The Land of Fill

 

Case Introduction
Welcome, detectives! Everything you need to get started in your investigation is at your fingertips! Click the links below to learn the problem situation, your role, and the criteria for the case. Be sure to review the steps in the problem-solving process!

Here’s the Situation!
The town of Nimby is trying to plan for the future. The population of the town is growing, and the current landfill is going to run out of space in three years. Nimby’s citizens need a new landfill and have narrowed down the possible locations to just four choices. Your group is being brought in to research the pros and cons of each site.
Each member of your group will assume a different role for this case, and each group will investigate one of the sites. Once your role and site are assigned, you will go to the location assigned and begin your research independently. There will be links at the site to help you find the information you need. After you complete your research, you will meet with the other members of your group to discuss your findings and to develop a plan for a final report to the town council. The town council will hear all reports about the various sites and decide where to put the new landfill. Keep in mind that all four locations are being researched and there may be multiple reports presented to the town council.

Your Role in the Case!
There are four roles in this case. Once you are assigned a role, you will be responsible for performing the job of that professional. Links are provided in each location to help you complete your research. After conducting its research, your group will plan a final report for the town council.

Roles

• Environmental Consultant
• Hydrologist
• Hydrogeologist
• Landfill Consultant
  
  Environmental Consultant – provides technical support for federal, state, and local government, private industry, and/or nonprofit organizations for developing solutions to environmental problems or preventing them in the future. (Keep grammatical elements parallel and consistent: preventing with developing. Use the participial forms and don’t mix them with the infinitive form. (Susan’s comment)
  

  Duties include

  • Survey the mood of local residents to see how they feel about the proposed building of the new landfill in their “backyard.”
  • Use the information that the scientific researchers provide to formulate a presentation for the town council.
  • Come up with alternative methods that can be used to cut down on the amount of waste produced by the town.
  • Present your group’s findings to the town council.
    

  Hydrologist - A person who studies the properties, distribution, and effects of surface water in the soil and underlying rocks.

  Duties Include

  • Learn about surface water.
  • Learn how the surface water travels across your assigned location.
  • Determine the current chances of pollution to the surface water from the surrounding area.
  • Assess the future chances of pollution occurring in the surface water if the landfill is constructed on this location.
    

  Hydrogeologist - A person who studies the ways groundwater moves through the soil and rock of the Earth.

  Duties Include

  • Determine the make-up of the soil and rock layers of the proposed site.
  • Work with the landfill consultant to determine the effect of the landfill on the water table that exists under the proposed site.
  • Report to the group how soil, rock, and groundwater interact with each other.
    

Landfill Consultant - A person that is involved in the construction and operation of new landfills.

Duties Include

• Know the various parts of a landfill.
• Know how to construct a landfill.
• Be able to speak about the environmental safety landfills practice.
• Be able to talk about the positive effects that this new landfill will bring to Nimby.The

Criteria for the Case
You will use the information that has been placed in each location to guide your research. Notice that each role has a special icon. Any time you click on the icon for your role, you will be linked to the information needed to fulfill your duty.

The information needed to fulfill your role is provided in the game; however, you may want to visit the Resource Rack for additional sites. You can also use any other resources that you find helpful.

After you fulfill all of the duties for your role, you will meet with your group to plan a final report. The Environmental Consultant has a section labeled, “Final Report to the Town Council.” Follow this guide to make sure that you include all the key points in your report. In this report, you will also explain the scientific background about the location you investigated. It needs to be presented in an easy-to-understand format so that the council can compare it with the other three possible locations and make a wise decision.

After the town council meeting, your work is done. Do your best to present the council with the most accurate information possible. Remember that the future of the town’s waste program depends on the work you are doing!