Urban Dog Parks

Urban dog parks are crucial in creating a sense of community in today's culture.  It is estimated by the ASPCA that there are around 80 million dogs that are household pets in the United States.  Having a place to take this dog will not only force people to spend some time getting physical activity outdoors, but also encourages these people to socialize with other dog owners.  However, this socialization is less likely to happen if owners are just walking their dogs through their own neighborhoods, or letting his or her dog just play around in the backyard.  Urban dog parks allow dog owners a place to go where their dogs can play with other dogs, and where they can socialize with other dog owners.  Urban dog parks also pave the way for a sustainable future because these parks require trees and other plants.  Many of the urban dog parks are being built in empty areas where there weren't many plants being grown.  By building an urban dog parks, these areas become more beautified and allow for a greener future in areas that were otherwise very brown and industrialized.

Community Gardens

                                                                          

Many people around the country are beginning to take part in a new trend known as community gardening.  Community gardening involves a group of people from a certain community getting together on an individual plot of land, and growing a garden together.  This type of activity is something that greatly benefits neighborhoods all around the United States.  Not only does community gardening bring fresh fruits and vegetables within arms reach to the citizens of said community, it also helps to bring that community closer together.  Growing a garden together takes a lot of planning and compromise.  People have to agree on which fruits and vegetables they want planted in the garden, and once they have decided on this, they have to make a schedule of who will take care of what within that garden.  However, it is also important to see that community gardening can help up prepare for a future where many agricultural amenities may become overpriced and hard to purchase due to global climate change.  By starting community gardens, urban communities will be able to produce their own fruits and vegetables, which gives them food security during times where fresh fruits and vegetables are scarce.  Finally, having a community garden can also help improve the overall health in a community.  After 

all, your mother did always tell you to eat your vegetables.

Global Climate Change

Medieval Global Temperature Optimum
The medieval global temperature optimum was a warm period that occurred in the North Atlantic area between 950-1250 AD.  During this period of time, scientists saw temperatures that were significantly warmer than the norm in areas such as Greenland, as well as parts of Europe and Asia. During this time, scientists also saw extended periods of drought in areas like the Sierra Nevada mountain range as well as parts of Australia.  Other areas, like northern China, experienced fluctuation between heavy rainfall and drought.  As studies were conducted, it was concluded that it was very likely that these climate changes were due to atmospheric circulation patterns.  These changes in patterns may have caused storm tracks to shift.  It is speculated that these shifts may have had an effect on why the temperatures during this time were significantly warmer.  However, despite these discoveries, many aren't so sure the medieval global temperature optimum is something worth studying, simply because the temperature change did not seem so significant.  According to these people, the shift in temperature was only around one or two degrees, making it not very much different than our climate today.  However, shortly after this time period, a period known today as the "Little Ice Age" occurred, drawing even more attention to climate change.
Little Ice Age
The Little Ice Age was said to have occurred somewhere between 1350 and 1850.  This however, like the medieval global temperature optimum, was not thought to be a global issue.  In fact, many scientists believe that the Little Ice Age only affected the Northern Hemisphere.  This slight decrease in temperature in these areas are said to have been caused by many different factors, ranging from heightened volcanic activity all the way to the decrease in human population.  Volcanic activity had an impact on the climate because of the ash it produced, which then blocked out the sun rays that were responsible for warming the planet.  When it came to decreases in human population, scientists believe that after events, like the Black Death, reforestation was able to occur, therefore allowing more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.  Regardless of reason, the Little Ice Age was a time of colder winters, frozen waterways, and destroyed pieces of land due to glacial activity.  Overall, both the medieval global temperature optimum and the little ice age were some of the earliest moments where people began to see global or regional climate change.  These observations have now popped up again in todays society and have become major points of discussion both politically and socially.

Air Quality--New Delhi

At the Indira Gandhi National Airport in New Delhi, air quality measurements have reached dangerous levels.  According to the air quality index, IGI Airport posts a horrifying 202 on the air pollution level given.  A 202 on this scale means that this area of New Delhi is deemed as a very unhealthy place to live.  It also means that anyone living in this area is at a higher risk for medical issues.  These numbers have reached such tragic heights because of the exhaust put out by all of the airplanes coming in and out of this area.  Indira Ganhi National Airport has recently become India and South Asia's largest aviation hub, meaning even more planes would be flying in and out of its terminals.  Because of the increase of plane flow that occurs through this airport, exhaust fumes have created a smog throughout the area of New Delhi.  This makes the air that New Delhi citizens are breathing in harmful to their lungs.  Some people may develop asthma while others may develop things as serious as lung cancer.  Due to this increase of smog and pollution, people living in this area are prompted to wear protective masks when leaving their homes.  Overall, pollution needs to be decreased and air quality needs to start seeing some improvements soon before New Delhians find themselves even more at risk.

Smog created by air pollution from airport (New Delhi)

Metal Assignment (Zinc)

In 1746, Andreas Sigismund Marggraf discovered what we now know today as pure metallic zinc.  Since this discovery, it has been noted that zinc is the 24th most abundant element in the Earth's crust.    In order to extract Zinc from the Earth, people have to mine for ores that contain zinc.  The most popularly mined zinc-containing ore is Sphalerite.  This is the most popular because it has the highest concentration of zinc out of all of the zinc-containing ores.  Sphalerite can be found in many different places around the world inside igneous and metamorphic rocks.  In the United States alone, Sphalerite deposits can be found in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and New Jersey.  The importance of mining this ore is high simply because zinc is used in so many different ways in todays society.
Zinc is not only used to make rubber and paint products, but is also involved in different alloys.  A prime example of this is its occurrence in brass (an alloy of zinc and copper).  On top of these uses, zinc also has medicinal purposes.  A small amount of zinc is actually necessary for maintaining good health.  It can be used to boost one's immune system and can even help alleviate cold symptoms.  Without zinc, people can face stunted growth as well as slow wound-healing.  Overall, zinc is a crucially important element in today's world, and should not be overlooked.

Extended Timeline

Events added to the timeline involve everything from Mesopotamian society, the Spanish Flu, the creation of the Internet and the printing press, and more.

Atlantic City's Green Initiatives

Starting in 2008 when the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority was given the opportunity to attend the Convene Green Alliance’s Focus Forum, Atlantic City's Convention Center has been working tirelessly to become one of the nation's top "green" convention centers.  They have worked towards this by installing solar panels in both their facility as well as Boardwalk Hall, another tourist attraction nearby.  They have also began research on things such as wind turbines and different upgrades they can make to their facilities to make them more sustainable.  The Atlantic City Convention Center has of course also had to increase their recycling efforts, and also work towards implementing more eco-friendly materials in their facility.  Overall, the Atlantic City Convention Center is making great strides towards becoming one of the "greenest" in the nation, and has proved so by being a contender for many awards, such as the Platts Global Energy Award for Energy Construction Project of the Year and others.  Given another few years, this convention center will be a supreme model of what it means to be "green" and will hopefully encourage other centers like it to follow its lead.

Atlantic City Convention Center with path leading to Boardwalk Hall