Earth Institute: Upcoming Events

Posted by W2G

I recently recieved an email from Earth Institute listing the following upcoming events.  I will continue to update events as I am notified.

Wednesday, November 19

Earth Institute Fellows Symposium
Speakers: Earth Institute Fellows; Introduction by Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Time: 1:30 to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Alfred Lerner Hall, Room 555

Contact: Events, events@ei.columbia.edu or call (212) 854-8158

Thursday, November 20

Master of Public Administration in Development Practice Information Session
Speakers: Various
Time: 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, International Affairs Building, 420 West 118th Street, Room 1501
Contact: Noura Bakkour, nb2321@columbia.edu or call (212) 854-3142

Tuesday, November 18

Sustainable Development at Columbia University: Human Rights and Sustainable Development
Speaker: Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Time: 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Jerome L. Greene Hall, room 104
Contact: Columbia Law School, hri@law.columbia.edu

Wednesday, November 19

The Politics of Food: A Conference on New York’s Next Policy Challenge
Speakers: Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor, City of New York; Father Miguel d’Escoto Brockman, President, United Nations General Assembly; Maya Wiley, Director, Center for Social Inclusion; Thomas Forster, New School Food Studies Program
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Alfred Lerner Hall, Roone Arledge Auditorium
Contact: Politics of Food Conference, conference@manhattanbp.org
Web Site: http://www.sipa.columbia.edu/food

Office of Academic and Research Programs: Geospatial Applications Brownbag
Speaker: Mark Becker, Senior Staff Associate, Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)
Time: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, School of International and Public Affairs Room 801
Contact: Amanda Christie, arc2140@columbia.edu

LDEO Division of Geochemistry Seminar Series
Speaker: Kevin Jones, Graduate Student, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University
Time: 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Gary C. Comer Geochemistry Building, First Floor Seminar Room
Contact: David McGee, dmcgee@ldeo.columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~dmcgee/GeochemSeminar/Home.html

Earth Institute Fellows Symposium
Speakers: Earth Institute Fellows; Introduction by Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, The Earth Institute at Columbia University
Time: 1:30 to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Alfred Lerner Hall, Room 555
Contact: Events, events@ei.columbia.edu or call (212) 854-8158

The Climate Center Lecturer Series: The Flow of Energy Through the Climate System - Part II
Speaker: Kevin E. Trenberth, National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
Time: 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, NASA/Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) Armstrong Hall, 3rd Floor Conference Room
Contact: Gavin Schmidt, gschmidt@giss.nasa.gov or call (212) 678-5627
Web Site: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/climatecenter/climate-center-lecturer-series/2008trenberthkevin

Columbia Water Center Seminar Series: Urban Impacts on Precipitation - An Intercomparison of the New York City and Beijing Metropolitan Regions
Speaker: James Smith, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Director, Program in Geological Engineering; Director, Program in Environmental Engineering and Water Resources, Princeton University
Time: 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, 924 Seeley W. Mudd Building
Contact: Columbia Water Center, watercenter@columbia.edu

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Information Session
Speakers: Various
Time: 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Alfred Lerner Hall, Satow Room (5th floor)
Contact: Betsy Ness-Edelstein, betsy@ei.columbia.edu or call (212) 854-2525

CSSR Fall Seminar Series: Mother-Infant Interactions
Speaker: Beatrice Beebe, Clinical Professor of Medical Psychology (in Psychiatry), College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute; Professor, Columbia Psychoanalytic Center, Institute for the Psychoanalytic Study of Subjectivity, NYU Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis
Time: 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Schapiro CEPSR Building, Davis Auditorium
Contact: Ossian Foley, opf1@columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cssr/upcoming_cssr_calendar.html

Thursday, November 20

The Climate Center Lecturer Series: The Global Water Cycle and Its Changes
Speaker: Kevin E. Trenberth, National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Monell Building Auditorium
Contact: Arthur Greene, amg@iri.columbia.edu or call (845) 680-4436
Web Site: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/climatecenter/climate-center-lecturer-series/2008trenberthkevin

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(Click here to check out this Waterwise?? Distiller w/ Electronic Monitor )

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IGERT Joint Program 2008 Colloquium: Towards an Objective Evaluation of Climate Model Performance
Speaker: Thomas Reichler, Assistant Professor, Department of Meteorology, University of Utah
Time: 2:45 to 3:45 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, Seeley W. Mudd Building, Room 214
Contact: Jennifer Cho, jc2305@columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.appmath.columbia.edu/igert

Master of Public Administration in Development Practice Information Session
Speakers: Various
Time: 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Morningside Campus, International Affairs Building, 420 West 118th Street, Room 1501
Contact: Noura Bakkour, nb2321@columbia.edu or call (212) 854-3142

Friday, November 21

IRI Seminar: Climate, Forecast and Impacts Briefing
Speakers: Various
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont Campus, Monell Building Auditorium
Contact: Maria Rise C Fullon, mrf2102@columbia.edu

LDEO Earth Science Colloquium: Resetting Thermochronology of Near-Surface Processes
Speaker: Peter Reiners, Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona
Time: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-DohertyEarth Observatory, Monell Building Auditorium
Contact: Natalie Boelman, nboelman@ldeo.columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/news-events/events/colloquium

LDEO Earth Science Colloquium
Speaker: Peter Reiners, Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona
Time: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Monell Building Auditorium
Contact: Natalie Boelman, nboelman@ldeo.columbia.edu
Web Site: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu

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All events are open to the public unless otherwise noted. For specific details on these events, visit the Earth Institute Calendar of Events

Directions to Columbia University

Directions to the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

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All the above information was provided to my via email from “Earth Institute Events” events@ei.columbia.edu 

For more information, please visit Columbia University: Earth Institute website.

 Advertisments contained in this post are not sponsored by Earth Institute or Columbia University

 

Fireworks: Friend or Foe?

Posted by W2G

Fireworks:  Friend or Foe?

By: Jacque

  Fireworks are a national past time.  Many of us have fond memories of enjoying them with friends and family.  But, could these same fireworks be putting our health and environment at risk?

According to AQMD, the particulate levels in the areas around fireworks displays increase by about 100 times and do not return to normal until midday the next day.  These particulates can cause a host of physical reactions including, coughing, soar throats, and burning eyes, with increased risks for people with asthma.

In addition, the particulates from fireworks wind up in the environment.  The particles settle on the ground and contaminate waterways.  A study, done by the Environmental Protection Agency, found that the level of some chemicals increase by 1,000 in an Oklahoma lake, proceeding a fireworks display.

Disney to the rescue!  Among others, Disney has been working to develop cleaner fireworks.  One option is ditching carbon-based materials for nitrogen atoms. According to scientists, this will introduce far less smoke into the environment.  Another option is fireworks that use nitrocellulose.  These fireworks emit water, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide instead of smoke.

With environmental concerns driving the undustry, it looks like there may be a bright future for fireworks.  All puns intended. 

Have a safe and green holiday weekend,

W2G

Original article:  Los Angeles Times

EPA Making it Easier to Pollute?

Posted by W2G

06/23/2008

EPA Making it Easier to Pollute National Parks?

By: Jacque

Not if Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander has anything to say about it.  In an interview with the Associated Press, the Republican Senator vowed to urge Congress to overrule the Environmental Protection Agency if necessary.

What is the issue?  The EPA may adopt a rule, that has been pending since last June, that will make it easier to build coal-fired power plants near national parks.  Instead of focusing on reducing the impact of a new pollution source, the rule would change the way the EPA calculates the impact.  According to John Bunyak of the National Park Service’s Air Resources Division in Denver, instead of looking at peak periods of pollution, the new rule would use annual averages.

National Parks Conservation Association representative, Don Barger, compares it to someone puting one hand in a block of ice and the other in a fire. “Your average temperature is just fine, but your hands are not.” (AP)