Environmental Science Reflection

Scientific Reflection

Describe the scientific method steps.  How was the process that you used to complete your project similar to and different from the scientific method?

The Scientific Method steps are: And how they apply to Project Cycle.

• Make an observation -Pertaining to Project Cycle we observed that there were very few bikes on the roads and this may be contributed to the fact that the area was not very bike friendly.

• Ask a question -What can we do to make the area better for the residence to start biking instead of drive?

• Form a hypothesis -If we provide bikes and bike racks people may be more willing to bike instead of drive.

• Testing the hypothesis -We have acquired the bikes and are working on getting the racks so this will be tested soon but is yet to be done. However businesses in the area has shown interest in getting a bike rack from us.

• Draw conclusions -again to be determined just because of the time it takes to work out a project of this size from nothing to something. Although from scientific evidence the amount of pollution that will be taken out of the air from each of the bikes we have had donated is substantial.

• Communicating results -After doing the drives and fundraising the results of support from the surrounding communities and the students was very high so we know that it is possible to keep a project like this based on donation.

Integration Reflection

Reflect on how you thought about (course topic) before you took this course and how you think about it now that the course is over. Have any of your assumptions or understandings changed? Why? What assignments/activities/readings were influential in this process? How will you approach (course topic) differently in the future?

Before taking Environmental Science I thought the course would cover basic biology and how it pertains to the environment. Now, I see how it’s not just the biotic factors of an area that is studied within the core of this science but also the abiotic factors that can have heavy impacts to us and the natural world that likewise has to be studied and examined. It has levels upon levels of complexities all of which bare weight on others.

My understanding of these cycles, be it natural or altered by human activities are that they can be changed by the simplest of acts that we make as a growing species. Through assignments such as drawing the water and carbon cycle, population simulations for future/past years, species records and food webs. We also had many activities that helped me see the patterns in every day interaction with the natural world around me such as sifting through the garbage from the SI building to we saw what could have been recycled, to helping at the community gardens.

With my new found understanding I have now started to incorporate several more sustainable practices to my daily life as well as worked with others so they can do likewise. Listening to others going through these same processes and trying to come up with alternatives with them helps me get through problems I may have when trying to introduce them in my life. Every day can be a new challenge when working with the ideas behind this science and to make the necessary environmental changes that are needed if we wish to continue enjoying life as we know it now. The lessons learned in this class will help me now and far into the future.