Download Human Environment Interaction Sample

Human Environment
Interaction
Beasley and James
2008-2009
What is Human Environment (HE)
Interaction?
• HE Interaction comes in many forms, from everyday use
of consumer products, to political agreements over
environment resources, to natural hazards.
Compare Modification to Adaptation
• Human modification of
the environment means
that humans have
actually changes some
part of the physical
environment (i.e. building
a dam)
• Human adaptation to the
environment is a changes
in human behavior to
cope with environmental
conditions (i.e. different
clothing)
KWL Chart
What Do You
Know?
What Do You
What I
Want to Know? Learned?
Daily Examples
• List examples of how we interact (both
positively and negatively) with our
environment.
Natural Hazards
• You will be assigned one of the following
natural hazards
– Earthquakes
– Volcanoes
– Tsunamis
– Flooding
– Drought
– Forest Fires
Hurricane
James / Beasley
August 30, 2010
3rd Period
How it Forms
•
Hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean usually start off the coast of Africa. In the summer,
warm and moist air rises from the ocean to form thunderstorms. Several
thunderstorms come together to create a tropical disturbance. As the tropical
disturbance grows, more warm and moist air rises from the ocean. This air begins to
circle in a counterclockwise direction due to the Coriolis effect. Once wind speeds
reach 74 miles per hour, the storm becomes a tropical cyclone (a hurricane).
Inside the Hurricane
•
The main parts of a tropical cyclone are the rainbands, the eye, and
the eyewall. Air spirals in toward the center in a counter-clockwise
pattern in the northern hemisphere (clockwise in the southern
hemisphere), and out the top in the opposite direction. In the very
center of the storm, air sinks, forming an "eye" that is mostly cloudfree.
Tracking & Preparing
for Hurricanes
•
Meteorologists track a hurricane and then warn people in the storm’s
path. When a storm might hit land within 24 to 36 hours, they issue a
hurricane watch. When it is less than 24 hours away, they issue a
hurricane warning. Meteorologists use the Saffir-Simpson scale to rate
a hurricane’s strength from 1 to 5. These things give people a chance
to prepare for the storm.
•
Preparation Tips:
– Contact the local emergency management office or American Red Cross
chapter and ask for the community hurricane preparedness plan. This plan
should include information on the safest evacuation routes and nearby
shelters.
– Learn safe routes inland. Be ready to drive 20 to 50 miles to a safe place.
– Leave as soon as possible. Avoid flooded roads and watch for washed-out
bridges.
– Secure your home by unplugging appliances and turning off electricity and
the main water valve.
Interaction with Hurricanes
•
When a hurricane makes landfall, it lashes everything in it’s path with
wind and rain. Fierce winds can uproot trees, shatter windows, blow
off roofs, and flip over cars. Heavy rains often cause terrible flooding
and sometimes deadly mudslides. A hurricane’s most destructive
feature is the storm surge. In 1999, a Category 4 storm hit several
Caribbean islands. Its 15-foot storm surge caused lots of destruction.
Cleaning Up After a Hurricane
•
Once a hurricane has passed, people face the task of rebuilding. A
hurricane may destroy homes and damage schools, hospitals, roads,
bridges, and power lines. Relief agencies are set up to find and treat
the injured and to supply food, water, shelter, and clothing. The next
task is cleaning up. This includes draining floodwaters, clearing roads,
and knocking down damaged buildings. Because this work requires
time and money, it may take months or even years for a Caribbean
island to recover from a hurricane.
Conclusion