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generations, Aboriginal peoples have
learned to read the signs of weather
like cloud shape, wind direction, and
animal behaviour. For example, Red River
Métis predict the severity of
the coming winter based on the thickness
of the coats of animals like dogs and
squirrels. Showing the importance of
the climate on our daily lives, the
Inuit word for weather or environment
is "Sila," meaning mental
health. Western science has developed
high-tech tools such as satellites and
radar to measure things like precipitation
and air pressure to help predict the
weather. However, many people today,
including meteorologists and weather
forecasters, still base part of their
weather predictions on what they observe
in the natural world around them. Although
their tools may be different, both traditional
ecological knowledge and western science
rely on both science and art to forecast
the weather.
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Wondering
if a job studying the atmosphere is
for you? If the majority of these
statements apply to you, you could
be headed for a job related to air.
Wondering if a job related to water
is for you? If the majority of these
statements apply to you, you could
be headed in the direction of a water-related
job.
- I'm
already making choices that conserve
energy and protect the environment
from air pollutants and greenhouse
gases, by car pooling or finding
other means of transportation.
- I
know how my Elders predict changes
in the weather by looking at the
shapes of clouds or by judging the
direction of the wind.
- I'm
interested in how information is
gathered about weather patterns
and how this information is used
to predict the weather. I'm also
interested in how these weather
predictions are communicated to
people whose jobs are affected by
weather changes like hunters, anglers,
pilots, tourism guides, and others
working in the outdoors.
- I
enjoy working on computers and trying
out new programs but I like being
outdoors, too.
- I
like reading about air because it
affects so much of our daily lives.
The temperature affects our outdoor
activities, the quality of the air
affects our health, and the composition
affects the life on our planet.
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If
you're working towards a job related
to the air stream, get started right
now. Here are some things you can
do:
Explore your interest:
- Shadow
someone working in an air-related
job, like a climate change specialist,
meteorologist or remote sensing
technician.
- For
more information on job-shadowing,
see the tip sheet on Gaining Related
Experience in the Career Journey.
- Do
some research on clouds on the Internet
or in the library. Make a list of
the different kinds and make note
of their characteristics. How are
they formed and what do they tell
us about the weather?
- Find
out which industries or companies
in your area are energy efficient.
- Analyze
the impact of industrial projects
and plants on the climate and quality
of the air in your area.
Show
your personal commitment to protecting
the atmosphere and keeping the air
clean:
- Organize
a group of friends to plant trees
in a local park. Ask companies to
sponsor the project or to donate
the trees. Trees and plants help
filter the air (and provide oxygen)
and provide protection from the
weather for fields, crops, and homes.
- Find
a community that has an emergency
plan for floods, tornadoes, blizzards
or other weather-related disasters.
Find out what criteria were used
to set up the plan, and evaluate
whether your own community should
have one.
- Make
choices that protect our environment
and keep the air healthy for us
to breathe. Walk, ride your bike
or take the bus instead of taking
your car. If you do take a car,
turn off the engine for short stops,
instead of letting it idle, to use
less fuel and to decrease fumes
that pollute the air.
Start
developing the experience and knowledge
required for an air-related job:
- Look
for summer jobs or volunteer positions
with provincial or federal governments,
particularly with a department like
Environment Canada. Also look for
positions with national or provincial
parks to find out how the weather
affects different people working
within or visiting the parks.
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Check
out the following:
Movies
Twister
Stormchasers
Wizard of Oz
Ice Age
Waterworld
Documentaries
Something in the Air, by Sylvie
Dauphinais, National Film Board of Canada
The Air We Breathe, directed
by Jim Hamm
Acid from Heaven/Une pluie acide
du ciel, directed by Geroge Mully
Books
Wisdom
of the Elders: Sacred Nature Stories
of Nature, by David Suzuki and Peter
Knudtson
Into Thin Air: The Problem of
Air Pollution, by J.S. Kidd and Renee
A. Kidd
Environmental Awareness: Air
Pollution, by Mary Ellen Snodgrass,
Marjorie L. Oelerich, Jody James, Janet
Wolanin, Vista II Design |
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