People and Resources:Fire

Where is everybody?

2011-01-25T20:42:00.000-08:00

The Kyoto Protocol

2009-12-15T13:54:00.000-08:00

The Kyoto Protocol is a good idea but I believe that the U.S. needs to participate in this. The U.S. released 20.2 percent of the carbon that was emitted into the atmosphere in 2006. this is a significant amount considering that we don't have a huge population. This proves to be a problem that we as a nation need to address. I believe we can do so if we join the Kyoto Protocol. This would result is a change in the life styles of the typical American but it would be to better the environment. I heard on the radio the other day that the government and may large corporations are sacred to commit to this because it would cause an increase in spending which would cause corporations to cut back in other areas, one of which would be employment. they felt as if it was not a good move because it would not be good during the economic recession that the nation is going through at this point in time. I do some what agree with the fact that it will cost a bit more for these corporations to function but it is for the benefit of the worlds atmosphere. i think that the government should act on its own and not think about the fact that these corporations don't want to take away from their profits to help an international cause.

The Man who planted trees

2009-12-11T23:33:00.000-08:00

During the last class of the semester, our professor showed us a video of a man who went around, in the desert planting trees. In this desert area there was not a thing growing, not even a bush. The man felt as though it was time to give back to mother nature and the earth. He wanted to make a difference and feel as though he helped in some small way. He planted 1000 trees and made a forest where there was none previously. This in turn helped reduce the CO2 levels, and helped to raise the O2 levels in that area's atmosphere.

After he finished that task he then began to make honey from honey bees. He went on doing other things for the benefit of others and helping the earth.

This movie showed us that one person really can make a difference in their habitat. If people do a few simple, small things, it can add up to one big difference. After learning all about global warming, how the atmosphere is crumbling, how the polar ice caps are melting, etc. it was nice to end the semester with such an uplifting movie. It gets you thinking about how much one or even ten men can accomplish, if they put their minds to it. Quitting would be the worst thing that can happen. If you don't quit, then you can never fail!

Al Gore's theory.... global warming!

2009-12-11T18:14:00.000-08:00

Al Gore is respected by many people and has released books, "movies", and articles about global warming. Many people, for some reason still don't believe him, or just don't want to hear it. This is a real and true issue. It effects, not only every American, but every person on this earth. I didn't realize all the facts until my professor showed Gore's video in class.

During the movie An inconvenient Truth Al Gore showed pictures of what was on earth years ago, and what it is now. It is all very fascinating and scary. Al Gore states from his movie, “As important as it is to change the lights and the windows, it is far more important to change the policies, and there are many places where people can find the individual actions that can save energy, save money and reduce pollution, and yet the ultimate solution to this crisis has to come in the form of new policies, new laws and new treaties that are international in scope.”

AL Gore agrees that it is ironic that "he has, from time to time, taken to the entertainment biz to press the case — “a lot of people glean a good bit of knowledge from the humorous treatment of the news” — and he says he would “love the chance” to do a followup to “Truth,” although none is in the works.

Al Gore is a very smart, passionate man who knows what he is talking about. From watching his video I was inspired to change my ways for the better of the earth. I think he should do A follow up to "An Incovienient Truth". It would be great to see if the changes that people have made, has helped the planet at all.

Industry Pollutants affect Obesity in Akwesasne boys and girls

2009-12-11T13:29:00.000-08:00

we have spoken in class about the adverse effects that industry pollutants have on the environment. Evidence done in a study of the Akwesasne Nation in New York show that pollutants may be to blame for increase in childhood obesity.

Industry factories were polluting the rivers from which the Akwesasne people fish with Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB's). Some of the corporations with factories in the area are General Motors, and Alcoa Inc.
PCB's are lipophilic, meaning they accumulate in fat tissue. They also bioaccumulate (are passed on through trophic levels) and are highly resistant to breakdown in the body.

Fish was a main part of the Akwesasne diet, but as a result of PCB accumulation in the rivers, an advisory was made to eliminate fishing in these areas and to discontinue consumption of fish from the area. The advisory may have come too late for many individuals who had already been exposed and contaminated by the PCB's. For those who were not, dramatic changes in the diet adversely affected their body weight.

Akwesasne people experience a very low socioeconomic status. Many of these people work in the factories for little pay. We learned in class that low SES individuals tend to purchase calorie-dense foods because they are inexpensive and filling. In Akwesasne Nation, the drastic change in diet was substituting high protein lean fish for calorie-dense and nutrient-deficient foods readily available in stores catering to low-income individuals.

The effects have been drastic.

Information on the effects of PBC's on obesity in Akwesasne nation can be found in the following link.
http://esc.syrres.com/sraupstateny/downloads/symposium%20presentations/david.ppt#18

Enron: What Went Wrong

2009-12-11T11:35:00.000-08:00

A while back we watched a film on the Enron scandal in class. This shocked me that a corporation of that size and stature could be in so much trouble and hide it so "well". When doing a little bit more research on the subject I found that they seemed to be in over their heads years before the breakdown, and were spreading themselves to thin to make the all mighty dollar. As much profit as they were bringing in they still wanted more I think that the greed of this corporation was the ultimate cause of their downfall, the other aspect that stuck out to me was the lack of government intervention. I agree the government should not be allowed to stick it's nose in places where it's not needed but I can't help but wonder if the government had stepped in back when local government wanted to step in to regulate prices if that would have helped in the long run. This was one of the biggest bankruptcies in the history of this country and it shows that loopholes never provide stability.

Trade

2009-12-11T11:33:00.000-08:00

In class we talked about trade and it's effects, we also talked about the World Trade Organization. In September of this year our president signed to keep our trade embargo up against Cuba. I found this to be a bit unsettling because I thought that he would bring about change. Now I know that he loosened a few bolts by allowing Cuban-Americans to visit relatives and send funds if needed but I feel the same way as the Cuban government feels they are just putting a nice big pretty bow on a problem that really hasn't been fixed. It is also true that Cuba has not made any efforts to change but we as a nation can not force our form of government on everybody you would think that we would have learned it by now, I know that under the Helms-Burton act we can not lift the embargo until we see some type of progress, but I don't really see that happening in the long run. This has been going on since 1962 and I think it's about time that we just leave the past in the past and move on to a future where were can except differences in government so long as they aren't detrimental is some way.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8256196.stm

The Last Video

2009-12-11T11:32:00.000-08:00

The video that we watched on the last day was one of the most beautiful stories and a perfect way to end the semester. That video showed that one person can make a difference if they try. The only thing is we all can't go out and plant trees although that is a novel idea it still will not be enough to help with all the problems that we have already caused. I believe that strict laws and regulations should be placed into effect to lower the nations carbon dioxide output and all the other harmful toxins that are released, I don't think that big corporations should be allowed to buy offsets to anything this is not doing anything to help an already struggling environment, that is trying to get back on it's feet. We as a race are the most destructive there is we throw off ecosystems left and right for the gain if profit and won't invest in the most important thing that we have: The Earth.If this continues at the rate that it is future generations will pay the price. Most of the nations in the world are working together to do something about this major problem and it seems like we are the only ones that won't get off our high horse and humble ourselves like the rest of the world. The U.S. should be leading this movement to save the environment and atmosphere since we seem to be doing to most damage to it.

Education

2009-12-11T11:23:00.000-08:00

In class we discussed education and I didn't chime in because I really don't know how to explain the form of education I received as a child.When I was through with kindergarten at a public school I received a scholarship to attend a private school called Hawthorn Valley. This school is a Waldorf school, there is no way to describe what a Waldorf school is so I provided a link at the bottom for you to read on your own. When speaking to my dad about how to explain my education at this school he said "It's just a different way of teaching, you listen and interpret information differently than most students." I honestly don't think I do but maybe it is true. In this school we didn't spend time learning information that we had to regurgitate back onto a test at the middle and end of the year because there were no state tests.Everything was learned at the classes pace, also there was only one of each grade level and you had the same main teacher for all your main subjects such as history, math, language art, and so on, this allowed for in my mind a closer relationship with you classmates and your instructor. They become like your family, for the eight years I attended that school I had 23 kids in my class a few came and a few yet but there was always that set 23. I'm this school I learned a lot of things that a person who went to a public school would say were unconventional but I beg to differ. I learned to farm, raise animals,care for those animals, knit, sew, cook, hike, survive in the wilderness if need be, multiple languages from a very young age, and to expand on things that I enjoyed. In class there were a few students that said that public schools didn't allow you to expand on things that you found interesting they just got you in and out as fast as they could, that's the main difference I see in the two forms of education one let you expand and explore your options and the other placed you on a set path. I left the Waldorf school to attend a public school in high school because although the school allowed you to explore all of options I didn't feel as if it would prepare me for college and the "real world" as some might say. Even though I did leave I still believe that my years there were some of the most beneficial years of my educational career to this day. I didn't say all this in class because it took me a long time to find the words to express to the class this alternative form if education and how it is beneficial.

There is the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_education

Family

2009-12-11T11:15:00.000-08:00

In class we also spoke about family. I was raised in a household where family is extremely important and I believe that your family is one of the most important things you have. I believe that in Nancy Folbre's book there is not enough emhphasis on how the nuclear family is run lately. I think that the caring problem is nurtured due to the lack of caring in the nuclear family and that this is the element that needs to be addressed rather than swept under the rug, people now days are so quick to hand their children off to the next person so they can continue their pursuit of their own personal gain. It seems like all to often people who have professional lives family's have to take the runner up position. The lack of caring in families I believe is what is leading to the decline in the "invisible heart", and like Folbre's stated this is due to the increase in the pursuit of personal gain.When Smith came up with this theory he believed in the good of humankind and didn't think that people were capable of being that selfish,but this is where he is at fault because it seems that personal gain is far more rewarding that caring for others. I think that everyone needs to take a step back and look at what is occurring and if that doesn't work then more money should be put into the business of caring so people have an incentive to care. In the end I still think that this is a problem that has it's roots deeply embedded in the family,and nuclear families in this country have some issues that need to be worked on.

The Invisible Heart: Economics and Family Values. New York: The New Press, 2001

Alternative Energy

2009-12-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

Lately there has been a lot if talk in my community about solar power,two of my close friends are going to school at Hudson Valley Community College to learn how to install the panels, and learn more in depth about the solar market. One of my friends always tells me that this is going to be the new market and that it is going to make money, I agree with him to a certain extent but not fully. I believe that solar power could very well be one of the most useful forms of power the only thing that I see posing as a problem is the financial aspect. The reason why people use oil or any other form of fossil fuel as a power source is because it is not hard to obtain and it is inexpensive to use.Eventually both of those statements will be false do to the factor of peak oil that is inevitable in the long run. This is where solar power could do some good the only downside to this is the financial burden that it has. If solar power were made less expensive I believe more people that are environmentally conscious would use this form of energy for their homes and businesses, and if there was some form incentive for corporations to make the switch like tax breaks or government funding I believe they would readily make the switch too. As with most things positive reinforcement is needed to cause a change.

The Many Benefits of Urban Living

2009-12-11T06:49:00.000-08:00

There seems to be a negative stigma attached to the idea of living in urban environments. Arguments arise about pollution and over-crowding. But as someone who grew up in an urban environment, I can attest to the many pros of living in a big city. A lecture in my Human Growth and Development class proved that there are more benefits to Urban Living than just environmental ones.

Earlier in the semester we watched a video titled "The End of Suburbia". It highlighted the many cons of living in the suburbs and the environmental implications that exist in attempting to sustain the suburban lifestyle. Suburbs tend to be isolated from businesses and places of work. This increases the need for vehicles to get around. Obviously, that has implications on the environment. Using a vehicle as a primary means for transportation has a negative effect on the health of individuals as well because it decreases the opportunity for exercise. Though, in children, this can be countered with participation in sports and recreational activities, adults in the suburbs tend to lead a much more sedentary life-style. This may be a contributor to the obesity epidemic.

City dwellers tend to use mass transit for transportation, lowering carbon dioxide emissions. The proximity of businesses, schools and jobs means people can walk or cycle to and from their destinations. City parks provide green space for recreational activities as well as reduction of atmospheric CO2. There is more opportunity for physical activity, which may help decrease rates of obesity.

I know many people will agree will not agree with the idea that raising a family in a city/urban environment is better, but I found growing up in an urban environment to be a positive experience for me. There are parks within walking distance of most residential areas. I could go to the museum or the theatre or school without the need of a vehicle. I was exposed to a wide variety of cultures. There was always something to see or do; some new food to try or new person to talk to. I gained a certain wisdom that can't necessarily be measured, but I know has everything to do with my constant exposure to different people and situations.

Of course, cities are not perfect. There are dangers that exist there just like anywhere else, but I think the benefits outweigh the costs.

My Carbon Footprint

2009-12-11T05:26:00.000-08:00

carbonfootprint.com defines a carbon footprint as:
"a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc."
The image above, from carbonfootprint.com, shows the percentages that daily activities and consumption contribute to carbon dioxide emissions.

There are a number of websites available that offer people the opportunity to calculate their carbon footprint based on their daily activities and behaviors. One such website is nature.org.

The Carbon footprint calculator calculates your individual or household carbon footprint in tons of CO2 eq/year. The calculator asked me questions about home heating, travelling, appliance use, energy efficient light bulb use, diet and meat consumption, and recycling habits.

My results were quite surprising and lower than I expected. According to the calculator my personal carbon footprint is 7.9 (tons CO2 eq/year). This is compared to the average American's personal carbon footprint, estimated at 27, and the world average, estimated at 5.5. I was also surprised to see how much higher the carbon footprint of the average American is in comparison to the rest of the world. It makes me think that policies need to be made to regulate our carbon emissions. What's the awareness of climate change has not seemed to decrease the CO2 emissions in this country.

The fact that I don't drive a car may have a lot to do with my low carbon footprint. I live in a very large city with an efficient public transportation system. Owning a car is neither necessary nor convenient. I reside in an apartment building which does not allow me to regulate the temperature in my apartment, however, all of my light bulbs are energy efficient as are the majority of my appliances. This may also contribute to my lower footprint.

Another thing nature.org does is breakdown your behavior and offer advice on how to reduce your carbon footprint. I think everyone should visit the website and have their carbon footprint calculated. Is it lower or higher than you expected?

http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator/

http://www.carbonfootprint.com/carbonfootprint.html

Kyoto Protocol, Is it doomed to fail?

2009-12-11T03:52:00.000-08:00

The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement signed by members of the United Nations, set forth by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1997 and ratified in 2005.

The goal of the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5 percent below reported levels in 1990. 37 "Annex 1" countries commit to reducing the following greenhouse gases

Carbon Dioxide
Methane
Nitrous Oxide
Sulfur-Hexaflouride

as well as
HFC's and PFC's (Flourocarbons)

Reported levels of greenhouse gases in 1990 were:

335 ppm Carbon Dioxide
1616 ppb Methane
310 ppb Nitrous Oxide
(global levels of Sulfur Hexaflouride not found)

Today, Carbon Dioxide levels have increased to above 385ppm. Methane levels are above 1750ppb and nitrous oxide levels are above 315ppb.

The Protocol places more pressure on developed nations that are principally responsible for the increase in greenhouse gas emissions at the turn of the century.

The problem with this is that, today, the nations most responsible for greenhouse emissions are developing countries just entering industrialization and attempting to catch up with already developed nations. The developing countries have substantially larger populations as well, which just duplicates the problem. If the protocol does not pressure them to commit to reducing emissions, the efforts of the treaty will be fruitless.

Another problem is that developed countries, like the United States, have diminished their greenhouse emissions by outsourcing their factories and plants to developing nations. This is completely counterproductive to the efforts of the protocol

It seems as if the Kyoto protocol is just a document showing the UN's intent on doing something about climate change. According to carbonify.com, signers to the agreement are not bound to commit to it unless their government ratifies it.

Worse yet, the United States recently refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol under the excuse that it would be bad for the economy. The irony is that the U.S. is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse emissions in the world. Another reason the U.S. refused to ratify the agreement was because developing nations like China would not be obligated to commit to the conditions of the agreement.

how can the UNFCCC expect to meet it's goals of reducing greenhouse emissions to safer levels if nations are not participating in the efforts?

Please watch this CNN video about the Kyoto Agreement

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/tech/2009/12/06/coren.kyoto.backgrounder.cnn.html

The following websites further explain the Kyoto Protocol, as well as it's limitations and successes. I encourage you all to check them out and let me know what you think. I am curious to see your positions on the ratification of the Protocol in the U.S.

http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php

http://www.carbonify.com/articles/kyoto-protocol.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol

Sequestration of Carbon in the Oceans

2009-12-11T01:23:00.000-08:00

The increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the reasons behind climate change. Much of the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide is due to human activity. Carbonify.com puts November's levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide at 385.99 parts per million. That is the highest it has been for November in the last 50years, and 100 ppm higher than pre-industrial times(a).

In efforts to reverse the carbon dioxide emissions, scientists have created very innovative ways of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. I read an article in Science Daily about using the Ocean to trap excess CO2 emissions. I did a little more research and found that scientists have been developing many ways to use the Ocean as a tool against climate change.

There are two methods under research at the moment for trapping carbon dioxide in the ocean. One method is injecting liquefied carbon dioxide into the deep ocean. Presumably, the pressure at the bottom of the ocean is strong enough to keep carbon dioxide from escaping from it's liquid form. "At great depths, CO2 is denser than sea water, and it may be possible to store it on the bottom as liquid or deposits of icy hydrates,"(b)

The second method under research is fertilizing the oceans. Phytoplankton on the surface of the ocean remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere pretty efficiently. Fertilizing the oceans with iron would promote phytoplankton growth and increase carbon dioxide removal with the assumption that the CO2 consumed by these microorganisms would sink to the bottom of the ocean and remain sequestered there or be consumed with the phytoplankton by fish(b).

However brilliant these methods may seem, they are simply hypotheses and may fail. My concern is that testing these methods would mean experimenting with the delicate ecosystems that exist in the oceans.

Water and carbon dioxide mix together to form carbonic acid(b). High levels of carbonic acid in the oceans could change the pH and have adverse effects on the organisms living in them. The last thing we need is to disrupt another ecosystem.

Fertilizing the oceans may have adverse effects as well. It is not known for certain that the carbon sequestered in the phytoplankton will sink to the bottom, nor is it known what happens to carbon once it sinks to the bottom (b). One experiment done in the Antarctic Ocean found that "seven weeks after the experiment ended a distinct pattern of iron-fertilized plankton was still visible from space -- 'which means the fixed carbon was still at the surface.'"

Further detail on these experiment can be found at the links below.

Carbon sequestration sounds like an interesting idea, however, it is only a quick fix to the massive problem at hand. It will never work to eliminate excess emissions of CO2 if we continue life as we do. Changes must be made to reduce CO2 emissions so that our oceans don't have to pick up the slack.

(a) http://www.carbonify.com/carbon-dioxide-levels.htm
Visit this website. It provides up to date information about current atmospheric CO2 levels as well as historical data and tips on reducing our carbon footprint.

(b)http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/sea-carb-bish.html

(c)http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080218134635.htm

Here is a link to a graph on thedailygreen.com showing trends in CO2 emissions over the last fifty years

http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/sY/carbon-dioxide-trend-lg.jpg

Final Say

2009-12-10T16:58:00.000-08:00

People and resources are two extremely important factors in our world constantly affecting one another. Energy, nitrogen, water, etc. are all resources that people use for survival. From the very beginning people have been finding new ways to improve and simplify their lives. If you believe in the classic story that cave men discovered how to make and control fire then really you can say that is where it all began. Of course before this there were other ways to make tools out of wood or stone, ways to hunt, eat, and live, but fire is really where it all began. Once people realized there were new things yet to be invented and discovered, the hunt was on.

One major discovery that has greatly affected our population and resources today is nitrogen-based fertilizer. Of course it can be seen as a great discovery because without it hundreds of populations would no longer be able to survive, but it has also greatly affected our energy consumption.

Today energy is one of the major issues in our society. Where would we be if we really did run out of energy? What will happen when we reach peak oil and when it simply just cannot be accessed anymore? Where will people turn? Oil is used to power everything from cars, to homes, to simply the way of life as we know it, so without it what really will happen?

The world, especially the US, has become accustomed to a “lifestyle” of quickness and convenience. From fast food, to large superstores, to bottled water, our lives have been transformed it what seems like an irreversible way. Now that we have experienced having these things how can we really live without them? Well the fact is we really can.

We all went five days without something we believed we couldn’t live without, and guess what, we’re all still here. Although it may have been somewhat of an inconvenience or frustrating, we all managed to work through something we thought we would never be able to do. Now that we know we really can live without these things previously believed to be necessities, we really need to rethink our way of life.

Our population, climate, and basically our “lifestyle” is simply out of control and is spiraling down a path of destruction. We always expect that others will take care of our problems for us, but it has come to a time where this simply is not the case. We need to begin to work together to really have an effect.

Although recently some people have been trying to cut back on their extensive use of resources, no one really has a sense of urgency on how big of an issue it could be if we really do run out of resources. Just like climate change, people know it exists and admit it is an issue affecting them and the world, yet fail to really do anything about it. As we’ve learned in class we have become somewhat of a lazy and selfish society. We like things quickly with little effort and we worry about ourselves before anyone else. Most think they don’t need to do anything because someone else will do it, which will make up for them not doing anything. Really many need to refocus their ideas and mind-state. We all really need to start putting in the effort and working together if anything is ever going to get accomplished.

The US is one of the great and well-known developed nations and we really do need to be careful of our actions. Other nations see what we have and they want this too. We have given them the information and the technology to become like us and what will happen to the world if there are more nations just like the US? We are one of the leading CO2 emitters in the world and if all the other nations start to catch up to us, who knows what could happen.

People don’t realize that all their actions have a consequence. Maybe not directly on themselves but on somebody, somewhere. From this class alone we have learned so many ways and have heard so many great ideas on how we could possibly make a difference to really save the Earth. Now all we have to do is really just make the effort.

So many amazing discoveries and inventions have been made for millions of years so now if we simply change our focus onto discovering or doing something that will help to save us, we really could accomplish something great. Although it is important for our scientists to continue to work on discovering the cure to so many diseases and illness that effect so many of us, we really need to just put more focus than we have been on helping to save the world. Because after all, if theres no Earth left, there will be no people left to save.

Ever since discovery and inventions, people are constantly searching for new ways to make their lives easier, more efficient, or more convenient. They want ways to make more and more money so they can buy more things. People always want more and more of everything they consume. As most say, the more the better. However, convenience and more is NOT always better. Ultimately, this train of thought could become the downfall to our kind. Resources are our only hope for survival and without them all this money and all these products people massively consume will simply mean nothing. If we use all our necessary resources up for things that are simply for convenience the effects could be devastating.

Finally, the idea of “going green” really needs to be revised. Campuses, companies, and almost everyone these days claim to be “going green”. This term, however, has simply become very broad. Just because you put more recycling bins out that say “go green” or put in hand dryers rather than paper towel dispensers, these are only a few of the things that can really be done. Also, sometimes companies will stick a “green” label on a product, simply because they made one ingredient different of “green”. What about all the other ingredients? Since people then buy these products, thinking they really are doing something “green” they believe that this is enough to have an effect, when really they’re just buying pretty much the same product they used to buy. “Going green” really needs to be changed to something that means something, not just something that makes people, look or feel better about themselves when really they didn’t even do that much.

We need to take a step back and look around. Everything, everywhere is changing. The world is not the place it used to be and we are the generation who can do something about stopping the current predicament. As Al Gore discussed, think about it as a blessing. We have an opportunity to change the world for the better, so why not do something great? We could and need to be the hero generation he talked about. We have been brought up in a society where we have a chance to make a difference and we not only have the technology but the information to make a difference. We need to be the generation that everybody looks back on and really admires for allowing them to be where they are. The generation that everybody looks back on and says, I'm thankful somebody did something to get us to where we are today.

This class has really had an impact on what leaning something new really is all about. Everywhere I look now it seems like everything has to do with the environment, energy, going green, or stopping global warming. Everything somehow relates back to what we have been learning in this class. It hasn’t been about simply memorizing definition after definition, taking 80 question tests, or writing a million papers, its really simply been about speaking your mind and learning from others. In the end, people and resources go hand in hand and without either, nothing would exist. Remember, we are all a team, and together just about anything is possible as long as we really try.

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

William Cline: The Economics of Global Warming

2009-12-10T15:03:00.000-08:00

Cline, William. The Economics of Global Warming. Washington, D.C.: Institute for International Economics, 1992.

Humans increase the amount of greenhouse gases released into the environment; however, natural factors also increase the greenhouse effect and are the cause of global warming. Global warming is continues to occur at this very moment, just like the Ice Age happened naturally overtime. But humans can decrease the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted into the environment by correcting some of their actions. If humans are not willing to correct their daily lifestyles, then they should realize how it would affect people in the future. Global warming would greatly endanger animals, humans, plant life, and the United States economy. William Cline declared:

Annual losses from sea-level rise would amount to an estimated $7 billion… Increased electricity requirements for air conditioning would amount to some $11 billion annually… Increased urban pollution with warmer weather would impose an annual cost on the order of $4 billion. An increased incidence of mortality with heat stress would amount to some $6 billion in annual losses. The lumber value of forest loss would be over $3 billion annually. Other tangible costs would arise from increased hurricane and forest fire damage, and there would be additional net infrastructure costs from increased immigration (Cline 5)

All these mortalities and amounts of money are not worth people thinking global warming is not important and not caring on what affect it will have on our children and the future of world.

In order to help save our grandchildren, we have to do our part in the world today to help for the future. As inhabitants of earth, we can walk more and drive less, or drive hybrids so there are less gases being emitted; use light bulbs that have the energy star; reduce, reuse, recycle; use water, heating, and air conditioning efficiently; plant trees and plants; and most importantly spread the news to others. These are just a few of the many solutions we can do to help slow the process of global warming. Our carbon footprints, which are the amount of carbon dioxide we produce, must be observed and decreased. If everyone in the world made a few of these changes, the world would be drastically better already.

Global warming is real, and is happening at this very moment. The fact that there are natural factors causing it, just means there is no stopping it. However, because humans are also causing these climatic changes, it can be slowed down.

Human Effect on the Environment: Global Warming

2009-12-10T14:55:00.000-08:00

http://www.climatecrisis.net

Global Warming can be briefly defined as the increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s near-surface air and oceans. However, there are so many ins and outs and causes and effects of Global Warming. Before the topic of Global Warming was brought to the table it was thought, better yet assumed by many people that our world is so big that we could not effect it in the least bit. Although that may have been true thousands of years ago, it does not hold true today. Our technologies and advancements have grown so great, that they, or better yet we, are actually destroying our world. So although we are moving forward in history as so advanced, our world is actually getting worse with each second that goes by.

Our earth’s atmosphere is the most vulnerable aspect of our ecological system. Carl Sagan explains it by saying “If you had a globe covered with a coat of varnish, the thickness of that varnish would be about the same thickness of the earth’s atmosphere compared to the earth itself”. The earth’s atmosphere is supposed to protect us from bad but all we are doing is destroying that protection ourselves. Research shows that the world has now become hotter than at any time during the past 1000 years. Global warming is changing distributions of plants and animals, including animal migration, population sizes and growth rates. It is changing the intensity and frequency of storms, droughts, fires, raising the level of the oceans, and melting glaciers. Unfortunately, all of these consequences are life-altering effects. Scientific research shows that heat-trapping emissions from human activities have caused most of the global warming observed over the past 50 years. The types of human activities that cause these heat emissions are such things as gases produced by vehicles, power plants, industrial processes and deforestation. In addition to those emissions, the intermingling of highways, human developments, plantations, and farms with nature has enormously fallen under the options for nature’s response to the current warming.

In my opinion, the small things can make a difference if everyone participates. Some things we can do to help save our environment are:

Change a light.

Drive less.

Recycle more.

Check your tires.

Use less hot water.

Avoid products with a lot of packaging.

Adjust your thermostat.

Plant a tree.

Turn off electronic devices.

Most importantly: Spread the word worldwide.

Lifestyle and Education... Is it Really Our Choice

2009-12-10T14:24:00.000-08:00

Last week in class, someone mentioned that if someone wants to learn a skill or a particular career path, then a schools and other learning institutions should offer these courses. But instead, schools force students to take classes that are mostly irrelevant towards skills necessary in the workforce. Such institutions require state mandated exams that test where you fit in a particular percentile among your peers and majority of the year that you would spend in these classrooms are teaching you how to pass these state exams. Although the education system is there to help you gain a particular set of tools to help with a future career path, not all individuals manage to attain such tools and fall in between the cracks of the educational system. Another example of how the educational system is failing the people is the difference in education between people of high socioeconomic status and people of low socioeconomic status. People who live in suburbs profit from better education rather than people who live in urban areas and are hit by poverty. This lifestyle is not something that people choose to become, they do what they can with what they have.

As a result of the difference between socioeconomic status people who live in urban areas are more likely to work dead-end jobs and struggle to survive from paycheck to paycheck. Their children also suffer the consequences of this in which after they finish high school or choose to drop out they are forced into working and to help provide the family with income, therefore unable to attend further education and stay at the poverty line. Another reason is the cost of education is too much for people to afford and are unable to get their career paths started. People who of low socioeconomic status are very ambitious and have goals that they want to achieve but the fact that their environment is not helping them as much as they should, they put their own needs aside to set up goals for the next generation. Their lifestyle and their education is not their own choice but the decisions are based on people with high socioeconomic status and high in political standing that continue to make it difficult for these people.

People and Resources

2009-12-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

It may seem like environmental issues and people’s role within them cannot be affiliated with everything, but it truly can be. Everything from consumerism, agriculture production, educational systems, medical services and the list goes on GOES back to People and Resources. We are use to a specific mindset and we have grown to enjoy where we stand. Yet, we continuously complain about how scary it would be if the world were coming to an end. However, if we continue this mindset, this fear will become bitter reality. Consider how nitrogen synthetic fertilizer created an increased production causing people to gain a higher level of selfishness. Companies started producing cheaper products aiming at the less fortunate. It leads to less healthy products and causing people to get sick quicker. In turn, this increases health care needs, which are always being battled because of money. Or consider how the idea of morality and selfness revolves in many state universities. We are provided with a rubric and must follow every step of the way in order to reach the top. However, what happens at the top besides a feeling of being lost and not knowing what to do from there on. Clearly, this may be caused by the limit of choices, which again is seen in a wide spectrum. Our government leads us to believe a certain way, consume a specific way and overall live a certain way. But as a complex society, we are more that just that. Since the beginning of time, we have created so many different things from nothing- and I believe if we work together – we can then make something out of nothing.

A Man Who Planted Trees- a young individual who takes a journey through the land tells this short story. We begin to see that after a long distance, he loses sight of any springs and any sign of people. But, he ends up finding a Shepard, which guides him towards his life style. The Shepard holds a lifestyle where he is dedicated to his environment. After revisiting the land, he sees the dramatic difference of the land and is greatly influenced by this change. He begins to plant trees in order to change his environment. Although planting trees may seem like a pointless and complicated task, he lets us understand that it is much more than just planting a tree. Over time, people start moving to this developed region. However, it is difficult for anyone to understand who was responsible for the change.

As publications are released yearly, we begin to see more people seeking for a change. However, every change that we encounter brings another responsibility. For instance, if we think back to the beginning where agriculture practices changed, we grew a need for even more change. Slash and burn seemed one of the best ways to maintain agriculture until we found out that we were depleting our lands and forcing many to migrate. And yet, people wanted to make a change and initiated the beginning of nitrogen fertilizer. But even though this brought us more efficient production, it still leads to more depletion, whether it is in the atmosphere or found in water- depleting our ecosystems. It almost seems like every time we develop a new method, there is something wrong with it and people want to seek for change. All of these new methods bring us to our situation today where we battle this fear of climate change. From the beginning of time we have developed life from basic resources. As a complex society, we have been able to create a complex ecosystem, which has allowed us to have great biodiversity. However, what happens when we get complicated and only think of short term? We start to lose our interest because we may begin to lose hope for the future. I believe this is why writers such as Muller release publications on solutions and what their benefits truly are. I believe this is why Szasz holds such a strong believes of inverted quarantine where he gives us a bitter taste of our own medicine.

The question really is whether we need someone to throw the truth facts at us repeatedly with numbers and charts or whether we all need to develop our own belief. We cannot force people to believe in anything because morality is not inherited. Perhaps this is why Jevons Paradox really makes sense. We keep looking for more complicated ways to get ourselves out of the mess that we have brought ourselves into and yet we are still unhappy. We forget to remind ourselves that everything came from basic resources and have never been as complex as they are today. We must recognize that we have brought this mess on ourselves. If producers were not always so concerned about their initial product and really sat down to think about how their product will affect the world, we could then seek for betterment. Instead we get bombarded with useless products, high fructose corn syrup which is eventually going to increase obesity rates beyond belief. With this, the idea of 2012 end of the world myth seems like a good comparison. But we do we not stop to believe what we are told? We continue to hold our personal beliefs and fail to recognize that the ones that are actually seeking for betterment may be telling the truth and the ones who are not concerned are most likely fibbing. So perhaps when Mate reminds whom that our “Sunday” lifestyle is gone and that life has lost a sense of happiness. He is right. We have all lost our sense of nurture and even worse our sense of nature.

As these writers spend years researching their area of inertest and point much time and effort into making a change, I hope to do the same. I hope my words will allow people to recognize that it takes belief among your peers to make a change happen. Climate change will never stop itself, nor will our dinner ever cook itself and lastly no one will ever learn for us.

When you start to grow a better understanding of how people truly relate to resources and its effects, you begin to correlate everything that surrounds you back to what is really going on. It is difficult to really understand without facts and numbers- but if you have that information in hand, you can then start to understand change in a personal perspective. Take for example, Professor Kleppel, which presented PowerPoint’s about his idea of going local and being the Shepard. You have to experience the motivation and dedication one has for his/her belief. You see the passion behind people and the change that they hope to seek. So, regardless whether it is difficult to read between the lines of thousands of publications which all lead to us to different beliefs- you must find the belief yourself.

I respect the shepard for his dedication and the ones who seek for a similar change. I believe that the motivation of our peers will allow us to seek change within our PEOPLE AND RESOURCES.

THE CONTRACEPTIVE CONCEPT

2009-12-10T01:25:00.000-08:00

Overpopulation; Key Word...OVER

"Overpopulation is a condition where an organism's numbers exceed the carrying capacity of its habitat. In common parlance, the term usually refers to the relationship between the human population and its environment, the Earth...Overpopulation is the world’s top environmental issue, followed closely by climate change and the need to develop renewable energy resources to replace fossil fuels, according to a survey of the faculty at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF)." Overpopulation is quite obvious if you take a look at the world today. Not to go back on Ishmael, but Quinn's description of how humans feel they rule the world is in my opinion the reason why humans know that what we are doing is wrong, yet we keep doing it. Overpopulation has devastating affects, one of them being the fact that one in six people in the world do not have access to clean water, and two in six people don't have the opportunity to keep themselves hygienically healthy.
As we brought to discussion in my environmental science course taught by Professor John Delano, as well as our discussion, experts say that the human population is expected to grow to nine-ten billion people. We are already suffering an overpopulation crisis, and increasing population to these staggering numbers would only be comparable to digging our own graves deeper. Science Daily states that experts claim overpopulation to be the worst environmental problem in our world today. "Overpopulation is the world’s top environmental issue, followed closely by climate change and the need to develop renewable energy resources to replace fossil fuels, according to a survey of the faculty at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF)." Already, we are living at unsustainable levels...and as we discussed, we would need three or four "Earths" worth of resources to living at sustainable levels in the world today.
However, there is hope. "Grinning planet" states that actions can be taken as a solution to overpopulation. They state that we should continue to strive to reduce suffering around the world. This can be done by preventing the spread of disease, and reducing poverty around the world. We should continue to improve our energy efficiency, and of course the quantities of materials we recycle in order to conserve energy. This whole "green movement" isn't a fad. This is actually happening, and not taking action can have severe negative affects for our future generations. Contraception or birth control is obviously a key solution for preventing population growth. Many of the solutions presented around the web and articles bring up the same topics we have discussed in class. They insist on making sure people around the world have access to family planning services. Women in developing countries deserve more power, whether it be economically or socially. As we recently discussed toward the end of the semester, the school curricula needs to be altered to fit the need to raise children in the world as it is today. Tax laws can be made to discourage couples to have more than two children.
I am trying not to leave anything out, considering I typed two complete pages on this topic right before this and my laptop randomly crashed, destroying my work. On a brighter note, organizations such as World Population Awareness are taking strides in spreading the knowledge to the people of the significance of the issue of overpopulation. Birth control is common and is usually implicated for family planning in...well, families. ""Save the world" means preventing human civilization from collapsing in a chaotic, violent way that would entail enormous amounts of suffering and death. And also preserving the natural world, so as to minimize species extinctions and the loss of wild habitat. Both are inter-related: If civilization collapses chaotically, billions of people will do an enormous amount of damage to remaining ecosystems in their desperate attempts at survival; and if nature goes first, that means civilization will go too, because we rely on ecosystem services for everything we do." In conclusion, the contraceptive concept is conceptually critical to create a well balanced earth.

http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/07-05/world-population-growth-article.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090418075752.htm
http://www.overpopulation.org/

ISHMAEL, by Daniel Quinn

2009-12-09T20:21:00.000-08:00

Ishmael

(1) "Once you learn to discern the voice of Mother Culture humming in the background, telling her story over and over again to the people of your culture, you'll never stop being conscious of it. Wherever you go for the rest of your life, you'll be tempted to say to the people around you, 'How can you listen to this stuff and not recognize it for what it is?" (page 37)

(2) "You know how to split atoms, how to send explorers to the moon, how to splice genes, but you don't know how people ought to live." (page 87)

(3) "I have amazing news for you. Man is not alone on this planet. He is part of a community, upon which he depends absolutely." (page 101)

(A,B,C,D)

Biologically speaking, Ishmael opened my eyes in more realistic ways that humans must obey the same laws as the rest of the biological community here on earth. Just because we have the opportunity to master and alter our environment does not necessarily give us the privaledge of taking advantage of it, therefore misusing it. I was astounded and had "an epiphany," in a way, when Quinn simplified and pulled the curtains away from the fact that humans are raised and "brainwashed" subliminally to believe that they are supposed to "maintain control" over the world, and all of its' beings. Using terms like "Mother Nature", and "our country," the media are constantly reminding us that the world is ours. Even when things aren't so "peachy"...they tell us that "our reserves are running low" and "our ecosystem is being comprimised."
"There's nothing fundamentally wrong with people. Given a story to enact that puts them in accord with the world, they will live in accord with the world. But given a story to enact that puts them at odds with the world, as yours does, they will live at odds with the world. Given a story to enact in which they are the lords of the world, they will act as the lords of the world. And, given a story to enact in which the world is a foe to be conquered, they will conquer it like a foe, and one day, inevitably, their foe will lie bleeding to death at their feet, as the world is now." It is this philosophy that made me learn something about myself. I always felt that it was human resposibility for all the animals on earth. However, all we were intented to do was live at peace with the rest of the species on earth. It is now, our responsibility to return the world back to a state of peace and tranquility. I feel like this is quite relevant to the short animated film that we watched in discussion about a single man responsible for the life of 10,000 oak trees, which in turn lead to a new and beautiful ecosystem, where the land was previously desolate and barren.
"Human populations clearly are not limited to consuming the
products of local photosynthesis. Regional and global trade transports
these products widely, such that the environmental impacts of
human consumption are partly realized far from where products are
actually consumed." Consuming is what human's do best nowadays and places like Walmart, as we discussed, only attribute to our need to rely on local goods more.
Quinn truly brings human hypocrisy and ignorance to the table in an unorthodox way of thinking which I believe would stimulate any human being to reconsider the basics that they were taught growing up as a child. Ishmael is very relevant to our class because Quinn is harping on the same major points that we have been discussion and elaborating upon all semester. We spoke about local farming, energy consumption, environmental degradation, and many other factors that humans play a negative and poisitive roles in on this planet. It all boils down to one simple fact...that humans believe that they are the superior species on this planet, and everything was put here for us to reep benefits from. IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THE EARTH WAS FLAT!

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

2009-12-09T16:56:00.000-08:00

- “But it’s not going to be easy for the Takers. It’s going to be hard as hell for them to give it up, because what they’re doing is right, and they have to go on doing it even if it means destroying the world and mankind with it.” (Page 168)

- “Look, I can’t forbid you to say, ‘I have no idea’ but I do insist that you spend a few seconds thinking before you say it.” (Page 170)

- “Until Darwin and the paleontologists came along to tack three million years of human life onto your history, it was assumed in your culture that the birth of man and the birth of your culture were simultaneous events” (Page 201)

In the fields of science, humans have thrived on new discoveries and calculations of how the complex nature of life functions. Since we first began manipulating our environments in search of knowledge through experimentation, we have amassed a great wealth of information. To what end will we search in our quest to discover and is our purpose a noble one? How long until the world and nature of life, the very essence of our fascination, vanishes beneath the statues of our achievements? Considering the rapid population growth of human civilizations, it seems that we alone pose the most probable threat to Earth’s biodiversity. If this should be the time in our history that we begin to preserve the nature that surrounds us, rather than continue our infliction of harm upon it, then it shall also be our cornerstone of cultural reconstruction. If the discoveries of man (and women, alike) have taught us anything at all, it is the indisputable truth that the energies of life wane in our path of destruction, only to flourish once again when we have passed. In our quest to control the world and our surroundings the only safe conclusion we ought to draw is that behind all of our technologies and sciences we are still vulnerable; we breathe the air and drink the water which we pollute.

Consider our Earth as the fulcrum upon which all life is balanced. The rapid expansion of our population has created a massive, disproportional force across from which all other species teeter on the brink of extinction. Until we realize that we have taken the world into our hands, by affecting and manipulating the natural processes of the Earth, the species which once depended on the natural environment will face an uncertain doom. It is our duty to replace the Earth back into the hands of the rightful owner. The survival of our species and many other species depends on our ability to do this.

Ishmael was a perfect book for this course, because it helps describe how the sum of our actions has affected the Earth and all other life since the Agricultural Revolution of ancient Mesopotamia. Somewhere in the history of our species our demands and cultures ricocheted off course upon discovering we could control the availability of food by farming land. Man’s imagination raged with the thought that one day he would no longer have to succumb to the forces of nature since they could be manipulated; with such an abundance of food there will never be a need to worry about going hungry. This laid a new foundation, one that had not been traditionally practiced, for the growth of a civilized culture absolved of Nature’s previous limits.

Ishmael reinforced and brought together a lot of ideas I had always been pondering. There is a wholesome truth in the themes and ideas that Daniel Quinn relays through Ishmael’s teachings. Even more intriguing is the impression of a Gorilla as the teacher of Man. There is a lot to be said about this, mainly, I feel Ishmael represents the voice of nature. Who else could recollect the total extent of our destructive tendencies as a species better than the voice of nature: the air and soil, rivers and oceans, plants and animals?

WITH GORILLA GONE,

WILL THERE

BE HOPE FOR MAN?

Goodguide.com ... it's a life saver!

2009-12-09T16:36:00.000-08:00

After our class the other day, where we were introduced to the goodguide.com website I went on when I returned home and did a little searching for myself. What I found out terrified me. Many products I use on a day-to-day basis have active carcinogenic materials in them. At first I was in denial reading this information. Why aren't the companies of these products made to disclose on the bottles of these products what harmful substances are in them? This doesn't make any sense to me. If I worked for one of these companies I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing about these harmful materials inside these products.

Since I have figured out how to use goodguide.com I have made many suggestions to many of my family members and friends about what to buy and use, product wise. For my nuclear family, I am forbidding them to use anything that isn't checked by me on goodguide.com first. I trust this website very much and I am so glad I have found something to help guide me in the right direction for all of my future purchases. I now know that my health isn't in jeopardy from what I am using and buying on a regular basis. And what intrigues me even more is that what seems to be healthier for me, is much cheaper. It's funny that we are paying more for products with carcinogenicity in them. So basically we are paying to die.

Do we have to choose money over happiness?

2009-12-09T13:03:00.000-08:00

During my years growing up, my family had always said I was destined to be a nurse. They always told my sister she was destined to be a lawyer. I have always been interested in helping people, cleanliness, and looking out for one's well-being. After high school I started to pursue nursing with out giving it a second thought. For the first college, I was going for a two year degree so the curriculum was geared towards graduating quickly. It was very hard, as most people can tell you, college isn't easy, nor a walk in the park.After not doing so well during my 3rd semester I decided to switch to another college.

I never contemplated that nursing wasn't for me, I was convinced and sure of that. I then started in a 4 year college and continued in nursing. During my second semester there I became very sick and needed surgery, I still had not contemplated that nursing wasn't for me. The surgery hindered my grades and the teachers at that college were not sympathetic with my situation so I then switched to UAlbany; which is where i am now. I love it here and the teachers are very understanding and accommodating when someone gets sick or misses school.

In between my first and second college I obtained a job at a local hospital in an ER and I learned for the first time what it might really be like to be a nurse and work the field. I became very unsure of myself and started to doubt wanting to even be a nurse. I saw how they were treated, not only by patients, but also by other staff, such as doctors. I didn't like what I was seeing. I also became worried that I would never be able to remember everything that you need to know to be a nurse. So then I told my mom I thought I wanted to be a professional babysitter. She said that it wasn't acceptable and that I needed a degree in something. I was told being a professional babysitter would be looked down upon and make no money. I know I would be the happiest person in the world if that was what I ended up doing with my life. I have babysat since I was nine years old, I am now twenty-three. I want kids of my own soon and I want to make everything better in the world by helping to raise children and look out for them while their parents are at work. Why must everything be about power and money; status and standing? Yes, I do believe that having a degree is good and coming as far as I have come, to not get a degree would be a waste. But if we as people could get a job making enough money, being as happy as we can be, then why not?

Maybe if our parents didn't instill in us that we need to have one certain profession, or are meant to be one particular thing, and let us figure it out on our own, then we would be happier people, and there wouldn't be so many student suicides because of failing school. That's one thing every student dreads, and some don't even tell their parents, they just commit suicide instead. Yes, people need to have high standards, hopes, and dreams to follow and reach for. This keeps them out of trouble and gives them goals to reach. But to change you're mind during school and learn what one really wants to be, happens to be a crime, then I don't know what else to say or do. Life is so short and happiness is very important.

Shouldn't we all have the right to be happy with what we do on a day-to-day basis?

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

2009-12-09T04:32:00.000-08:00

“Mother Culture could accept the fact that mankind’s home is not the center of the universe. She could accept the fact that man evolved from the common slime. But she will never accept the fact that man is not exempt from the peace-keeping law of the community of life. To accept that would finish her off.” (Quinn 144)

“As you tell it, the birth of man was a central event –indeed the central event -in the history of the cosmos itself. From the birth of man on, the rest of the universe ceases to be of interest, ceases to participate in the unfolding drama…The Takers regard the world as a sort of human life-support system, as a machine designed to produce and sustain human life.” (Quinn 59)

"This Law that you so admirably describes defines the limits of competition in the community of life. You may compete to the full extent of your capabilities, but you may no hunt down your competitors or destroy their food or deny them access to food. In other words, you may compete, but you may not wage war." (Quinn 129)

Ishmael has probably been one of the most influential novels I have ever read. Reading it changed the way I view the world in which I live and how I interact with it. In terms of biology, it gave me a new way to think about how one organism affects all others. The third quote I listed above reminded me of what I read in Gonick and Outwater's The Cartoon Guide to the Environment about energy consumption and trophic levels. Organisms consume energy as either producers (heterotrophs) primary, secondary or tertiary consumers. Energy moves through this cycle consistently and, when undisturbed, is maintained in balance. Humans, or Takers, as Quinn calls us, acquire more energy from the Earth than we are allotted, and have become unfair competition to the ecosystems of this planet.

In terms of the world in which I live in, I learned how easily Mother Culture has convinced us that we have some sort of ownership of the world. In the novel Quinn touches upon the fact that man believes himself to be a superior being and, like the second quote above states, that the Earth was made for man and not the other way around. This sense of ownership is what has allowed man to believe that he can do as he wants with the world. The consequences of this sense of ownership of the world has been a severe depletion of biodiversity and global warming.

Perhaps what was most fulfilling about reading this novel was what I learned about myself. As much as I am environmentally "aware" and care for all of the living creatures on this planet, I still have this sense that I, as a human, am superior to other living organisms. This belief stems from the knowledge that I am self aware, and that I have 'superior' cognitive abilities but in Ishmael, the mentor that opens the reader's eyes happens to be a Gorilla. Yes, this is a work of fiction, but I cannot say with one hundred percent certainty that a worm does not contemplate it's every day existence. There is no true way to measure that sort of intelligence, and the abilities that I do have were acquired by evolution, a process controlled by a force which I can comprehend, but not control. Man may understand how the world's cycles work, but at least the worm has enough sense not to destroy the only environment in which it can survive.

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

2009-12-08T16:29:00.000-08:00

1) Select your three favorite quotes and write them out. Give the page number.

-“Increasing food production to feed an increased population results in yet another increase in population” page 139
-“Man is not alone on this planet. He is part of a community, upon which he depends absolutely” page 101
-“Perhaps the flaw in man is exactly this: that he doesn’t know how he ought to live.” Page 91

2) After reading Ishmael helped me to apply things that I have learned in biology to life in a different way. Like sure we learn about cells the environment and such but never really learned about how to save the earth and how we are harming the earth and ways to actually save it. The little things we think are normal aren’t at all helping the earth and it helped me learn a lot more about biology besides the things that I have already learned. Ishmael made you notice that we aren’t changing for the better. With all the new technology, electricity we use, gas, the way we eat. Things have to change. Ishmael made me realize that I need to make some kind of changes about how I am living because I am not helping at all the littlest things could be a lot and from what I know I need to pass it on to others. I am helping to hurt the earth rather than save. Ishmael relates to this course because this course informed me on the many different ways we are harming the earth, how we can save the earth along with ourselves, how we are not well educated about the earth and we need to be. This course along with Ishmael has changed my views on how to continue the way I live life tremendously.

The Man Who Planted Trees

2009-12-08T14:06:00.000-08:00

The video that Professor Hirsch showed us in class was quite interesting. The man who planted trees demonstrated how one person can make a difference in the world. He spent his life planting acorn seeds for years and planted over 10,000 seeds and as a result a forest grew. People who saw this thought that God had created such a beautiful forest, and that man was incapable of creating such a thing because of the destruction that they implement on the world. The man who planted the trees didn't care about war, or wealth, nor did he care about the recognition of the beautiful forest. He planted the trees because it was necessary for the survival of the land and for people to live, because before the trees it was nothing but land and sand.

Perhaps from watching this video you can realize that one person or an individual can make a difference. If one man could plant over 10,000 trees, then what would be the possibilities of everyone planting just a 100 trees, and help reduce the carbon dioxide emissions giving off and entering the atmosphere. All of these trees can help provide the earth with oxygen and help mother nature survive. Instead of concerning ourselves with the materialistic side of the world and economy, we should focus on protecting the planet that helped us survive for all these years. Right now, nature is asking for our help, she's showing us that we are in danger and only a few are listening and acting on it to help sustain life. We need to all do our part and help, even myself, and therefore we can create a world in which our children and later generations to come can have an opportunity to live a life without worrying about the problems that is harming the earth.

National Health Insurance (NHI) in Taiwan Seems Appealing to the USA

2009-12-08T13:48:00.000-08:00

After attending a presentation about NHI, the health insurance program that is being put to use successfully in Taiwan, I was astounded by some of the issues present in the world today. The first fact which I found intriguing was where the man from Taiwan presentation the slideshow addressed the fact that the average age of mortality in Taiwan was something like 82 years of age in females and around 78 years of age in males. I also enjoyed how the success of NHI in Taiwan is in a way related to the fact that Confucian ideologies of the Taiwanese people results in the people not having a problem with the government “interfering” in certain “personal/financial” business. Health care, as we discussed in class, is a very important topic that has a lot of people throughout our nation “buzzing.”
I, being a human biology major, was particularly intruiged by the fact that the doctors in Taiwan earn a salary which is 6 times (6:1 ratio) that of the average employed individual in their society, whereas it is a 5:1 ratio in the United States. Although they have more patients per day, they are rewarded with a greater salary, along with the fact that more individuals are living a healthier lifestyle. Health insurance is a major political and social issue in the United States today and I feel that if minor modifications were made to address the people of our country more, then NHI would be a great proposal for the people of the United States to consider as an option. Overall, the presentation was interested and insightful.
“Healthcare in Taiwan is administrated by the Department of Health of the Executive Yuan. As with other developed economies, Taiwanese people are well-nourished but face such health problems as chronic obesity and heart disease. In 2002 Taiwan had nearly 1.6 physicians and 5.9 hospital beds per 1,000 population. In 2002, there were a total 36 hospitals and 2,601 clinics in the country. Per capita health expenditures totaled US $752 in 2000. Health expenditures constituted 5.8 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2001; 64.9 percent of the expenditures were from public funds.” A healthcare system like this is what is responsible for nations to overcome epidemics and pandemics such as SARS, swin flu, etc.

The challenge

2009-12-07T23:26:00.000-08:00

In Al Gore’s video, Where do We go From Here, he discusses how we must make a transition to a low carbon economy. According to a study, 69% of the population believes that the Earth is significantly heating up, but people seem to lack an urgency to take care of the issue. However, it is an urgent issue and it shouldn’t be an issue that is pushed to the side.

Over the past 28 years the polar ice caps have greatly decreased and without some sort of action this problem will only get worse. The polar ice caps used to be exactly the size of the US and now there only about half the size. It has been pretty obvious that the US is a model nation for several undeveloped nations. Others want to follow in our path and be like us, but really they could possibly be better off without us. We have given undeveloped nations the technology, information, and influence to increase their carbon output. It is possible that without us around, they would have eventually discovered this technology anyways, but not nearly at such a fast and significant rate. These other nations want to be like us because they see the prosperity our country has experienced. Today in my Cultures of Latin America class we had a discussion about how when most countries are in an economic recession they’re worried about their basic needs for survival while when we speak about an economic recession we’re worried about the fact that we might not be able to afford that new big screen T.V. we wanted. It really sometimes makes me wonder, what would the world be like without the developed nations? You wouldn't want to influence your loved ones in a way that could potential be harmful to them so why should this be any different?

As Gore discussed, maybe we should get rid of the employment tax created in the 19th century and begin a carbon tax. He spoke of changing the laws, breaking out of the ordinary. One of our classmates also wrote about this in his paper on how to save Earth. The laws need revising and the most important and urgent issues need to stop being ignored. Gore showed a clip where elephants started falling from the sky. Basically saying that there’s so much carbon in the air it is equivalent to 1.2 billion elephants. As it states, “we need to stop ignoring the 1.2 billion elephants in the room!” Although media can be an extremely powerful tool, it simply has shown to not have a large enough effect on the population. No matter how much media the population is exposed to, they still seem to need something bigger to believe in. If the laws were changed people might realize that this issue is not to be ignored as it previously has been.

As Gore states we need another “hero generation”. We’re always learning about history and all the great men and women who sacrificed, and really made a change, and perhaps its our time to do the same. Although many say we can blame our older generations for the problem at hand but we are the generation that is constantly exposed to the issue and know that something can be done about it. Our generation has the information to do something, so why shouldn't we?

Many think of climate change as a burden, just another problem that needs to be taken care of. However, maybe we should take a different view on global warming and think of it as a blessing, a chance to have our generation be remembered. How great would it be to look in your grandchildren’s textbooks years from now and know you were part of something that really made a difference, that you helped thousands of people throughout the world.

We have been given a blessing, a challenge and we need to step up to the challenge and do something. We have a chance and an opportunity to do something great, and we really shouldn’t let this pass us by.

As the narrartor from The Man who Planted Trees stated “Maybe man could be as effective as God in things other than destruction.” Its time to make a difference, a difference for ourselves, our friends, and our families. We need to simply make a difference for the world. Its time to rise to the challenge, because if we don’t soon, who knows what the consequences could be!

Ishmael Extra Credit

2009-12-07T21:20:00.000-08:00

The three quotes that I found interesting are:
1. "Among the people of your culture, which want to destroy the world? As far as I know, no one specifically wants to destroy the world. And yet you do destroy it, each of you. Each of you contributes daily to the destruction of the of the world" (Quinn, 25). This quote indicates that people are destroying the world although they don't believe that they are causing a direct impact. I don't believe that people are destroying the world on purpose, but they do have an impact even though they don't realize how.

2. "Then here is a program: you must absolutely and forever relinquish the idea that you know who and what should live and who and what should die on this planet" (Quinn, 248). Towards the end of the novel Ishmael gives the narrator tips for not destroying the world and this is one of the most important ways in which we can help protect the earth. Today people are killing one another and choosing who lives and who dies that they don't understand that their lives are endanger no matter what the cause because the planet is deteriorating at an expedite rate.

3. "Only one thing can save us. We have to increase our mastery of the world." (Quinn, 80) . This quote helps the readers to understand that the way we can save the planet is get a hold of how each other treat the world. In my opinion if we would be able to understand different ways to live without the increasing use of fossil fuels and machines that are dependent on coal and oil than we would be able to give the future generations a chance to live without struggling about the climate or global warming.

Reading the novel enhanced my understanding of how I live my own life. It showed me the destructive path that I was heading towards. By destructive path I mean not doing my part in helping the environment, such as: not recycling as much as I should have, because I sometimes get lazy and just throw my plastic bottles in the trash can, another is walking by trash that is on the ground, and not helping nature in a positive way. I now know that my life can make a difference, but that it can help influence other people's view as well. I have learned that doing something positive everyday can make a difference, and I will try to pass this knowledge on to as many people as I can

Our Future

2009-12-07T16:25:00.000-08:00

In class last Wednesday we spoke about how our careers are not really our choice nowadays or we usually settle for what we do not want to do with our lives. I was very interested in this conversation I feel like everyone knows that what we want in life we have to work really hard for. I feel that with our education system it really is a competition. I don’t understand why they have us take Regents exams, then take SATS and during this whole process apply for college, and continue with our studies. They expect a lot from us as students. Some people are just good at being bombarded with schoolwork are just naturally smart. Those that aren’t have to work twice as hard leaving no time for fun times. When we get to college it is a competition all over again. Getting a high grade point average to graduate with honors. My major at SUNY Albany is human biology I love biology. I feel that some of these teachers here are no good. They teach us so much work then make the tests so hard. I have to dedicate my whole life to studies even weekends. I did not enjoy my human biology experience here. I took a class at a CUNY school and it was the best professor I have ever had in my college years. He made classes interesting. Though they were three hours 4 days a week it was worthwhile. Here some teachers do not even know what they are teaching and classes always have to be curved and they are not interesting at all. They make things so hard. Those in my major have to set up for Mcats, lsats etc while they also have to do well in the classes that they are currently in. We spend most of our lives in school or working. We have to do things that make us happy. I wanted to be a dancer my mom quickly destroyed those dreams asked me how could I possibly make money dancing once I get an injury that’s it no more career. Which was true.

I came into college with the intention of being a business major I would have made it into the business school with a good gpa, I studied business in high school and had two great internships in high school. Once again my mother destroyed my dreams, “business is highly competitive, how will you get a job you should join the medical field guaranteed job once you graduate” and I followed what she said and now I am studying biology following in her footsteps and I often wonder did I make the right decision its too late to change now and I am just going to have to make the best. Once again this class was great to hear everyone’s views on things that are very important to us in life and pave our future. I agree that classes like this need to be available to not only college leveled students but lower levels as well. Children pave the future and if you teach people at a younger age it would be a change. Give people the opportunity to know what is going on around them, the different kinds of jobs available, etc. it would definitely help. After that conversation I often wished I did not listen to my mother and continued with business if I had a class like this from a younger age I probably would have followed my dreams.

Fire: An ecological perspective

2009-12-07T11:31:00.000-08:00

Fire is as ancient as the World itself and for millions of years it has been a major evolutionary force, shaping the biodiversity and landscapes of Earth. Scientists estimate that a total area, comparable to half the size of China, burns around the world every year. At any moment, somewhere on Earth, vast expanses of forests, woodlands, shrublands, savannas, grasslands, tundra, deserts, wetlands and agricultural fields are burning. Fires affect the land and ecosystems on every continent except Antarctica.
Whether ignited by natural causes, like lightning, or set intentionally/accidentally by people, fires are very common. Depending on where and how they burn, fires can affect people and ecosystems in harmful or beneficial ways. For many millennia, human civilizations have benefitted from fire. It has enabled civilizations to grow crops, manage vegetation, hunt more productively and cook their food, along with many other uses such as heating. Although fire has proven itself to be a very beneficial resource, it still remains a destructive force that threatens the health and livelihood of humans and other species alike.1
With regards to ecosystems consisting mainly of plants and animals species that lack any adaptations to withstand or take advantage of fire, its wrath can be devastating. On the other hand, naturally occurring fires, or ignited fires that accentuate natural fire cycles, can be beneficial to ecosystems that have evolved with fire. From an ecological perspective, fires that occur as part of an ecosystems fire cycle are very important and life-sustaining.
According to the Nature Conservancy, ecologists believe that the natural fire cycles have been severely disturbed and fires are behaving differently now than at any other time. Human activity has been cited as the main disrupting factor of natural fire cycles; more fires occur annually as a result of human-ignition than from lightning and other sources.
“Human-induced global warming and changing patterns of rainfall and drought are likely already influencing the way fires behave in many parts of the world. Coupled with other impacts like landscape fragmentation and the introduction of non-native plants that thrive on fire, ecosystems that have seldom experienced fire are burning. At the same time, in fire-dependent ecosystems that have been exposed to flames for hundreds of thousands of years, scientists believe there are fewer hectares burning now than in the past because people are directly and indirectly excluding fire.”2

Ecologists and conservationists believe that alterations in fire cycles pose a major threat to ecosystem and biodiversity conservation. The importance of fire must be recognized in order to integrate a successful conservation effort. By disrupting the natural fire cycles of ecosystems, the potential to undo decades of progress in conservation and sustainable development arises.

-1, 2. Fire, Ecosystems and People, Global Fire Initiative, The Nature Conservancy, October 2004

The War on Oil

2009-12-06T21:34:00.000-08:00

Like many other natural resources throughout the world, oil has become one of the most demanded resources of the world. Since 1930, when oil extraction was first developed, the use of oil became more and more important to the people who existed in the world; therefore reliance on oil becomes increasingly important as the decades pass. Oil is the primary source of energy for the world. However, with the constant need for this nonrenewable resource there is a downside; it’s becoming scarcer. As a result, prices have soared throughout the years. Price inflation is not the only negative aspect of oil use. Conflict throughout the world has increased with the decrease in oil supply and the demand that continues to rise. There are countless conflicts caused by the want for oil, one in particular being “The War on Terror” (or should it be called the War on Oil?). The purpose of the war is to promote freedom and democracy, but it is commonly thought that the real purpose of the war is the possession of oil. The Gulf War was also a war on oil and territory that involved the United States, however all sides have motives in the entering of a foreign conflict.
There is hope in preserving this lucrative natural resource, and that is simply to continue to develop sustainable and more affordable sources of energy. Today many things run on solar energy, wind energy, fusion or ocean thermal energy. These are types of energy that scientists have been work on to replace the need of oil, seeing as though we are facing an oil crisis.
It is proven that oil is the cause of many worldly conflicts. Oil is very lucrative, therefore the more this nonrenewable resource starts to expire the more conflict will arise. The Gulf War was only the beginning of world conflicts that centered on oil and who has the most. To solve these conflicts the world must come together to use other means of energy, and to learn to be more cautious of how we treat the world around us.