PowerPoint Reviews

"Education and Proliferation Of New (Old) Concepts" by Paul Theobald and Hibajene Shandomo is an article discussing the faults of current education systems and introducing ideas for change. The authors believe that education as it is isn't working because school systems focus on preparing students for jobs. Instead, the article suggests, students should be steered towards enriching human life. Some points that are discussed include maximum wage, agrigarianism, no-growth economics, and commons. Agrigarianism is a human to human concept. The article gives an illustration of a person hunting a deer to explain this term. If there is only one deer in a forest and a hunter catches it, it is only right to share it with his tribe; he should not keep it for himself. No-growth economics is saying that there must be a limit to supplies and population. Both must be controlled. Having a maximum wage is going off the no-growth economics idea because a limited supply of money means that resources for other people are limited. The commons is the area that everyone shares. Since all people are in that area, all get to vote on what happens to it. The earth is a commons because all people share the earth. The article says that people make choices, especially in economics, by "natural law". If someone was raised during the rise of industrialism, that person favors the mass production of all areas.

Indigenous Resistance and Racist Schooling Synthesis

Michael Marker's article explains the mechanisms used in the 1900s to assimilate Coast Salish Indians into "modernized" culture.   This group of natives lived on the U.S.-Canadian border.  Canada began to require the indigenous people to go to traditional schools with the rest of the Canadian population.  The United States put the Salish who lived within the border into boarding schools.  Racial discrimination increased in the Canadian schools, often causing severe trauma for the Salish students.  Discrimination was less of an issue in the U.S. because the boarding schools were selective to Salish Indians only.  Problems arose even more when the Boldt decision was put into affect. This decision supported the oral tradition that Indians had rights to half of the fish population. Students and teachers therefore blamed the Salish for their fishing difficulty.

I found this article to be very interesting.  I was not surprised that there were issues that arose with the assimilation.  Thrusting change on a group of people for the sake of conformity never goes over well.  I can see from both sides how and why they reacted the way that they did.

I read a book in my cultural anthropology class last semester that I was reminded of when I read this article.  The book was called "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down".  It was about a Hmong girl who was very sick.  She had many seizures and the doctors were frantic over how to heal her.  They were frustrated because they would prescribe medicine to help the girl, but the girl's family believed that the illness was not a physical one, but a spiritual one.  Therefore, they did not give the girl the recommended dosages and would sometimes refuse to use certain medicines at all.  

From both this book and Marker's article, I learned that both parties get frustrated and angry when cultural values are questioned.  Therefore, it is important to learn about the culture's background, views, and ideas before you try to promote change.

The Meatrix

I thought that the Meatrix episodes were cheesy but a little entertaining.  I think that it was a good method to include comic relief with such a serious topic.  I think that the worst thing about factory farming that the video clips showed was the antibiotic aspect.  Overusing antibiotics cause bacteria to become resistant to the drugs.  This could make a lot of people sick in the future, and could even result in an epidemic.

During the video, I thought of my hometown and the grocery stores there.  My dad is always excited when he gets good cuts of meat from Costco.  The short films made me wonder if these "pristine" meats are actually good quality.  I also thought about the farms around my house.  I've seen a lot of houses that raise chickens, cows, or goats.  I've never seen anything like what they showed on the film, but I don't doubt that they exist.

RT Reading Response

I already knew a little about biotechnology before I read Conway and Toeniessen's essay.  My biology class in high school had an in-class debate about whether GM foods should be used or not.  From participating in that discussion, I knew that the benefits of GM foods outweigh the skepticism.  I believe that GM foods are good to use, especially since it can help with world hunger.

At the end of the chapter of RT, I was surprised that the authors suggested "softening" your argument in a persuasive essay.  They use words like 'may' and 'could' to avoid offending people who don't agree with you.  After reading the explanation for using such word choice, it made sense to me.  I will be sure to use that tactic in future essays.

Scientific American Synthesis

Scientific American Synthesis

            In December, 2011, the EPA commenced a study to determine whether water pollution was linked to hydraulic fracking (Scientific American).  It turned out it was.  When hydraulic fluids mixed with underground water in Wyoming, it created glycol ethers and other synthetic compounds.  These compounds to not exist naturally in the environment, so their presence raised suspicion of the effects of fracking.

            Previously, drillers argued that fracking was a safe and natural way to obtain fuel (Scientific American).  It would also be the solution to reduce foreign gas and oil imports.  Chesapeake Energy wrote in their 2012 Fact Sheet that fracking “is critical to America’s energy needs and its economic renewal” (Chesapeake Energy).  Amy Mall, an analyst on the Natural Resources Defense Council disagrees.  “No one can accurately say that there is 'no risk' where fracking is concerned," she said. “This draft report makes obvious that there are many factors at play, any one of which can go wrong. Much stronger rules are needed to ensure that well construction standards are stronger and reduce threats to drinking water.”

            The EPA’s study was launched because WY residents started to complain about their water quality (Scientific American).  Sometimes, their water would turn brown after nearby fracking occurred.  Samples were taken from the faucets in 2008 and examined for pollutants.  In 2010, the EPA suggested that the residents not drink or bathe in the water.

            They confirmed that fracking caused the pollution by deducting other sources (Scientific American).  The underground water wells could not possibly be polluted by waste pits because of the sheer distance between the two; the wells of interest were 1,000 feet below the pits! Agriculture and drilling was also out of the question.

            This diagnosis may change the way that America decides to obtain fuel.  For decades we have been heavily reliant on oil.  We know that we have to change to an alternate source of energy eventually, and this discovery could be the push we need. 

Works Cited:

 EPA: Natural Gas Fracking Linked to Water Contamination: Scientific American." Science

News, Articles and Information. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fracking-linked-water-contamination-federal-agency>.

Chesapeake Energy. "Hydraulic Fracturing." Facts. Jan. 2012. Web. 01 Mar. 2012.

<http://www.hydraulicfracturing.com/Pages/information.aspx>.

Multimedia Presentations

I prefer multimedia presentations over essays because they allow you to use more visual displays.  I would say that I feel less stressed when I'm working on a powerpoint than when I'm writing an essay.  Working on the asthetics allows my mind to have a break and makes the project more enjoyable. I think it is important for a presentation to appeal asthetically to the viewer.  I also think that I prefer explaining things vocally than on paper.  I put as much time into multimedia presentations as I do an essay, so I still feel satisfied in my work when it comes time to share.

Environmental Change- Glaciers

<http://www.androidworld.com/prod60.htm>.

The picture above displays the Upsala Glacier in 1928 and in 2004.  As you can see, glacier melting is happening at a very fast rate.  According to a CBC news report in 2009, sea levels may rise 3 to 5 feet due to accelerated melting (Glaciers Melting Faster).  Ice shelves that keep the glaciers from the sea are also weakening.  In the article, a member of the International Polar Year's steering committee said that "the biggest of the western glaciers, the Pine Island Glacier, is moving 40 percent faster than it was in the 1970s, discharging water and ice more rapidly into the ocean."  He also said that "the Smith Glacier, also in west Antarctica, is moving 83 percent faster than in 1992."  Glacier melting is one example of environmental change;  soon the large glaciers of the 1900s will be a memory from the past.

Works Cited

"Glaciers Melting Faster Than First Thought - CBS News." Breaking News Headlines: Business, 

          Entertainment & World News - CBS News. Web. 19 Feb. 2012.     

          <http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/25/tech/main4829282.shtml>.

"The Solution to Global Warming." Android World - Anthropomorphic Robots &                    

        Animatronics. Web. 19 Feb. 2012. 

        <http://www.androidworld.com/prod60.htm>.

Religion, Environment, and Article Reflection

Yale University has a new program called 'religion and environment'.  This program attempts to bring two normally repelling ideas together in harmony based on different perspectives of religion.  No matter your beliefs, the environment and religion go hand in hand.  Religions all over the world must decide their place within creation. 

In the beginning of time, God bestowed humans resources to manage and take care of.  Many religions believe that it is the duty of the privileged to help those who are less privileged.  Every human relies on the environment for day to day needs.  Taking care of the environment, therefore, results in helping others.
Religion and the environment are not opposing forces.  Religion recognizes a creator, and the environment is part of his creation.  Therefore, you cannot support one and not the other.  


I read an article called Religion and Environment by Willis Jenkins and Christopher Key Chapple.  This article discussed the relationship between religion and environment from different world views.  I found out that many Asian religions approach environmental issues as moral issues as well.  Yoga (practiced in Hundu, Buddhist, Jaina, and Gandhian customs), display such unison.  Also, the beliefs of "plant sentience, stability, and karma" have all played roles in connecting religion and environment.  India, for example, has made environmental changes based on their religion.  One change that was made was tree protection due to the belief of tree worship.

Jenkins also asserted in his article that people who call themselves Christians approach environmental issues in different ways, depending on their encounter with God.  Many denominations teach to "appreciate beauty, revere sacraments, and respect creation".  From my experience as a Christian I found this statement to be accurate.  Many Christians view the environment in different ways, but I would say that most have at least some amount of respect for creation.

After reading this article, I agree that most religions have an interest in environmental health.  I believe that more and more people will accept combining religion and environmental studies into one category alongside their separate categories as time goes on.

Article Link:
( http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-environ-042610-103728 )

ENG 101 2/7/12 Shit Yogis Say

My English professor showed us a YouTube video called “Shit Yogis Say”.  This video puts a humorous spin on the everyday yoga participant.  It seems like hundreds of videos have recently been posted with the same theme.  They are all over the web.  I think this trend is funny, but is overused.  I don’t particularly like the ones where people play the role of the opposite gender.  It just doesn’t work.

Richard Kahn Essay Reflection

Kahn Essay Reflection

In his article Towards Ecopedagogy: Weaving a Broad-based Pedagogy of Liberation for Animals, Nature, and the Oppressed People of the Earth, Richard Kahn explains the different routes the fate of the Earth might fall into. 

“We move, then,” he says, “in a sea of possibilities and swirling energies. Amidst these energies arises the great wave; and it is crashing and we who are threatened with annihilation and asked to threaten others with the same are its driftwood. Will we then be smashed to splinters upon the polluted beach of no tomorrow? Will we surf the awesome tube of this grave peril and move laterally across it into newly imagined freedoms? Or will we head outward into deeper waters still, floating upon unfathomable depths, along with dangers and possibilities even as of yet unforeseen?”(Kahn 1).

He goes on to explain that Capitalism handicaps people to distinguish the delicate relationship between creatures and their environment.  Destroying the environment destroys the creature, and vice versa.  A capitalist world, he says, puts the two against each other. 

“. . . the fact of the matter is that capitalism as we know it rests by definition upon friction. It is predicated first and foremost by competition and growth, a predatory survival of the fittest approach to life in which “fittest” means most mighty and therefore able to grow further and out-compete rivals. There is no ecology of symbiosis in the dominant system today, no ecology of mutuality and compassion; and again, this lack exists not by accident but rather as the result of concrete historical forces at work in our world. . .”(Kahn 2). 

I can see where Kahn is coming from in his article.  Capitalism has encouraged business to produce as much as they can with their money, which can result in exploitation of resources, but it frustrates me that he does not provide an alternate method, at least, that America should work towards.  I also do not like how he blankets the whole system as an evil. 

He also states that Capitalist America is carrying the “murder” of trillions of animals on its back because of the growing popularity of fast food industries.  I found this argument weak because he did not give support to his claim as to how, exactly, the animal kingdom was being affected.  I would have liked to see past trends in animal deaths and scientific studies to back up such an assertive statement.

Kahn later mentions in his article that he believes ecopedagogy (or environmental education) should be expanded into the lives of average individuals.  Over the last couple of decades, he says, environmental movements have opened the eyes of individuals, changing the way people look at the world.

“In part, [the modern environmental movement] has developed ideas and practices of environmental preservation and conservation, struggled to understand and reduce the amount of pollution and toxic risks associated with industrialized civilization, produced new modes of counterculture and morality, outlined the need for appropriate technologies, and led to powerful legislative environmental reforms as well as a wide range of alternative institutional initiatives” (Kahn 5).

Enforcing an environmental education curriculum in schools could help raise a generation that is aware of the state of the earth and its natural resources.  It could also be used as a gateway to reaching the families of the schoolchildren.  One school that is taking matters into its own hands is the School of Environmental Studies in Minnesota, referred as the “Zoo School”.  This school lets juniors and seniors in high school take their classes at a nearby zoo so that they might observe the inner workings of the zoo itself, as well as the flora and fauna.  This supposedly increases motivation of the students and helps the students to connect lectures to real-life. 

I agree that environmental education is important.  People need to be aware that they contribute to the health and wellness of their world.  Teaching students when they are young will initialize good habits that they can carry on into their adult life and pass on to their children.  I think that the “Zoo School” sounds like it could be a good system for a select group of students.  I believe that it would be difficult for certain learning styles to assimilate in that setting, but I think it would be good for those tactical learners. 

Overall, I think that Kahn gave some good insight on many real problems that America, along with the rest of the world, has. However, it bothered me that he didn’t offer a solution to fix those problems.  I was skeptical while reading his essay because I didn’t find much science-based information and how it ties into the overall ecology of the world, and I wish that he had incorporated that into his work.

http://richardkahn.org/writings/ecopedagogy/towardsecopedagogy.pdf

Forum Reflection and Google Alert Find

The forum we had in class on Friday caused me to think about water in ways I never had before.  Our professor asked us if we thought that Americans using water in such wasteful ways is a moral issue.  I pondered that for a while, and came to the conclusion that using water is not a moral issue.  We are not morally obligated to use minimal amounts because it is available to us freely.  We are, I believe, obligated to help the less advantaged.  That means building wells, and giving (and teaching) the disadvantaged ways to help themselves.  Desalinators can be very expensive, and I'm not exactly sure why... Why is there such a high price for having clean water?

On a different note, I found this article in one of my Google Alerts.  It wasn't exactly what I was looking for when I set up the Alert, but it's pretty cool!  It's about Cargo bikes. Have you ever heard of them?

https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJQ

GBpYPjbafjtE9aTzwBzEDyJZw5xKewa7P1_vC1CfhgrdnKq

You can read the article at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/green-motoring/9032822/Cargo-bikes-and-tricycles-for-the-school-run.html

These bikes can be used instead of cars to carry your children in the "box" in front.  They are supposedly a very smooth ride, and very environment-friendly.  When you start to have trouble going up hill, there is a button you can press that takes the pressure of the cargo off.  It looks like fun!

El Rio Colorado Pollution!

Check this out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeA8Xs6BlEA

This video shows the disastrous effects of human waste.  El Rio Colorado undertakes massive amounts of pollution.  Plastic bottles, bags, beer bottles, and Styrofoam cups are washed into the river every week.   The good news is that biologists, engineers, and ecologists are all working towards cleaning and maintaining the health of the river.  Trucks sweep the roads nearby to rid of trash that could potentially be washed away in a heavy rain.  Filtration systems are becoming more advanced and reliable as well.  I believe that communities near other rivers will take action to fight pollution, too, once they see the benefits reaped here.

Not Just a Bug

Not Just a Bug

I used to love riding the school bus.  Shiny yellow paint, giant wheels, and no seat belts were all it took for my six-year-old mind to scream adventure.  My sister and I grinned as we took our seats at the front of the bus.  After a few minutes of chatting with the other kids, I felt a pinch on my arm.  Slightly alarmed, I looked down to see the most disgusting, hideous bug I had ever seen in my entire life.  I smacked at it and it landed on the bus floor, squirming around like a worm half fried on a sidewalk.  “It’s a bee!” an older and wiser 4^th grader declared.

“Eww!  Squash it!” I whined. 

“There’s no use in squashing it,” the 4^th grader replied.  Once it stings you, it’s gonna die anyway.”

“I’ll kill it!” exclaimed a skinny boy with glasses.  With one loud thunk he stepped on the bee with his shoe.  We all circled around the bee and leaned in to observe the tiny mound of guts that remained. 

Ten years later in my high school biology class, I thought about that day in the first grade.  We had been studying plant evolution and reproduction, and I began to wonder exactly what role and impact bees had on the environment.  

I realized that many people, like me and the other children in the story above, think little of bees.  It doesn’t take long for people to start swatting once the annoying buzz tickles their ear.  But before we pull out the fly swatter, maybe we should consider everything that bees provide us, as well as their current stance in the world. 

Since winter 2006, the bee population has been declining at an unusually fast rate.  Over the next 6 months 80% of bees went out in search of plants to pollinate and never returned.  Panicked beekeepers termed the disappearance as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).  Because bees have been around for 130 million years, you might wonder why they are disappearing now.  Researchers believe that harmful pesticides, deforestation, global warming, and mites might be factors contributing to CCD.  Industrial agriculture might also play a role. 

CCD is a problem because honey bees are the most important pollinator in the ecosystem.  Although some plants rely on wind or self-pollination, most plants require bees to cross-pollinate for them.  This includes a third of the food that we produce in the United States.  In a world without bees, plants that we take for granted will die, as will the animals that eat those plants. Fruits, vegetables, and even nuts may disappear before our very eyes.  We would have to rely on a diet consisting of mainly corn, wheat, and rice. 

Bees contribute to a plethora of other items that you might not expect them to.  Their wax can be used for candles, cosmetics, furniture and shoe polish, as well as hair removers and many other household products.  Honey is also a beneficial product that bees produce.  It contains calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, and other essential minerals.  Vitamins and healthy amino acids are also found in honey.  It turns out that honey is not just a delicious and healthy spread!  Putting honey on a cut or burn will speed up the healing process.  It can also act as a cough suppressant when ingested. You can help protect the bees by planting flowering plants, fighting against pesticide use, and limiting your participation towards global warming by walking or biking to work or school.  If we all ban together to take steps toward a cleaner and environmentally-conscious world, we can prevent critical species loss from happening again.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/full-episode/251/

 Works Cited

"Honey - The Healthy Choice - BeeMaid Honey." Beemaid Natural Honey Products Are Proudly Owned by Canadian Beekeepers - BeeMaid Honey. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. <http://www.beemaid.com/honey-the-healthy-choice>.

"Honeybees, Colony Collapse Disorder | Silence of the Bees: Introduction | Nature | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/introduction/38/>.

"Video: Full Episode - Silence of the Bees - Colony Collapse Disorder, CCD, Honeybees | Nature | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/full-episode/251/>.

Haikus

One percent farmers

Resources are limited

We must make a change

The planet we live

Is not what we think it is

Forever changing

Yum bread tastes good

We are hungry and need food

Kansas please grow wheat!

Exercise with Google Alerts and Twitter

Although initially doubtful, I have come to the conclusion that Google Alerts and Twitter CAN be useful in gianing information.  I had never used Twitter before, so it took me a while to get acquainted with it.  I decided to follow National Geographic because I love viewing their pictures.  They also post a lot about the environment and how plants, animals, and people are responding to it.  I found out that National Geographic does not only talk the talk; they walk the walk.  About 60% of their waste as a company is recycled/composted!  They recycle batteries, DVDs, office materials, and even toilet paper! 
I also found that Google Alerts is a fun tool.  It is convenient and easy to use.  I asked for articles relating to "carrying capacity" to be sent to my email daily.  I learned that there is a limit to all species populations.  Many species have already hit that limit, but humans never have.  There is no question that we will one day reach that mark.  The question is when will we hit it.

Environmental Issue and "Island Civilization"

                As decades go by, extinction is becoming a larger and larger issue.  As houses, schools, stores, and office buildings are built, animal habitats and plants are eradicated.  Oftentimes, species are overhunted without hunters even knowing the species is struggling.  The introduction of non-native species is also proven to be destructive.  For example, the infamous vine, Kudzu, was brought from Asia to the United States in 1876.  It grows on trees and bushes until its leaves block out sunlight and oxygen to the host, essentially killing it.  This vine grows extremely vast in the South East and is difficult to get rid of. 

                Roderick Frazier Nash’s “Island Civilization” idea could potentially solve many of these problems. If humans isolated themselves in the way Nash proposes, animals and plants could live freely in their habitats, away from human impact.  Also, since the population of humans would be dramatically reduced by then next millennium, the resources that are needed from the wilderness would be much less than that of today.  This future diversity would allow us to achieve more medical advances, as a large percentage of plants are yet to be studied. 

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/07/060705172308.htm

Summery/Reflection of "Island Civilization"

                In his essay, “Island Civilization: a vision for human occupancy of Earth”, Professor Roderick Frazier Nash explains the importance of taking a new approach towards the environment.   For thousands of years, he argues, hunters and gatherers lived harmoniously with nature.  It wasn’t until people started to try to control nature that it became more of a nuisance than a friend.  Man began to work against the “wilderness” by building fences, clearing out trees, and herding animals to name a few.  Furthermore, technology reinforced the separation through the emergence of railroad tracks, bridges, tunnels, dams, and pavement. 

            Nash informs his readers that there are four directions in which the fate of the earth can go.  Think of it as a road with four paths branching at a single point.  The single point is where we are presently.  The paths are the different future scenarios that may occur within the next millennium.  The first path, he says, leads to what he calls “Wasteland” Earth.  Imagine a mundane, depleted Earth exhausted of its natural resources that is only able to support a few species.  It is the road that our growing population and continued mistreatment of flora and fauna will cause.  To avoid a future like this, he argues, we must take proper steps towards change.   

            The second path Nash describes is called the “Garden Scenario”.  This seems to be an approach that we might expect to come out of a science-fiction book.  In this illustration, the earth would be under control of the human species.  We would use technology to operate the planet instead of letting it run its natural course.  The earth would be far less diversified, but the water would be clean, and food plentiful.  Large animals would only exist for us to eat because the wilderness would be nonexistent.  This world that is described is one fully centered on us.  

            “Future Primitive” is what Nash calls the third path.  In this course, groups of humans revert back to the hunter-gatherer ways of their ancestors.  Technology is considered an enemy and discarded entirely.  People would have to learn how to live side-by-side with nature as an equal instead of fighting it.

            Lastly, Nash describes the path he feels is best suited for our future.  He calls it “Island Civilization”.  Instead of fencing in the wilderness, he says that we should fence in human settlement.  Imagine little bubbles of human communities scattered across the world.  In these “bubbles”, humans can still enjoy the same artificial comforts we have today (think of air conditioning!).   With technology, we could trade the harsh lands we’ve pushed wild animals into and turn them into comfortable places for us to live.  He says that if people want to opt out of these highly populated communities, they can live in the wilderness as long as they agree to live as hunters and gatherers.  They can never settle; they must only take what is needed to fulfill their daily needs.

            While I can agree with Professor Nash’s urgency to persuade people to take steps toward protecting the environment, I feel like his solution is much more drastic then necessary, or even possible.  I believe it is safe to broadly say that most people know that we could take better care of the world in which we live.  The fact is, however, that people have worked long and hard to obtain comfortable homes and safe environments for their children to play and grow up in.  Our society’s standard of living is much too high to achieve either the “Future Primitive” scenario or the “Island Civilization” scenario.  If either were to occur, I believe that both would be a desperate effort to save the human species.  The “Garden Scenario” would probably be most preferable and easiest for us to head towards.  Even so, much of this illustration relies heavily on faith that we will come up with the technology in the next millennium to make it possible.  Also, might arise when people realize the ethical issues involved in this plan.  One might argue that taking such control might be interpreted as “playing God”.    

            Looking at our advances in the past decade or so, I would say that we are naturally taking steps toward the right path.  With technology improving, we can now use the internet in replace of paper and pen.  Also, through things like email and instant messaging, texting, video chatting, and voice messaging, we can potentially save ourselves a drive.  Technology is only getting more eco-friendly, now that consumers are more conscientious of the environment.  I encourage people to take small steps every day towards making the world a cleaner and more beautiful place.