Response#15:”An Unimaginable Miracle”

Nothing wasted, everything gained is an article written by Alan Weisman and Antonin Kratochvil about a scientific experiment that began in 1971 to help with the growing population and the little resources they had, scientists set out to help the little towns.  First they developed water pumps and “kitties” to help sterilize the water. Years later the Gaviota’s scientists discovered that Caribbean pines from Honduras could flourish in the area’s thin, highly acidic soil, and the bark resin could be harvested without cutting down the spreading forest. These trees have also help restore animal populations.

Response#14: Blue Planet

The first series by Discovery Channel and the British Broadcasting Corporation was Blue Planet. It was a six year production on the Ocean and everything included living in it. Blue Planet show us how the Ocean works, with its currents, the sun and moon effect, different animals, and different body types like seas, oceans, coasts, and tides. This documentary is amazing. I loved watching every episode and I am going to buy the series because of how much I loved it.

What Does Everyone Think?

What does everyone think about the Sun Chip bags being discontinued just because they were “to noisy”?

I honestly am very upset that people are so STUPID (yes I will say it) to complain about a chip bag being to loud when we are having a pollution problem. Isn’t helping the world more important the how loud a bag is?

I just thought I would throw this out there.

Response#12: Planet Earth Series

I absolutely love Planet Earth. I own the series and enjoy watching every episode, they never get old or boring. My favorite episodes are  From Pole To Pole, Caves and Jungles. If I were to recommend one to watch it would be From Pole To Pole. It covers all the episodes of planet earth, showing clips of each.

This series is truly breath taking. I never knew I lived in a world that looked like the way Planet Earth shows. I didn’t realize  how many different animals there were in the world, and how they lived. The little salamanders in the Caves Episode are my favorite guys I learned about. If you have time, please watch every episode and you will never regret it.  And if you loved Planet Earth I also recommend watch Life the new series about just animals.

Response#13: Captain Charles Moore

Captain Charles Moore was interviewed in 1997 because he is the so called founder of the Great Garage Patch, which is located in the North-Central Pacific where trash weighing about 100 million tons has become trapped by the currents of the ocean. The trash is mostly The polypropylene and the polyethylene that make up the majority of floater plastics and consumer plastics are just a little bit lighter than water Moore states in the interview.

The interview talks about all types of problems we are causing because of the garage in the ocean. The plastic isn’t breaking down but instead it is being broken into small pieces which wash up onto our beaches, animals are eating the trash and dieing, or the animals are ingesting the trash then being eaten by humans.

An insert from the interview:

“So plastics go into the ocean from various sources, get broken up through this gyre, and then distributed back out in millions of different pieces?

Yeah, it’s basically turning the beaches of the world into plastic. Especially those that are the first to see it in this gyre: the Hawai’ian Archipelago and other islands in the North Pacific. Instead of having sand made out of coral and lava rocks and other rocks and shells, now we are having beaches made out of broken-down plastics.

Have you been to Trader Joe’s lately? If you buy an apple, it’s wrapped in two layers of plastic.

Yeah, every single thing is wrapped in plastic. I mean, each toothpick is wrapped in plastic. What, are they afraid the toothpick is going to pollute the toothpick next to it?”

Its sad to think that we are turning are world into plastic because we can not find a better way to recycle and remove trash in a more economical way.

 

response#14: 20 Liters and a Long Walk

Amongst my earliest memories is the recollection of using two steel pails to collect water from the family well and having to carry them back to the house. Much of the water was spilled when the one hundred yard journey came to a conclusion. It was heavy and awkward, and I was young and clumsy. The website, “20 Liters” depicts individuals having to carry water much greater distances, and unlike the family well, the water they carry is unfit for human consumption. This unfit water attributes to the many deplorable diseases present in the third world today. The website is set up to bring an awareness of this constant crisis by fundraising through an event called “Walk For Water,” as well as by asking for donations to help install clean water systems in third world countries. The website is effective at drawing out empathy and compassion for people who are less fortunate and it creates a desire to want to alleviate their suffering for basic human needs.
The website has several pages that address ways in which an individual can make a difference. Unfortunately, some of the information they provide can be viewed as unrealistic. The website tries to make an assertion that purchasing bottled water creates a diversion of monetary bonds away from local water treatment plants. People may be drinking bottled water, but it is doubtful they will start showering in it. Bottled water only represents a drop in the bucket compared to the volume of water a treatment plant prepares for a community’s daily needs. To be fair, the website’s focus is toward the easing of suffering and providing tangible water assets to individuals, for which it does a good job.

Response # 11: Big Ideas for a Small Planet

               The television series Big Ideas for a Small Planet is all about different small movements that people around the United States are doing that could have a big impact on the planet. The four episodes I watched were Create, Kids, Paper or Plastic, and Sports. Each of these episodes provides three ideas that could create a greener earth. All of the ideas are interesting, and if put into practice could create positive benefits for the planet.

            The first episode Create was about environmentally friendly art forms like photography, clothing, and architecture. The photographer was in Arctic Village, Alaska capturing the results of global warming in his photos and helping to raise awareness since the average temperature in Alaska has raised seven degrees in the last 30 years. The clothing designer used 50% audiotape from old cassette tapes and 50% cotton to create beautiful and durable clothing. The architect was using a 747 plane to build a house for a client. The wings were used on the roof because they are durable and lightweight; this is called upcycling because it converts waste materials (like the old plane) into products of greater value (like the house).

            The second episode Kids was about environmental education, kid activists, and eco toys. A high school class that goes to an environmental school collected waste from a river in California and made boats out of the waste collected to float down the river and raise awareness of the damaging effects of litter. Also 11 year old Evan Green goes door to door raising money to buy land in the rainforest, thus saving it from destruction. Imagiplay, an eco-friendly toy company makes toys out of rubber wood, which is only harvested after it dies and then is replanted. This episode really focused on how the children are the future of the planet, and going green starts with teaching kids to be environmentally conscious.

            The third episode Paper of Plastic was about green design, biodegradable plastic, recyclable cars, and eco-friendly shipping and packaging supplies. Out of the approximately 248 million tons of garbage generated in the United States each year, over 50% ends up in a landfill. One green design company has created furniture, chairs, and many other products that can either be broken back down into soil, or recycled back into the industry it came out of. Biodegradable plastic is made from a resin that comes from corn. This plastic turns completely back into soil after only 180 days and costs about the same as traditional plastic. The recyclable car burns hydrogen and is made from a resin that comes from soy-based products. The eco-friendly shipping supplies shown were used by the United States Postal Service and are made of semi-recycled material and are designed to be biodegradable. Plastic can be very damaging to the environment and using alternatives or recycling can help the problem.

            The fourth episode Sports was about bamboo bikes, eco-friendly skateboards, and skiing green. Bamboo is in fact stronger that carbon fiber and is very smooth riding, which makes it a great alternative to normal bikes. The skateboards are made using Forest Stewardship Council Certified wood and other composite materials that are biodegradable and are recycled to make new boards afterwards. The Global Cooling Tour was organized to help spread awareness of global warming and its potential threat to skiing resorts. The tour suggests eating local, using renewable energy, recycling, composting, and carpooling to help save the slopes. All of these episodes were completely packed with information and I think all of them were great ways to start making a difference on the planet.

Sealing windows and doors

          Every one of my church members can do something to make the environment better. By being energy efficient will cut the down on the price of utility bills as well as global warming. Although the Corinthian Baptist Church members cannot change the energy problems of the whole planet, the church members should seal the windows and doors of the church because doing so would keep the heat in the structure, use less energy to heat the building, and decrease utility bills that are caused by the use of heat and energy.

          I go to Corinthian Baptist and have been my church since I was a little girl. We have had our problems and setbacks over the year but have always overcome them. The church have always helped the community when in need. The environment of course fits into that category. A new way that the church members could help the environment as well the church itself, which I will setup for the church to do will be discussed in this paper. That one thing that we could do is seal the windows and doors.

          Sealing the doors and windows would help keep the heat in the building more effectively. More heat wouldn’t have to be made, the heated air would circulate in the building instead. Circulating air would keep the church warmer also and more comfortable to be in. Always having warm air in the building would make most the member more comfortable to sit there during services. It would also benefit the people that open the church and turn the heat on to warm up the church. Since on Sundays there is Sunday School first, that starts at 9:30 in the morning. That big of a structure would need an hour to an hour and a half to warm up the complete place by 9:30 in the morning. Having the cracks or gaps in the seals would mean that heat would constantly need to be made to remain a comfortable temperature.

           In heating, building energy is used to heat the building, air conditioning for cooling, and ventilation to circulate the air. With the sealing of the doors and windows it would cause warm circulating air which leads to the building decreased use of energy to heat the building. Less energy would be used because the structure wouldn’t call for heat to be made so often. When a structure drops below it normal temperature, it send a signal to the furnace to cut on and heat the structure. Now after the structure heats its normal or set temperature the furnace turns off. Most of this takes place during the fall on into and through winter.  In summer air conditioning would be used to keep the church cool on those hot summer days. Ventilation would be used all year around to circulate the cool and hot air which would keep the church at a comfortable temperature. Having sealed windows and doors with a ventilation system that works well, would keep energy use at normal rate for the church.

          Now the less amount of heat made the less amount the energy needed other words the utilities bill will be decreased. The pretty big structure that cause for huge amount energy to be used for the heat. Energy is used for heating ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, water heating, refrigeration, equipment use, and cooking. All that energy use costs a good sum of money each month. It’s reported the thirty-six percent of energy used in commercial building is for heating the building, seven percent for ventilation, and eight percent for air condition. As the numbers reported heating a space uses the most energy that could be decreased by sealing windows and doors correctly. Decreasing the use for heating, ventilation, and air condition would take down the amount of energy paid for by the church, which are the members. Decreasing the amount of energy used for heating alone would make a great difference.

          All these steps flow together quiet well, all in order. Obviously the benefits do out weigh the flaws in this situation. Sealing windows and doors could be done by families in their house, at the office, or community building. If ever in one of these types of buildings and wondering how to improve heat quality, air condition quality, ventilation quality, energy use, or decrease utility bills think about are the doors and windows sealed good. Seal the windows and doors keep the heat in the building which leads to less energy being used, that would decrease the amount of utility bills paid.

Reference

Administration, U. E. (1998). Energy Kids. Retrieved October 26, 2010, from The U.S. Department of Energy Web Site: http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/index.cfm

Essay #2: A Light for the Future – Final Draft

America is slowly beginning to see the need to become a more energy efficient nation. As this process progresses, a large number of methods have been used to move towards lessening the impact on the environment. Among these methods, many people have turned to lighting management. This includes things like swapping to more energy efficient light bulbs, light timers, or motion activated lighting systems. Using one or more of these methods help people manage their usage of electricity, which therefore, lessens their impact on the environment as well as their pocketbook. These changes are taking place all over the country including Fairbanks, Alaska, but some businesses and individuals have yet to make the switch to more efficient lighting methods. Although it would require a small initial investment, the radiology department at the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital should install L.E.D. lights and automatic lighting sensors in their exam rooms and hallways because the bulbs would last longer, it would lower their electric bill, and therefore lessen their impact on environment.

A fairly new technology has hit the market and is revolutionizing the way people light their homes and businesses. Light emitting diodes (L.E.D.s) are the new and improved way to save money and the environment. In comparison to florescent tube bulbs, which are the industry standard in hospital settings, L.E.D. lights can last an incredible 50,000 to 80,000 hours longer. In addition to the type of light used, the amount of use is another important factor. The lights in many hospitals are on around the clock, which would make a system that turns on the lights when its sensors pick up movement and turns them off during periods of inactivity go a long ways in extending the life of any type of light bulb. Another added bonus to using L.E.D. lighting is that they contain no harmful chemicals or gasses. If the radiology department were to implement the use of L.E.D. lights, motion sensing systems, or both, it would be a way for them to lighten their impact on their budget as well as possibly leading the way to energy saving efforts for the rest of the hospital.

On average, hospitals dedicate approximately 25% of their budget on lighting. As mentioned above, florescent tubes are the primary method for lighting within a hospital. Before the development of the L.E.D. light, the florescent tube bulbs were considered to be the most efficient method – providing the most comprehensive lighting at the lowest cost. But now that L.E.D. lights have developed, this is no longer true because they use approximately 75-80% less electricity than florescent lights. This change would create a significant decrease the hospital’s electric bill each month. Even though the radiology department accounts for only a small percentage of the lighting in a hospital, it would still save money and hopefully set a trend for the other departments in the hospital. The first step would hopefully lead to more steps in the right direction.

Another great incentive for installing L.E.D. lights and motion sensor lighting systems is that they ultimately lessen the impact on the environment. Many of the power plants in America burn coal for power and this results in enormous carbon dioxide emissions every year. By limiting the lighting usage in a home or hospital, carbon emissions are prevented from entering the atmosphere. It is estimated that for every annual dollar saved on electricity, eight pounds of carbon dioxide emissions are saved from entering the atmosphere. The radiology department at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital can contribute to saving the environment from being slowly destroyed by carbon dioxide emissions with this lighting change.

The fairly simple task of implementing L.E.D. lighting and a motion sensor system in the radiology department at the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital can create several impressive benefits for the hospital and for the environment. L.E.D. lighting technology uses an amazing 80% less electricity than the florescent tube lights commonly used in hospital settings. They contain no toxins or gasses and are far easier to recycle. They also last five to six times longer than florescent tube lights. Because of their lower draw on electricity, L.E.D. lights can be directly linked to the reduction of carbon dioxide emission into the environment. It is thought that approximately eight pounds of CO2 emissions are prevented from reaching the atmosphere for every annual dollar saved on electricity. L.E.D. technology does cost more than other lighting options initially, but the money and emissions saved in the longer run make it well worth it. Small steps like these can go a long way in creating a greener future for America and the rest of the world. Imagine what would happen if every radiology department, and eventually, every hospital and home and business decided to make these kind of changes towards managing their use of electricity more efficiently.

Reference:

Obama Health Care Speech and Cost Reduction Opportunities. (2009, September 10). Retrieved from http://www.greenandsave.com/green_news/green-expert-tips-opinions/obama-health-care-speech-cost-reduction-opportunities-4937.

Essay #2 Proposal-Household Hazardous Waste: Proper Disposal is a Big Deal

For many companies in the United States and abroad, being kind to the environment, better known as being “green” or “eco-friendly,” has become standard business practice.  Not only is this practice beneficial for the environment, it can also be an effective business marketing tool.  Educating people on the proper way to dispose of hazardous household materials is one way that companies can greatly benefit their local communities.  Although many dangerous household items are improperly disposed of every day in Fairbanks, the office of XYZ Corporation should provide an education-based disposal program and a convenient drop point for residents who live in Fairbanks because the community needs to be informed of the proper way to dispose of hazardous household items, these materials need to be segregated, and transporting these items to the landfill will help keep Fairbanks a safe place to live.

It may not be widely known that many products used for cleaning, carpentry, auto repair and gardening may contain ingredients that can harm people and the environment.  The average home can contain as much as 100 pounds of environmentally harmful products, such as drain and oven cleaners, paint thinners, strippers and removers, automotive oil and fuel additives, grease and rust removers, glues, bug and weed killers, and mold and mildew removers (EPA.gov).  Pouring these chemicals down the drain, on the ground, or throwing them out with the trash may pollute the environment and can pose a health threat to the community.

Proper disposal of batteries, computers, and other electronic equipment is also an area of concern.  Many electronics contain mercury, lead, and other harmful chemicals that can harm if they are disposed of improperly (eHow).  Batteries that are thrown in the trash or left outside on the ground erode and rust, causing the dangerous battery acid inside to leak out. 

Prescription medications that are thrown into the trash endanger children, pets, or others who might consume them.  Also, disposing of prescription medications by flushing them down the toilet ultimately pollutes the water supply, causing people to unknowingly ingest dangerous pharmaceuticals.  Sewage treatment facilities are designed to filter out natural human excrement from water systems, but not the various chemicals and pharmaceuticals that become part of the water system.  This problem continues to grow as more people are using prescription medications and over-the-counter preparations (Musson, Townsend, Seaburg, Mousa, 2007, p.828-829).

Many communities have organized special collection days and have special drop-off sites for harmful household products (Dunn, 2008).  XYZ Corporation can provide valuable assistance to the Fairbanks’ community in this effort.  They can help educate the public on what constitutes hazardous household materials and how to safely dispose of them by providing funding for radio, television, and print advertising.

Education can also be provided on environmentally friendly alternatives to harsh chemicals.  There many less harmful products available for everyday tasks. The Environmental Protection Agency on its website, EPA.gov, has the following helpful suggestions:

• Glass Cleaner: Mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in 1 quart of water.
• Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Use a toilet brush and baking soda or vinegar.
• Furniture Polish:  Mix 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in 1 pint of vegetable oil.
• Rug Deodorizer:  Sprinkler liberally with baking soda and vacuum for 15 minutes.
• Plant Spray: Wipe leaves with mild soap and water and rinse.
• Mothballs: Use cedar chips, lavender flowers, rosemary, mint, or white peppercorns.

In addition to encouraging community awareness, XYZ’s offices can serve as a convenient drop point for the residents of downtown Fairbanks.  While the Fairbanks North Star Borough Landfill accepts household hazardous waste from residents free of charge, many who live in downtown Fairbanks do not own adequate transportation, inhibiting their access to the landfill.  While the landfill charges fees to businesses for depositing hazardous waste materials, these fees are nominal, and within certain requirements, also free of charge (FNSB Solid Waste Division).

Everyone must be made aware of the danger that can be brought about by the improper disposal of hazardous household materials, as both a health and environmental hazard.  XYZ Corporation can provide a great service to Fairbanks by making the community more aware of this problem and assisting residents in their disposal of these items.  By doing so, XYZ Corporation can reap the benefits of positive publicity and neighborhood goodwill that can come from this very worthwhile endeavor.

References:

Environmental Protection Agency. (2006, October). Sure, your home is clean..but is it safe for your family? be smart about using household products! Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/cgi-bin/epalink?logname=allsearch&referrer=sure your home is clean|1|All&target=http://www.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/materials/pubs/hhw-safe.htm

Environmental Protection Agency. (2010, October 12). Household hazardous waste. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/hhw.htm

eHow Contributor, Initials. (n.d.). How to dispose of household chemicals. Retrieved from Environmental Protection Agency, Initials. (2010, October 12). Household hazardous waste. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/print/how_2085744_dispose-household-chemicals.html#ixzz13RHRemrR

Musson, Stephen E., Townsend, Timothy, Seaburg, Kurt, & Mousa, John. (2007). A continuous collection system for household pharmaceutical wastes: a pilot project. Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association, 57, 828-835.

Dunn, Collin. (2008, March 12). Dispose of toxic household chemicals, safely. Retrieved from http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/dispose-toxic-household-chemicals-safely.html

Fairbanks North Star Borough, Solid Waste Division. (2010). Fy11 recycling hazardous household waste user fee schedule (july 1, 2010 through june 30, 2011) Fairbanks, AK: Retrieved from http://fnsb.us/solidwaste