Essential Principle: The atmosphere and humans are inextricably linked.

Welcome to Session 6C atmosphere and humans are inextricably linked.

Introductions have completed 10:45 AM 

Attendees: Julie Gustafson: Nat. Wildlife Fed.; Steve Ackerman: Univ. Wisconsin; Christy Gerrits: Campbell County School District; Ben Cuker: Hampton Uni.; Peter Pennington: NESTA President; Mark McCaffrey: CIRES CU Bldr.; Wendy Abshire:UCAR/COMET; Steve Wilton: The Climate Project; James Rattling Leaf:Sinte Gleska University; Susan Innis: Colorado Governor's Energy Office.; Sandra Henderson:UCAR EO; Bob Henson:UCAR Communications 

 Note: Please remember to refresh your browser every 30-60 seconds.

The session has split into two separate discussion groups. (10:54 AM) 

-Both groups are defining the discussion topic...

Group1: S.Ackerman - "How do we break out the the link between humans and the atmos.

  •  James R.L. - Mitaku Oyasin : means "all my relations" [Sandra is clarifying the sig.] encompasing term, moral, philosophical, defines he Lakota relationship to Earth. James is continuing to elaborate: "...teaches the concept of reciprocity" The Lakota don't see just a forest. They see their relationship to it in the above terms.
  • J.Gus: "...should be talk about the mechanics of humans and the atmos.?"
  • S.Ackerman: linkage is not just humans and the atmos., it's all the natural world. The linkage is much broader, e.g. urban heat island effect
  • S.Wilton: the problem is reflected in the atmos.
  • Sandra: Linkages are between humans and the environment (materials we use are effecting the Earth)
  • Julie G.: "relationship" is the key term to consider.  "Linkage" is not specific enough.

Note: two separate groups will combine in 10 minutes (11:13 AM)

  • Susan I.: second concept atmos. affects humans 3rd concept humans impact atmos.
  • Julie G.: ...the atmos. influence affects humans on a immediate scale (lighting strike drops a tree on you) and over the longer term (fishing)
  • Sandra H. maybe we can look at previous examples
    • S. Innis: maybe we could organize this by longterm settlement patterns (types of buildings), and short term
  •  Sandra: Lifeways are impacted
  • James: Culture is impacted - groups have to be develop a new culture, e.g. ....permafrost melt is moving group (tribe?) away from the coast as the .

Note: Group1 is discussing how to integrate their discussion with Group2's

Note: 30 minutes left in this breakout session. The whole group has not launched into the full-group discussion yet. 

Note: Full-group discussion has begun

James is explaining Mitaku Oyasin to represent "interdependence" and "complexity" in the discussion of the development EPs 

Big Ideas (from Group2 group document)

  •  The interconnected relationship between humans and the atmos. is compex and difficult to isolate.
  • Humans beings are dependent on Earth's Atmospheric  processes
    • Humans breathe to inhale oxygen and release co2 and are dependent on water distributed through the hydroligic cycles with determine human activites.
  • Human Activities alter the atmos., affecting human health and changing climate
  • Weather and climate affect the viability, quality and character of individual lives and societies
  •  Human planning is based on short-term wx forecasts and long-term expectations of climate f

Note: 5 mins. left in the session. The discssion is around the above last point "Human planning...."

 Note: Details of the bullets will be added now.

 Note: Thank you very much for your participation! your comments are the session record and will be incorporated in the session presentation this afternoon. Please see the attached [soon to be!] attached ppt. The session has ended and the participants are off to lunch.

Online Viewers:  Please use the "Add Comments" button below to add your comments and suggestions.
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7 Comments

  1. Lois Ongley

    Humans can't exist without a compatible atmosphere AND if humans are not careful, they can impact the mass/energy in the atmosphere to the extent there it may become incompatible with humans and may have an impact on the "normal" systems. An atmosphere can exist without us.

    Lois Ongley Unity College

  2. Linda Fey

     My suggestions:

    the atmosphere is required for life to include oxygen/CO2, water cycle, greenhouse effect, etc

    atmospheric processes impact human behavior both individual and social to include economic activity, cultural practices, etc. -- this could incorporate alternative energy concepts like humans use wind and solar power to create electricity

    people influence atmosphere to include ideas of urban heat islands, carbon and other inputs, ozone

    Linda Fey

    New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science

  3. Jill Karsten

    i presume that the following will somehow be included in the list of FCs:

    hydrological implications (water sources, drought)

    air quality (and related water quality issues) implications

    ozone layer protection

    wind energy source

    weather hazards for designed structures and individual human life (wind, flood, lightning)

    economic impacts of climate change

    carbon inputs (fossil fuels)

    is there anything that human activity does that provides a positive influence for the atmosphere? (agriculture?)

    1. Lois Ongley

      "positive" implies good?

      I don't think we need to include a value on whether a change is good or "bad" , some things just are and then we assess implcations for organisms and environments.

      Lois Ongley Unity college

      1. Jill Karsten

        i agree that we do not want to assign value, perhaps a better term is 'healthy' or something that implies that we are helping to keep the natural systems in equilibrium, not torquing them out of their preferred natural state... !!

  4. Tim Barnes

    Thank you for your comments!. They have been added to the discussion.

    OPL Tim 

  5. Tim Barnes

    Jill: We will add your comments  in  the discussion. The groups is not aware of you comments right at this minute. 11:33 AM

    OPL Tim