inner earth
DESCRIPTION
Class 5-4TRANSCRIPT
this issue
Exploring the Earth From the Inside
Special Edition
Community Night 2015
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Wenonah Elementary School
Class 5-4
ISSUE 1
March 2015
In an attempt to extract fuel sources
from the earth, you have to drill a
mile or more underground. A process
called fracking was developed to ac-
complish this, however, we need to
protect our earth. People don't know
the downside of fracking and should
learn more about its harmful effects.
What is Fracking?
Fracking is when people drill into the
Earth and extract natural gas from
shale.
When
the
ma-
chine
tubes
push
into
the
shale,
the
shale
cracks
and tiny holes are made. Fracking
injects sand, water, and small
amounts of chemicals into the holes.
This procedure allows trapped gas
and oil to be recovered. The gas, oil,
and water then climbs up the well
and is released. The water is then
evaporated leaving the natural gases
behind. The remaining oil is then
used and shipped to different compa-
nies. If this procedure is done im-
properly, huge disasters may occur.
And we know that nobody is perfect,
so at least one disaster will occur!
One specific disaster is that the gas
and oil will then return to its home in
the ground and contaminate our
drinking water. Imagine people doing
this every day with a disaster here
and there. Fracking needs to stop.
What are the Consequences of
Fracking?
There are many consequences when
it comes to fracking, and those con-
sequences definitely outweigh the
benefits. CRACK! BOOM! There goes
some more shale! When shale cracks,
CO2 is released into our air and wa-
ter. Smokey air, gross water, YUCK!
According to the article “Fracking
Causes Seismic Instability and Earth-
quakes,” researchers found that as
the rate of drilling and the use of hy-
draulic fracturing fluids increased in
an area, so did the frequency of
earthquakes— sometimes dramati-
cally. So they are saying that if you
frack to much in the same area, the
rate of earthquakes will grow in that
spot. We sure don't want our dishes
broken! The big consequences defi-
nitely outweigh the small benefits.
Who Developed Fracking?
In the 1940’s, American energy com-
panies developed the concept of
fracking. “As the years passed by,
and the number of these easily
tapped gas resources began to dwin-
dle, natural gas companies expressed
increased interest in “shale gas.”
Did You Know…
Before you find
any source of
fuel ( oil and
gas), you have to
drill a mile or
more under-
ground.
Fracking fluids
are pumped
down fracking
wells at high
pressures, some-
times greater
than 9,000
pounds per
square inch.
Fracking causes
premature earth-
quakes.
The Frown Upon Fracking
by Alexa Abrams
After the machine tubes
start the process of hor-
izontal drilling, the
shale cracks.
Shale gas is just natural gas
deposits imprisoned in under-
ground shale rock for-
mations,” said Kevin Hillstrom
in his book called Fracking. He
is saying that as years passed,
American energy companies
became more interested in
fracking. Those companies
made a big mistake. They
should have never started
this disastrous destruction in
the first place.
What first-time IT managers really need to
Volutpat mos at neque nulla lobortis
dignissim conventio, torqueo, acsi
roto modo. Feugait in obruo quae
ingenium tristique elit vel natu
meus. Molior torqueo capio velit
loquor aptent ut erat feugiat pneum
commodo vel obruo mara genitus.
Sus cipit, vicis praesent erat feugait
epulae, validus indoles duis enim
consequat genitus at. Sed, conven-
tio, aliquip accumsan adipiscing au-
gue blandit minim abbas oppeto
commoveo.
Enim neo velit adsum odio, multo, in
commoveo quibus premo tamen
erat huic. Occuro uxor dolore, ut at
praemitto opto si sudo, opes feugiat
iriure validus. Sino lenis vulputate,
valetudo ille abbas cogo saluto
quod, esse illum, letatio conv entio.
Letalis nibh iustum tran sverbero
bene, erat vulputate enim praemitto
validus.
Loquor, vulputate meus indoles
iaceo, ne secundum, dolus demoveo
interdico proprius. In consequat os
quae nulla magna. Delenit abdo esse
quia, te huic. Ratis neque ymo, venio
illum pala damnum pneum spago
loquor dolus lor secundum erat neo
adsum multo commoveo feugiat
praesant validus conventio voco
camur nulla. ne secundum, dolus
demoveo interdico proprius.Delenit
abdo esse quia, loquor dolus lor
secundum erat . letatio conv entio.
Letalis nibh iustum tran sverbero
bene, erat vulputate enim praemitto
validus.Enim neo velit adsum odio,
multo, in commoveo quibus premo
tamen erat huic.
Volutpat mos at neque nulla lobortis dignis-
sim conventio, torqueo, acsi rotomodo.
Feugait in obruo quae ingenium tristique elit
vel natu meus. Molior torqueo capio velit
loquor aptent ut lorem erat feugiat pneum
commodovel obruo mara genitus. Suscipit,
vicis praesent erat feugait epulae, validusin-
doles duis enim consequat genitus at. Sed,
conventio, aliquip accumsan adipiscing au-
gue blandit minim abba oppeto blandit min-
im commoveo.
Enim neo velit adsum odio, multo, in com-
moveo quibus premo tamen erathuic. Occu-
ro uxor dolore, ut at praemitto opto si sudo,
opes feugiat iriure validus. Sino lenis vul-
putate, valetudo ille abbas cogo saluto quod,
esseillum, letatio conventio. Letalis nibh
iustum transverbero bene, erat vulpu tate
enim dolore modo. Loquor, vulputate meus
indoles iaceo, ne secundum, dolus demoveo
interdico proprius. In consequat os quae
nulla magna. Delenit abdo esse quia, te huic.
Ratis neque ymo, venio illum pala dam-
numpneum. Aptent nulla aliquip camur ut
consequat aptent nisl in voco.
Enim neo velit adsum odio, multo, in com-
moveo quibus premo tamen erathuic. Occu-
ro uxor dolore, ut at praemitto opto si sudo,
opes feugiat iriure validus. Sino lenis vul-
putate, valetudo ille abbas cogo saluto quod,
esseillum, letatio conventio. Letalis nibh
iustum transverbero bene, erat vulpu tate
enim dolore modo. Loquor, vulputate meus
indoles iaceo, ne secundum, dolus demoveo
interdico proprius. In consequat os quae
nulla magna. Delenit abdo esse quia, te huic.
Ratis neque ymo, venio illum pala dam-
numpneum. Aptent nulla aliquip camur ut
consequat aptent nisl in voco.
Enim neo velit adsum odio, multo, in com-
moveo quibus premo tamen erathuic. Occu-
ro uxor dolore, ut at praemitto opto si sudo,
opes feugiat iriure validus. Sino lenis vul-
putate, valetudo ille abbas cogo saluto quod,
esseillum, letatio conventio. Letalis nibh
iustum transverbero bene, erat vulpu tate
enim dolore modo. Loquor, vulputate meus
indoles iaceo, ne secundum, dolus demoveo
interdico proprius. In consequat os quae
nulla magna. Delenit abdo esse quia, te huic.
Ratis neque ymo, venio illum pala dam-
numpneum. Aptent nulla aliquip camur ut
consequat aptent nisl in voco.
“Becoming a new IT manager means you
must actively take the reins”
Enim neo velit adsum odio, multo, in com-
moveo quibus premo tamen erathuic. Occu-
ro uxor dolore, ut at praemitto opto si sudo,
opes feugiat iriure validus. Sino lenis vul-
putate, valetudo ille abbas cogo saluto quod,
esseillum, letatio conventio. Letalis nibh
iustum transverbero bene, erat vulpu tate
enim dolore modo. Loquor, vulputate meus
indoles iaceo, ne secundum, dolus demoveo
interdico proprius. In consequat os quae
nulla magna.
Enim neo velit adsum odio, multo, in com-
moveo quibus premo tamen erathuic. Occu-
ro uxor dolore, ut at praemitto opto si sudo,
opes feugiat iriure validus. Enim neo velit
adsum odio, multo, in commoveo quibus
premo tamen erathuic. Occuro uxor dolore,
ut at praemitto opto si sudo, opes feugiat
iriure validus. Occuro uxor dolore, ut at
praemitto opto si sudo, opes feugiat iriure
validus. Occuro uxor dolore, ut at praemitto
opto si sudo, opes feugiat iriure validus.
Enim Delenit abdo esse quia, te huic. Ratis
neque ymo, venio illum pala damnump-
neum. Aptent nulla aliquip camur ut conse-
quat aptent nisl in voco.
We asked 5 accomplished managers the things they would’ve done
differently at the onset of their careers
Principles for Project
Management Success
What are the Benefits of Fracking?
Although many Americans disagree with the fact that people frack, some agree
with it. For instance, fracking provides good paying jobs and lower living ex-
penses. Some believe that the more natural gas there is, less U.S. citizens will
depend on oil and coal. These fuel sources increase air pollution and green-
house gasses. Air pollution and greenhouse gasses sometimes cause global
warming. So they are technically saying that when you frack, less people will
depend on fuel sources that cause global warming. Even though there are some
benefits, the consequences definitely outweigh them.
By making people more aware of the harmful effects of fracking, we can take a
big step towards an environmental change. The next time you turn the heat up
in your home, think about where that fuel is coming from. A few small steps
now, can make a big difference in our future.
Did You Know…
In 2000, there
was about
276,000 natural
gas wells in the
United States,
but by 2010,
that number had
almost doubled
to 510,000.
In 2011, over
16,000 new
fracking wells
were drilled in
Pennsylvania
alone.
Fracking is now
occurring in over
30 states.
Fracking is now occurring in over 30 different states
including the New York, and Pennsylvania.
Sinkholes are harming people and their envi-
ronment all around the world. Therefore scien-
tists are looking for better ways to predict
them. Sinkholes are occurring more often and
damaging the Earth.
What Is a Sinkhole?
Under the bedrock is the crust which water
goes down in the bedrock which forms a sink-
hole. After a sinkhole is formed, it could fill with
water and become a pond. Sinkholes form
when
a lot
of rain
comes
down
into
lime-
stone.
Sink-
holes
can appear anywhere in the United States.
What Places Do Sinkholes Mostly Occur?
Sinkholes can appear anywhere around the
United States. Florida has a lot of rain and lime-
stone, so sinkholes can form. Other “hot spots”
also can appear in Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. Scientists
have been doing research of when and where
sinkholes might occur.
What Are Different Kinds of Sinkholes?
Some sinkholes can be called a blue hole. A sink hole in
the ocean is called a blue hole. A blue hole is caused in
the ocean when the water goes down in the sand in the
bedrock and forms a blue hole.
Some sinkholes, which are called collapse sinkholes, can
give people a surprise. Most of the collapses have
things in common like there is a jam that occurs.
How Are Sinkholes Dangerous in Florida?
In Florida sinkholes appear to be very dangerous and
active. Florida has a lot of rain, so sinkholes form. In
Florida sinkholes can appear anywhere. In Florida sink-
holes can form into anything like a pond or a lake if it is
big enough. The water in the ground in Florida is disap-
pearing. During winter months sinkholes appear more
often.
What Happens When a Sinkhole Collapses?
Anything can fall into a
sinkhole like houses,
buildings even cars.
Even part of a forest can
fall down. Houses can
collapse when a sink-
hole forms. Entire hous-
es and their contents
are swallowed into the Earth! If people are in the house,
they can be swallowed up too! People are not often
killed. But sinkholes are enough dangerous that scien-
tists are looking for a better way to prevent any harm.
Sinkholes cannot be taken lightly. They are a really seri-
ous issue. Scientists need to do research about sink-
holes because they are appearing more often. Scientists
need to be able when and where a sinkhole will occur.
The Sinkholes of Doom
by Alexis Cotsalas
A sinkhole is formed by the limestone and
the rain with it’s moisture.
A lot of things fall down in a sink-
hole and this is one of them.
Behold the shiny nugget of gold! People have
loved it’s sparkle and shine since it’s discovery.
Gold may seem like a
heavy metal that your
necklace is made out
of, but there is more
to gold than you think .
What Is Gold?
Gold is one of the world’s most precious metals.
Gold is used to craft many things. Sometimes
you can see gold in artwork. For example, gold is
in the medals you win at the Olympics. Long ago
Egyptian people used gold as money or traded
gold for goods from other countries. When
somebody died in Egypt, the
masks that mummies wore were
made out of gold. Then finding
gold was harder than ever. Some
statues you might see could be made of gold or
gold plated. Gold is so valuable. It can some-
times be worth more than $600 per ounce!
How Does Gold Form
Gold formed in the earth very long ago. Scien-
tists believe that volcanoes heated underground
water, like soup boiling. That water melted the
gold causing the liquid gold to flow with the wa-
ter into cracks in the ground. The liquid gold
hardens between rocks. Then when it’s hard-
ened, it forms veins of gold. In certain places the
gold veins reach near the surface. Rivers and
streams flowed over the veins of gold. Gold still
forms today. The gold forms under pressure of
rocks.
How Is Gold Used?
Gold is used in many useful ways. Gold conducts electricity
better than iron or any other metals. Gold plays an im-
portant part in modern day technology such as computers
and computer chips. Other metals can’t reflect heat as well
as gold. Most of the gold mined today is used to create
jewelry. Gold one day might be used to fight cancer. We
need gold for many uses. Gold is even used to back up our
money. Ancient people used and traded gold into statues,
jewelry, coins and other beautiful objects. The audio and
video cables you see are often gold coated. Gold is even
used in science experiments.
How Does Gold Mining Affect the Environment?
Gold mining can be destructive when miners mine more
than enough gold. It’s destroying
habitats for animals especially in the
Amazon Rain Forest. To find enough
gold to fit one ring, miners some-
times have to mine 30 tons of
rock! Gold takes a long time to
form. If we mine up all of the gold we
won’t see another nugget of gold for
millions of year, so it’s important we
use gold wisely. The total amount of
gold ever mined would fit in 60
tractor trailers, researchers esti-
mated. When miners mine, it
leaves huge holes in the ground . They use a poisonous
metal called mercury to get gold from rocks. Mercury can
harm the environment. It can also make people extremely
sick. In 2009 was harder than it ever was to find gold.
Gold is used in many ways. There was more to gold than
you thought. It’s probably what your necklace is made out
of.
Golden Nuggets
by Alle Sawicki
In gold ores there usually isn't
a lot of gold
An average mine can
leave holes in the ground
Dangers Of Gold Mining
by Anthony Conway
When you hear the word gold you might think of
rare, valuable or expensive? Here’s one you
might not think of-dangerous.
Like all mining they have to strip the land, tear
down forests, and they might put chemicals into
the ground. What miners don’t know is how it
affects us and the environment.
What Is Gold?
Gold is the most useful mineral mined from the
earth. It is a soft yellow, precious metal found in
earth’s crust and oceans. Gold can be easily
worked, and can be used in many different ways,
but when you mine it can be very dangerous.
How Does Gold Form?
Gold forms in many different ways. First water
goes into the ground and moves through rocks
and soil. Then rain water is heated by magma un-
til it becomes vapor. Next gold dissolves into va-
por and rises toward the surface. After that gold
and water mixes near the surface and cools. The
gold becomes solid again, and it forms in cracks in
the earth. Finally wind and running water sends
gold downhill, and then gold is collected by
stream bed’s and pits in the ground.
How Does Gold Mining Affect The Environment?
Gold mining affects the
environment when acid is
thrown into our rivers and
pollutes them, and when
people destroy the
Amazon. When people go gold mining, they tear down
forests and strip mine which takes away a lot of land.
Gold mining also creates massive amounts of toxic
waste. Talk about danger. Gold miners usually dump
toxic waste into our oceans and rivers. As a result, ani-
mals are losing there homes and drinking water.
How Does Gold Mining Affect Us?
Gold mining affects us because when people go mining
it can cause illness, injury, and the worst of all, DEATH!
It can also affect us when
people cut down trees and
dump toxic waste into our
rivers, so as a result we
have less food and drink-
ing water.
What Is Gold Used For?
Although gold mining is
dangerous we need gold.
The most common use for gold is jewelry.
We use gold for money. Small amounts of gold are
used in electronics and computers because it is a good
conductor of electricity. In medicine, it is used to treat
a small number of medical conditions, and it is used in
dental fillings. Gold is a very important mineral for us.
Although gold is necessary, the mining process is harm-
ful, so if we keep mining it will affect us, the environ-
ment, and animals. Together we need to find a way to
mine gold safely.
Gold miners tear down forest and when
they finish animals lose there homes.
After they tear down the forest
they strip mine and they might
find little gold or maybe none, so
animals might lose their homes
for nothing.
Swip Swap by Anthony Jata
Imagine you are on a plane going to California. You get
off the plane, and you are in China. That is when you
realized Earth’s weakening Electromagnetic Field have
caused the poles to swap.
What is Earth’s Electromagnetic Field?
The Electromagnetic Field controls compasses, naviga-
tion systems, and animal migration. It also controls a
missile's navigation system. It is not like the U.S. will
send a missile and blow up half of the U.S. because of
the magnetic field swapping. The magnetic field is like a
dynamo. While the inner core
is spinning as fast as 2o longi-
tude per year faster than Earth,
it is making magnetism. It does
that by spinning in the bubbling
liquid outer core.
The Field Weakening
“The poles swapping might hap-
pen earlier than anyone anticipated”, says Annie
Sneed, Scientific American. The field is weakening 10
times faster than it usually
takes to swap. If the mag-
netic field gets weak
enough, the poles can
completely swap. North
will become South, and
the South will become
North. Currently Antarctica is in Siberia. For the field to
completely swap it will have to weaken first. It will take
from 1,000 to 20,000 years to swap.
The Effects of Weakening
The effects will not be terrible. “If the field gets weak
enough it can disappear, and let in radiation,” says re-
search. It can also let in cosmic rays, which leads to big-
ger amounts of people getting skin cancer. But the av-
erage pole swap-
ping takes between
1,000 to 20,000
years. We would probably pass away by then. Animals
would probably migrate to the wrong place. If a
butterfly had to migrate to Mexico, it might end up in
Canada.
The Wait
Of course there will be a wait until the field weakens
enough to swap totally. Scientists and researchers say
that the poles have been weakening ten times faster
than usual over the past six months. The total weak-
ening and swapping will take anywhere from 1,000 to
20,000 years. The last flip was about 786,000 years
ago. The average swap will
take 5,000 years to do the
full process. We will not
have to worry about the
dangers of the poles swap-
ping and disappearing of the magnetic field, because
the average human life is around 100 years.
Will It Be a Doomsday?
The weakening and swapping will not be a total disas-
ter! The compasses will point to North if you are going
South and vice versa when the field completely swaps.
As a result, when animals migrate they will go to the
complete opposite habitat they had to go to. If the
field gets so weak that it disappears during the rever-
sal, it can let in cosmic rays. That can lead to more
amounts of people getting cancer. For example when
the magnetic field weakens it can “interrupt power
grids and radio communication”, says Lisa Winter. If
the field disappears, it can give the planet an unusual-
ly high amount of solar radiation.
The swapping will lead to some problems, but it will
be nothing we can’t handle.
When the solid
inner core spins it
Apollo 5 was launched on March 13, 2015 at
10:44 in Cape Canaveral. It was launched to ex-
plore odd next to the magnetic field and the sun.
Earth’s Electromagnetic field is
Frantic Frackers
by Ashley Biondi
What the frack is going on? Fracking is every-
where. On the television, on the news, and in
the newspaper. Fracking is harmful and help-
ful to our environment, once you know the
facts about fracking you can choose what side
you are on. The question is, “Is fracking harm-
ful or helpful?”
What Is Fracking?
Fracking is a con-
troversial tech-
nique for recover-
ing or taking gas
and oil from shale
rock. First workers
drill a shaft down
into shale formations.
Then they drill hori-
zontally into the shale
and inject millions of
gallons of water,
chemicals, and sand into the stone. This caus-
es the shale to fracture and break apart, free-
ing trapped oil and gas inside allowing it to
escape up the well. The process also creates
millions of gallons of waste water. Sometimes
the water is collected and trucked away to be
purified. In other cases, workers inject waste
water back underground. When the gas comes
up, it goes into a tank and evaporates or sepa-
rates the water and gas. Finally they take the
gas to homes, factories, or businesses that
need it.
Why Is Fracking Helpful?
Fracking provides natural gas which can power
homes, businesses, and factories. Steve Herz of Joint
Landowners Coalition supports the idea that fracking
is safe, “Having visited hundreds of well sites, and in-
terviewed officials in 28 states developing natural gas.
We believe fracking can be done safely and responsi-
bly,” he said in an interview with Journalism Service.
Also President Barack Obama expressed his support
of fracking in a speech in Las Vegas, he said, “We
have a supply of natural gas that can last America
nearly a hundred years. It could power our cars, our
homes, businesses, and factories. Experts believe it
could support more than 600,000 jobs.” Fracking sim-
ulates more than a million jobs and the economy. It
also improves energy security.
Why Is Fracking Harmful?
Fracking is harmful in many ways. Fracking can cre-
ate minor earthquakes (2 on the Richter Scale). For
example, more than a dozen of small earthquakes
struck Ohio in
2012 were caused
by fracking. Sci-
entists suspect
injections of
waste water un-
derground is be-
lieved to make
rocks slide, so it
causes earth-
quakes. Ohio’s
government has
since imposed stricter rules for disposing waste water
from the drilling procedure.
The diagram shows how
fracking is done. After the
drillers take the natural gas
out of the ground they put
the gas in tanks, so they can
Fracking can contaminate water when the
shale rock breaks or fractures. When that
Fracking has a risk of contaminating our drinking water. When the drillers pump chemicals into the
ground sometimes the shale rock breaks and the chemicals could flow into our drinking water. If that
happens , the water has to be cleaned or purified.
Fracking can also make Global Warming worse. Climate change is believed to affect the water cycle
and cause more extreme weather events including heat waves, floods, and droughts. There may also be
more tropical cyclones and other severe storms. In addition, rising ocean temperatures can lead to
more rapid evaporation. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported “2012 was a
record-breaking year for climate extremes, as much of the United States faced historic levels of heat,
precipitation, flooding, and severe weather. For example, Tropical Storm Lee caused extreme flooding
in states like Pennsylvania and New York. During the first quarter of 2012, wildfires ignited along the
east coast from Florida to New England, and 48 states experienced abnormally dry or drought condi-
tions.”
Fracking is helpful and harmful in many ways, but have you ever thought how fracking can be harmful and
helpful to the environment? Have you ever thought about what the people and the government are doing?
What side are you on?
Imagine you were in an earthquake. Everyone is
freaking out and screaming. What would you do?
Would you run and hide or help someone else?
How would you know when it is coming?
Earthquakes are very scary and frightening. Since
scientists can’t predict earthquakes, people need
to know how to protect themselves and know
when they’re coming.
What Is an Earthquake?
An earthquake is a sudden movement in Earth’s
crust. This is caused by a fault. A fault is a crack or
a fracture in Earth’s crust. Earthquakes are caused
when a part of the fault block moves. As a result,
the other fault blocks around it fall, causing an
earthquake. Each year, Earth experiences about
140 earthquakes on the Richter scale at 6.0 or
more. This can cause severe damage to Earth.
Earthquakes cause tsunamis too. Tsunamis are
caused by an earthquake under the ocean floor. If
they come ashore in an area with a lot of buildings
and people, then the water can cover the whole
town! It’s like a public swimming pool, that no one
wants to swim in!
How Can Scientists Predict Earthquakes?
In 2015, seismologists (scientists who study earth-
quakes) still can’t predict earthquakes, but they
can measure them for sure. They use a tool called
a seismograph to measure the vibrations spread-
ing throughout Earth. If seismologists see many
small earthquakes in an area, they pay close atten-
tion. A basic seismograph has a pen and a roll of
paper. As the roll rotates, the pen moves in zigzag lines
according to the movement of the ground. This helps sci-
entists measure earthquakes. Even with all the tools they
have, scientists can’t predict earthquakes reliably. Still,
scientists want to keep trying to predict earthquakes.
Even, with all the tools they have, scientists can’t predict
earthquakes reliably. Still, scientists want to keep trying to
predict earthquakes because it can save a lot of lives.
Another way scientists can predict earthquakes is by using
the app Twitter. When people feel an earthquake, they
tweet about it and scientists will see how many people
are feeling the earthquake. This helps because scientists
can see how many people feel the strength of the quake
and which areas it’s in.
Are Earthquake Proof Homes Helping The Environment?
Many homes and buildings are not earthquake proof. On-
ly some homes and buildings are meant to withstand an
earthquake. There are buildings called “smart buildings”
that help the environment. These help the world because
they don’t fall down during an earthquake. If more people
had these homes, people wouldn’t have to worry when
an earthquakes comes.
These homes are built to have deep foundations and ab-
sorb vibrations. Since they don’t fall, the power of the
All Shook Up
by Courtney Bohlen
The earthquake proof homes design is meant to re-
sist fire and water damages.
earthquake makes the building only sway slightly.
This is better than your house coming crashing
down. Most “smart buildings” are built to with-
stand shock waves and resist shaking. A house in
Berkeley, California was designed to resist fire and
water damage. Scientists say it is the safest house
in the world. They say if everyone had an earth-
quake proof home, the world would be safer and
much better for the environment.
What Are the Effects Of Earthquakes?
Earthquakes can leave a lot of damage to Earth’s
surface. They can cause loss of lives by destroying
buildings and homes. An earthquake can be a sig-
nal that a volcano is about to erupt. Also, earth-
quakes can cause severe landslides. All of the dirt
or mud sliding down the mountains can cover a
whole town! That’s a lot of mud! With all the de-
structions from earthquakes, they leave most peo-
ple homeless.
Most homes have been swept away by earth-
quakes. One really destructive quake was in Chile
on January 24, 1939. This earthquake left 28,000
people dead and 700,000 people homeless. An-
other major earthquake was in Shaanxi, China in
1556. It’s magnitude was 8.0 and killed 830,000
people. With all of these earthquakes striking, a
lot of people are dying.
What Are Some of the Worst Earthquakes?
One question that comes to mind is, how bad can
an earthquake
be? On the
magnitude
scale a 1.0 - 3.0
earthquake is
rarely felt by
people and
leave no dam-
age to buildings.
A 3.0– 3.9
earthquake is
only felt by sleeping people, or people recognize
the shaking, but they don’t realize it is an earthquake. A
4.0– 4.9 earthquake is mostly felt by everybody and glass-
es and plates break. A 6.0– 6.9 earthquake is felt by eve-
rybody, buildings may fall and people find it hard to drive.
A 7.9– 9.0 earthquake leaves buildings in pieces and
many people get killed. All of the different magnitudes
are part of the Richter scale. The Richter scale measures
the movement of the ground. A very devastating earth-
quake was in 2004 in Sumatra, Indonesia. It had a magni-
tude of 9.1 and killed 283,000 people. Another very de-
structive quake was in 2010 in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. This
quake killed 220,000 people with it’s magnitude of 7.0.
Scientists say that a 9.0 earthquake isn’t as destructive as
a 7.0 or 8.0 earthquake. They say the most deadliest
earthquakes in history have had a magnitude of 7 or 8.
For example the Shaanxi, China earthquake had a magni-
tude of 8.0 and killed 830,000 people, while the Sumatra,
Indonesia earthquake had a magnitude of 9.1, but killed
283,000 people. If the magnitude is high, it doesn’t mean
that it will be really deadly.
How Do You Protect Yourself?
When in an earthquake, you want to make sure you are
100% safe. There are 4 different steps for protecting
yourself during an earthquake. The first step is to “look”.
You need to find a safe place to hide. The second step is
to “duck”. When you get a safe place to hide, you need to
duck, so nothing falls on you. The third step is to “stay
covered”. When you duck, you take your left or right arm
and hold your head. The fourth and final step is to “hold”.
What this means is, as your holding your head, you other
When an earthquake strikes, a lot of
damage occurs. The buildings come
crashing down leaving people dead.
The Richter shows the magnitude of an earthquake. It also shows the
arm holds the table or desk that you are hiding under. One tip is to always stay under something that is really stur-
dy. If you don’t, the object above you will tip over. As a result, debris will fall on your head, which may cause a con-
cussion.
If you are outside, you have to be even more aware because there isn’t a lot of objects to hide under. So, you first
have to move away from trees, buildings, and power lines. Then, you would try to find a bench or something stur-
dy to hide under. If not, just drop to the ground and cover your head to protect yourself.
I hope in the end, these answers will make you not as afraid as you would be if an earthquake struck in your town.
Earthquakes are very frightening and scary, but if you know what they’re about, and you know what to do, you will
stay safe.
When an earthquake strikes, you need to know how to protect yourself and the people around you. If you see peo-
ple around you who are struggling, you should help them because as much as the earthquake was stressful for you,
it is also stressful for other people. If you help other people, believe it or not, people will do the same and make
the world a better place.
The San Francisco earthquake took place in 1906 and is one of the deadliest earthquakes in histo-
ry.
Modern Day Gold Mining Destroying Earth
by Frankie Reganato
You may think gold mining is great but you might
want to think again. Gold mining is very danger-
ous, and it can get us very sick. Gold mining can
even cause cancer. Gold mining is destroying
Earth and animals natural habitats, and it needs to
stop.
What Is Gold Mining?
Gold mining is people getting gold for statues rings
and many other every day items. Gold mining is
also when we mine gold in mines or blow holes in
mountains with C4, TNT, or dynamite. Many years
ago there was the California gold rush where peo-
ple mined gold to become rich. That is still what
many people do today. If people go gold mining
today and find a piece of gold that weighs about
an ounce, you can get paid about $1,600.
Is Gold Mining Hurting Earth?
Gold mining is hurting Earth in many ways. One
way is we are blowing off tops of mountains which
are destroying Earth’s animal habitats. Also when
we use machines to get gold, we pollute Earth’s
atmosphere and water, which can cause global
warming.
People sometimes are not careful when mining
which can cause trouble. When mining they can
interact with the subway underground and break
the chains and damage the train. It is also one of
the most destructive ways of mining. Gold mining's
sulfuric acid can destroy the Amazon Rainforest.
When we make 1 gold ring 20 TONS of toxic waste
are formed.
Is Gold Mining Safe?
Gold mining is not safe because people are risking their life
for illness injury or death. We are near toxins and chemi-
cals. Also if we are close to the TNT when it explodes, we
can disintegrate. There is nothing safe about gold mining.
Do Some People Like Gold Mining?
Some people do like gold mining because they are buying
things that they WANT like rings or statues, but they
shouldn’t like gold mining! It can hurt you, or anyone in
your family. If any chemicals from gold mining get into our
drinking water, you can get cancer or very sick. If you are
close to the explosive blast you can disintegrate also.
As you can see gold mining can hurt Earth, people and ani-
mals. If we stop gold mining, we can help everyone and
everything.
Gold gets into the water and so does the mercury
they use.
This strip mine has destroyed the landscape and
many homes for animals.
You walk outside to a beautiful
scene of your freshly fertilized
grass on a hot day. As you reach
for a clear glass of water you
taste something different, unexpected. Fertilizer.
Fertilizer is destroying our aquifers, ruining our water
and causing our drinks and foods to give us diseases.
We can put an end to fertilizing.
What is Ground Water?
Ground water is where we get the water that we
drink from. Many people get their water from wells,
lakes or straight from their refrigerator. Many things
that we eat or drink come from ground water. With-
out ground water we would all die humans, trees,
plants, and animals. Our Earth would be as dry as the
desert and empty.
Organic or Poisonous?
Most people go poisonous (fertilizers). Meanwhile
very few people go organic which means they usually
put their compost soil on their grass or plants. Even
worse some farmers put fertilizers on their grass or
plants, so that that means we have fertilizers in our
milk and vegetables. “Eww!”
The Pros of Fertilizers
Fertilizing is not only bad. Fertilizing helps your lawn
grow faster and more green than non fertilized
lawns . There are three types of ways to fertilize your
lawn: chemicals, organic, or cow manure. They all
make your grass grow. You may see bright yellow
patches on your lawn. That’s from dog business.
When you fertilize your lawn it fixes all of
them.
How Fertilizers Can Be Distributed
Some people distribute their fertilizers with wagons.
Another way is having it done by a landscaper, and
finally is doing it by yourself, but if your to do it your-
self you need special gloves because fertilizers are
poisonous .
What Can Fertilizers Cause?
Many researchers found out that fertilized water can
cause the same cancer which is caused by smoking.
Cancer can kill you. Just a simple glass of contaminat-
ed water can kill you.
We Can Save Our Water!
We can make our world organic by making fertilizers
eco-friendly . As much as we think fertilizers help us,
it really kills us. It may seem hard to stop fertilizing
but its better than destroying lives just because of a
simple glass of contaminated water.
What’s In Our Water?
by Grace Smith
We can make fertilizing
safe for us and the envior-
Native Americans used hot springs
to cook, and Romans built reser-
voirs to bathe in warm water. It’s
like an instant hot tub!
How Does It Work?
According to Generous Geothermal
by Stephen J. O’meara, we can pro-
duce geothermal energy using con-
ventional geothermal tapping.
When we use this type of tapping, a
drill goes into the ground 1,000 to
10,000 feet deep into a water
source. The rocks surrounding the
water source are heated by molten
lava below. When the hole is
drilled, there are several ways to
tap the energy.
The first way is very old
and simple. You can tap
steam right from the
source and run it right
into a turbine, an engine
turned by the force of
gas or water on fan
blades, which as it spins, it creates
energy.
The second way is to draw hot wa-
ter from deep within Earth and
pump it into low pressure tanks.
When it is getting pumped into the
tank, some of the water instantly
What do think when you hear geo-
thermal energy? Volcanoes? Gey-
sers? Here’s something that
doesn't come to mind: powering
homes.
Some people power their homes
with oil or coal. Those types of en-
ergy pollute the air when they are
burned. Howeve, geothermal en-
ergy doesn't pollute the environ-
ment. The advantages of geother-
mal energy far outweigh the disad-
vantages.
What Is Geothermal Energy?
Geothermal energy is energy is
heat we get from the Earth. (geo=
Earth, thermal=heat). One main
source of this energy is the non-
stop up-
ward
flow of
heat
from the
Earth’s
inside to
the sur-
face. Geo-
thermal
energy is what we have the most
of on Earth. Earth’s crust contains
50,000 times as much thermal en-
ergy as coal and gas.
Humans have used geothermal
energy for thousands of years.
evaporates. The steam can be
used to run the turbines. If
the water source is cooler
than usual, the water can be
pumped through a heat ex-
changer, where it is used to
help evaporate another liquid
that boils at a lower tempera-
ture. This is called a binary
process.
What Are the Different Loops
of Geothermal Energy?
There are two different types
of loops to heat and cool with
geothermal energy. The first
type of loop is the open loop
system. The open loop sys-
tem is not installed as much
as the closed loop systems.
They can be the least expen-
sive method if ground water
or a well is close by. They are
also the simplest to install.
The open loop system has
been around for decades.
This type of system uses
ground water from an aquifer
or pond. The water is piped
directly to the buildings’
The whole geothermal power
plant does a job when it
Heat Beneath the Earth
by Maya Quaranta
pipe are connected to the drilling
pipe. The pipe is pulled back
through the bore hole.
The last loop is the vertical closed
loop. These are often used if land
surface is limited. The installation is
very expensive. However, it is very
useful when the ground is rocky.
The equipment bores vertical, small
holes. The closed loops contain an-
tifreeze. A special grout is usually
pumped down the holes surround-
ing the pipes and makes sure that
there is good heat transfer from the
surrounding Earth.
What Are the Advantages of Geo-
thermal Energy?
There are a lot of advantages of ge-
othermal energy. First of all, geo-
thermal energy is environmentally
friendly. It also doesn't pollute the
air. Geothermal energy is a renewa-
ble resource unlike coal or oil. It is
great for heating and cooling. Most
of the pipes that are needed are
underground. Geothermal energy is
pressure tanks and then to the
heat pump. Once the water goes
through the geothermal system, it
is returned to the aquifer by dis-
charging it through a properly
sized drain field, pond, river, lake,
another well, or the same well.
The closed loop systems are very
different. In a closed loop system,
the liquid keeps going around,
picking up heat energy, and trans-
ferring it in endless cycles as long
as the pipe is turned on.
The first type of closed loop sys-
tem is the pond or lake system.
This system avoids waste if the
water is nearby. To install the sys-
tem you have to put coils of plastic
pipe into the bottom of a lake or
pond. It is held down by cement
blocks filled with antifreeze.
The next type of closed loop is a
horizontal closed loop system. In
this system the pipes are placed in
trenches 6 to 8 feet deep. The rule
that is mostly used is 500 feet of
pipe per ton of capacity.
The next type of loop is the slinky
coil loop. It is shaped like a
flattened slinky. A large amount of
pipe is needed for the slinky part.
The next loop is the horizontal
bore loop. A small tunnel is creat-
ed underground. The operator
drills the horizontal bore, then
makes the drill to come back up to
the surface a little bit. The drill bit
is removed and the two ends of
also available anywhere. Al-
most all of the energy is used
so not a lot is wasted. Geo-
thermal systems save natural
resources by using the Earth’s
renewable energy. The sys-
tems also can switch easily
when you want heating or
cooling. They are the most
efficient systems available in
converting a small amount of
energy into a large amount of
home. When the system is
running, it is very quiet. The
machines last very long. An
open loop system cost less
than a fossil fuel system and a
full air conditioning system
combined.
What Are the Disadvantages
Of Geothermal Energy?
There are many disad-
vantages of geothermal ener-
gy. According to Generous
Geothermal, by: Stephen J.
O’meara, geothermal plants
can produce much more
waste water than a coal fired
or atomic power plant. With-
out proper management, ex-
tremely hot wastewater can
be discharged into local
streams, lakes, or saltwater
and disrupt the local ecology.
The wastewater can also con-
tain toxic chemicals. Geother-
mal power plants, in extreme
cases, can cause earthquakes.
Also, it is very specific with
locations. Geothermal energy
The open loop (right)
and the closed loop
(left) are very differ-
ent.
reservoirs are properly maintained. The installation of the closed loop system cost more than a fuel burner.
Now what do you think of when you hear the words geothermal energy? Open loop system? Closed loop sys-
tem? I want a system? Geothermal energy has many pro’s and con’s. If someone you know has geothermal en-
ergy, you should ask them about it and consider buying a system. The advantages of Geothermal energy far
outweigh the disadvantages.
Earthquakes can be caused by geothermal power plants in severe cases.
What is used in everyday life? The first thing that
probably comes to your head is cars? Food? Mon-
ey? One thing that probably doesn't come to
mind is biofuels.
What Are Biofuels?
Biofuel are a renewable source of energy which
is produced from plants. Biofuels are made of bio-
mass materials, such as corn, sorghum, switch
grass, barley, sugar, vegetable oil, and many oth-
er plants. Biofuels are designed to replace fossil
fuels, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, and coal. Fossil
fuels are nonrenewable energy resources that
make things go. Although they make things go
they pollute the air all around us.
Are Biofuels Renewable?
Biofuels are renewable. For example you can cut
down a tree and burn it for fuel. You can also
plant a new tree to eventually replace the wood
you burned, which means you can use biofuels
over and over again. Biofuels are renewable be-
cause of the energy force. They are able to be re-
plenished easily and quickly, and they do not
have a finite limit, which makes them be replen-
ished as quickly as they are used.
What Are Ethanol and Biodiesel?
Ethanol is an alcohol fuel made from the sugars
in grains, plants, and sugar. Biodiesel is a made
from fats, vegetable oils, or grease, such as recy-
cled restaurant grease. Ethanol and biodiesel are
both used in biofuels. Also, they are made up of
biomass materials. These kinds of fuels are usually
blended in with petroleum fuels, gasoline, and diesel
fuel, but can also be used on their own. Ethanol and
biodiesel means we don’t burn quite as much fossil
fuels. Ethanol and biodiesel are usually more expensive
than the fossil fuels.
Imagine if we were all in a world with pollution. Would you
like that? Thanks to biofuels, biofuels have changed the
world.
Fuel of the Future
by Jillian Furlan
Algae is also used in biofuels it is an-
other source of energy.
This chart describes how these energy resources are used and
also how much they are used.
“Why is there a hole in the ground?” Imagine
coming home from school or work and finding
your house in a hole.
How Do Sinkholes Form?
Sinkholes come with almost no warning. There
are many ways sinkholes form, but one way they
form by is if the limestone layer erodes away.
Next, the dirt can no longer support itself. Finally,
it sinks and every thing above it comes down with
it such as a house.
Another way sink holes form is if too much rain
erodes soil away, which can collapse streets and
other things. If you live in Florida you are most
likely to have a sinkhole. In other places you are
less likely to have a hole in your living room.
The Dangers of Sinkholes
So your feeling safe in an apartment. Hate to tell
you, but your not. The sinkhole might tip it over
or collapse. It depends on the size. Sinkholes can
be dangerous to residents. Also sinkholes can
hurt many people. Be glad sinkholes don’t hap-
pen too often. Don’t worry very few people get
killed in a sinkhole each year.
Human Uses
Humans have used sinkholes for thousands of
years. Sinkholes are now used for garbage and
waist storage. Thousands of years ago sinkholes
were used to store precious items and human
sacrifices. Even though storing garbage in sink
holes may sound like a good idea, its bad. It can pollute
reservoirs and underground water sources.
Effects on the Ecosystem
Sink holes have mostly bad effects on the ecosystem,
but there are some good effects. Some sinkholes have
habitats in them containing rare species. Sometimes wa-
ter filled sinkholes become full of wild life and rare spe-
cies of fish. Some bad effects include sinkholes caused
by fracking , which can expose toxic minerals to wildlife
and pollute lakes and rivers.
So next time you see a large sink hole call a sinkhole fill-
ing company to seal it up. Also let’s hope your house
doesn't end up in a hole.
S
There’s a Hole in the Ground!
by John Gemmell
Sometimes sinkholes form by pressure from lakes or ponds .
Vibrations can form sinkholes.
For workers to fill a sinkhole, they sometimes
have to close down highways for days.
Fracking can be useful. The natural
gas it produces can light our build-
ings, homes, schools, and more.
Fracking can also be dangerous if
done improperly. The real question
is, is fracking dangerous or safe?
Some people support fracking, and
some people don’t approve of it.
Fracking Can Be Harmful.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking,
can be dangerous because of the
chemicals being released from the
ground into the air. As a result, it
can cause earthquakes, sinkholes,
and a chemical change in the
weather climate. For instance the
gases can get people sick. Therefore
fracking is harmful for the earth and
people around it.
How Fracking is Done.
How do people frack? First workers
drill a shaft straight down until they
reach the shale. Next they drill
straight into the shale and inject
millions of gallons of chemicals, wa-
ter, and sand into the shale. That
causes the shale to break apart,
freeing all of the oils and natural
gas inside to escape up a well. The
process of fracking creates
wastewater. Sometimes the water
is collected and trucked to be puri-
fied. Other times they just put it
back under ground. Meanwhile, the
natural gas goes into storage tanks.
Then the natural gas goes to a mar-
ket.
Chemicals In Our Drinking Water
Fracking might be contaminating
our drinking water. Stanford univer-
sity scientist research says the wa-
ter has not been contaminated by
fracking. In 2004 the Environmental
Protection Agency or, EPA, had doc-
umented that fracking in drinking
water had occurred when compa-
nies take out natural gas from coal
seams. After finding proof of con-
tamination in the water, the EPA
wrote down the investigations .
“Amid Allegations” environmental-
ists and local people said that it
“succumbed to political pres-
sure.
Fracking and Earthquakes
Fracking can cause earth quakes.
In 2011 two earth quakes had
topped the magnitude of 5 and
was suspected to happen by
wastewater injection. Between
1976 and 2000, southern Colora-
do and Oklahoma experienced
an average of 21 earthquakes a
year with a magnitude of 3.0 or
higher. According to USGS re-
searcher William Ellsworth, be-
tween 2010 and 2012, the aver-
age was 300 a year of magnitude
3.0 or higher. According to the
2011 earthquakes in Oklahoma
and Colorado. “People believed
that wastewater injection in-
duced earthquakes could not
exceed, go higher, than a magni-
tude of 5.” Justin Rubinstein
said.
Fracking Issues
Some people won’t frack. Envi-
ronmentalists say fracking
should be banned because it can
contaminate our ground water
with chemicals. According to
ProPublica, an investigation
journalism service, more than
1,000 cases of water were con-
taminated because of fracking.
Wenonah Hauter, the president
of food and water watch Thinks
“ The U.S should focus more on
developing renewable energy
sources
Is Fracking Safe? by Kylonna Baur
Many people want to
stop fracking.
such as solar and wind power instead of fracking to obtain fossil fuels.” Wenonah Hauter thinks we need to ban
fracking because “We can’t expect or future generations to clean up our messes, which is why we need to ban
fracking NOW.”
Fracking is horrible and harmful. Fracking is dangerous to the environment. When fracking is done improperly
then the chemicals come up and get people sick. Those who think fracking is harmless, think again. The next time
you frack make sure the people around you are safe!
Many people want fracking to
stop so our earth is as healthy
as us.
Many people protest against
fracking.
Fracking wells can sometimes fall and explode
while using them.
Super Salt Mining!
by Michael Viollis
People might think that salt is useless, so we don’t
need salt mining. They are wrong. Salt isn't useless.
We need salt in our bodies to keep us alive. Since
we find salt rocks in salt mines, salt mining isn't bad
at all.
What Is Salt?
Salt is a mineral that we need to survive. Salt is
made of sodium and chlorine. We might need salt
for our bodies, but too much of it can kill you. Too
little salt can also kill you, so we need to be careful
about how much salt we consume.
Long ago, salt was used as money! Kings and
queens paid for many of their tools with salt. The
Great Wall of China was paid for with salt. Since
salt was so valuable, people began wars, and they
debated for it. Salt can change foods into different
types of foods. For example, salt can turn milk and
cream into cheese. Salt can help us in many ways,
and keep us alive.
Why Do We Need Salt Mining?
We need salt mining because it has the least dying
rate of all the ways to get salt. Although salt mines
collapse, there were more ways to get salt that
were twice as dangerous. People blew tops off of
mountains to find salt! People killed animals for the
salt in their bodies. When salt mining was made,
less people died getting salt. If we can’t salt mine,
we need to quickly find a new way to find salt. It is
extremely important to continue to salt mine.
What are the Benefits of Salt Mining?
There are many benefits of salt mining. Salt mining
is not harmful to the environment. If you visit a salt
mine, there will be chandeliers everywhere. It will
look beautiful. Salt mining is way less dangerous
than what they used to do. People would put tubes
into the ground or
mountains. Doing
that can cause
explosions that
can kill an entire
crew! Salt mining is
very helpful to
us.
What Are the
Downsides of Salt Mining?
There are some downsides of salt mining. Salt mines can
collapse and kill many people. People spend a lot of
money while salt mining, so when they collapse all of
their money was wasted. For instance, a salt mine in
New York recently collapsed. It was one of the big-
gest salt mines in the world. Salt mining, like any
type of mining is, extremely difficult. Part of a salt
mine can fall and trap you in the salt mine. There are
definitely more benefits of salt mining.
There are advantages and disadvantages of salt mining,
but overall there are more advantages. Salt mining might
be hard to do, but humans need it. What is more im-
portant, your money or your life? Still, people might
think that salt mining just gets us something we put on
French fries, but if people really think about it, they will
finally realize that salt mining is special.
Salt mines could look just like an underground mu-
seum with no ancient artifacts.
Salt rocks can come in
many shapes and sizes.
When you put salt on your food you
think that it is harmless, but did you
know that it was bad for the envi-
ronment? It can create large un-
derground caverns which can lead
to bedrock collapsing. Read to find
more information about the prob-
lems and solutions about salt min-
ing.
What Is Salt Mining?
Salt mining is when large moving
equipment is used to get rock salt.
You can
get salt
other
ways such
as the sea
and salt
deposits.
There are
also many
types of salt that you can use such
as pink salt, sea salt and the salt
that we use to get the ice off of our
driveway.
A long time ago salt was worth
money. If you had a lot of salt, you
were rich. That is how we paid for
the Great Wall of China. If we did
not have salt, we would not have
the Great Wall of China. Did you
also know that China is the largest
salt producer in the world. There-
fore you could say salt was pretty
important.
How Is Salt Mining Bad for the En-
vironment?
In some cases salt mining can be
pretty bad for the environment. For
example, one way salt mining is bad
for the environment is when salt
mining into the ground it can create
large underground caverns. These
caverns can lead to bedrock collaps-
ing. However this can also lead to
lowering of
the Earth’s
surface.
Salt mining
is not to
great for
the envi-
ronment.
How Can We Solve These Problems
of Salt Mining?
We can try solving these issues of
salt mining. One way we can stop
the issues of salt mining is when
salt mining there is something
called a subsidence. This subsid-
ence must be avoided when salt
mining. This can be avoided by
spacing out holes which are
supported by a big amount of
rock underground. That is
one way we can solve these
issues of salt mining.
Why Do We Need Salt?
We use salt for our food and
for a few other things, but
did you know we actually
need salt? Salt is very im-
portant for our body. If you
eat to much, it can cause
many serious health issues.
Salt has sodium chloride,
which we use in our food.
Humans need sodium chlo-
ride which we use in our
food. Humans need sodium
chloride to have their body
carry out any essential func-
tions. People have shown
that eating too much salt can
cause high blood pressure.
When you have high blood
pressure, you can have heart
disease and also a stroke. So
make sure you have salt but
not too much.
So the next time you put salt
on your food don’t think it’s
to harmless. Salt mining is
bad for the environment and
we need to solve these is-
sues.
Is Salt Mining Harmless?
by Mohabat Mustafa
This salt chopper is used
to extract salt under-
ground.
This is an underground
cavern which can lead
to bedrock collapsing and
lowering of Earth’s sur-
face.
Naughty Nitrogen
by Nicholas DeBiccari
What does using your car and having a running
factory have in common? It all contributes to the
problem of nitrogen overload.
Everyone knows when smoke is coming out of a
factory it is polluting the air, but it is also polluting
the water. When factories are polluting the air,
they are causing a problem for fisheries. Everyone
should be informed of the damage being caused
by nitrogen, not just to the environment, but to
humans as well.
What is Nitrogen Overload?
Nitrogen overload is when water is overloaded
with discharged nitrogen. Some bodies of water
are overloaded with discharged nitrogen. The ni-
trogen gets discharged by the pollution of cars
and factories. When the nitrogen gets in the water
it makes algae. If the algae is over aquatic plants, it
will kill the plants and the zone becomes a dead
zone. When nitrogen is discharged, it is very dan-
gerous, but when it is not it is essential to us.
Is Nitrogen Important to Us?
Nitrogen is very important to us if there wasn’t
any nitrogen we couldn’t live. When you mix nitro-
gen with water, you make part of an amino acid
which helps make protein. We get protein from
the food chain. The producers use the protein to
grow. Then one animal eats that plant, and another ani-
mal comes and eats that animal and so on. Even though
nitrogen is very important to us, there are debates
about it.
What’s the Debate?
Some people don’t care about what they’re doing to
the environment. However some people are taking into
consideration the destruction nitrogen overload is caus-
ing. In the past dozen years it has been getting worse.
From the more cars being sold and using tons of gas
and more factories being made, so you can see it is
getting worse. This is not just a North American prob-
lem. It’s a world wide problem, but nitrogen is also
effecting businesses. It impacts the water quality and
people’s health. Over fertilizing damages quality of wa-
ter.
How Is It Effecting The Earth?
Nitrogen overload effects the Earth like many other
forms of pollution. It is killing a lot of the sea life by
making a bunch of dead zones and making the fish go to
cold or hotter temperatures. Because the climate is
changing, the fish will die. Also, it
will make fisheries go out of busi-
ness. Oh no, no more sushi! There
are many things that nitrogen over-
load can effect, but how are we try-
ing to stop this problem?
Algae is what cau-
cuses all the prob-
How Are We Stopping This Problem?
Some people are actually trying to stop this prob-
lem. The reason why there are not a lot of people
trying to stop this is because they don’t have much
knowledge about this problem, but the people
who know about it are trying to stop it. One way
people are stopping it is by having farmers rotate
crops and fertilize their farms. Farmers are now
only using the exact fertilizer when needed, avoid-
ing over fertilization. In other continents such as
Europe, rules have been put in place to decrease
it. A special committee has been formed called the
International Nitrogen Initiative (INI) to help solve
the problem.
So now that you know, let’s see how much this
problem decreases.
Nitrogen is part of the periodic table.
Algae is effecting ponds world wide.
Strip Mining
Strip mining… it destroys everything. It’s like a
herd going over the grass
lands. It’s one of the most
common ways of coal
mining of. Strip mining
causes dust which causes
pollution. If the air is
polluted the people
and animals get dust in their lungs. Getting dust
in your lungs leads to lung damage. Wild animals
don’t have doctors, so they will probably die.
People will probably sill have lung problems in
the future like lung cancer or other diseases.
Under Ground Mining
Under ground mining is the most common way
of coal mining. Under ground
mining is also the most dan-
gerous way of coal mining. The
constant risk or the thin roof
clasping is one of the risks, but
sadly that’s not the only risk.
For example there is also lung
cancer at risk. Although under
ground mining is not all bad,
under ground mines are not
as destructive as strip mines although its still not
good for the environment.
Coal mining is a big problem that most put to a
stop. If we don’t do something it will remain a
bid problem, but with more help we can make a
big difference.
What do you think when you hear the word
coal? Not that interesting just another energy
source.
It may not be that interesting, but it’s a big
problem. Can these problems be solved or will
coal mining remain a big problem for the
U.S.A.?
Do We Need Coal?
Coal mining is an outdated energy source. The
U.S.A. does not need it. In fact, the U.S. does
not use the majority of what it produces. The
coal mining industry sells coal to other coun-
tries around the world, so a lot of profit comes
from coal mining. All we have to do is mine it
and sell it. Coal mining is sill a big problem cre-
ating for the U.S. because it’s creating most of
the mining for the majority of the world. Coal
mining businesses are making more and more
money. The coal mining industry is expanding
making the air worse in the areas where mines
are located.
Clean Coal Technology
Is clean coal technology what we think it is? The
idea of clean coal technology is to make coal
mining better for the environment. It is just an-
other type of coal mining, and it’s still bad for
the environment. Clean coal technology is a big
investment, so it’s most likely going to stay for a
long time.
Crazy Coal Mining
by Patrick Severino
This strip mine destroyed a
These men are coal miners
in an under ground mine;
the most dangerous way of
Boom! You wake up in a hotel. Your room is shak-
ing. You walk out of your room. You see air in-
stead of other rooms. You walk down to the
bottom floor and see a huge hole. You ask how
did this happen?
What Is a Sinkhole?
Sinkholes are holes that form underground over-
time. Sinkholes are dangerous holes that take
every thing in its way. It’s basically the cookie
monster that eats buildings instead of cookies. It
forms under anything. It will swallow anything it
could, even the biggest building.
How a Sinkhole Forms
Sinkholes form when water under ground dis-
solves limestone. They could be right under you!
DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN! They
can form when water dissolves the stone or lime-
stone. One other way it can form is by acid rain.
Acid rain forms by pollution. The pollution goes
into the air and clicks itself
together and dissolves ma-
terials such as limestone,
copper and many other
minerals
Dangers of Sinkholes
There are many dangers of sinkholes. A sinkhole
can eat a whole building it’s like a little bag of
chips. Sinkholes can also eat you. They can be as
deep as an abyss floor, so if you get eaten you
will fall to your death. They can spontaneously
open anywhere. They can cause many injuries
maybe even death. Some sinkholes do a little
damage or none. Some could even be a centime-
ter.
Signs of Sinkholes
Sinkholes are dangerous so you need to know
when they will happen and when one may form.
If you’re at home and loose nails, a sinkhole may
be forming under your house. If you feel small
earthquakes, that may also be a clue of it forming.
There are so many ways or signs of it forming.
These are the most common ways
There is no way you can stop sinkholes but we can
help prevent a lot of them from happening. We
can reduce all the pollution and make sure water
does not go under ground. This will help prevent
more sinkholes from occurring. No one wants a
sinkhole to form under their house!
Sinkholes Stink
by Robert Forgione
Sinkholes can form
anywhere
Is Fracking as Safe as It Seems?
by Serena Hecht
Boom! You jump up and hear another distant,
BOOM! That noise is drilling. People are drilling
for natural gas. That type of drilling is called
fracking. Fracking is hurting our climate, environ-
ment, and our earth.
Fracking is hurting our environment, but people
around the world can help stop it. If natural gas
reaches our ozone layer, the earth will get hotter
and it will make global warming worse. If we
work together, we can help stop fracking. Frack-
ing is awful to our environment, but people eve-
rywhere can help stop it.
What Is Fracking?
Fracking is a way to extract natural gas from rock.
Workers drill deep into the ground to a layer
called shale and start drilling. Natural gas is locat-
ed in this layer. According to the book “Fracking,”
the United States is estimated to have 482 trillion
cubic feet of shale now within reach, thanks to
fracking.
There are many
steps to the process
of fracking. First a
well is drilled into
the layer called
shale. Then the
workers drill horizontally through the shale. Next
a mix of water, sand, and chemicals are poured
into the tunnel. As a result, the shale cracks and
natural gas flows out of the cracks. Finally work-
ers trap the natural gas and water in a tank, and the
water evaporates. What is left is the natural gas.
What States Are Fracking Done In?
Fracking can be found in many states including North
Dakota, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and New
York. Can you believe that fracking is done in our be-
loved state New York?! Fracking may bring jobs to
tons of states, but on the other hand it is causing
many severe illnesses to the people living near wells.
Fracking needs to
stop!
How Is Fracking
Hurting Our Earth?
Fracking is hurting
our earth more than
helping it. It’s
hurting our earth
because it is causing air pollution, waste water, wa-
ter contamination, and earthquakes. An example of
water contamination is more than 1000 cases of wa-
ter contamination, linked to fracking, happened in
2008 alone. An example of earthquakes is in 2011, in
Ohio where a ton of fracking takes place, there was a
series of small earthquakes. An example of waste wa-
ter is, fracking creates huge amounts of left over wa-
ter called waste water that is contaminated with
chemicals. An example of air pollution is,\ the chemi-
cals from fracking can float into the air and can harm
many families.
How Is Fracking Hurting Humans?
People may be the creatures doing the fracking, but
they are also hurting their own environment. For in-
stance, there have been stories about blisters, bleed-
ing, and other illnesses that have happened to people
Fracking is damaging our clean water
supply.
Once the shale cracks, the
living near fracking wells. Dizziness, shortness of breath, and kidney and lung problems are also more stories
and complaints of these residents living near fracking wells. There are also complaints of methane in their wa-
ter. People who have had methane in their water have video taped it and set their water on fire. Would you like
to have to drink fire water? Would you like to have gas in your water? Probably not, but if you do, YOU’RE CRA-
ZY!
What Does The Government Say About Fracking?
There are two different sides of fracking in the NY and European government. Governor Andrew Cuomo would
like to ban fracking due to heath risks. ”I've never had anyone say to me, I believe that fracking is great,” he
said. “Not a single person in those communities.” Someone on the other side is Matthew Hancock, from the Eu-
ropean government. He says that fracking can transform northern towns in Norway. Norway believes that frack-
ing can help with very expensive bills from greedy energy firms. It is up to you to decide what side you would
like to be on, but I am on Andrew Cuomo’s side. I am not just on his side because I live in NY, I am on his side
because I agree with him. Fracking can cause many health issues. GO ANDREW CUOMO!
Fracking is very harmful to the environment, but people everywhere can help make a change. We can work
together to develop renewable energy sources like wind or solar energy, instead of fracking. We can make the
world a better place if we all work together.
Well water, contaminated by methane, burns at a home in Texas, as a result of fracking.
Biofuels For A Bio-clean Future
by Tristan Stout
Biofuels are the fuels of the future w fuels run low
and energy needs increase. As biofuels are better
for the environment. And better for cars engines.
Over the recent decade or so technology has
made a big leap creating a higher demand for ener-
gy most of our energy comes from fossil fuels. This
creates a lot of pollution, but we can fix that. The
answer is biofuels.
Biofuels
Biofuels are plant base fuels. They
are better for the environment and
could reduce carbon dioxide emis-
sions by 40%. Biofuels are a renewa-
ble resource.
Different Forms of Biofuels
There are many different types of biofuels, but
some are better than others. Corn ethanol is one
type of biofuel. One acre of corn can produce
about 350 gallons
of ethanol. Sugar-
cane ethanol is
another type of
biofuel. One acre
of sugarcane can
produce about
700 gallons of eth-
anol. Algae is one of many forms of biodiesel. One
acre of algae could produces about 15,000 gallons
of biodiesel.
Better For More Than Just The Environment
Biofuels aren’t just better
for the environment
they’re better for your car.
Yes, people your car, so
stop going to the auto
shop and make life bio
friendly. Your engines will run and smoother than ever.
Aren’t you tired of stinky exhaust.
Think of a world with clean air
and less pollution. We won’t
have to worry about global
warming. Our energy problems
are solved. If we stop using fos-
sil fuels and start using biofuels,
this is what awaits the world.
Biofuels
Algae plant
This were algae grows.
Ethanol
When people play on computers and gaming
systems, you don’t stop and think what they are
made of. People think they’re just made of wires
and all that, but there is more than that. Gold is
inside.
What Is Gold?
Gold is a shiny element deep in Earth’s crust. It is
a hard metal that miners dig miles to find. Gold
is also very rare. Gold takes a long time to form.
First rainwater goes underground through rocks
and soil. Then rainwater joins in with under-
ground water. Then magma gets heated to water
vapor. Next gold dissolves into water vapor
which goes toward the surface. After, when the
gold gets near the surface, it cools down and be-
comes solid again. Finally after time, erosion
pushes it back in the ground
How Do Miners Look For Gold?
Miners look for gold by digging in the ground.
They use dynamite to dig in the ground this wild-
life underground. Then they use cages to drop
down and mine
Were Can Gold Be Found?
Gold can be found deep in Earth’s crust. Miners
use dynamite to blow a hole in the ground. Then
the miners drop in a cage. This can kill the min-
ers if it brakes!
Why Is Gold Mining Bad?
Gold mining is bad because miners cut down and
destroy habitats. They also bulldoze forests to
find some. If the underground animals don’t get out of
there home, they will die. Good thing we don’t live in a
log. Miners can also get hurt and die from gold mining,
the chain holding the cage could brake. They could also
dig into subways. Worst of all they can get cancer! Min-
ing for gold is very bad for humans and animals!
Miners hurt and destroy habitats and animals get hurt
from this! Many animals will become extinct if this
doesn't stop NOW! We need a safer way to mine gold!
Danger in the Mine
by Zachary Wynne
Forests are being cut down so these miners can
just make a few bucks! Think if they did not find
any gold these animals just lost there home for
no reason! Those poor animals they just can’t
live in peace. They always have to move.