David Wildes

Dr. Rood

ENV 250

10 September 2014

Timeline of Resource Development

While figure1.1 of the Ashby text outlines the development of technology and discovery of different elements, the timeline lacks any sort of historical context to provide a background/impetus for the development of technology. The chapter asserts that technological development is often spurred by crises such and natural disaster or conflict, but provides very few historical examples to support that assertion. The timeline that I have included should hopefully serve in conjunction with the original timeline to explain the historical context of several scientific advances.

The timeline itself is difficult to read, but I had difficulties scanning and editing the file. (Full disclosure, "Ancient Greece" is misspelled on the timeline) 

The left side delineates some particular scientific advances related to historical eras and events as shown on the right side of the timeline. The advances on the left side were meant to be varied in nature and reflect some of the particular advances in human understanding as well as some of the destructive effects of science. The juxtaposition of events such as the invention of a Smallpox vaccine and the nuclear meltdown of the Chernobyl reactor reveal both how scientific progression over time has improved the human condition and created new problems for life on Earth.

Video of world civilizations (Incomplete, but still useful)

http://youtu.be/pkV7XPh20ng

David Wildes
Dr. Rood
ENV 250
1 September 2014

Environmental Sustainability in Yasuni Rainforest, Ecuador

The Yasuni Rainforest is a section of the Amazon that falls within the border of the South American nation of Ecuador. The national park is hailed as one of the most biodiverse regions in the Americas, but it faces a great threat to its preservation: the discovery of oil. A large deposit of oil was found in Yasuni, and now Ecuador faces ever growing pressure to extract the valuable fossil fuel. Debt, a struggling economy, and other forces, both internal and external, are coercing the Ecuadorian government to give oil companies permission to drill in the rainforest. In order to avoid having to allow the almost guaranteed destruction of the pristine site, President Correa proposed an initiative to have donors provide Ecuador with over seven billion dollars in order to allow the government to maintain the reserve while still being compensated for the necessary revenue that drilling would provide. Unfortunately, the initiative failed to raise even a fraction of the necessary support, causing President Correa to dissolve the initiative and give petroleum companies the green light to begin extracting oil. The drilling is predicted to result in millions of tons of carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere, not including deforestation costs and the expected loss of several rare animal and plant species in the region. The most difficult task ahead of the movement to preserve Yasuni will be to discover a way to quickly generate needed funds to stop oil exploration or to develop a plan that will minimize the environmental impact of the drilling. The onus will be on the Ecuadorian government to monitor the process to ensure the most environmentally responsible and sustainable action possible in the coming months and years.

Video on oil contamination in Yasuni


- Guardian article on Yasuni initiative failure
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/16/ecuador-approves-yasuni-amazon-oil-drilling

- Guardian video on Yasuni region
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/video/2012/sep/03/yasuni-national-park-gift-humanity-video

- Image of Yasuni map and dependence article
http://populationgrowth.org/shooting-ourselves-in-the-foot-oil-dependence-vs-nature/#!prettyPhoto[gallery1]/1/

- National Geographic story on Yasuni
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/125-yasuni-national-park/wallace-text