October 1st, 2013
This is a map of earthquake faults in the western United States. Earthquake faults are clearly related to the engineering paradigm of environmental hazards. Homes and other structures built on or near earthquake fault lines need to be constructed in a way that is resistant to the potential hazards that it causes. Buildings in the area seen on the map need to have foundations that can resist sideways loads that can be present during an earthquake's series of shockwaves. This can be aided by having lighter roofs and walls and constructing the walls in a way so they can move equally in different directions. The measures are taken because of the engineering paradigm. Earthquakes in these areas occur frequently so the sites have been given added protection against them.
This is not always the case in other areas of the world, such as LDCs, where the government regulations are not as stringent. More government regulations in this area would benefit many people in the world who are extremely vulnerable to potential earthquakes. This data shows the exact location of the fault lines and even shows how old they are believed to be. This helps deal with the complexity paradigm for environmental hazards by showing locations for potential earthquakes. If it is known where a potential earthquakes epicenter could be, there is potential for that disaster to be reduced.
For further information on earthquake hazards visit the U.S. Geological Survey website (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/) which has up to minute tracking of earthquakes around the globe and extremely detailed maps that can help you learn about earthquakes and the steps taken to prepare for them by monitoring fault lines and seismic activity and the research that goes into the preparation process.
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