Hello, my name is Justin Sutter, I am a sophomore at Penn State University. Currently, I am living in State College, PA; but I spent most of my life in Gibsonia, PA, a rural/suburban area above Pittsburgh, PA. At Penn State I am studying environmental systems engineering in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Many concepts interest me in this course, but in particular, the idea of sustainability has really captured my attention in the short time I have been at this university. I have always enjoyed nature and the outdoors throughout my life and ultimately that interest has brought me to a major centered on the environment. Along with studying at Penn State, I like hiking, snowboarding, and watching and playing sports.
After reading module 1, many issues came to mind that could use the efforts of geography to assist in. One issue that has become quite a large issue, because of its local proximity to many residents of Pennsylvania, is drilling and fracking for petroleum products in the ground. Although, most of the processes are done underneath the Earth, there are many factors that must be considered on the surface. Geography could be used as a tool for making the many types of maps and surveys the drillers need to have a good understanding of the land and area in which they are drilling. Along with maps and surveys, geography can be used to help understand the societal impact fracking has on the local populous, and help promote education on the topic.
Hello Justin, great post. With all of the environmental problems that are associated with drilling and fracking, I think that those surveys of the area, that you mentioned, will become very important in the future. They’re probably already hugely important but with all of the attention that accidents and spills receive in the media, it will only be beneficial to the companies, and the environment, to be appropriately informed and prepared for anything that can happen when attempting to harvest petroleum. This will require people with an expertise relating to sustainability and geography as well as all of the other earth sciences. Good luck with the rest of the course!