University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Geography 340: 
Processes of Environmental Degradation

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No assignment for Tue, Nov. 21 (video in class)

Previous assignments

Assignment for Tue, Nov. 14:  READ about Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), which is the focus of the video that we will see, Drum Beat for Mother Earth -- No WebBoard posting required, but come to class prepared to discuss what you have read.Assignment for Tue, Nov. 7:  READ the following three parts of "School of Real-Life Results: NAFTA," by Global Citizen's Trade Watch (December 1998)  Environment; Public Health; Enviro Side Agreement  [total 2,400 words] 

This reading provides context for viewing the video, Borderline Cases, in class on Tuesday. This video, like the reading, examines environmental conditions along the U.S.-Mexico border, especially as they have been affected by NAFTA.  (Optional: review of the video)

Then, test/discuss how one of the following (of the thirty) theses applies in case of the U.S.-Mexico border environment: Thesis 11, 12, 13, 22, or 28. Your analysis should be 300 to 500 words long and carefully written. Post your work in WebBoard's NAFTA & the Environment conference by Noon on Thur, Nov 9.

OPTIONAL:  Enviro Records of Candidates & Parties

Assignment for Tue, Oct. 31: Read the assigned textbook and online material, and be prepared to discuss it in class.

Assignment for Tue, Oct. 24:  Read the assigned textbook and online material, and be prepared to discuss it in class.

Assignment for Tue, Oct. 17:  In about 200 to 400 words, concisely describe actual changes and effects of one of the following processes: 

• Arctic warming; 

• rising sea level in the tropics; 

• rising sea level in temperate latitudes; 

• melting of continental glaciers. 

Base your description on your reading of at least four articles (linked at Part III, Section 4: The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming, or found elsewhere); cite these at the end of your essay. Give your essay an appropriate title. Post your essay on WebBoard in the Global Warming--Effects conference. Deadline: noon, Tue, Oct. 17. Come to class that day prepared to discuss your work; we see the 30-minute video, "Arctic Meltdown, Rising Seas."

Reminder: Class will not meet on Thursday, Oct. 19  

(1:40 pm, 10/14/00) 

Assignment for Wed, Oct. 11:  Concisely summarize (in 500 to 800 words) either the causes (including basic causes) or the effects (including extended consequences) of stratospheric ozone depletion. Post your essay on WebBoard in the Stratospheric Ozone Depletion conference, indicating your specific subject in the "topic" line. Deadline: 9:00 pm, Wed., Oct. 11. Come to class on Thursday prepared to discuss your work. (11:45 pm, 10/8/00) 

Assignment for Thur., Oct. 5:  “Brief Problem Analysis” or "Topical Internet Search"

Option 1, “Brief Problem Analysis” -- Concisely summarize (in 800 to 1,000 words) the causes, processes and environmental consequences of either "The Sinking of Venice" or "Freeport-McMoRan's Mining of New Guinea."  Post your essay on WebBoard in the Land Surface: Brief Problem Analysis  conference, indicating your topic in the subject line. Deadline: noon on Thur., Oct. 5. Come to class on Thursday prepared to discuss your work.

Option 2, “Topical Internet Search” -- Search of the Web for information suitable for this course on one of these topics: wind erosion; river channel changes; accelerated landslides; or land disposal of wastes. You may find the list of search engines useful.  List five appropriate materials from different sites, including for each: the title, URL, material date (if known), and a brief description (one or two sentences). Post your list on WebBoard in the Land Surface: Topical Internet Sites conference, indicating your topic in the subject line. Deadline: noon on Thur., Oct. 5. Come to class on Thursday prepared to discuss your work.

(2:15 pm, 10/1/00) 

IMPORTANT:  Note that the course Schedule has been changed, to consider The Land Surface (G&V Part V) this week. Consideration of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), originally scheduled for this week, is postponed to the week of Nov. 14. 

Per the revised Schedule, the reading assigned for this week is: G&V pp. 165-202, the two handouts "Cola" and "Aluminum's Real Tab" (distributed last Thursday) and five short online articles (linked to five of the sections under The Land Surface).

Assignment for Wed., Sept. 27:  “Winners and Losers”

Read the textbook and online assignments for this week. Then, for one of the following topics analyze who “wins” and what is “won” versus who “loses” and what is “lost”. Be specific. Post your comment on WebBoard in the Winners and Losers conference, indicating your topic in the subject line. Deadline: 9:00 pm on Wed., Sept. 27. We will discuss your work in class on Thursday.

Topic choices: wetland loss; two biotic invaders; habitat fragmentation; giant genetically-altered salmon  (11:15 pm, 9/24/00)

Here is the topic for posting, and then discussion in class on Thursday! I realize there's not much lead time, so no "penalties" apply.   But let's see what you as a class can do...  On WebBoard there is a new conference, Underlying causes of deforestation, which is described as follows:   "First read the article at http://fp.chasque.apc.org:8081/wrm/english/u_causes/index.html Then analyze the underlying causes of deforestation (esp. tropical), in terms of the '30 Theses'. Which of these appear to apply, and how? Pls post by noon, Thur."  (10:25 am, 9/20/00)