"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Author: Isaac Gendler
Why Droughts Are Bad for Groundwater Recharge
04/11/20
“Why are droughts bad for groundwater recharge?”
A lot of groundwater supplies rely upon rain to recharge its supply. However, when a drought occurs, this source may dry up and groundwater levels will suffer. This is Why Droughts Are Bad for Groundwater Recharge.
Why Telecommuting Can Halt the Transmission of Diseases
04/10/20
“How can telecommuting halt disease transmission?”
Diseases can be extremely infectious, hopping from one person to another indiscriminately. However, if people can isolate themselves from one another, then the disease will have no transfer medium. Telecommuting can help facilitate this by allowing workers to stay home from their office, sparing others of potential sickness. This is Why Telecommuting Can Halt the Transmission of Diseases.
The Correlation Between Carbon and Pollution Emissions
04/09/20
“What is the correlation between carbon and pollution emissions?”
When many think of the word “emissions” either CO2 or particulate matter come to mind. Although it would be easy to think of these as separate phenomena, they are actually closely intertwined, since noxious chemicals can release both at once. This is why there is a Correlation Between Carbon and Pollution Emissions.
Why WUI Maps Need to Take Into Account Wind Effects
04/08/20
“Why do wildfire maps need to take into account the effects of wind?”
Wildland-urban interface maps are pivotal for community planners, emergency managers, and policymakers to understand their community’s vulnerability to wildfire. However, seldom do these take into account wind, which holds the potential to spread fires beyond the natural wildland-urban interface. This can be a critical factor and needs to be taken into account. This is Why WUI Maps Need to Take Into Account Wind Effects.
Image credit media.wired.com
Hospital Surge Plans
04/07/20
“How can hospitals plan for a sudden surge of patients?”
Hospitals during emergencies (such as during the COVID epidemic) can expect a sudden surge of patients. To prepare for this, these facilities will need a Hospital Surge Plan. These can include rapidly recruiting medical workers, procuring a massive amount of hospital beds to increase hospital capacity, and establishing communication protocols.
Image credit cdn.vox-cdn.com
Migration as Adaptation
04/06/20
“How can adaptation come in the form of migration?”
With the advent of climate change, certain regions of the world are going to become less habitable and certain regions will become more. This new imbalance will mean that people may have to migrate to a new area to be safer from climate change. One illustration of this can be found in Indigenous Alaskan village relocation, where villagers are moving their entire community to new land to escape sea-level rise. This is why Migration as Adaptation is a very useful concept.
Image credit worldatlas.com
Hospital Capacity
04/05/20
“What are the limits to hospital capacity?”
Hospitals, like all pieces of physical infrastructure, have a certain capacity associated with them. Holding a limited number of beds and critical care infrastructure, if too many patients arrive at the same time then a surge plan might be enacted or patients might be diverted to other hospitals. This is why Hospital Capacity is so important.
Why the Air Is Cleaner Because of the COVID Pandemic
04/04/20
“Why is the air much more breathable due to the COVID pandemic?”
With the advent of the COVID pandemic, emissions are down, driving trips are down, and resource use in general is down. This means that there are fewer activities that release particulate matter into the atmosphere, lowering air pollution levels. This is Why the Air Is Cleaner Because of the COVID Pandemic.
Why Energy Resilience is Vital for Hospitals
04/03/20
“Why do all hospitals need to think about energy resilience?”
Hospitals are the lifeline for a community. Whenever someone becomes seriously ill or is giving birth, they get rushed to one of these facilities. However, if the power goes out and no generators are available, everything will turn to ruin. From ventilators to ICU beds to HVAC systems, every vital piece of hospital infrastructure runs on electricity. To prevent a catastrophe from happening, hospitals will need to make emergency operations plans. This is Why Energy Resilience is Vital for Hospitals.
