Samples of Student Work
Vannah Beal
Masdar City: A Self-Sustaining Urban Utopia
By 2030, 60 per cent of the world's population will live in cities, according to a study of the state of the world's cities by the UN Human Settlements Programme. In this day and age, many of our cities are inefficient, unsafe, and unclean. A company called Masdar, a subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company, in Abu Dhabi, UAE is building the core of what will be a beta testing green energy model for cities across the globe. Masdar city, when finished, will ensure easy and efficient mobility and transport, feasible reliance on renewable energy, and energy-efficient architecture. Through groundbreaking innovations in green technology and visionary city planning, Masdar City will become the city of the future.
Masdar City has been the model city for green transportation technology. According to the current transportation plan you will never be further than 150m away from public transportation that can take you virtually anywhere you want to go within the city. It will be apredominantly pedestrian city with fossil fuel vehicles parked outside the city borders. Masdar will provide electric-powered Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) vehicles for personal travel. These electromagnetic self-driving smart podcars will be equipped with air conditioning and two comfortable seating benches facing one another. Additionally, an underground metro and a light rail system will be supplied and free to the public. These will be connected to the nearby airport and provide access to surrounding communities. All forms of transportation will be both energy efficient an reliant on clean energy.
Located in the outer boundaries of Masdar is a 10 MW solar photovoltaic plant, whose 87,777 polycrystalline and thin-film modules occupy a 22-hectare site making the largest solar plant in the Middle East. An additional 30% of the city’s power supply will be provided by solar panel arrays on building roofs throughout the city. Said PV arrays can heat water directly to 400 degrees Celsius in a vacuum tube, thus producing thermal energy that can be used to run generators. By this method, every solar cell is producing both solar and thermal energy.
In the Middle East, it is vital to design structures that aid in cooling. This can be attained by energy-efficient architecture such as a city layout that optimizes ventilation, building massing, a roof shape that encourages airflow, orientation that minimizes sun exposure, and water features that evaporate creating a cool environment. With a avg. temperature of 108 degrees Fahrenheit in summer, Masdar city will act as an oasis in the middle of the Rub' al Khali desert.
Masdar City is the future of sustainable cities worldwide. Many companies are planning to build similar developments on the contingency of its success; it is for this reason that Masdar must prosper. The world is in dire need of renewable energy reliant communities. This city is sure to bring about environmental ingenuity.
Masdar City: A Self-Sustaining Urban Utopia
By 2030, 60 per cent of the world's population will live in cities, according to a study of the state of the world's cities by the UN Human Settlements Programme. In this day and age, many of our cities are inefficient, unsafe, and unclean. A company called Masdar, a subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company, in Abu Dhabi, UAE is building the core of what will be a beta testing green energy model for cities across the globe. Masdar city, when finished, will ensure easy and efficient mobility and transport, feasible reliance on renewable energy, and energy-efficient architecture. Through groundbreaking innovations in green technology and visionary city planning, Masdar City will become the city of the future.
Masdar City has been the model city for green transportation technology. According to the current transportation plan you will never be further than 150m away from public transportation that can take you virtually anywhere you want to go within the city. It will be apredominantly pedestrian city with fossil fuel vehicles parked outside the city borders. Masdar will provide electric-powered Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) vehicles for personal travel. These electromagnetic self-driving smart podcars will be equipped with air conditioning and two comfortable seating benches facing one another. Additionally, an underground metro and a light rail system will be supplied and free to the public. These will be connected to the nearby airport and provide access to surrounding communities. All forms of transportation will be both energy efficient an reliant on clean energy.
Located in the outer boundaries of Masdar is a 10 MW solar photovoltaic plant, whose 87,777 polycrystalline and thin-film modules occupy a 22-hectare site making the largest solar plant in the Middle East. An additional 30% of the city’s power supply will be provided by solar panel arrays on building roofs throughout the city. Said PV arrays can heat water directly to 400 degrees Celsius in a vacuum tube, thus producing thermal energy that can be used to run generators. By this method, every solar cell is producing both solar and thermal energy.
In the Middle East, it is vital to design structures that aid in cooling. This can be attained by energy-efficient architecture such as a city layout that optimizes ventilation, building massing, a roof shape that encourages airflow, orientation that minimizes sun exposure, and water features that evaporate creating a cool environment. With a avg. temperature of 108 degrees Fahrenheit in summer, Masdar city will act as an oasis in the middle of the Rub' al Khali desert.
Masdar City is the future of sustainable cities worldwide. Many companies are planning to build similar developments on the contingency of its success; it is for this reason that Masdar must prosper. The world is in dire need of renewable energy reliant communities. This city is sure to bring about environmental ingenuity.
Mauryno Benally
Mountain Gorillas
According to the International Gorilla Conservation Programme website, “the population of mountain gorillas stands at an estimated 880 individuals…” . From early humans to modern homosapiens, people have hunted animals for food, clothing, tools, and even for sport. Multiple animals within the last two e\centuries have become endangered. Global changes influenced by humans have caused environmental issues around the Earth leading to the decline in populations of many organisms. Human influence within the rainforest of Africa have resulted in the near extinction of the Mountain gorilla. Mountain gorillas live in and around the Virunga Mountains in central Africa. If people can stop poaching, prevent habitat destruction, and advocate spreading less disease will increase the population and ensure the survival of the species.
Poaching is a major problem for the magnificent apes. Illegal hunting of these animals for the purpose of pure sport have caused the gorillas numbers to decline. It is also relevant that local groups within the vicinity of the mountain gorilla have been using the primates as a food source for years. Yet, many have made profit of the malicious act of killing the apes to sell their meat at a high price according to the worldwildlife.org website. Although illegal poaching is difficult to abate, increasing rewards to reporting illegal hunting and educating local populations will be the most effective tool to aiding the great apes. The lack of governmental strength within these countries also affects the survival of Mountain gorillas. Little enforcement occurs as civil war creates an obstacle to protecting the gorillas from danger, but could be reversed through foreign involvement and advocation of strict laws regarding the capturing and/or killing of the endangered creature.
Another danger to apes is in the form of disease. Human caused disease along with other natural and rampant diseases traveling throughout the forests are extremely dangerous to troops of primates.. One of the most devastating to both human and gorilla alike ebola. Ebola is a virus than can wipe out entire troops of gorillas. The worldwildlife.org website stated, “Between 2002 and 2003 the virus claimed many human lives in the north of the Republic of Congo and at two study sites in and around Odzala National Park, 95 percent of the 600 identified gorillas died likely as a result of Ebola. “ If organizations could advocate disease control within the countries containing endangered gorillas, less human disease contaminating troops would result. Also equipping organizations with vaccinations and various instruments to aid in maintaining their health.
Habitat loss in the rainforests of Africa are the deadliest force against the Mountain gorillas. The wcs.org website stated the gorilla is endangered because of “ forest clearing.”. Logging companies for years have been cutting down acres of rainforest. Mountain gorillas along with numerous creatures rely desperately on the rainforest for shelter and food. According to the national geographic website, “They eat roots, shoots, fruit, wild celery, and tree bark and pulp.” . The result is a decline in gorilla populations as food becomes more scarce. The problem of habitat loss is quite complex situation. Reforestation efforts would be most effective as well as preventing logging companies to continue, but unstrict law governing the national parks makes it difficult.
These endangered creatures for years have fell victim to human influence. Even though poaching, habitat loss, and disease have plagued this magnificent creature, they have endured, but it isn`t enough. They have endured, but now they must flourish and prosper. If people take part in the effort to conserve this beautiful and rare being, then generations to come will continue to live alongside the astonishing beast. If people fail to act, then one day Mountain gorillas will be nothing but a memory. Many animals have already become extinct, but it's not too late to save our gorillas.
Mountain Gorillas
According to the International Gorilla Conservation Programme website, “the population of mountain gorillas stands at an estimated 880 individuals…” . From early humans to modern homosapiens, people have hunted animals for food, clothing, tools, and even for sport. Multiple animals within the last two e\centuries have become endangered. Global changes influenced by humans have caused environmental issues around the Earth leading to the decline in populations of many organisms. Human influence within the rainforest of Africa have resulted in the near extinction of the Mountain gorilla. Mountain gorillas live in and around the Virunga Mountains in central Africa. If people can stop poaching, prevent habitat destruction, and advocate spreading less disease will increase the population and ensure the survival of the species.
Poaching is a major problem for the magnificent apes. Illegal hunting of these animals for the purpose of pure sport have caused the gorillas numbers to decline. It is also relevant that local groups within the vicinity of the mountain gorilla have been using the primates as a food source for years. Yet, many have made profit of the malicious act of killing the apes to sell their meat at a high price according to the worldwildlife.org website. Although illegal poaching is difficult to abate, increasing rewards to reporting illegal hunting and educating local populations will be the most effective tool to aiding the great apes. The lack of governmental strength within these countries also affects the survival of Mountain gorillas. Little enforcement occurs as civil war creates an obstacle to protecting the gorillas from danger, but could be reversed through foreign involvement and advocation of strict laws regarding the capturing and/or killing of the endangered creature.
Another danger to apes is in the form of disease. Human caused disease along with other natural and rampant diseases traveling throughout the forests are extremely dangerous to troops of primates.. One of the most devastating to both human and gorilla alike ebola. Ebola is a virus than can wipe out entire troops of gorillas. The worldwildlife.org website stated, “Between 2002 and 2003 the virus claimed many human lives in the north of the Republic of Congo and at two study sites in and around Odzala National Park, 95 percent of the 600 identified gorillas died likely as a result of Ebola. “ If organizations could advocate disease control within the countries containing endangered gorillas, less human disease contaminating troops would result. Also equipping organizations with vaccinations and various instruments to aid in maintaining their health.
Habitat loss in the rainforests of Africa are the deadliest force against the Mountain gorillas. The wcs.org website stated the gorilla is endangered because of “ forest clearing.”. Logging companies for years have been cutting down acres of rainforest. Mountain gorillas along with numerous creatures rely desperately on the rainforest for shelter and food. According to the national geographic website, “They eat roots, shoots, fruit, wild celery, and tree bark and pulp.” . The result is a decline in gorilla populations as food becomes more scarce. The problem of habitat loss is quite complex situation. Reforestation efforts would be most effective as well as preventing logging companies to continue, but unstrict law governing the national parks makes it difficult.
These endangered creatures for years have fell victim to human influence. Even though poaching, habitat loss, and disease have plagued this magnificent creature, they have endured, but it isn`t enough. They have endured, but now they must flourish and prosper. If people take part in the effort to conserve this beautiful and rare being, then generations to come will continue to live alongside the astonishing beast. If people fail to act, then one day Mountain gorillas will be nothing but a memory. Many animals have already become extinct, but it's not too late to save our gorillas.
Did John Love His Wife?
by Audrey LeBaron
In the story, The Yellow Wallpaper, Johnand his wife spent the summer away from home. John being a respected physician was very concerned with his wife’s health as he diagnosed her with many mental health disorders over time. When arriving at the house, John insists that they stay on the top floor in this room that is covered with this bizarre yellow wallpaper. The wife submits herself to her husband's wishes even though she strongly dislikes the wallpaper. In the story it says, “ I don't like our room a bit. I wanted one downstairs that opened on the piazza and had roses all over the window, and such pretty old-fashioned chintz hangings! but John would not hear of it.” Now this is just one of the many ways that we can see that John does not love his wife as he disregards her opinion in almost every matter.
In the story we can see that the protagonist has high respect for John. As her doctor, whatever he tells her to take, medicinewise, she takes. Which made sense except she doesn’t always agree with his prescriptions. John tells his wife that she just needs some sleep and exercise to get better. She herself writes, “John does not know how much I really suffer.” She is holding back from him because of John’s overpowering stance on their relationship. Now if John really did love her, he would be more involved in knowing exactly how his wife is doing, rather than just giving her medicine and reassuring her.
Later in the story, as John’s wife doesn’t get much better healthwise, John starts to loose his patience with his wife. She writes one day, “John says if I don't pick up faster he shall send me to Weir Mitchell in the fall.” John also starts to not be there as much for his ailing wife. Her sister-in-law helps with the house but mostly leaves her alone as well. The protagonist writes, “And I am alone a good deal just now. John is kept in town very often by serious cases, and Jennie is good and lets me alone” Now even though this story took place in an older time period where the husband was the master of the house and where mentally ill people were not treated with very much respect, it was still not justified what John did, if he truly loved his wife he would have been there for her when she needed him the most. Instead he left her in the horrid room with that horrid wallpaper which eventually led her to fall off the deep end and lose her sanity.