Albuquerque's Environmental Story

Collect newspaper or magazine articles about the natural environment around Albuquerque. Classify these articles according to whether they contain good or bad news.

Which organisms in the food chain are producers? Which are primary consumers?

Secondary consumers? Top level consumers? Scavengers?

What factors in a habitat influence which plants and animals can live there?

What characteristics of each of the plants and animals in the above lists equip them for the habitat to which they were assigned?

What environmental changes might occur which could kill the plants or animals or drive the animals away? What could be done to prevent these changes?

What animals and plants in the Sandias are considered endangered? What, if anything is being done about these endangered species?

Could Albuquerque be covered by water from the ocean again?

What impact would this have on the ecology of the area?

What kinds of changes might occur if the water again receded, forming land masses?

A 1984 study at the University of California at Los Angeles indicates the Rio Grande is widening. Why might this be occurring, and what could the effects be?

Is there any evidence supporting the idea that there might again be volcanic eruptions in the Albuquerque area?

What other major geological changes might occur in the distant future and how would they affect Albuquerque's area?

What other major geological changes might occur in the distant future and how would they affect Albuquerque's landforms?

What geological conditions are necessary to obtain geothermal energy? What are tectonic plates? What is the Rio Grande Rift? What evidence can you present to defend or dispute the prevalent theory about the Rift's origin?

What process is used to obtain geothermal energy? What, if any, possible dangers are associated with the production of geothermal energy?

What are the advantages of geothermal energy as an alternative to other energy sources?

What attempts were made at developing geothermal energy in the Albuquerque region? What was the outcome of these efforts? What were the pros and cons which led to this outcome? Take a position on the decision and defend it.

Which soil takes the most energy to form? How does nature provide the necessary energy?

Which soil takes the longest to form?

Which soil is the most fertile? Experiment to find out.

Which soil holds water best?

What is the pH of each kind of soil?

To what extent is land which is well suited for agriculture now being used for other purposes?

What areas are best suited for home or commercial construction? Which are least suited? Explain.

How much of the city is built on land which is susceptible to flooding? What steps have been taken to prevent further development in flood prone areas?

What is quarried in Tijeras? Where are the gypsum and coal used in the manufacturing process obtained? How are they transported to Tijeras?

What environmental impacts does the plant have? What effect, if any, does the dust have on the health of the workers? Of the residents of Tijeras? What other potential pollutants may be emitted?

What action is taken by the plant to reduce the dust? The gaseous pollutants emitted?

What problems are associated with revegetation of the disturbed land?

How does the community benefit from the company's economic gains? What portions of the these gains are returned directly or indirectly to Albuquerque? How many local people are employed by the plant?

In what ways could the plant further reduce its effect on the immediate environment? What would be the economic consequences of these anti-pollution measures?

Chill two bottles by placing them in the refrigerator or shady spot outdoors on a cold day. Warm two bottles by placing them in hot sun or in a warm place. Then, drop a piece of burning paper into a cooled and a heated bottle, as shown.

What is thermal inversion? How does the bottle experiment demonstrate the causes of thermal inversion?

At what times of the year do the thermal inversions occur? Why?

In what parts of the city? Why?

Are thermal inversions, in themselves, hazardous? Explain.

What role do cars play in causing air pollution in Albuquerque? What alternatives are there to the use of the car in Albuquerque?

What action should the city take to cut back on the use of the private car? Why is it difficult to carry out this kind of action? How can the average citizen help?

What are the consequences in Albuquerque if population increases and automobile use patterns do not change?

What role do wood burning stoves or fireplaces play in causing air pollution in Albuquerque?

Compare winter and summer temperatures.

Compare clothing, recreational activities, altitudes and agriculture.

Compare natural plants and animal communities.

Compare drinking water sources.

What is the major difference in plant communities?

Compare average daily temperatures during each season.

Why does Albuquerque have four seasons?

Predict weather daily. Compare with the newspaper prediction and the actual weather.

Note the directions in which fronts move.

Discuss how yesterday's weather in one location can become our weather today.

Examine the maps for clues as to what fronts,

high/low pressure cells, winds, etc. have affected Albuquerque's weather.

What global weather patterns influence our winter weather?

Use a computer program, CDROM or the World Wide Web to study weather.

What conditions encourage the growth of these insects?

What effect do these insects have on your life?

What can you do to control their population?

What kinds of mosquitoes and fleas are there? Which are the most troublesome?

Contact the City's Environmental Health Department to get more information.

For what animals do these plants provide food and shelter?

How long have these plants been in this area How did they get here?

Which of these plants have edible parts?

Which of these plants were or are now used medicinally?

Which of these plants are used as dyes in the making of yarn for rugs?

Average Temperature

Average Annual Rainfall

Natural Vegetation

Rivers, Lakes, and Major Springs

Land Elevations

Crops

What factors must be considered in planning a suitable habitat for an animal?

What conditions (amount of proper water, food, space, shelter, light, air) are most critical for different animals?

The classroom itself is a mini habitat for the human beings in it. Do you consider the room a suitable habitat? If it is lacking in any way, how could this be improved? Do humans have requirements for their habitats which go beyond those of other animals?

In general, what kind of rocks are found in the northeast heights? The west mesa? on the escarpment near the volcanoes? In the inner valley? In each case, where did the rocks originate? How did they get to their present location?

What kinds of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks are found around Albuquerque? Where is limestone most apt to be found? Granite? Lava and cinders?

In what kinds of rocks are fossils found? How are fossils formed? What is alluvial fill?

What is meant by the Great Unconformity?

How do your findings compare with those of the local Weather Bureau and the weather reports on the media?

What causes wind?

Does the amount of wind vary at different times of the day? Explain.

Which months or seasons have the strongest winds? Explain.

What is the wind chill factor? How is it determined?

What are some of the advantages of wind? The disadvantages?

How extensive is the use of wind as a source of energy in New Mexico? In the Albuquerque area?

Compile a list of adjectives to describe wind. Compile another list of references to wind in song, poems, stories, movies. What emotions are often associated with winds? With breezes? With severe storms such as hurricanes or tornadoes?

Be imaginative. Write a story, poem, song, or draw a picture about people and winds, like gentle breezes, gentle winds, or heavy wind storms.

What aptitudes and training are required for each career listed?

What are the rewards, both measurable and immeasurable, of careers in the natural environment?

What are the opportunities for advancement?

What are some of the interesting and appealing aspects of each of the jobs? The negative aspects?

What other information might be useful for people planning careers in these fields?

What might be the most helpful way of organizing such a book? Alphabetically? By broad science topics such as biologist? In some other way?

Describe outstanding ways in which people are using natural environment in a manner that is good both for humans and the ecology of the area.

What are some of the ways in which people have abused the natural environment, such as off road vehicles, litter, others?

What steps has the city taken to manage our Open Space properly?

Where can you find examples of effects on the environment that result from sincere differences of opinion as to how our land and river are best used?

How do economic or political priorities sometimes adversely affect our environment?

What recourse is available to citizens who differ with official opinions about ways to use the natural environment?