Elemental: How Five Elements are Changing the Climate and our Lives

Elemental: How Five Elements are Changing the Climate and our Lives

Zoom Video Conference | This program is completed

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3/21/2024-4/25/2024

10:00 AM-12:00 PM on Th

$35.00

To assist you in preparing for this class, we have provided a link to the setup / test pages from the conference provider. If you have never used this conference service before please click on the link below so that your PC or device will be ready to participate in this class.

NOTES:
  • Science background is not required.
  • This class has been restructured as a 6-week class.
Many of us have felt challenged trying to get our heads around the climate problem and what to do about it. The climate crisis affects us, our food sources, water, and all life on earth. It is also affected by humans, so are all these connected? Recent LLC Webinar guest, Stephen Porder’s new book Elemental explains the interactions of living organism and climate by tracking the five elements: Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Carbon, Oxygen and Phosphorous. He calls these elements Life’s Formula.

In this course we’ll examine these complex relationships. Our goal is to gain an understanding of cause and effect in earth’s ecosystem. We’ll also be looking at solutions for effectively dealing with climate change, including switching to alternative sources of energy and more sustainable food choices.

Format: Participants will read about 30 pages of the text for each class and review some recommended websites. Each person will make a presentation on some aspect of how climate and/or the environment have been and are affected by life on earth.

Resources/Expenses: Elemental, How Five Elements changed Earth’s Past and Will Shape Our Future by Stephen Porder of Brown University is available for $18.00 and up, used, from online book sellers. A list of websites for each topic will be provided for each week.

Chuck Nickles is a retired UMass Dartmouth physics lecturer. Before that he worked in industry on automated precision measurement systems and for an electric utility as a rate analyst and energy conservation specialist.

Nina Wang has been a member of LLC for five years. Her college teaching experiences were in statistics and research methods. Her current interests are in climate change, gardening, nature, and connecting people in her neighborhood.