Environmental Issues
Over the course of the year, you will read and collect articles, published since January 1,
2009, relating to environmental issues. For each, you will write two paragraphs summarizing
the content, and a paragraph discussing your reaction (3 paragraphs in total). You must
consider the following:







What are the key points made in the article?
What are the points of view presented about this issue?
Does the article teach you something new?
Does it support or refute other information you've heard or read? How so/in what
way?
What environmental issues or ideas are explored in the article?
What position does the author take with respect to these issues, or in what light are
the issues presented (i.e., is reform favored, criticized? is a problem exposed? is
inspiration derived from the environment? does the author reveal personal history
through interaction with the environment?)?
What are some counter-positions or stances not favored by the author, or how does
the author interpret the environmental in a “big picture” sense?
The sources may be scientific publications, popular magazines, newspapers or the like. Try
the NY Times (especially Tuesdays), the Washington Post (especially Mondays), National
Geographic, Discover Magazine, Natural History Magazine, as well as the more scholarly
Scientific American, Science, Nature, etc. The articles MUST be drawn from the topic list
below, making sure that all different topics are represented throughout the year. Label each
summary according to its topic. For example, if your first article and summary is about
overpopulation, be sure your heading indicates this.
Please use readable, size 12 fonts when typing.
The topics include:
1. Human population growth
2. Transgenic species
3. Non-native (invasive) species
4. Food production, food safety
5. Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)
6. Renewable resources (solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, etc.)
7. Nuclear energy
8. Air quality
9. Water quality (surface or groundwater)
10. CO2 and global warming
11. Recycling or another aspect of waste management (garbage)
12. Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, World Wildlife Fund, or similar NGO
13. Overfishing, overhunting
14. Deforestation
15. Ozone depletion
16. Legislation or International Treaty dealing with an environmental issue
17. Endangered species
18. Urbanization
19. Chesapeake Bay issues
20. Wetlands
21. Soils
22. Wastewater treatment
23. Hazardous waste
24. Sustainable development
One review is due the 15th of every month, if there is no school on that date, then a
review is due the next time we do have school.