Student: Kyle Mezrahi
Graduation date: May 2020
Type: Concentration (single major)
Date approved: November 2017
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Summary
In order to properly manage water resources, tools such as technology and planning are vital to achieve this goal. My concentration connects the topics Architecture, Design, and Planning, Polar Regions, and Science and Technology Studies to focus on the topic of Freshwater. Freshwater is a topic that involves water quality and quantity in different places, and how it is managed from an ecological and social position. Mainly my concentration focuses on the factors and places that affect freshwater, including the management of water resources. For the topic of Polar Regions, I am interested in how polar regions play a role in the hydrologic cycle. Due to the melting of the polar ice caps (Hock 2005), water supply is depleted as it diffuses into ocean water. Because water is more dense than ice (USGS n.d.), the loss of polar ice is an ecological concern. All four of my topics each have a part to play regarding water management and water resources.
The role of environmental planners is to find a middle ground for land developers in order to limit anthropogenic impacts on the local community. Although planning does not necessarily make the planet a greener place, it does however make sure that future impacts will be diminished. This is because planning uses the future as a framework. Regarding water management, planning will offer mitigation tools such as flood and drought mitigation in order to sustain human life (Yates et al. 2005). However, every planner must take into consideration how water management connects with gentrification. This can involve those from one region affecting those in other regions. By creating urban green spaces and just simply making cities “green”, it hurts low income residents as it leads to increased costs in housing. Planners must take into account as to how green they should be in order to not hurt those who cannot afford the new added costs (Wolch et al. 2014). Under proper planning, there can be more effective water management systems that help freshwater resources but also take into consideration as to how the low income population might be negatively affected due to gentrification created by more powerful political players.
With planning being an important tool for the management of water resources, the role of science and technology has the ability to improve water resources and the lives of individuals on this planet. The interdisciplinary topic Science and Technology Studies, also known as STS, doesn’t just pertain to science and technology itself, as it affects society and politics (Lave 2014). In the future, freshwater resources will be even more limited due to the current and projected changes within freshwater ecosystems (Naiman and Turner 2000). Due to this, regions with a lower freshwater supply should look towards desalination, the process of converting seawater to freshwater. As of now, both Spain and Israel are important examples of countries who have invested in this technology. However, desalination plants require a substantial amount of energy, which can pose impacts on our planet and its people (Elimelech and Phillip 2011). It is necessary to understand the positive and negative effects of science and technology both ecologically and politically.
For my concentration, I am focusing on how freshwater resources is looked at through planning strategies and technologies, and how this basic necessity plays such an important role universally. Day by day, freshwater resources are declining and being polluted. Because of this, it is important to look at different approaches to managing water resources.
References
Questions
- Descriptive: Who are the main actors related to freshwater resources and what differing roles do they play in different parts of the world? How does the availability of freshwater differ in various parts in the world and how does it change over time?
- Explanatory: How does the melting of the polar ice caps affect the availability of freshwater? How do the actions of one country affect the water quality and quantity of neighboring countries?
- Evaluative: What insights do Architecture, Design, and Planning as well as Science and Technology Studies offer when managing freshwater resources? What are possible positive and negative ways to manage freshwater resources?
- Instrumental: How could the role of planning and new technologies affect water resources? What solutions could processes such as desalination bring?
Concentration courses
- CHEM 100 (Perspective Environmental Chem, 5 credits): Spring 2018. Understanding chemically related environmental issues surrounding and involving water. Understanding atmospheric pollution and how it affects polar regions.
- GEOL 280 (Fundamentals of Hydrology, 5 credits): Fall 2019. Understanding the quality and movement of water in different settings. Understanding how water is dealt with in planning allocations.
- GEOL 340 (Spatial Problems in Earth Science Systems, 5 credits): Spring 2019. Understanding spatial data through systems such as geographic information systems which can be used to understand water resources and water distribution via planning.
- ENVS 460 (Environmental Law and Policy, 4 credits): Fall 2018. Understanding concepts such as water law in the United States.
Arts and humanities courses
- HIST 261 (Global Environmental History, 4 credits). Pre-approved A&H course; no justification required.
- PHIL 215 (Philosophy and the Environment, 4 credits). Pre-approved A&H course; no justification required.