Interesting Martian Geology...

It's amazing how often new discoveries are made on Mars.  We've had rovers and orbiters continuously on the planet since about 1998.  Check out the article below from National Geographic.

Huge Spirals Found on Mars—Evidence of New Lava Type?

Coils hint that volcanoes, not ice, shaped odd red planet region.

Large spirals on Mars, as seen by an orbiting spacecraft.

Image courtesy U. Arizona/NASA

Brian Handwerk

for National Geographic News

Published April 26, 2012

Hundreds of large spirals have been discovered on Mars, and scientists think the coiled features are evidence of a type of lava flow never before seen on the red planet.

If so, the spirals would suggest that volcanoes—not ice floes, as other experts believe—shaped an unusual area near the red planet's equator.

Athabasca Valles is a region of flow channels and valleys covered with terrain plates, structures that show clear evidence of something fracturing and drifting across the planet's surface millions of years ago.

Scientists have been divided, however, as to whether the plates were made by the hardening of a massive lava flow or by icy "rafts"—much like Arctic pack ice—from an ancient inland sea.

(Related: "Lava, Not Water, Made Mars 'Riverbed.'")

Now, high-resolution pictures of Athabasca Valles from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have revealed 269 coils up to a hundred feet (30 meters) wide.

"There are no known mechanisms to naturally produce spiral patterns in ice-rich environments on the scale and frequency observed in our study area," study authors Andrew Ryan and Philip Christensen write in a new paper in this week's issue of the journal Science.

Instead Ryan and Christensen, of Arizona State University, think the coils are most similar to features seen in smooth, slow-moving Hawaiian lava flows.

"Everything that we have observed in Athabasca Valles can be formed by lava. Although you could attribute certain features to ice, the lava coils indicate that this is not the case," Ryan told National Geographic News in an email.

Valley Shaped by Ice or Fire?

On Earth, so-called pahoehoe lava flows can move past each other in different directions or at different speeds. The resulting shear produces a twisting motion, which coils the rubbery crust atop the flows into a distinctive shape—one that closely resembles the newfound Martian spirals.

(Also see "Mars Volcanoes May Re-Erupt, Hawaii Comparison Shows.")

On Earth similar spirals are found underwater on a mid-ocean ridge, where two "conveyor belts" of spreading crust move outward in opposite directions, causing the upwelling lava between them to swirl.

As with many things Martian, however, the new data remain open to interpretation.

John Murray, with the Department of Earth Sciences at the Open University in the U.K., said Ryan's paper is interesting and that the spiral features are quite curious. But Murray still believes that the surface near Athabasca Valles shows the lingering effects of an ancient frozen sea.

"I think there are so many features here that it's difficult to explain them other than [the theory] that this was essentially water that froze and has since sublimated away," he said. Sublimation is when a solid turns directly into a gas.

"There is no lava that behaves in so many different ways."

(Related: "Weird Mars Deposits Could Be Vast 'Ice Cap' at Equator.")

The appearance of the plates themselves, not the spirals in between, remains a main sticking point for Murray.

"You do get plates in lava, but on the scale of a few meters," he said. "Here you're talking about things which are kilometers long, and the only way you can do that really is to have a liquid that's extremely mobile and fluid—water or something like water.

"If you freeze the top of that, as in the Arctic, you do get ice floes that are several kilometers or more, which is what you get on Mars in this region. You never see anything like that in a lava flow."

A Place to Look for Life?

The debate pitting lava against ice is more than purely geological. If Athabasca Valles does show clear evidence of water ice, the region could become an important target for future Mars astrobiology missions.

(Also see "Life on Mars Found by NASA's Viking Mission?")

"If this really is the remains of a large inland sea, that's where you're going to find life, if there is any there," Murray said.

"Even if the sea was five million years old, there may still be subsurface remains of the ice, and ... microfossil traces could perhaps be found there."

Study author Ryan, meanwhile, is confident the odd features of Athabasca Valles can be explained by volcanism alone.

"I don't believe it would be a very good place to search for life," he said. "However, it is a very interesting place to study the volcanic and geologic history of Mars."

Fracking, Continued...

The EPA, in a move positively viewed by both industry personnel and environmentalists, revised air quality standards with regards to natural gas wells utilizing hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.  One case in Colorado cited that fracking wells in a county there were responsible for almost 70% of atmospheric benzene (a none carcinogen).  Some people are still very opposed to fracking, but this ruling by the EPA allows the US to continue increasing its domestic energy sources while advocating for the safety and health of  US citizens who live near fracking operations.

First National Fracking Air Emissions Standard Set by U.S. EPA

WASHINGTON, DC, April 18, 2012 (ENS) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today issued the first federal air rules for natural gas wells that are hydraulically fractured. Operators of new fractured natural gas wells will be required to use technologies to capture natural gas that might otherwise escape into the atmosphere, threatening public health.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking involves the injection of a mixture of chemicals, sand and water under high pressure into rock to release hydrocarbons.
In response to a court deadline in a lawsuit brought by the nonprofit WildEarth Guardians and San Juan Citizens Alliance, the EPA today finalized standards to reduce air pollution by requiring the industry to recover more oil and gas from fractured wells.

Air emissions from fracking operation on Tim and Christine Ruggiero's property in Texas (Photo by Tim Ruggiero)

"By ensuring the capture of gases that were previously released to pollute our air and threaten our climate, these updated standards will not only protect our health, but also lead to more product for fuel suppliers to bring to market," EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said today. "They're an important step toward tapping future energy supplies without exposing American families and children to dangerous health threats in the air they breathe."
"The President has been clear that he wants to continue to expand production of important domestic resources like natural gas, and today's standard supports that goal while making sure these fuels are produced without threatening the health of the American people," said Jackson.
EPA has updated and broadened two Clean Air Act standards to control gases released during fracking, drilling, pumping, and distribution of natural gas through pipelines to processing facilities.
The final rule does not require new federal permits. Instead, it uses enhanced reporting to strengthen transparency and accountability, and ensure compliance.
An estimated 13,000 new and existing natural gas wells are fractured or re-fractured each year. As those wells are being prepared for production, they emit volatile organic compounds, which contribute to smog formation, and air toxics, including benzene and hexane, which can cause cancer and other serious health effects.
The Clean Air Act requires EPA to set new source performance standards for industries that cause, or significantly contribute to, air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare and to review them every eight years. The existing standards were issued in 1985.
The updated "new source performance standards" and "hazardous air pollutant standards" will require better controls on emissions and require the industry to begin capturing methane, the primary constituent of natural gas.
When released into the atmosphere, methane is a potent greenhouse gas, more than 20 times more potent at trapping the Sun's heat than carbon dioxide, the most abundant greenhouse gas.

Roads and drill pads on Colorado's Roan Plateau, November 2011 (Photo by Anne Pogoriler / Colorado Environmental Coalition)

"These rules are a major American public health milestone," said Jeremy Nichols, WildEarth Guardians Climate and Energy Program director. "With our clean air literally being fracked away across the nation, these rules promise to safeguard our communities and keep the dirty process of drilling in check."
WildEarth Guardians and the San Juan Citizens Alliance say that in many parts of the western United States, drilling and fracking has pushed ground-level ozone, a key ingredient of smog, above legal health limits. In western Wyoming and northeast Utah, smog levels have been higher than those measured in Los Angeles.
The groups point to western Colorado's Garfield County, where drilling has increased by more than 132 percent since 2004, bringing 7,000 new natural gas wells to the region.
The state of Colorado says oil and gas operations in the County are responsible for more than 67 percent of all emissions of benzene, a known carcinogen. Studies by the state show that Garfield County residents face an "unacceptable" risk of cancer as a result.
These findings were confirmed by a peer-reviewed study soon to be published in the journal "Science of the Total Environment," which found that people living near fracking face increased health risks due to benzene and other toxics.

Public demonstrations against fracking have been held across the country. This one at the New York State Capitol in Albany was part of the National Fracking Day of Action, January 23, 2012

Jackson said the updated standards were informed by feedback from a range of stakeholders including the public, public health groups, states and industry. During the nearly 100-day public comment period and three public hearings, the agency received more than 150,000 comments on the proposed rules.
The final standards reduce implementation costs while ensuring they are achievable and can be met by relying on proven, cost-effective technologies as well as processes already in use at about half of all U.S. fractured natural gas wells, Jackson said.
These technologies will not only reduce 95 percent of the harmful emissions from these wells, they will enable companies to collect additional natural gas that can be sold, offsetting the cost of compliance. The EPA estimates that the industry will save from $11 to $19 million each year after the rules are fully implemented in 2015.
Even the regulated industry found something constructive to say about the new standards.
American Petroleum Institute Director of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs Howard Feldman said today he recognizes improvements in the EPA's final air rules for that allow for emission reductions while still allowing for production of oil and natural gas.
"The industry has led efforts to reduce emissions by developing new technologies that were adopted in the rule," said Feldman. "EPA has made some improvements in the rules that allow our companies to continue reducing emissions while producing the oil and natural gas our country needs."
The final rule establishes a phase-in period that will ensure emissions reduction technology is broadly available.

Natural gas drilling, Dimrock, Pennsylvania, August, 2009(Photo by Helen Slottje / Shaleshock)

During the first phase, until January 2015, owners and operators must either flare their emissions or use emissions reduction technology called "green completions," technologies that are already widely deployed at wells. In 2015, all new fractured wells will be required to use green completions.
In a green completion, special equipment separates gas and liquid hydrocarbons from the flowback that comes from the well as it is prepared for production. The gas and hydrocarbons can then be treated and used or sold.
While environmental groups are disappointed that the final rule postpones requiring green completions for two and a half years and does not directly regulate methane, they acknowledge that the rule is a step forward.
"More work needs to be done to ensure people are fully protected from drilling and fracking," said Nichols. "This is a risky process, we can ill-afford to wait for people to get sick or worse before taking steps to keep harmful air pollution out of the air we breathe."
Nationwide, the standards will be the first step toward protecting communities in states with oil and gas operations, particularly California, New York, Pennsylvania, Alaska, and Texas, said Nichols. "Because state air quality regulations must at least be as stringent as federal regulations, the final rules will provide a critically important safety net for public health."
Trip Van Noppen, president of the nonprofit environmental law firm that represented the environmental groups, said, "Left to its own devices, the oil and gas industry has turned the clear skies over Wyoming as smoggy as the car-choked highways of Los Angeles. For decades, industry had a free pollution pass. Thanks to a court victory, that changes today."
Click here to learn more about specific requirements of the new rules.

Play Ball!!

As Pope Benedict, the "green Pope,"  has written several times, we each need to do our best to preserve the earth's resources for future generations.  We need to be good stewards of the earth.  Each of us is only a tenant, a temporary inhabitant, and not a permanent owner of any physical/material thing.

Major League Ballparks Power Up With Sun, Wind

ST. LOUIS, Missouri, April 13, 2012 (ENS) - Missouri's two major league baseball teams have scored solar energy projects. Both the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals have installed solar panels that were up and generating power when the 2012 season opened.
The fans will see the new solar arrays today when the Cardinals and the Royals each host their first games of the 2012 season.
At the Cardinals' home ballpark, Busch Stadium in St. Louis, the defending World Series champion Cardinals and St. Louis-based Microgrid Energy have installed 106 solar panels on the roofs of the concession area and ticket building in the Ford Family Plaza.
The solar array at the stadium's northeast corner will produce up to 32,000 kWh of energy each year. The Cardinals will celebrate Solar Day on April 29 when they play the Milwaukee Brewers.
"We are excited about this installation because of the tremendous impact we expect it to have on raising awareness and educating people on the strong viability of solar in Missouri," says Microgrid Energy CEO Rick Hunter. "The Royals and Cardinals have such a strong presence in our state, so it is exciting to think about the far-reaching impact their solar projects will likely have on growing interest in solar in Missouri."

120 solar panels atop the canopy of Kauffman Stadium's Outfield Experience. (Photo by Chris Vleisides / Royals courtesy Major League Baseball)

At Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, the Royals have partnered with the local electric utility, Kansas City Power & Light, to install a solar array capable of producing 36,000 kWh of energy each year.
The largest in-stadium solar array in the major leagues, 120 solar panels are mounted on the roof of Kauffman Stadium's Outfield Experience canopy facing south.
A kiosk has been placed in the Outfield Experience to inform fans about the benefits of solar energy. Fans can learn how to monitor the production of solar energy and how solar energy benefits Kauffman Stadium and the greater Kansas City region.
"KCP&L is proud to partner with the Kansas City Royals on this project - the largest in-stadium solar array," said Chuck Caisley, KCP&L vice president of marketing and public affairs. "KCP&L has a long-standing history of supporting renewable energy projects and is now excited to be able to do that while supporting America's national pasttime."
Caisley says the solar array could generate enough energy to power refrigeration for all the beverages in the stadium. "So your beer is going to be cooled by the sun," he smiled.
The solar array installation marks the first step in a long-term commitment between the Royals and KCP&L to maximize renewable energy resources at the ballpark, the venue for the 2012 All Star Game.
"The Royals are committed to making Kauffman Stadium one of the most environmentally-friendly facilities in sports," said Kevin Uhlich, Royals senior vice president, business operations. "We are excited to partner with KCP&L to bring the latest technologies in sustainable energy to the ballpark, especially as we prepare for the 2012 All-Star Summer."

New spiral wind turbine at Progressive Field (Photo by Through my windshield)

The partnership ties into the renewable energy initiatives of Major League Baseball, which will be highlighted during the 2012 MLB All-Star Game and festivities in Kansas City this summer.
Five other stadiums have installed solar panels, including the San Francisco Giants' AT&T Park, Colorado Rockies' Coors Field, Arizona Diamondbacks' Chase Field, Boston Red Sox' Fenway Park and the Cleveland Indians' Progressive Field.
At Progressive Field this season, an unusual wind turbine is generating electricity alongside the solar array, the first wind turbine to be installed by a Major League Baseball team.
The newly patented spiral wind turbine is the brainchild of Dr. Majid Rashidi, chairman of Cleveland State University's department of engineering technology, who calls it a "helical wind turbine."
The wind-deflecting structure with small-scale turbines can generate power at low wind speeds. This innovative design is better for urban areas and confined spaces than a long-bladed wind turbine. It is rated at 25,000 kWh, and generates enough electricity to power two typical homes for a year.
Development of the wind turbine was funded through grants from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2012. All rights reserved.

The Difference A Year Makes...

Check out this fascinating article and associated remote sensing maps of North American snowfall during this past winter and the winter of 2010-2011.  Both article and maps are from NASA's Earth Observatory.

The difference is rather stark.

NASA Earth Observatory

May God richly bless you and your families as we soon begin the Sacred Triduum and ultimately the joy of Easter Sunday.

Waste Not, Want Not...

How important, to care for our planet's resources and to use them well.  Here's an interesting article about a recycling plan in Norway.  And below that I posted a great article about McDonald's and their plans to phase out the use of foam beverage cups (they use billions of them each year).

Food Waste to Fuel Oslo's City Buses

OSLO, Norway, March 23, 2012 (ENS) - Stale bread, banana peels, coffee grounds and other food waste will be transformed into green fuel for Oslo's city buses starting next year. The Norwegian capital's new biogas plant will supply the fuel and also provide nutrient-rich biofertilizer for agriculture.
The plant will be able to process 50,000 tonnes of food waste annually, converting it to environment-friendly fuel for 135 municipal buses as well as enough biofertilizer for roughly 100 medium-sized local farms.
Biogas is a carbon dioxide-neutral fuel produced from biomass such as food waste, sewage sludge and manure.

Oslo city buses will soon run on biogas produced from food waste. (Photo by ekvator13)

Currently, 65 Oslo buses are powered by biogas produced from sludge from the city's sewage treatment plant. When the new biogas plant reaches its full capacity in 2013, the local bus company will have enough biogas for at least 200 buses.
"Running on biogas will reduce emissions from public transport, which means less airborne particulate matter and thus improved air quality in Oslo. What's more, the biogas buses run quietly," explains acting plant manager Anna-Karin Eriksson of the Oslo Municipality Waste-to-Energy Agency.
Biogas in buses means cleaner air and less noise for Oslo's 500,000 residents. Biogas not only helps to improve air quality, it is meant to be good business as well.
The new plant is slated to produce the energy equivalent of four million liters of diesel fuel annually. The plant is being constructed by the Norwegian company Cambi AS, which won the contract after intense competition with foreign companies.
For over 20 years, Cambi has been developing technology for converting biodegradable material into renewable energy. The biogas production processes were developed through long-term Norwegian research with funding from the Research Council of Norway.
The company has carried out a number of research projects that have received public funding from the Research Council and the former Norwegian Industrial and Regional Development Fund, now part of Innovation Norway.
Cambi's Research Council funding was provided under the Large-scale Research Programme on Clean Energy for the Future. The company is also an industry partner in the Bioenergy Innovation Centre, one of Norway's 11 centers for environment-friendly energy research.
Oslo's new biogas plant will produce the biogas using a method known as thermal hydrolysis, whereby raw materials such as waste or sewage sludge are boiled under high temperature and high pressure. Cambi has worked out a hydrolysis process that yields substantially more biogas than conventional facilities.

Wojtech Sargalski (Photo courtesy Cambi)

Cambi spokesman Wojtech Sargalski says the contract is an important milestone for Cambi's growth in processing food waste with the patented thermal hydrolysis process. Although Cambi has 22 Cambi plants in operation worldwide and another three under construction, Sargalski said this deal is large even by international standards.
"We are delighted that Cambi has been awarded the largest biowaste contract in Scandinavia by the city of Oslo. The contract will certainly have a positive impact on Cambi's international performance in this sector, he said.
To date, the company has designed and delivered 28 plants for converting biodegradable material into renewable energy. Their plants are processing waste and sludge from a total of 23 million people in the United States, Australia, Chile, Japan, Dubai and many European countries.
Cambi has installed two plants for the treatment of household waste and industrial food waste - both in Norway.
The residue from the biogas production process may be used as liquid fertilizer with roughly the same nutrient content as compound fertilizer. The new plant, located north of Oslo, will supply both liquid and solid biofertilizer in addition to a liquid concentrate. "We've shown that biowaste has substantial value in itself and is well worth utilizing," said Per Lillebo, chair of Cambi ASA. "The fertilizer produced is a vital part of the biological cycle."

McDonald's 'Mainstreams' Sustainability, Tests Paper Cups to Replace Foam

OAK BROOK, Illinois, March 20, 2012 (ENS) - In response to a 2011 shareholder resolution filed by shareholder advocacy organization As You Sow, McDonald's Corporation confirmed that it is taking a step toward the possible phase-out of polystyrene foam beverage cups.
The company has notified As You Sow that, "McDonald's is currently testing a double-walled fiber hot cup, as the company continues to seek more environmentally sustainable solutions. The test is in approximately 2,000 restaurants in the U.S., primarily on the West Coast. The objective of this test is to assess customer acceptance, operational impact and overall performance."

McDonald's foam cups will be replaced with paper in 2,000 test restaurants.(Photo courtesy McDonald's)

The 2,000 test restaurants represent nearly 15 percent of McDonald's restaurants in the United States.
The shareholder proposal, which asked the company to assess the environmental impacts of different kinds of beverage containers and to develop packaging recycling goals, received the support of nearly 30 percent of total company shares voted, a high result for an environmental issue proposal, and the highest vote to date for any As You Sow proposal on container recycling.
"This is a great first step for McDonald's and we hope it will lead to a permanent switch to paper cups in all of its restaurants," said Conrad MacKerron, As You Sow's senior program director. "Given the company's history of using high levels of recycled content in other food packaging, we hope that it follows suit with its cups, and also establishes a robust recycling program for post-consumer waste left in its restaurants."
In 1990 McDonald's began to phase out foam-based clamshell food containers amid concerns that petroleum-based food packaging persists in the environment for hundreds of years. Over the next decade, McDonald's eliminated more than 300 million pounds of packaging and reduced restaurant waste by 30 percent, saving an estimated $6 million per year. However, the company continued to use billions of foam-based beverage cups.
Styrene, used to make polystyrene, has been listed as a possible carcinogen by both the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the National Institutes of Health's National Toxicology Program. Several epidemiologic studies suggest an association between occupational styrene exposure and an increased risk of leukemia and lymphoma.
Polystyrene cups are not commonly recycled. Foam particles are among the most common items found by environmental groups leading beach cleanups. Carried through storm drains to the ocean, foam containers break down into small indigestible pellets which animals perceive as food, resulting in the death of birds and fish. Due to such concerns, more than 50 cities in California and 100 cities in the U.S. have banned or restricted the use of polystyrene food packaging.
In December, McDonald's Corporation released its 2011 Sustainability Scorecard and reinforced its commitment to "mainstreaming sustainability for customers through the company's actions and collaboration with suppliers, experts and the food industry as a whole."
"We will continue to mainstream sustainability into our day-to-day business, bring value to the communities we serve, and value to our company through efficiencies, innovations and consumer relevance," said Bob Langert, McDonald's global vice president of sustainability.
For example, McDonald's has made a commitment to sourcing all of its food and packaging from sustainable sources over time.
In addition, all fish for McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwich is wild caught, and currently 99 percent is sourced from fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.
On February 13, McDonald's announced that it will require its U.S. pork suppliers to outline their plans to phase out the use of sow gestation stalls, a move supported by The Humane Society of the United States.

Sows in gestation stalls (Photo by spiltbeans13)

"McDonald's believes gestation stalls are not a sustainable production system for the future. There are alternatives that we think are better for the welfare of sows," said Dan Gorsky, senior vice president of McDonald's North America Supply Chain Management.
"McDonald's wants to see the end of sow confinement in gestation stalls in our supply chain. We are beginning an assessment with our U.S. suppliers to determine how to build on the work already underway to reach that goal. In May, after receiving our suppliers' plans, we'll share results from the assessment and our next steps."
"The HSUS has been a long-time advocate for ending the use of gestation crates, and McDonald's announcement is important and promising," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "All animals deserve humane treatment, including farm animals, and it's just wrong to immobilize animals for their whole lives in crates barely larger than their bodies."
McDonald's actions are backed by leading independent animal welfare experts, including renowned scientist Dr. Temple Grandin. "Moving from gestation stalls to better alternatives will improve the welfare of sows and I'm pleased to see McDonald's working with its suppliers toward that end. It takes a thorough plan to address the training of animal handlers, proper feeding systems, and the significant financial investment and logistics involved with such a big change," said Dr. Grandin.
Gorsky said, "We are pleased to see a number of our U.S. suppliers adopting commercially viable alternatives. For example, Smithfield Foods and Cargill have made significant progress in this area. We applaud these, and future efforts."

One Year Later...

Estimated to be the costliest natural disaster in history (to date), the Great East Japan Earthquake took place one year ago.  Japan has been dealing with direct quake damage, multiple nuclear meltdowns, tsunami damage, approximately 15,000 fatalities, and social upheaval as a result of the thousands of displaced and evacuated citizens.

Say a prayer today for them all, giving thanks for the many blessings we have received.

Here's a link to a superb series of articles in Scientific American about the multifaceted disaster:
Scientific American - Japan Disaster

Jobs in Geoscience

So...you think our study of geology is pointless? Think again my friends.  Check out this article regarding upcoming jobs in the geosciences.  Teaching, petroleum exploration, coal, environmental aspects, etc.

Americans, Geoscience Jobs Can Be Yours

By Andrew Alden, About.com Guide February 23, 2012

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The American Geosciences Institute or AGI keeps track of the work situation for people in the geo-professions. Recently AGI issued its latest such report, "Status of the Geoscience Workforce 2011" (you can download a large sample of it here or buy the whole thing for $10 here). The job prospects are very good in this country as people retire and as openings continue to grow. Over the next eight years, AGI estimates, something around 200,000 geoscience jobs will need to be filled, and American institutions are nowhere near able to meet the need for degreed graduates.
I don't have to tell you how important geoscience is to civilization, especially sustainable civilization. When it comes to learning how to live on the planet we have, geoscientists do a world of good. But I should probably point out that any graduate in the STEM disciplines (this year's buzzword meaning Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) can have a great career by adding a "geo-" to their specialty—because geology is the mother of all sciences.
The Geological Society of America has just issued two position statements related to this issue. "The Importance of Teaching Earth Science" is a detailed set of recommendations for getting geology into the curriculum in meaningful ways all the way through the K–12 educational system. It has a recommendation that I take to heart: "The Geological Society of America encourages its members [that's me] to . . . engage in communicating Earth science to the public, including local schools." The second statement, Expanding and Improving Geoscience in Higher Education," is for the next level of educators. Given recent events like Hurrican Katrina, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, more and more of us know the value of geoscientists: "These issues challenge our technology and infrastructure and require solutions by integrated teams that rely on highly educated geoscientists." It's a reason for all science faculty, not just geology professors, to speak up for geoscience in their colleges.
I hope to encourage young people to take up geoscience, and I serve them and their parents with sound basic material. But I—and they—need an unbroken chain of education and training between student and jobholder. Please add your help on the way.
Resources
Jobs in Geology
Teacher Resources
What Is Geology?
Women in Geology