Community College of Philadelphia Environmental Science Questions

Scientific Reasoning Essential Skills:

Students describe the Scientific Method and apply the scientific principles they have learned to theoretical and practical issues.

Students interpret measurable and observable information through inference and analogy to develop hypotheses and draw conclusions. Students will interpret data in order to infer and make references for how to deter runoff in the City of Philadelphia.

Students describe methods of scientific inquiry and use critical thinking skills to investigate, question, and solve problems. Students will use methods of scientific inquiry to investigate the why and how of surface water runoff and students will give recommendations on how residents can lower their surface runoff water charge.

Students describe and carry out experimental procedures and/or perform laboratory tasks when appropriate to the field, interpret and communicate scientific information using written, oral and/or graphical means, analyze one or more relationships among science, technology, and society, and apply logical reasoning in explaining natural phenomena and experimental procedures or outcomes. Students will analyze the table of recent flood events in the City of Philadelphia and through oral means, students will analyze the data and apply logical reasoning for the increase in flood events.

Directions: Write a 2-page single-spaced paper (12 Font – Times new roman) answering the questions based on the information below.

Surface runoff is an enormous problem in the City of Philadelphia. When it rains in the city water runs down streets, sidewalks, and off parking lots causing our rivers such as the Delaware and Schuylkill to flood. Besides causing flooding, the water also carries with it non-point source pollution such as fertilizers, dog waste, oil, and trash.

Philadelphia has begun to charge churches, businesses, and even colleges and universities for the amount of paved or impervious surfaces on their properties. Since this charge has begun, the Community College of Philadelphia has completed major renovations in this department. Many of these upgrades cannot be seen by the eye, but they are there. A couple includes green roofs on the Pavilion and Bonnell buildings and an underground rainwater collection system behind the West building on 18th street. All these additions have lowered the College’s runoff charge.

Your paper should answer the following questions in detail and with a factual basis:

• Paper explains the problem of surface runoff in the City of Philadelphia. Including the variable that causes runoff.
• Paper explains why the table on the following link is important to understand flooding in Philadelphia and what inferences can be taken by the amount and size of flood events in recent years. https://rclutz.wordpress.com/2019/04/18/urban-flooding-the-philadelphia-story/(Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)
• Paper gives examples of ways that residents can lower their runoff charge.
• Paper gives a opinion supported by facts as to whether the current runoff charge deters residents from paving over surfaces.

Take a look at your water bill, you will see a separate charge for runoff. Do you think a charge to residents for runoff is a reasonable way to motivate homeowners to remove non-porous surfaces and replace them with porous surfaces? What are some ways residents in the City of Philadelphia can lower their runoff charge?