DEPLETION OF FOSSIL FUELS

SHAWN GEORGES

Shawng2001@aol.com

CIS 166

TIPS Program
March 26, 2003

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Petroleum is the lifeblood of our civilization, but industry experts predict that the world's oil supply will reach its maximum production and midpoint of depletion sometime around the year 2010.  Fossil fuels are currently the primary source of the cheap energy that powers our modern Industrial Civilization. Many economists and geologists warn that cheap oil will begin to run out in perhaps 10 years. Non-renewable, fossil fuels take millions of years to form, so for all intents and purposes they are finite and, ultimately, exhaustible energy resources. While few would deny that the consumption of fossil fuels will eventually lead to their exhaustion, how and when the various fuels will decline remain uncertain. The main problem is lack of resources due to overpopulation or over consumption in the developed world.  Either too many people consume a few resources, or a few people each consume too many resources both totaling a lot of resources.  The ecological systems from which the developing world derives their food, water, and energy can not be sustained with an increasing demand from an increasing population. If the demand keeps increasing the systems will eventually collapse. As the systems collapse the population which is a part of these systems will collapse.                                                       

 

                                                                      

speech

 

TASKS

 

The resource base from which the technically more adept developed world derives their food, water, and energy will eventually be depleted in such a way that the production rates will fall due to physical restrictions. You work for the environmental protection agency and you want to find the best solution for this growing problem by focusing on how the U.S is affected by fossil fuel depletion.  T his goal will be accomplished by using the 6-step public policy approach to write a three page written report and give an oral presentation on the effects of depletion of resources on ecological systems and the environment.

1.       Define the problem and possible effects on the United States.

2.         Gather evidence events that contribute to depleting fossil fuels (war on Iraq).                                                                                                               

3.       Identify causes of fossil fuel depletion                                                                                                                  

4.       Evaluate a policy used by the U.S government to prevent further depletion of this     

          international resource.

5.       Develop solutions to help the U.S government save this non-renewable resource.

6.       Select best solution to be used to assist in limiting wasteful use of fossil fuels.

                                                                                          

 

Process:

 

You will be placed in groups of four

You will use websites as sources of information on fossil fuel depletion.

As groups, you will discuss current policies used to limit drilling for oil.

Using the information gathered, you will generate a new public policy concerning fossil fuel depletion using the public policy analyst steps.

You will present this new policy to other groups in the form of an oral presentation.

You will also generate a three- page paper identifying the problem and suggesting possible solutions.

 

Evaluation:

 

Your grade will be determined using 75% of your score from your written report and 25% of your score from your oral presentation.

 

The rubric below demonstrates the criteria you will be scored on for the oral presentation.

 

55%

75%

100%

INFORMATIVE

Lacks information

Informative

Very informative

                           

GRAMMAR

Grammatically challenged

Very few grammatical errors

Excellent punctuation and grammar usage

 

The rubric chart below demonstrates the method you will be scored on for the written report.

 

Excellent

Satisfactory

Needs Improvement

Unsatisfactory

SPEECH

Loud and clear

Understandable

Inconsistent volume levels

Unintelligible

EYE CONTACT

Makes good eye contact

Makes adequate eye contact

Makes very little eye contact

Makes no eye contact

ORGANIIZATION

Well organized

Organization

Needs Organization

Unorganized

VISUAL AIDS

Effective visual aids used

Used related visual aids

Visual aid not related

Lacks visual aid

SUBJECT MATTER

Covered in totality

Covered adequately

Lacks information

Does not cover subject

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Standards:

 

This web quest focuses on the following New York State Science and English Language Arts Standards.

Science Standard 4

Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.

English Language Arts Standard 1

As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas, discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.

 

Conclusion

As a result of research and analysis of the data on fossil fuel depletion, you will not only discover the current government policies that exist but also use the scientific method process to come up with new and improved policies.

 

Resources:

Here is a list of a few websites that may prove helpful in researching the topic of fossil fuel depletion.

 

1.        http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/bestsol.html

2.        www.iea.org

3.        www.hubbertpeak.com/hubbert/index.html

4.        www.hubbertpeak.com/summary.htm

5.        www.hubbertpeak.com/hubbert/index.html

 

                                                         

You Know We Are In Trouble When They Start Drilling For Oil At Gas Stations