform  Presentation: Present your information and invention and explain how it will help promote Environmental Reform

 /30  Information is both accurate and relates to your idea  Create a background summary on your sphere  Explain some of the key Environmental challenges faced.  Draw conclusions about how reform can and should be introduced

 Design an invention that will help progress Environmental Reform  Invention should be practical but creative  An interactive model must be designed and built to be the main focus of the exhibit  /30

Like the LifeSaver, another innovation can also turn dirty surface water into clean drinking water in a matter of seconds. It is called the LifeStraw and unlike the LifeSaver, the LifeStraw,personal water filtration tool, is a lot cheaper, a lot smaller and easier to take around. It can even be hung around the neck for easy access.

 /15  Size A3  Creatively designed, the poster advertises the invention and gives a basic idea of its possible use.  The poster should refer to Earth Week and Environmental Reform

 /25  All students in the group must take part  Information should be known and spoken about without written aids  The invention should be well explained  What it is  How it links to your sphere and what problem it addresses  How it will help environmental reform

 New Facility in Whatcom CountyWill Turn Dairy Waste Into Methane  BELLINGHAM - Department of Ecology Director Tom Fitzsimmons joined Bernd Kogel and Mark Thomas of Safe Environmental Inventions of Bellingham to announce the state's first "dairy waste-to-methane" plant, which will be built in Whatcom County.  Early next year, the company will begin constructing a $5 million "wet- waste fermentation plant" in the north county that will turn manure fromdairy cows into methane, which in turn will be converted to electricity.  "I'm pleased about the ingenuity exhibited by these ‘bioneers' – biological pioneers who are creating practical solutions to tough environmental problems," Fitzsimmons said. "In this case, Safe Environmental Inventions has found a way to turn a major environmental hazard – dairy waste – into a safe product with profit-making potential. We need more people and more companies to exhibit this kind of creative thinking on behalf of the environment."

 page=6 page=6  p?cat=Environment p?cat=Environment  res.pdf res.pdf  These guys do it professionally