Category Archives: Articles

Ambient Air Quality and Environmental Health

Ambient Air Quality and Environmental Health
Over 6,000 people became sick and 20 individuals lost their life in 1948 when a cloud of air pollution blanketed the town of Donora, Pennsylvania for 5 days. (1) Donora only had a total population of 14,000!  That translates to over 40% of the citizens suffered in some way.  The industrial revolution brought progress and…
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Nuclear Energy 101

Nuclear Energy 101
Out of all the ways we power the planet, nuclear energy may be the most divisive. When it first began as an offshoot of nuclear weapons programs, it seemed to promise unlimited electricity that would power a new atomic age. The first nuclear power plant came online in the USSR in 1954, followed three years…
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Wind Power 101

Wind Power 101
Modern wind power is a recent development based on a very old technology. The wind has propelled sail boats for at least 5000 years, and turned windmills for perhaps 1500 years. Even the concept of generating electricity with wind power dates back to the first successful attempt in the late 1800s. But aside from the…
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Cartography: More Than a View From Above

Cartography: More Than a View From Above
What is Cartography? In North America, students may major in Cartography but also approach the subject from geography and surveying. In Europe, cartographers tend to enter into a mapping career through earth sciences (which includes geography and geology), geophysics, land surveying, civil engineering and even graphic design. Master’s Degrees are typically required these days, especially…
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Climate Change and United States Arctic Policy

Climate Change and United States Arctic Policy
The Arctic encompasses the northernmost area of the world. It is characterized by the sheer size of the region, the frozen nature of the area and is one of the last remaining places on Earth that does not have clear political claims (1). In spite of the harsh environment, the area is brimming with life…
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What Environmental Data Can Tell Us about the Greenland Vikings

What Environmental Data Can Tell Us about the Greenland Vikings
The study of the people of the past is called archaeology. The discipline has been around for several hundred years but has undergone vast change in that time. The romantic ideal of the treasure hunter searching for items of national interest is long gone. The modern archaeologist is as much a manual labourer as a…
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Geospatial Technology: An Introduction and Overview

Geospatial Technology: An Introduction and Overview
Geomatics or geospatial technology as it is more commonly known, is such a multidisciplinary tool that there are now advanced degrees in specific subjects such as GIS. Most students will come at it from some of these core disciplines: archaeology (especially those who have taken degrees and projects concerned with landscape studies), geology, geography and…
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Introduction to Ornithology

Introduction to Ornithology
The study of birds, their biology and habits, habitats and evolution and a multitude of other aspects of birds, has a long tradition within the discipline of zoology. There are no degrees in ornithology and most come to the study of birds through a BS/BSc in zoology. Most research-based jobs require at least a Masters…
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Natural Gas 101: Pros & Cons

Natural Gas 101: Pros & Cons
Natural gas is a fossil fuel, like oil and coal. It’s formed from decayed organic material transformed by high temperatures and pressures over millions of years into bubbles of methane gas. Conventional sources are found in underground gas fields or oil fields. Unconventional sources are more challenging to extract because the gas is locked inside…
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Hydroelectric Power 101

Hydroelectric Power 101
Hydroelectric power uses the kinetic energy of moving water to produce electricity. It's the most widely used form of renewable energy, generating 19% of electricity worldwide (1). While large-scale projects have had mixed results in the developing world, when done properly, hydroelectric is a cheap, clean and effective method of producing energy. Hydroelectric Methods Most…
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