Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
The Kyoto Protocol
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.
- http://vatlieu.us/about-vietnam.html?view=mediawiki&article=List_of_countries_by_carbon_dioxide_emissions
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol
Friday, December 11, 2009
The Man who planted trees
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!
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!
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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