Fall Semester, 2020

 Hello SE students! In this semester, we have been busy doing the textbook in a double-fashion due to COVID-19, and I myself have been so busy with the different time-frame and class structure, so I haven't had much time to write this blog. I apologize for that.

You have had to come to 1/2 classes with 1/2 of the students at a time: the first half of students during the first half of class, and the second half during the second half of class. I know it has been very hard for you, but we were lucky to be able to have "in-person" classes due to the low number of COVID cases in Kumamoto. However, that number is slowly on the rise! Please stay happy and healthy so we'll be able to finish out the semester in good spirits.

 This semester, we have done Unit 7 Ecosystems, and you designed your own ecosystem under a dome for educational purposes. Then we moved on to Unit 8, Nuclear Energy, and we talked about the power and danger of nuclear energy. You designed and presented your own safe nuclear reactor. In Unit 9, Lightning, we talked about harnessing energy and electricity from lightning! Here, you made power points of your own lightning energy harvester, and you presented your ideas to the class. Last week we presented designs for Unit 10, Erosion, that were based on erosion diverter or control systems. They were all quite good presentations!

In the next class, we will start to examine Environmental Economics, in Unit 11. You may not think so, but the environment and the economy are very closely intertwined. Economic aspects are very important in environmental and ecological management. The next time you have to pay a fee when you go sightseeing at a national park, scenic spot, or natural observation point, please remember that this fee goes into the upkeep and management of the area to keep it pristine and beautiful long into the future.

Alternative Energy, Recycling, and Natural Disasters

Hi SE students! The title of this blog post recalls some of the topics we've been working on as of late. Alternative energy is of the utmost importance because creating a new energy source will help break us out of our unhealthy bond with fossil fuels. I looked at some of the creations you've invented - marvelous! Who know, maybe one of you will make the newest form of renewable energy, or at least will contribute to the field.

Recycling is another important issue, and one that I find very interesting. I recycle things every week for the city (cans, bottles, plastic bottles, paper, etc.), but I also find myself re-purposing things. In other words, I use old things for new purposes. I use old handouts for taking notes. I use old T-shirts for cleaning. The other day I made a whiteboard stand using an old ironing board. Re-purposing is useful and can help take the burden off of manufacturing which takes up a lot of energy at a large cost.

Natural disasters are an incredibly important topic to learn about and discuss. Why? Everyone remembers back to 2016 when Kumamoto experienced its first earthquakes in over 400 years. I remember the days well, and I was very scared. Mainly, my fear came from not knowing when the next one was coming. Would it be tomorrow? Next week? Next year? In the next minute? We haven't had another since then, but we could, very easily. One thing that makes me nervous is that Aso is quite active now, and began to get active in the year or so before the quakes in '16.

What about what we are going through now? The coronavirus pandemic, or COVID-19. We don't (I should say, didn't) think of pandemics as being disasters, but now we see that they truly are. They are a health disaster, social disaster, community disaster, and an economic disaster. It's a very hard time, and I know we'll get through it, but our lives and how we communicated, gathered, traveled, and learned may be a thing of the past. We may have to adjust radically to a new way of life and socializing.

As I said in class, I would like to take the next two weeks (at least) to practice presenting online. You can present the Power Point slides for Natural Disasters that I assigned to you. Please try! Have a great week and let's see how it goes!

Science English Now!

Hello Science English students! So far in this strange year we have learned about the meaning of Environmental Science and also studied information on the atmosphere. We practiced listening and writing answers to questions. We practiced designing on paper and on the computer.

The topic design for this week is to create your own alternative energy source. This could be a very unique and timely project because this is something the world needs right now. People have been quite creative at thinking about unique energy sources such as: making energy by walking on a street sidewalk, wave power, and even making energy through sound or light. I know some of you have already submitted your homework for this week, and I've looked at a few. Thank you very much. Perhaps your idea for an alternative energy source will be the next big thing!

The next topic in the textbook is Recycling, another very important topic with very impactful implications. If we take recycling seriously, we can reduce waste ten-fold. There are many companies who try recycling, but a streamlined process hasn't been  perfected as of yet. Therefore, in the next class and for the next topic we'll tackle this important issue. Until we meet in the next class, good day all!

Welcome to Sience English!

Welcome, new Science English students! It's the start of the new school year of 2020. Unfortunately, we can't meet face to face, but we can do other things such as reading using the PDF of the textbook I have for you, reading and exchanging work through e-mail, reading this blog, and more. We are learning how to use many online communication programs and should be able to start soon. But don't be nervous about this. Online platforms are very useful and easy to use once you get used to them. I will also try to make an introduction video that I will put on this blog.

I am making a website specifically for Science English classes, and I will be able to put videos and other work on there as well. I will let you know about this by e-mailing you. For now, please read this blog and keep up with reading anything interesting related to science, IN ENGLISH!


That's all for this blog. Please have a good day, and enjoy reading and learning even though you all are home now. 

What is Environmental Economics?

Hmmm. Economics? Environment? Do these words go together? By George, are they linked in any way? Well, in fact, yes they are. The environment relies heavily on economics to balance the weights that are incurred on the environment through just plain living and the daily grind of humanity. For example, to curb over-fishing, a limit is placed on catches or a fine must be paid. In another example, a company is heavily taxed when it emits carbon dioxide over a certain limit. And national forests and parks are better maintained with high, but reasonable, entrance and usage fees. These are all ways in which the field of economics is useful, even necessary, to the environment. Read on.

When we think of the environment, many things may come to mind: recycling, water shortages, food waste, over-fishing, mass tourism, atmospheric pollution, to name a few, and the list continues. However, one doesn't often think of economics when one thinks of the environment, but make no mistake about it - the two topics are tightly intertwined. Then environment opens the way for economic activity to take place, such as in paying a fee to get into a wildlife refuge, paying to enjoy a zoo or a bird sanctuary, or our tax money going to upkeep a national park. With the influx of tourists to those places, though, natural things experience wear and tear, break-down, littering, pollution, and other negative effects. One good thing is that economics can be brought in to help combat these problems, too, such as in levying a carbon tax, instituting fines for littering, and administering government sanctions against countries who participate in less-than-positive environmental activities.

We will begin to focus on environmental economics in the next class, where we will read the passage, work on some vocabulary, write some sentences, answer some questions all under the topic of environmental economics. Then we will turn to our design projects as usual. What will our design project be? Can you imagine designing something that combines the environment with economics? Think about it. You will find out soon enough!