GAIA Information Center

Speaker Thursday April 3

2008-04-02T11:36:00.000-07:00

The next lecture features Mr. Tom Boden, Director of the World Data Center for Atmospheric Trace Gases and of the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center of the Environmental Sciences Division in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. After graduating from the Institute of Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Applied Ecology, Mr. Boden and his family moved to Tennessee where he began work with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His professional interests include archival, analysis, documentation, and distribution of global climate-change-related databases, or the trends in atmospheric trace gas concentrations and CO2 emissions resulting from fossil fuel burning. The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center is the primary climate-change data and information analysis center of the U.S. Department of Energy. CDIAC's data holdings include records of the concentrations of carbon dioxide and other radiatively active gases in the atmosphere; the role of the terrestrial biosphere and the oceans in the biogeochemical cycles of greenhouse gases; emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere; long-term climate trends; the effects of elevated carbon dioxide on vegetation; and the vulnerability of coastal areas to rising sea level. Mr. Boden’s lecture serves as continuation of the in-depth analysis and discussion of the topic of global climate change which has been at the forefront of recent Institute of Environmental Sciences’ events such as the Willeke Frontiers in Environmental Sciences’ lecture held last year whose guest lecturer was IPCC panelist, Dr. Neil Adger, and this past week’s Focus the Nation event during which nine Miami professors from seven different departments discussed climate change from the perspective of his or her discipline.

Discussion of Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle"

2008-03-10T10:33:00.000-07:00

NEW DATE: Tuesday, April 22, 7:00pm King Library 320.

On Earth Day we will discuss "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" from Barbara Kingsolver and Steven Hopp, and Camille Kingsolver. This book chronicles one family's year long endeavor to eat only locally grown foods.

Join us for a lively discussion of the issues raised in this book. Can eating locally have an impact on global climate change? Will eating locally result in better health?

FREE BOOKS are available to those who participate in the discussion. A limited amount of copies are available, and they will go to those who request them early.

Join the Discussion and Request a Free Book
Borrow a copy of the book from OhioLINK (if free copies are no longer available)

More about Barbara Kingsolver
The "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" website

Focus The Nation Event

2008-03-09T08:11:00.000-07:00

Miami University will be hosting its Focus the Nation teach-in on the last Friday of March, the schedule of speakers can be found here. Prior to the teach-in, Thursday night at 6 pm in 112 Pearson Hall, the Climate Expert for Duke Energy, Kevin Leahy, will come to speak about the research and work being done in alternative energies and how many large corporations and companies are making an effort to "go green."

The original Focus the Nation event took place across the US on January 31st when schools, colleges, universities, religious organizations, non-profit groups and private companies spent the day providing a "teach-in" for their communities about Climate Change.

For more information, visit the official website: http://focusthenation.org/ or contact the student organizers for the "Focus Miami" event, Teresa Zaffiro, zaffirtb@muohio.edu or Kay Reichenbach, reicheke@muohio.edu.

Discussion of Michael Crichton's State of Fear

2007-12-11T08:20:00.000-08:00

On February 26th at 7:00pm, we will be discussing Michael Crichton's State of Fear. Free books are available to those who wish to participate...just let Eric know.

Book info from Amazon
Info from Crichton's site

Kangaroos to combat global warming?

2007-12-07T14:57:00.000-08:00

A different possibility for animal gas..... (Full article from BBC)

BBC NEWS kangaroos offer clue to global warming .Internet on-line. Available from <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2023371.stm>. [12/7/2007, 2007].

By Richard Black BBC science correspondent

Scientists in Australia are investigating whether kangaroos could help combat global warming.

Australia's sheep and cattle produce huge amounts of methane, an important greenhouse gas - but kangaroos do not.

Researchers believe it might be possible to use bacteria found in the stomachs of kangaroos to reduce methane output from cows and sheep.

Methane emissions from farm animals account for about 15% of Australia's greenhouse gas production.

Yet kangaroos, feeding on the same sorts of grass, produce no methane at all.

Nature hosts Climate Change speakers in Second Life

2007-12-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

To coincide with the UN Climate Change Conference, Nature is hosting a series of speakers in Second Life. Four speakers will talk about Climate issues in the next two weeks, including:

Tues 4th Dec, 6pm GMT, 10am PST, SLT
Tara LaForce, Imperial College, on her research into carbon capture and storage

Thurs 6th Dec, 6pm GMT, 10am PST, SLT
Professor Euan Nisbet, Royal Holloway College, London

Tues 11th Dec, 6pm GMT, 10am PST, SLT
Dr Simon Buckle, Director of Policy at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change

Thur 13th Dec, 5pm GMT, 9am PST, SLT
George Monbiot, Guardian Columnist and author of Heat: How we can stop the planet burning

See http://network.nature.com/blogs/user/joannascott for more info.

Baking Soda to curb warming?

2007-11-29T11:33:00.000-08:00

Baking soda could help save planet - CNN.com.Internet on-line. Available from <http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/11/29/climate.change.soda/index.html>. [11/29/2007, 2007].

By Megan Miller

(PopSci.com) -- In recent months, PopSci has covered various scientists' plans to curb global warming through carbon sequestration, mainly by feeding it to algae to make biofuel, or burying it underground.

Skymine uses the carbon dioxide emitted from smokestacks to make baking soda.

Today, a company called Skyonic announced a novel new system, Skymine, which uses the carbon dioxide emitted from smokestacks to make baking soda. According to Skyonic CEO Joe David Jones, the system will be powered by waste heat from factories, and will produce food-grade baking soda.

Last year, the utility company Luminant installed a pilot version of the system at its Big Brown Steam Electric Station in Fairfield, Texas.

There's still quite a bit of work to be done to make the current system viable on a large scale, but the baking soda idea offers solutions to some of the economic problems posed by other carbon sequestration methods.

For starters, according to Jones, the stuff can be sold for home or industrial use or buried harmlessly in landfills or abandoned mines.

Jones apparently got the idea for the SkyMine system while watching a Discovery Channel show with his kids. He pulled out an old college science textbook and immediately turned to a passage about converting C02 to baking soda. He'd found it interesting years ago and highlighted it for future reference.

New Videos from OhioLINK..including climate change titles

2007-11-19T06:29:00.000-08:00

From OhioLINK's "What's New"

OhioLINK’s Educational Films & Documentaries collection offers more than 2,000 digital, educational videos that you can stream or download from your desktop to show in class, link to from course pages and utilize for research. The new videos cover a variety of subjects including architecture, literature, psychology, science and social studies.

Some of the newest digital videos include:

First in GAIA Movie Series: Planet Earth

2007-11-12T14:10:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow at 7pm in King room 320, we will be showing two episodes of the BBC/Discovery series "Planet Earth". Refreshments will be served as well. Hope to see you there!

GAIA Book and Video Discussion Series

2007-10-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

Brill Science Library, King Library Hold GAIA “Amazing Read” Film and Book Discussion Group
Between November 2007 and April 2008, Miami University’s Brill Science Library and King Library will hold the GAIA “Amazing Read” Film and Book Discussion Group, a four-session series looking at films and books related to global climate change.
The discussion group complements an open house held on October 5, 2007 at Brill Science Library. During this event, participants explored several different “microclimates” devoted to research, information and literature about global climate change that helped them make their own informed decisions about the topic.
The first session of the discussion group will take place on Tuesday, November 13, 2007. During this session, participants will watch portions of the BBC series “Planet Earth,” narrated by Sir David Attenborough.
On Tuesday, January 22, 2008, the discussion group will view “Dimming the Sun,” the NOVA program that investigates the discovery that the sunlight reaching Earth has been growing dimmer.
Participants will gather on Tuesday, February 26, 2008 to talk about Michael Crichton’s State of Fear, a novel that takes an adventurous look at global climate change.
The series concludes on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 with a discussion of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. In this book, Barbara Kingsolver shares her family’s experience relocating from Arizona to Appalachia to live among a community of local organic growers.
All sessions begin at 7:00 pm in room 320 of King Library, on Miami University’s Oxford campus. For more information, contact Eric Resnis (513-529-7205) or Betsy Butler (513-529-1698).

prize drawing done -- winners contacted

2007-10-15T18:30:00.001-07:00

Winners were contacted on Thursday regarding the prize drawing... a second drawing will be done next Monday for any unclaimed prizes...so there is still a chance to win!!

GAIA General Prize Drawing

2007-10-06T15:31:00.001-07:00

The general prize drawing for yesterday's open house will occur Thursday. We will e-mail the winners first thing Friday morning, and I will post to the blog once the drawing is completed.

We would like to thank all 350 of you who took time to visit us yesterday!

Photo Contest Winners -- Faculty Division

2007-10-06T15:23:00.000-07:00

1st Prize -- Nick Noble, Economics

2nd Prize - -Christine Noble, School of Engineering
and Applied Science

3rd Prize -- Christine Noble, School of Engineering
and Applied Science

Photo Contest Winners -- Student Division

2007-10-06T15:01:00.000-07:00

If you visited the open house yesterday, you've already seen them. But here are the winners for those of you who couldn't make it...

Winners can pick their prizes up beginning Tuesday morning.

STUDENT DIVISION:

1st Prize (right): Angie Chan, Linguistics

2nd Prize (left): Brittany Barrett, Political Science

3rd Prize (right): Mike Leonard,
Management Information Systems

For those required to attend or receiving extra credit....

2007-10-03T19:13:00.000-07:00

Once you complete the open house/orientation, you will receive an attendance certificate which you will return to your prof. We won't be keeping attendance lists, so its important that you obtain the certificate and return it as required.

Prizes displayed at Brill

2007-10-02T05:43:00.000-07:00

The full complement of prizes is now on display at Brill. A glimpse is included here, but be sure to stop by for a better look!

THANKS to sponsors/contributors

2007-09-28T12:39:00.001-07:00

This event certainly would not be possible without the donations of many departments and companies. We would like to thank those contributors greatly!!!

Departmental/Office Contributors:
Ofc of the Dean & University Librarian
Student Affairs Special Events Fund
Institute of Environmental Sciences
Botany
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Computer Science & Systems Analysis
Electrical & Computing Engineering
Geography
Geology
Manufacturing & Mech Engineering
Mathematics & Statistics
Paper & Chemical Engineering
Microbiology
Zoology

Company Donations

$100 donation and discount on food towards event

Donation of two "dinner for two" packages (a $100 value)

Donation of coffee and cups for the food microclimate

Donation of food towards the food microclimate

Prize Contributors

What is GAIA anyway?

2007-09-26T12:36:00.001-07:00

GAIA, The earth mother, is the Greek goddess of the Earth. Many Neopagans actively worship Gaia. Beliefs regarding Gaia vary, ranging from the common Wiccan belief that Gaia is the Earth (or in some cases the spiritual embodiment of the earth, or the Goddess of the Earth), to the broader Neopagan belief that Gaia is the goddess of all creation, a Mother Goddess from which all other gods spring. Gaia is sometimes thought to embody the planets and the Earth, and sometimes thought to embody the entire universe. Worship of Gaia is varied, ranging from prostration to druidic ritual.

The Gaia Hypothesis is an ecological hypothesis that proposes that living and nonliving parts of the earth are viewed as a complex interacting system that can be thought of as a single organism, which was proposed by John Lovelock. There are many versions of the original hypothesis, such as, Influential Gaia asserts that biota have a substantial influence over certain aspects of the abiotic world, such as temperature and the composition of the atmosphere. Another, Teleological Gaia, asserts that the atmosphere is kept in homeostasis, not just by the biosphere, but by and for the biosphere. Homeostatic Gaia asserts that the biota influence the abiotic world, and do so in a way that is stabilizing, by negative feedback linkages. Finally, Co-evolutionary Gaia asserts that the biota influence their abiotic environment, and that the environment in turn influences the evolution of the biota by Darwinian process.

Sources:

Mercatante, A. S., & Dow, J. R. (2004). The facts on file encyclopedia of world mythology and legend (2nd ed.). New York: Facts on File.
Kirchner, J.W. 1991. The Gaia hypothesis: Are they testable? Are they useful? In Schneider, S. (ed.) Scientists on Gaia. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press)

Global Awareness Grab Bags

2007-09-24T16:13:00.000-07:00

The Environmental Action Committee will have grab bags available for free during the open house. Grab bags contain a reusable grocery bag, a compact florescent light bulb, and other information. If you would like a grab bag, pick one up at the organization tables on the first floor of Brill.

Navigating the Event

2007-09-19T05:55:00.001-07:00

So....how does it all work? When you enter the event, you will be given this document to the left (a passport fan or a passport protest sign -- you'll get it once you see one in person)...

You will need to visit four of the microclimates listed on the passport PLUS the Evidence and Evaluation microclimates to be eligible for prizes and class credit.

Once you have completed the requirements, just take the passport to the entrance tent and a staff member will validate it. At that point you can fill out your prize entry and you will receive an attendance certificate if you need it for class.

Featured Speaker: Dr. Wil Burns

2007-09-18T13:27:00.001-07:00

October 5, 3:30 PM
Science Library 4th Floor
Reception to follow

Dr. Wil Burns, Santa Clara University, presents:

The Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Terrestrial and Marine Wildlife

More Info About Dr. Burns

COMMENT: Is your mind already made up? Why?

2007-09-14T05:01:00.001-07:00

One of our goals of this event is to expose you to evidence from both sides of the global climate change argument so that you can make an informed decision as to whether the change is really occurring and if it is, what the cause(s) are.

For those of you with strong opinions on the subject, what evidence helped you decide? A newspaper article? A movie? Share your thoughts on the subject by commenting to this post.

Prize sneak peak!

2007-09-12T05:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a look at some of the prizes that will be available..

All-in-one printer available for winner of photo contest (student division)

Three digital cameras to give away

Five flash drives to give away

We also have two dinner packages from Kona available. Thanks so much to Kona for their donation of these great packages!

What are these microclimates about?

2007-09-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a description of a few microclimates you will experience during the event:

Evidence

The evidence microclimate will provide all types of global climate evidence from multiple perspectives and points of view. The evidence will include data, news/magazine articles, and scholarly journals just to name a few formats. Attendees will have the opportunity to view the evidence and make their own conclusions on global climate change. Attendees will have the opportunity to share their opinions on climate change and how they made their own conclusions.

Effects

The effects microclimate will feature some of the effects that are caused by a warming planet. Topics include (but are not limited to) increased sea level and temperature fluctuations, extreme weather events, and socioeconomic consequences.

Climate Mapping

This microclimate will feature a variety of climate maps including a glimpse of how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology can be utilized to analyze climate change.

The Amazing Read

This microclimate is loosely based upon “The Amazing Race”, and will be a fun and interactive way to discover current and classic books on global climate change.

Local & Organic Foods

Explore a multitude of foods from area farms and food that is produced organically. Learn what it takes to produce organic foods, and what effects local and organic foods have on the environment.

Attn: Faculty Members

2007-09-05T06:32:00.001-07:00

Please consider offering extra credit to students in your classes for attending Brill's GAIA event. It is an excellent way for them to become acquainted with the library. For more information, contact Eric Resnis at 9-7205 or resnisew@muohio.edu

Nature Photo Contest

2007-09-02T12:33:00.000-07:00

Yes!! Show everyone what a great photographer you are. In the weeks preceding GAIA, Brill Science Library is sponsoring a photo contest. Great prizes are in store (including a photo printer). Winners will be announced at 3pm on October 5.

CONTEST GUIDELINES/STIPULATIONS
1. All photo submitters must be affiliated with Miami University; amateur photographers only.
2. Submissions are limited to two per person.
3. Judging will occur in two categories: students and faculty/staff.
4. By submitting your photo, you agree to having it displayed at the GAIA orientation (Oct 5) and the IES environmental symposium on Oct 6.
5. Winners will be announced at 3:00pm on Oct 5 (winner does not need to be present to claim prize).
6. To be considered, entries must be submitted by 12:01am, October 5.

Mark your calendars!

2007-08-27T16:20:00.001-07:00

Miami University’s Brill Science Library will hold an orientation/open house event for students and interested faculty and staff members on Friday, October 5 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Brill Science Library, located on the west side of the Hughes laboratory building.

During the event, participants will explore several different “microclimates” devoted to research, information and literature about global climate change that will help them make their own informed decisions about the topic. Microclimates will also provide information about services available at the library, such as chat reference, OhioLINK, and RefWorks. The final microclimate will feature locally produced and organic foods.

At the beginning of their journey, participants will be given a passport to have stamped at each “microclimate” they visit. Students must be documented at six total “microclimates” to be eligible for prizes and extra credit. Some of the prizes to be awarded at the event include digital cameras and flash drives.

Dr. William Burns, Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Law & Policy, Santa Clara University School of Law (Santa Clara, CA), is the featured speaker for the event. He will speak about global climate change at 3:30 pm on Brill’s fourth floor.

A photo contest will complement the event. Those interested in taking pictures of nature subjects are invited to submit their photos online at http://www.lib.muohio.edu/gaia. Photos will be displayed during the event and judges will determine the best submission. Prizes will be awarded to contest winners.

Sponsors of the event include Miami University’s Office of Student Affairs Special Events Fund; the Institute of Environmental Sciences; and several departments, including Zoology, Mathematics & Statistics, Botany, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Computer Science and Systems Analysis, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Manufacturing & Mechanical Engineering, Geography, Microbiology, Paper & Chemical Engineering, and Geology.

This event is free and open to the public.