GODOLPHIN & LATYMER
ASPECT WHAT THE FRACK? Issues surrounding Shale Gas
SWIMMING WITH STATUES Can art encourage the preservation of marine diversity?
THE DILUTION OF CULTURE Is Globalisation to blame?
JUST COLOURING IN?
EASTER 2013 ISSUE #1
the TEAM Editor-in-Chief: Elspeth White
Guest Journalists: Polly Lamming Alice Harman
Art Editor: Bailey Williamson-Ward Journalists: Bea White Phoebe Tatton-Brown Isabel Cole Meredith Frost Bella Guimaro
on the COVER The Cover Photo Taken by: Thomas P. Peschak, National Geographic Page 8:
WHAT THE FRACK? Written by Phoebe TattonBrown
Page 6:
SWIMMING WITH STATUES Written by Bea White
Page 20: THE DILUTION OF CULTURE Written by Alice Harman Page 4:
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JUST COLOURING IN? Written by Polly Lamming
CONTENTS March 2013 Page 4:
JUST COLOURING IN?
Page 6:
SWIMMING WITH STATUES
Page 8:
WHAT THE FRACK?
Page 10:
THE IMPACT OF SKIING
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GCSE CASE STUDY GUIDE
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GEOGRAPHY SOCIETY PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
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DO WE NEED THE HS2?
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THE DILEMMA OF EARTHWORMS
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FIVE FACTS
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THE DILUTION OF CULTURE
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REVIEW OF BBC AFRICA
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WHERE DID YOU GO IN 2012?
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CROSSWORD
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just COLOURING IN? Studying geography opens you to ridicule and lots of jokes, especially is you are hoping to pursue the subject at higher levels at university. These jokes are partly down to ignorance, but also down to a misrepresentation of the discipline, which is in part due to the lack of high profile geographers in mainstream media. Although arguably still at the very core of the subject, geography is so much more than just maps and labels. Here are a few questions and topics forming current geographical debates at the highest level, which I find double as good come backs when offered a sharpener or pack of colouring pencils for the millionth time. 1.
What is geography?
It sounds clichéd, but from what I’ve gathered from my limited reading, defining geography is quite a personal thing, making it a difficult discipline to succinctly define. I have read books that contain page long definitions, and ones as basic as ‘the science of distribution’. However, Mr Golland once said that geography was essentially the study of space, place and time, and that has always stuck with me. Geography looks at how people and different places influence factors. I think its strength lies in the diversity of the discipline (though many geographers argue that this is an inherent weakness of the subject, something that limits its credibility in the academic world as a discipline in its own right - another topic entirely. 2.
Why is it important?
The unity of physical and human geography provides us with perspectives which other disciplines simply don’t have. Studying economics alongside geography has shown me this - models have many uses as simplifications if reality, but to ignore geography leads to retreat in the hypothetical. The introduction to ‘Economic Geography - a contemporary introduction’, states that ‘the economy is innately geographical. It is a set of grounded, real world processes, a set of complex social relations that vary enormously across and because of, geographical space’. It goes on to say that geography matters because ‘it is noninsular, enabling people to look beyond, thereby appreciating better, their own society and environment’.
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Will technological advance result in the end of geography?
In the 1970’s, there was this fashionable idea that technology was going to mean that place was no longer important, as businesses, people and even whole economies, could resides solely in the digital realm, thereby becoming ‘footloose’. In reality it would appear the opposite has occurred - geography would appear to be more important then ever. Apparently paradoxically; since advances in technology agglomerations (such as Silicon Valley) have become more widespread. Instead of people moving further apart, we are seeing people and businesses coming through proximity and localized interaction.
I do not have nearly enough space to do justice to the discipline. But reading and listening to geographers has made me realize that geography really is everywhere, and that geographers should really have more involvement in key decisions. Here are a few geographical issues:
What % of GDP should the UK be allocating to aid? Should we encourage trade and free enterprise in developing countries instead?
Is shale gas the answer to past US energy deficiency? What are the political implications of reduced dependency on the Middle East?
Is famine due to food production or how we’ve constructed economic networks to share and distribute our planets resources?
I love geography, and I genuinely don't understand why more people don't study it. As some countries explore and trade with all corners of the earth, and others become more insular, while we over-exploit parts of the world and attempt to conserve others, and as ideas, financial transactions and trade can take place in seconds across the internet in all seven continents, a geographer’s perspective is more valuable and more important than ever, Just colouring in? I think not. POLLY LAMMING
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swimming with
STATUES The world’s coral reefs are an extremely important habitat. They support over 800 hard coral species and 4,000 different species of fish. Over 25% of the worlds fish biodiversity is associated with coral reefs, whether its in the early stages of life or as a permanent habitat. However, our coral reefs are under many threats from over fishing, storms, tourism and pollution. This has lead to the rapid disappearance of 40% of our natural coral reefs in the past few decades and scientists estimate that by 2050 80% of them will have been destroyed beyond rescue. Therefore, many conservation projects are being put into place in order to protect and preserve these vital structures. However there are issues with trying to encourage coral growth as only 10 – 15% of the seabed has a solid enough foundation to allow reefs to form naturally. In order to solve this problem and increase the number of reefs in these areas artificial reefs have been created from materials that encourage coral growth. Many of these reefs have been successful and eventually will be able to support an entire marine ecosystem.
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Jason de Caires Taylor is an underwater naturalist; he explores marine life and its interactions with the environment. He is also an underwater photographer and eco-sculptor. He is the designer and creator of several underwater sculpture museums in specific sites where there has been considerable damage to reefs. The sculptures are made with environmentally friendly materials that actively promote coral growth and are designed to last hundreds of years. Taylor has been working with marine biologists to create structures designed to encourage specific forms of marine life. For example, a life size replica of a Volkswagen Beetles is designed to attract crustaceans and is described as a ‘lobster city’.
The first of piece was constructed in 2006 and is situated in Molière Bay in Grenada. This bay has been subject to a lot of damage recently from storms. The 65 statues here have given marine life a chance to re-inhabit the area. National Geographic now lists it as one of the top 25 wonders of the world. His most recent project is in Mexico and consists of 450 life size sculptures. The artificial reefs are situated in clear shallow water meaning that snorkelers, divers and those in glass-bottomed boats can view the artworks. Not only do the statues create new coral reefs in barren areas and encourage the preservation of marine biodiversity but they also reduce pressure from tourists on existing coral reefs, allowing them to repair and rejuvenate naturally. Taylor’s work is “not only an example of successful marine conservation, but also inspirational works of art that seek to encourage environmental awareness. “ They show that the interaction between humans and the natural world can have positive and beneficial impacts, not just destructive ones. BEA WHITE
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what the FRACK?
Oil is running out; gas is running out; coal is running out. -In short, the world is running out of energy just as demand is growing. But there is a new energy resource on the market that is becoming more and more popular. Shale gas is a type of natural gas, important in the United States. 20% of the USA’s natural gas supply now comes from its shale reserves. This shale gas needs to be extracted somehow and the most common way to this is hydraulic fracturing or fracking! This process involves fracturing fluids (mainly containing water and sand) which are injected under high pressure into a horizontal well. This creates fractures in the rock pores, which allows shale gas to seep through into the pipes. However many people are against this form of extraction. Several issues have arisen in areas where shale gas fracking has taken place. 8 million gallons of water is needed for each fracking site. However this water is also being mixed with sand and other fracking chemicals. This means that it can’t be reused once pumped down the pipes meaning over the 500,000 active sites in the US there is 72 million gallons of water wasted. Other residents have complained about the water from their taps around the U.S. In a dramatized documentary in 2010, people where seen turning on there taps to light a cigarette with methane coming out of them.
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This has been a real problem according to many locals, whose ground water supposedly contains methane. Sometimes during extraction leaching can occur when the pipes pass through underground aquifers and ground water. Methane and other chemicals found in the fracturing fluids can contaminate the ground water. This water is then used for local towns and cities and according to one source there are over 1,000 contaminated water sources and increased sensory, respiratory and neurological medical incidents near wells.
However there are also so many benefits of fracking. This new process is making it possible to produce energy resources in areas where conventional methods aren’t possible. This provides a large amount of relatively clean energy that a country like the USA needs. This production in a domestic country means that large energy corporations don’t move abroad and can create active sites within the country; creating jobs and giving locals higher incomes whilst boosting the local and national economy as well. This is reliable source of energy, which is helping to make the USA more energy selfsufficient. But it should be asked: Is the large supply of clean energy worth the environmental costs the production is creating? Should there be more restrictions put in place by the U.S. government? Will the rewards outweigh the costs? PHOEBE TATTON-BROWN
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the impact of SKIING Around 1.2 billion British people travel abroad to go skiing every year as many Godolphin girls will have done themselves, but at what cost to the environment? Skiing first took off around the 1920’s and has been growing ever since. It plays a very important role in the economic development of a country as it can bring a great deal of money and jobs to an area; even as much as double the original employment figures. However this comes at a price:
Damage to the natural food chain as wildlife is scared away from increased noise pollution and killed from increased litter.
Artificial snow freezes ground vegetation late into spring, preventing growth and leaving pistes bare.
The edges of skis are sharp and so they break the bark of young trees, preventing the growth of any new shoots which are an essential regulator if the mountain climate.
Construction of hotels, flats and secondary residences have increased the amount of space occupied by the roads and buildings, causing increased deforestation and destruction of habitats.
Natural lakes must be tapped or reservoirs must be built to help cater for resort water demands, which lead to flooding of villages and natural areas.
Damage to surface vegetation from the creation of pylons for lifts.
Tightly packed-down pistes (impermeable surfaces) prevent the natural flow of water into the ground in certain areas, causing increased surface run off and subsequently flooding.
200 hectares of trees are cut down in every resort to make ski runs, leaving scars on the landscape. ISABEL COLE
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you should come to
GEOGRAPHY SOCIETY TALKS EVERY THURSDAY AT 1:30 ROOM 12
photography
COMPETITION Have you taken a photograph that shows an ASPECT of geographical life? We are looking for a photograph to grace the cover of the next issue of ASPECT magazine and 2 runners up to have their photograph shown inside the magazine. Please can all photographs be ‘portrait’ and emailed to aspect@godolphinandlatymer.com by Monday 3rd June 2013. Good luck!
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do we need THE HS2? The second British high speed railway has met much opposition but why? Nick Clegg says it will "solve the North/South divide" however it seems to be dividing the country more than ever. Proposed is a 331 mile train route travelling at 250mph from London to Birmingham, splitting off to Manchester and Leeds. It should cut current journey times by an hour (by 2026 when the first trains are expected to run!). From a political and economical point of view it makes a lot of sense the Secretary of State says it will create 100,000 jobs and will balance the economy out with £44 billion provided in economic benefits and a major boost to business and the economy. It's estimated to cost £32 billion to build but this will be spread out over 15-20 years so it is affordable and the estimated £27 billion in fares should help offset this. Environmentally there are benefits too with an overall lower carbon footprint predicted than the cars and planes otherwise used and HS2 have said they will mitigate any environmental impact by creating green tunnels and planting trees. However there are also plenty of environmental costs - the line will travel straight through the Chilterns and there are many cases such as Swillington Farm in West Yorkshire.
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Their organic fish farms would be destroyed, with this loss of income having a significant impact on the survival of the farm which sells organic produce to Jamie Oliver and Rick Stein. The woodlands there would also be affected as they are a site of special scientific interest with rare marigolds, harvest mice, water voles and nesting bitterns. From our perspective we would gain a much faster train compared to the currently crowded and unreliable service. It should be safe - trains have lower death rates than cars - only 0.3 per billion km compared to 1.9 per billion km for cars. However there are questions as to the necessity of the project, especially at the high cost. It could be easier to repair the network and increase the capacity of stations or alternatively spend the money on a fast internet service, especially since the service will not be fully completed until at least 2033. Many critics say we have more pressing priorities before them, such as small scale road and rail projects. There are already concerns as people can't sell their homes if they are 500 yards away from the proposed line and won’t be able to benefit from the strict compensation schemes set up. Other concerns include a village south of Birmingham where the line is set to pass only 160 yards away from the school. There is not even a certain demand for HS2 with a danger of shorter travelling times sucking money, jobs and the best people away from the North; thus widening the North/South divide. To top this many believe the money will go straight to the South. The population on our island continues to grow and other methods of transport are becoming increasingly congested: there are too many cars on our declining quality roads whilst the London airports are running out of runway space. So, despite the financial and environmental costs, it makes absolute sense to develop the country’s rail network. Whether the current Government will manage to pass the legislation before the next election – and whether the next government will support it - is another question. MEREDITH FROST
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the dilemma of
EARTHWORMS As scientists fret about man-made global warming, they may be ignoring another culprit: earthworms. According to a new study by an international team of researchers, earthworms could be contributing to global warming.
An international team of scientists from the Netherlands, USA and Colombia examined the results of 237 separate experiments that considered the role of earthworms in greenhouse gas emissions. They found that earthworms in soil increased nitrous oxide emissions by 42% and carbon dioxide emissions by 33%. The soil produces about 20% of global emissions of carbon dioxide; and it is the worms that affect how much of it is produced in the soil and how much escapes into the atmosphere. They do this by changing the physical structure of the soil through digging, which makes it more porous (absorbent). They also interact with microbes in the soil that produce a large chunk of the carbon dioxide emissions.
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A while back, scientists faced the following problem: on the one hand, worms contribute to the growth of emissions in the atmosphere from the soil; but on the other hand they help "recycle" carbon dioxide, hiding it under the ground. This conflict became known as the "dilemma of earthworms". The influence of earthworms on global climate will perhaps be even more significant in the future as more people are using organic fertilizers and moving away from orthodox land development; which may lead to the number of earthworms increasing. Despite best efforts of invertebrates, humans produce most of carbon dioxide emissions overall. BELLA GUIMARO
five FACTS 1.
In London the tube route from Leicester Square to Covent Garden is the most popular tube route for tourists despite the fact that it is actually quicker to cover this distance on foot.
2.
The 409 escalators in the London underground cover a distance every week which is approximately equivalent to several trips around the globe.
3.
Contrary to popular belief that Big Ben refers to the world famous clock, it is actually the name of the thirteen ton bell. The tower itself is known as St. Stephen’s Tower.
4.
London has one of the highest cultural diversities in the world, with about 25% of its inhabitants being born outside of England.
5.
Did you know that the River Thames has over 200 bridges and 20 tunnels?
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the dilution of CULTURE Perhaps, the greatest concern surrounding globalization for many is the dilution of culture. International interactions due to increased migrations and communication have heightened to such an extent that is hard to see how cultures of even the most isolated communities would not be marked. The Xingu people of the Amazon Basin are a perfect example of just that. Once a culture rich in traditions, the influx of tourists to the area and exposure to the mass media has led to the replacement if Huka-Huka wrestling with weekly football leagues, the traditional dress of the Uluri belt in favour of western clothing and a self-sufficient lifestyle sourced from the Xingu River and communal garden, slowly made unachievable as a consumer culture developed within the community, fuelling the desire for global brands. IN light of this westernization would seem as inescapable force, breaking the link between ‘physical setting’ and ‘social setting’. Although the western culture is a very dominant one, the fear surrounding its expanse has been exaggerated because strong social differences between states will always inhibit a completely homogenized global culture. Take the example of the American store WalMart who when expanding into Germany naively tried to include ‘WalMart greeters’ who are supposed to bring a more personal experience to the hypermarket experience. It was only on adapting their product to incorporate the social differences between America and Germany, removing the greeters who Germans found superficial, that Wal-Mart made an impact on the market. This forced hybridisation of cultures is seen everywhere from branches of McDonalds in India serving the Indian Mahara Mac to American television where the British comedy show, The Office was adapted for American’s supposed less dry humour. Globalisation’s impact on culture should be celebrated rather than feared as cultures are hyribsed becoming more interesting than bland. ALICE HARMAN
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review of BBC AFRICA Africa, we’ve all heard about it even if we didn’t watch it. This year we got another David Attenborough treat: Africa! The show was spectacular, allowing the audience to glimpse the treasures that the African continent has to give. For six weeks our TV screens were full of images of giraffe’s in a battle and kart wheeling spiders, Arctic penguins on the warm cape and small snakes in a jungle. The stunning scenery captured our imaginations. But the main message that we got from the episodes was that our wildlife is in danger. Large animals are at risk of poaching, the jungles are being deforested and savannahs are experiencing severe drought. If you have not yet watched Africa, then I advise that you do. It is extraordinary and beautiful, but it also makes you think. You come away wanting to help and stop the destruction; that’s what makes it so brilliant. PHOEBE TATTON-BROWN
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where did YOU GO IN 2012? We surveyed 300 Godolphin girls and this is where they went:
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ASPECT, The Godolphin and Latymer Geography Magazine
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