In this project we were dealt the task of creating a policy change in Novato that would have an effect on our environment. Our group decided to create a policy change on Aberdeen Field in Hamilton. Aberdeen Field is about a 29 acre plot of land and it is owned by the city of Novato. We plan to change this plot of land into a 15,000 solar panel, solar farm. Along with the solar panels we plan to a 12,000 square feet electrical building where all the energy will go to and then onto the BMK power distribution center. Overall this will cost us about 10.5 million dollars and will be funded by the government sector of funding for solar expansion, SEIA. However this solar farm will generate 9.5 million kWh per year that is equivalent to 1.5 million dollars. This means that in about 8 years, we will have made back all of our original investment. This policy change would benefit our society by using renewable energy instead of burning fossil fuels, and could have a huge effect on our world if the policy change went worldwide.
Concepts :
Biology - The study of living things
Biotic Factors - The living parts of an environment
Abiotic Factors - The non-living parts of an environment
Population - A group of a single species in an area
Carrying Capacity - The amount of organisms an area can support
Climate - The average wether conditions over an extended period of time
Succession - The natural development and growth of organisms in an area
Tropic Levels - Levels of energy use / creation
Food Chain - The flow of energy through organisms in an ecosystem
Biotic Factors - The living parts of an environment
Abiotic Factors - The non-living parts of an environment
Population - A group of a single species in an area
Carrying Capacity - The amount of organisms an area can support
Climate - The average wether conditions over an extended period of time
Succession - The natural development and growth of organisms in an area
Tropic Levels - Levels of energy use / creation
- Autotroph (Producer) - Uses energy from the environment
- Heterotroph (Consumer) - Relies on other organisms for energy
- Competition - Fighting between two species for the same resources
- Mutualism - Both species benefit from the relationship
- Comensialism - One species benefits without affecting the other
- Predatorism/Paratism - Harms one species and benefits the other
Food Chain - The flow of energy through organisms in an ecosystem
Reflection
I though this project went very well for my group. We worked very well as a team to complete our project in our short amount of time and then go back and perfect the little things afterwards. Although we were very efficient in getting our project done ahead of schedule, I believe we could have stayed on task more and could have gotten it done even quicker. There were days where we did little to none work on project because we thought we were done, however we hadn't gone in and perfected it yet. There are also some things I think I can improve on myself. The biggest one being staying on task. I found myself a lot of the time off task and talking to people. Also, I thought my leadership has increased greatly but I still think I can show even more leadership and I hope to work on that in our next project.