The Effects of Natural Energy

The Effects of Natural Energy where I live

Lakecia McFadden

Kaplan University-SC300

Unit 4 Writing Assignment

September 20, 2010

The Effects of Energy where I live

The pattern I notice when looking at the National Seismic Hazard Map is that the states located on the West Coast are most likely to experience an earthquake in the next 40 years within the fifty year expectancy the map shows. My family lives on the East Coast in the state of Maryland. The area surrounding my state is shaded a light gray on the National Seismic Hazard Map which means the least probability for an earthquake to occur.

However, the number of earthquakes occurring globally is more frequent than we realize. As of September 23, 2010 there have been one hundred sixty seven earthquakes worldwide within the last week, ten of which has occurred today. It appears that five of those happened today in the Asia continent with readings of 4.7-6.0 magnitude. The Asia and North American region seems to be the most concentrated with earthquakes along its border and as far out as below the ocean floor. For example, there is one earthquake that occurred in North America offshore Oaxaca, Mexico on Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 14:42:11UTC. This earthquake was a 5.1 magnitude and stretched approximately 370 miles out reaching Mexico City.

I would not ever want to live in any areas marked with red on the National Seismic Hazard Map, because that would require me and my family to change our way of life as we know it now. We could lose our home and insurance would be higher living in an area where earthquakes are more probable than not. Not to mention, the danger of you or a loved one losing their life when earthquakes occur. There have been many people around the world affected by the aftermath of earthquakes; losing life is the most severe, but not the whole story. Aftershocks differentiate earthquakes from other...