The Phoenix metropolitan area, like many large cities, has problems with air pollution at certain times of the year. You can do a simple experiment to determine some of the factors that affect air pollution.

In this video segment adapted from KUAC, find out why the horizon in Alaska is sometimes shrouded in pollution and what it means for climate change in the Arctic.

This course covers the complete cycle of designing an ocean system using computational design tools for the conceptual and preliminary design stages. Students complete the projects in teams with each student responsible for a specific subsystem. Lectures cover such topics as hydrodynamics; structures; power and thermal aspects of ocean vehicles; environment, materials, and construction for ocean use; and generation and evaluation of design alternatives. The course focuses on innovative design concepts chosen from high-speed ships, submersibles, autonomous vehicles, and floating and submerged deep-water offshore platforms. Lectures on ethics in engineering practice are included, and instruction and practice in oral and written communication is provided.

In this jigsaw, students will graph various Bald Eagle population numbers and determine the impact humans have had on the eagle. Specifically, they will investigate why the Bald Eagle was listed as endangered, the affects of DDT on eagles, and the affects of lead. Based on an original activity titled "Bald Eagle Population Graphing" from The Raptor Center, University of Minnesota http://www.cvm.umn.edu/raptor/prod/groups/cvm/@pub/@cvm/documents/asset/cvm_66866.pdf

Dr. Joseph Bookstein argues that the real cause of global warming is not the burning of fossil fuels but rather the needs and wants of the global human population, now over 6.6 billion. He discusses methods, feasibility, and implementation strategies for voluntary population reduction. (52 minutes)

In this interactive quiz from NOVA, take the Environmental Challenge and test your knowledge of human impact on the world's natural resources and climate.

This article examines the sixth of seven essential principles of the climate sciences--"We Change Earth's Climate." Written for the science teacher, the article covers greenhouse gases, land-use changes, and other human-induced causes of global climate change. Each issue of the free online magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle is structured around one of the seven principles. The content provides background information, lessons, and activities for K-5 classrooms.

Focusing primarily on the period since 1500, explores the influence of climate, topography, plants, animals, and microorganisms on human history and the reciprocal influence of people on the environment. Topics include the European encounter with the Americas, the impact of modern technology, and the historical roots of the current environmental crisis.

This activity allows students to figure out how they can negatively impact wildlife without trying.

The deep continental margins were once perceived as monotonous mud slopes of limited ecological or environmental concern. Technological advances now reveal unexpected diversity, with a mosaic of lush habitats and ecosystems that support varied and unusual species fundamental to the health of the ocean and our own lives. Join Scripps biological oceanographer Lisa Levin as she reveals how changes in ocean temperature and chemistry, as well as growing economic opportunities, are placing new pressures on deep-ocean ecosystems, just as we are getting to know them. (56 minutes)

Journey millions of years back in time with Scripps Institutions' Dr. Richard Norris as he describes the latest findings from a recent Ocean Drilling Program Cruise.Ę(55 minutes)

A group of Scripps graduate researchers recently returned from a 20-day expedition to the ŇGreat Pacific Garbage Patch,Ó a little-studied remote ocean region where plastic debris accumulates. Join Miriam Goldstein, chief scientist on the cruise, and colleagues Pete Davison and Chelsea Rochman, as they discuss the garbage patch, why itŐs there, and how they are exploring and analyzing the problem of plastic in the North Pacific Ocean. (50 minutes)

Is climate variability affected by the ongoing addition of greenhouse gasses to Earth's atmosphere? Join Dr. Chris Charles as he explains how geological archives are shedding new light on the human impact on climate. (52 minutes)

Thirty years ago California's per capita energy use flat-lined. Can we dramatically reduce our energy consumption to address climate change? Will economic factors propel or destroy our momentum? And, will the nation and the world follow California's lead? (74 minutes)

Are smart meters and smart appliances at the consumer level and smart installations at the commercial level making an impact on statewide consumption? Learn what the rollout of smart energy infrastructure in California is showing us and the vision for leveraging these investments to achieve deep energy savings. (56 minutes)

Spill Tools is a collection of three tools you can use to assess how effectively you can recover, remove, or disperse spilled oil using:
- mechanical equipment, such as skimmers, to remove oil from the sea surface.
- in situ burning, to burn off freshly spilled oil.
- chemical dispersants, to disperse the spilled oil throughout the water column.

Spill Tools was designed to help you to complete tasks like:
- selecting and staging response equipment, such as skimmers, fire boom, and dispersant applicators.
- deploying your equipment as effectively as possible.
- comparing the performance you might get from different kinds of equipment or deployment strategies.

Spill Tools was designed especially for members of Area Committees (defined under the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan), who need to prepare "local area plans" for responding to potential oil spills in a particular geographic area (such as Puget Sound or San Francisco Bay). Area Committee members can use Spill Tools to find out how to effectively deploy the various response resources available to them, in the event of a spill.

"Designing a dream city is easy. Rebuilding a living one takes imagination." -Jane Jacobs This course examines the challenges that cities will face and strategies they can use to prepare for the impacts of climate change. Particular attention will be paid to the presence of global disparities, the needs of vulnerable populations and resource constrained locales, and the ways in which local government and community-based activities can achieve equitable levels of climate-readiness.