Responses #11-15

3 Articles

Article 1

1) Who is the audience?

This article, “How Factory Farms Are Killing Seals,” by Tom Philpott, is directed towards the general public and convincing them of the issues of releasing antibiotics into the environment. Most people are not aware of the issues associated with bulk food-animal farms.

2) What is the main point of the article?

This article is focused on alerting the general public to the issue of releasing antibiotics into the environment and the effect it has on oceanic mammals.

3) How is or isn’t the article effective?

This article is effective because it does not drown the reader in a pool of facts and graphs. This article provides just enough information to entice the reader to learn more and study further.

4) What’s the implication for the environment?

If people are not aware of this issue then no one will ever attempt to stop this. There are very dangerous and very real hazards to humans that can arise from this issue. The pandemic outbreak of antibiotic-resistant diseases is a very real possibility.

5) What are the counterarguments?  If there aren’t any addressed, say what they are.

There are not really any counterarguments. The meat farms simply deny the fact that there are any effects. They claim that there are no definite studies to back up the idea that there are hazards to dumping antibiotics into the waterways.

6) If you were to pursue this issue, what would you research next?

I would delve deeper into information regarding the deaths of the sea life, including mammals, fish and invertebrates. On top of that I would research the amount of antibiotics and other chemicals dumped into the waterways and their effects on the wildlife.

Article 2

1) Who is the audience?

A Popular Science article called “Fast Food,” discusses the 2009 completion of a vegetable-based Formula One racecar. This article is directed towards the average person that reads average magazines. It is not directed towards scientists or environmentalists. It is simply directed towards the average reader.

2) What is the main point of the article?

The main point of this article is to alert the average person to the new developments in green engineering. It alerts the average person to the new technology available to allow consumers to be green conscious.

3) How is or isn’t the article effective?

It is an effective article that shows the new technology for green engineering. It is not preachy and does not drown the reader in volumes of facts.

4) What’s the implication for the environment?

The implications are huge. New green vehicle technology can revolutionize the automotive industry and overnight create a competitive market that can produce high quality vehicles that are less harmful to the environment.

5) What are the counterarguments?  If there aren’t any addressed, say what they are.

There are no counterarguments addressed. However, I do foresee difficulties in promoting this technology to aircraft manufacturers and the military.

6) If you were to pursue this issue, what would you research next?

I would be curious what technologies have been developed. I would also be interested in the cost of manufacturing this technology for the average household vehicle.

Article 3

1) Who is the audience?

In the May 2009 issue of The Environmental Magazine, there is an article called “Eating Mercury.” This article is directed to the more healthy-eating population. This article is more likely to be overlooked by the average person.

2) What is the main point of the article?

The main point of this article is to provide the reader with information regarding the consumption of Mercury that is found in corn syrup.

3) How is or isn’t the article effective?

This article is a little dull to read, however, it is an interesting topic. The whole idea of corn syrup being the evil anti-Christ of society is rather overdone. However, Mercury being the culprit in corn syrup is a new take one it.

4) What’s the implication for the environment?

The implications from consuming Mercury are hazardous. Mercury consumption can affect nervous systems, fetal development and other developmental processes.

5) What are the counterarguments?  If there aren’t any addressed, say what they are.

No one argues that the consumption of Mercury is dangerous. However, recent studies have shown that the human body does no differentiate between the consumption of sugar cane sugar and high fructose corn syrup. The body simply understands sugar.

6) If you were to pursue this issue, what would you research next?

I would like to further understand the contamination of corn syrup by Mercury from factory processes. I would like to know exactly how much contamination there has been.

1        Website

1) Who is the audience?

This National Geographic Society website is directed towards the average person. It provides simple methods any person can follow to save electricity, insulate your house and other small scale green ideas that make an impact on a large scale.

2) What is the main point of the website?

The point of the website is to provide environmentally sound ideas for the average person to follow. National Geographic is a trusted website that everyone knows about and has heard of. This website is a good method of conveying green ideas to the general public.

3) How is or isn’t the website effective?

This website is effective because it is not directed to the intense environmentalist. Not everyone wishes to go to a dedicated environmental website. However, by having this important information available to the common person on a well-known and trusted website, it is possible to draw in a new crowd of people that are environmentally conscious and at the same time not eco-nuts.

4) What’s the implication for the environment?

This is an environmentally beneficial method of getting green ideas out to the general public. Aside from National Geographic being a trusted website, there is no pollution from websites. There are no advertisement handouts or flyers to get blown off of telephone poles or news boards. There are zero negative impacts from websites.

5) How does this website propose to fill a niche?

There are plenty of dedicated environmental websites that focus on the eco-junkie and radical environmentalist. However, this website is focused on National Geographic, but it provides a stable and trusted medium to convey this information to the general public.

6) What are the pros and cons that you can see of this purpose?

It promotes environmentally safe practices and methods of going green in the society of today.

 

 

1 Video

The movie Food Inc. discusses the issues with commercially produced foods. The movie covers topics such as bulk produced corn that finds its ways into the food sources of cattle. Since cattle are not genetically designed to consume corn this creates issues such as producing E.coli. The movie also discusses the use of corn in nearly every food product in today’s market. It then covers the problems with genetically modified seeds such as corn and soy.

On top of making the viewer afraid to eat almost everything in today’s world, the movie covers the abusive methods corporations treat the company employees as well as the abuse the animals suffer throughout their lives prior to slaughter. It discusses how animals are genetically modified to produce larger breasts or grow from a newly hatched chick to a fully adult chicken in only 49 days rather than 60 days. It is from these genetically modified animals that a majority of our meat products come.

Finally the movie discusses methods that the average consumer can follow in order to purchase organic foods. It also discusses ways which people can insist on only purchasing and eating organic foods, and once the demand for organic is high enough then corporations will begin to require organics be produced. The power lies with money. Once organic products become the money maker then corporations will begin to produce organic products.

The movie is extremely informative and is very easy to watch. It is produced in an entertaining fashion as to keep the viewer entertained without drowning them in tons of facts. The movie is designed to be watched by the average person and be understood by the average person. Overall it is a very entertaining and terrifying movie.

 

 

 

Works Cited

The Green Guide. National Geographic Magazine. 23 April 2012. http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/green-guide/

 

Food Inc. Dir. Robert Kenner. Participant Media. 2008.

 

Philpott, Tom. “Factory Farms Are Killing Seals.” Mother Jones.24 February 2012. http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/02/how-factory-farms-are-killing-seals

Gross, Alexandra. “Eating Mercury.” The Environmental Magazine.  1 May 2009. http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.library.uaf.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=97ed8678-525d-4320-8878-4ab83e085e45%40sessionmgr15&vid=2&hid=8

 

Rdsenwald, Mike. “Fast Food.” Popular Science. 1 August 2009. http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.library.uaf.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=f9c69530-7b33-4898-a6e2-d93e71d453af%40sessionmgr4&vid=2&hid=8

Response #11-15

Response #11-15

Article #1

The very name of the article, How Factory Farms Are Killing Seals, is thought provoking. How can farms be harming sea creatures? Author Tom Philpott reveals an ugly side to farming that the industry wants covered up. This piece is written for anyone who doesn’t want the sea life of our planet to suffer for our need for cheap food. The focus of the article if the fact those bacterial strains that are easily killed by antibiotics get passed around in factory farms. The livestock are then treated with antibiotics but the bacteria are not all killed, it just moves from one animal to another, gaining immunity to the antibiotics. Eventually a super bug is created that makes its way into the ocean by way of animals feces in the watershed. Now a super strong, highly contagious bacterium is in the ocean food chain and spreads into animals. The animals’ immune systems where never designed to handle human enhanced germs and they suffer greatly. The truly scary part is these diseased animals are found in areas humans swim too. So now the problem has come full circle, and humans have to clean up their own mess. The writing itself is short and to the point, this makes the information effective and easily understood and obsorbed by the reader. The environment is already taking a hit for human messiness. Not only did farmers let the super bugs get into the natural environment, they failed to think of the results of craming millions of animals together and trying to kill every germ. There are no real arguments; the path of these bacteria can be traced from farm to seal. What I want to know is what can be done to stop this cycle before the super germs get into humans and we have no way to stop them. This need to be researched as it is a huge problem that we are creating diseases we can’t treat.

Article #2

While the title Navigating a Critical Juncture for Sustainable Weed Management is not the catchiest phrase ever, this article confronts a growing problem that will affect all members of society. Author David Mortensen highlights a growing problem that could destroy our food supply which would bring all of society crashing to a halt. Currently the common way to control weeds in a field of crops is to make those crops resistant to the herbicide that kills all the weeds. If the crop is genetically engineered to not die while a poison kills everything else growing in the field everything works out right? Wrong! The problem is that weeds are growing immune to the herbicide as well. Stronger and stronger chemicals are created to keep up with the weeds evolution. These chemicals pose a greater danger to the surrounding environment by seeping through the ground and casing pollution and other effects that are not completely understood. The article is pretty effective but uses too much wordy language. Simpler language would make the article more accessible to everybody. Again there is not much that can be argued the weeds are getting stronger and farmers have no permanent solutions. A deeper look at the effects of these stronger chemicals in the wild and a look at possible solutions would be greatly beneficial to the case Mortensen is making. If farmers keep going in the direction they are going now the weeds will outgrow the herbicides and humans will not be able to control them.

Article #3

At first I didn’t know what to make of the title of this article; German blue chip firms throw weight behind North African solar project. What does that even mean? Turns out some big companies in Europe are getting to getter to build giant solar plants in Africa and transmit all that power across the sea to Europe. It is a simple sounding plan but one with huge implications for all parties. Author Kate Connolly explores the many pluses and minuses to such a complex plan. The goal is to help all parties and get clean power to Europe. If this plan works it could be replicated around the world and its progress should be watched by all people who want clean energy. The article is effective in that it covers all sides and considers many views. It makes sure the African nations will profit from this new plan as well as the large European companies fronting the bill. The argument were made and countered that the long transmission of power may not be feasible. New technologies allow power to be sent longer distances for cheap and with little loss. The environment will benefit greatly because if the plan works, Europe will suddenly create no pollution to provide power to the many countries and peoples of the continent. I would like more information on how the power will get from one side of the Mediterranean to the other. There are many technical hurdles that must be met that the article does not fully cover.

Video

The movie Collapse hits the viewer like a slap in the face. Director Chris Smith holds back no punches in this movie built around a riveting interview of a prominent investigative journalist, Michael Ruppert. This film is aimed at all Americans who need to wake up and come to terms with the impending collapse of our civilization. Ruppert says that he is trying to reach out and educate people until he reaches “the hundredth monkey.” This saying is referring to a study conducted of monkeys where once a hundred monkeys learned a skill or new way of doing things the rest of the monkeys followed suit. Ruppert’s main point is to reveal the deep rooted problems America faces and to convince the viewer it is time to at and prepare for what is come; the end of the world as we know it. The movie is very effective in portraying the dark implications of what he is saying. The simple basement or bunker the interview takes place in sets a dark forbidding mood right from the beginning. Throughout Ruppert’s testimony videos and news clips show the evidence backing up what he is saying. The filmmakers also put in long blackouts that allowed the words to sink in to the viewer and emphasized important points. Environmentally this film didn’t talk about pollution or global warming specifically; it mainly was about how the environmental restraints, such as a limited amount of oil, are what will end the global economy. There are many counter arguments that are not addressed specifically. Ruppert at one point says he doesn’t do debates because he is right and the facts are with him. This also brings up the argument that this man is a crazy conspiracy theorist. The next thing to research would be to check if his predictions have come true in the past and where he gets his information. A fact check conducted independently by the viewer would add great weight to the words of this man. This movie does bring up a lot of questions and Mr. Ruppert seems to have all the answers, which is hard to believe.

Website

Trash Trip is a website dedicated to exploring waste that has been spread from coast to coast. There are many posts revealing the many deposits and uses of the trash everywhere. It also serves to highlight the massive quantities of valuable resources that go toward handling our trash. The website is very effective, using a blot style of postings and pictures to not just tell of the mess humans have made but also show it. The amount of pollution humans have put into the natural environment is unacceptable and all humans should be concerned. Our society cannot continue this way, we need to reduce our waste and find new ways to deal with the massive piles of trash that are destroying the world we live in. A counter argument is that this trash is not that big compared to the vastness of nature. This may be true if you just consider a bucket of waste just as a piece of trash. What this site points out is the potential for that waste to get in the water supply and contaminate and harm many forms of life. The website has found its focus and fills the role to show that damage our trash has on the world around us. I see no cons to its existence; all of humanity should see that we need to reduce our waste and clean up our planet. I only wish that more websites could show the damage humans have caused and that more people would pay attention.

Responses #11-15

 Video: Collapse

In this 2009 film, director Chris Smith documents an extensive interview with author Michael Ruppert. It’s relevance is particularly poignant given the timing of the film. After the economic crisis in late 2008, Michael Ruppert says “I told you so”. Ruppert identifies himself as an investigative journalist and advocate for sustainable living, Smith makes sure the audience is aware of claims that he is a conspiracy theorist. The interview highlights Ruppert’s career and his success in connecting the dots between oil industries, other energy options, and the crumbled economy. He claims that the way back down the bell curve for the human population is inevitable, and that it has been and can further be foreseen. From an environmental perspective, the film feels like a trustworthy source of the information it provides, Ruppert explains the human population’s complete drain and dependence on oil, and dissects the problems with all other known sources of alternative energy. The subject is clear to note that he has been targeted by people who did not want the news he carries to be known, and that these people include but are not limited to former vice president Cheney and former Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld. Smith, using only style or maybe technique, seems to ask the audience to question Ruppert’s validity. The documentary closes noting that Ruppert’s personal and financial life are dim. If one were to dig into the subject of this piece, it might be interesting to look at who Ruppert’s followers have been, and who his predecessors might be.

Smith, C. (Director). (2009). Collapse [Documentary]. United States: Vitagraph Films

Website: EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency maintains a comprehensive website, and the options within are detailed and informative. While browsing around, one might, within a few clicks find themselves learning about the most responsible ways to dispose of prescription medications. It’s also an option to click on the state where you live, and gain detailed information about where their drinking water comes from and any concerns that might be prudent. Close to Earth Day? Find out about the history and customs surrounding Earth Day easily on this site. One may be concerned about rates of asthma, from a family perspective or from the perspective of someone involved with public health. Learn about indoor air cleanliness or focus on child friendly information. News and announcements about laws, policies, or recent disasters are also available. Or perhaps it’s necessary to calculate total household emissions or to calculate global footprint. If something in one’s community needs to be reported to authorities, if there is frustration about a possible violation of EPA regulations, options to report these can be found on this website. The other side of that coin is that all of the information provided on the site is coming from the government really, so for the environmentalist who has trouble trusting authorities, this website would be problematic. For anyone wanting to stay updated on legislations regarding environmental policy, this site is easy to navigate and extremely helpful. One would imagine this site is regularly visited by environmental activists or legislative lobbyists. The site seems necessary as the government’s environmental voice.

US Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). US Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved April 28, 2012, from http://www.epa.gov

 Article 1: How Factory Farms Are Killing Seals

Mother Jones exposes long range effects of heavy antibiotic use on livestock in this 2012 article. Upon autopsy of more than fifteen hundred seals in the Pacific Northwest over ten years, researchers discovered that more than thirty percent of them were killed by or were carrying infectious disease. Seals were even found to be carrying disease resistant to drug treatment, including E-coli. What the article suggests is that there is evidence leading to the conclusion that these large marine animals are falling victim to strains of infectious disease that absolutely originate with livestock inland. The idea is that through stream systems or rivers, disease is carried from the waste of animals heavily treated with antibiotics for frequent virus and infection, to the ocean where it is affecting the health of marine life. Confinement lots are well known to be hotbeds for infectious disease, and there are also theories that suggest a connection between the meat we eat and antibiotic resistance in humans. Those interested in this article would be anyone concerned about that, this article supports evidence that you can’t pump animals destined for consumption full of medicine and expect the effects to be confined to that particular lot. What is so concerning about the evidence presented in this article is the implication that there are no borders when it comes to these diseases. Pathogens and bacteria can jump species and location easily, making it all the more scary that humans a regularly in the same places that seals are in beach areas. The author makes a point of noting this fact as being pretty gross. There are long reaching effects, and this article creates a curiosity for more information about them.

Philpott, T. (2012, February 24). How Factory Farms Are Killing Seals. Mother Jones, n/a. Retrieved April 27, 2012, from http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/02/how-factory-farms-are-killing-seals

 Article 2: Sperm Whales Bear Testimony to Ocean Pollution

Studies are being reported that produce evidence suggesting that ocean life all over the world are in significant danger because of completely human created pollutants. DDT and PCBs are the most commonly found persistent organic pollutants, or POPs. Crews crossing the world’s oceans sampled sperm whales by carefully obtaining small pieces of their flesh without endangering them. Sperm whales hold a place in the ocean’s food chain make which makes their tissue a good indicator of the ocean’s health and the health of the ocean’s inhabitants, overall. Researchers also found elevated levels of mercury in sperm whales in specific areas of the globe. The implication of some of this research is that chemicals that are known to harm living things are limited very little in their ability to maneuver around the globe and from continent to continent, effecting animals on land and in the sea, large and small. This article is effective but too brief. There isn’t enough meat in the writing to pull out objections or arguments. It would be interesting to have something more extensive to read on the issue.

Ferber, D. (2005). Sperm Whales Bear Testimony to Ocean Pollution. Science Now, 2-3.

 Article 3: Fast Food.

One of the most frightening elements of peak oil as we know it is the degree to which we are all dependent on oil. Oil doesn’t just fuel things but is also the base of many plastics, so in terms of a vehicle there is much more oil involved than just what goes into the engine including the paint, interiors fabrics and plastic moldings. This article reports that in England, someone has created the greenest car ever. The car is actually a race-car, and at the time of the article had hit 135mph, but was projected to be able to reach 160mph with some work. Not only does the vehicle run on left over cooking oil from fish and chips, but the brake pads were created not from iron but from cashew shells. Inside the car, the steering wheel was produced by a hardened vegetable resin. Since this article is three years old, there should be information on what came after this! Have there been more of these? Whether there have or haven’t been more completely green race-cars, it would be prudent to know what the energy input is in producing the vehicle, and how much oil was necessary.

Rdsenwald, M. (2009). FAST FOOD. Popular Science, 275(2), 28.

 

Reading Responses 11-15

Article #1

Nell Greenberg in his article “Captain Charles Moore” talks about a large amount of plastic debris found in the Pacific Ocean known as “Pacific garbage patch”, and the impact plastics have in our oceans and the sea life.  He also talks about the importance of raising awareness and do our part.  This article focus is to invite people to take action whether interested in saving the environment or not, to create conscience so we all do our part.

Greenberg mentions that the small plastic particles that are floating in the sea are polluted since they serve as sponges absorbing anything oily.  Sea creatures are being affected from the tiniest particle to the biggest one.  These contaminated particles are being swallowed by fish, delivering contaminants and creating a catastrophic chain reaction with what I will call consequences bigger than expected.

Greenberg calls for people to do what is necessary to help with this growing issue.  On one of his examples he mentions about toothpicks being individually wrap, creating a lot of waste, that is not the only thing that comes wrap in the same format, and what about plastic plates, utensils, cups, slow cooker liners, disposable baking  pans, etc.  Do we get them just because we are lazy and rather throw away than wash, which will bring us to another dilemma the kind that one may argue, is it safer for the environment to wash dishes delivering dish soap to wherever the wastewater goes or use plastic and throw it away?

Reference

Greenberg, Nell. (2009). Captain Charles Moore. Earth Island Journal, 24(1), 47-50.  Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.library.uaf.edu/ehost/detail?sid=23f6a9c9-b65d-4c2e-a012-6243d479caa9%40sessionmgr11&vid=1&hid=15&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=37332865&anchor=toc

Article #2

Tom Philpott in his article “How Factory Farms Are Killing Seals” explains how the routine use of antibiotics within the meat industry is creating a health problem due to drug resistant bacteria.  According to Philpott this bacteria’s beginning was probably in humans acquiring resistance to antibiotics after migrating into farm animals and once they became stronger this bacteria came back to the first believed host causing skin infections and other problems in farmers.

The use of routine antibiotics is definitely affecting humans but we are not the only ones being affected, as a consequence of our actions, there are other creatures paying for human’s actions too.  As Philpott mentions there are some terrestrial pathogens, to include E. coli that are affecting sea mammals such as seals and otters accounting for about 35 percent of their deaths.  Once the disease agents were identified the researchers reported that these agents were similar and sometimes genetically identical whether the mammals were terrestrial or marine.

Philpott mentions in his article that even though not all the pathogens are factory related they play an important role as we can see in the similarity of the abnormalities in farm animals and marine mammals.  Some of the strains of E. coli and Enterococcus found in these mammals are resistant to different antibiotics.  It is believe that the contamination found in the water is from manure making its way from the factory farms and ending up in streams and oceans.  Sometimes these contaminated waters are the same that are being consumed by humans.

Reference

Philpott, Tom. (2012). How factory farms are killing seals. MotherJones, 24(1).  Retrieved from http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/02/how-factory-farms-are-killing-seals

Article #3

Charles Duhigg in his article “Clean water laws are neglected, at a cost in suffering” describes once again the harm that pollution is doing to our planet.  Duhigg describes how bodies of water are being contaminated by different factors, from untreated human waste to liquefied faces from animal farms.  Duhigg utilizes this article to get people interested in a problem that is hurting human population as well as animals.

Water is the most valuable resource and it is a crucial element to life.  Every living organism depends on water to live that is why plenty of people has been exposed to contaminants in drinking water to include chemicals, toxins and other dangerous contaminants that cause cancer, birth defects, kidney damage, fertility, mental retardation and other problems.  Duhigg in his article shows how people’s teeth have been damaged due to the pollutants in the water.

Duhigg also talks about how the irresponsible behavior of several industries create pollution by disposing of harmful pollutants in the wrong place or the wrong way and authorities or state officials fail to give this violators any significant reprimand or fine.  Duhigg mentions that E.P.A. has also often failed to prosecute polluters or force the states to enforce this issue.

According to Duhigg if there is no tougher control and E.P.A. does not start enforcing its regulations, the use of rivers and lakes as dumping grounds will increase even more.  This problem is not a problem for a few this is an increasing problem for all of us, for our children, for our children’s children and it will affect every single living organism.  The Clean Water Act is for everybody’s best interest and needs to be followed.

Reference

Duhigg, Charles. (2009). Clean water laws are neglected, at a cost in suffering. The New York Times, A1.  Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/13water.html?pagewanted=all

Website

The Website Wildlife Conservation Society is a really interesting website that has several interesting links.  Animals are an important and essential part of our ecosystems and they too are being harmed in an increasing rate for human’s irresponsibility, and lack or care.  One of the main factors affecting our ecosystems is climate change, with that comes a domino effect that will affect every species around it.   The idea of this website is to create consciousness in people and make them aware of the conservation efforts around the world to save endangered species.

This website counts with some really interesting links, there are several of them that bring up different endangered species and besides talking about the problem that particular specie is encountering it helps the reader send a pre-narrated letter to the senator or representative that ask about assistance with FY13 funding for this particular projects.  Some other links talk about what someone can do to help with these projects.

In the news & features link of this website it shows the appearance in camera of an Ibis which is a rare bird that is found in Cambodia that I found to be amazing.  There is one more place that is really interesting to visit on this website, the one that shows that you don’t need to give a lot of money and that every little helps, it is as simple as buying stamps and send your letters with some support for endangered species and maybe promote it too.  There is no easiest way to be proactive and help.  Find them by just following the link.

Reference

Wildlife Conservation Society (2012).  Retrieved from http://www.wcs.org/?__utma=1.2017514895.1335593920.1335593920.1335593920.1&__utmb=1.2.10.1335593920&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1335593920.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(direct)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=-&__utmk=247759495

Video

Amanda Zackem and Adolfo Doring in their video Blind Spot talk about the importance of fossil fuels in our lives and how unprepared we are to stop oil production.  Zackem and Doring also talk about how this energy will get to an end.

One question we may ask ourselves as mentioned in this video is why we do not wing ourselves away from oil, is it just convenience?  As mentioned by Heinberg the impact that humans have in the world is enormous.  Heinberg mentions that we will run out of oil by the end of this century.  Bartlett talks about something that is really true about us Americans, usually we are really good to respond to crisis but not to prevent it.

The population is growing at an extremely large great and the production of oil is starting to decline this is affecting prices as we see it.  Fuel prices goes up and everything goes up and when fuel prices come down the rest of the articles may go down some but not where they started.  Other solutions such as carbon affect our atmosphere greatly.

Jensen and Hitt talk about how we rip or blow up mountains to get mines, to get cheap electricity this is changing our lives and what our children will see.  Hitt talks about the possibility to push the planet to its tipping point.  Bartlett talks about how the world is being affected by population growth and our own behavior and no matter how we vote global warming is a reality.

Our planet needs us we need to start making smarter decisions, not just for us but for our future and our world.

Reference

Zackem, Amanda and Doring, Adolfo. (2008). Blind Spot.  Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/video/snag/vi3074949913/

Responses #11-15

Responses #11-15

Article #1

The antibiotics that are used on the animals that are raised on feed lots does not leave the land on which they are raised. This statement is what almost every feed lot owner will tell you and the the antibiotics that are given to the animals are harmless to humans as well. In his article, How Factory Farms are Killing Seals, Tom Philpot points out the information that is being told to the people of American isn’t entirely true. Many farm hands that work on or near these feed lots, have been coming into contact with some pretty nasty bacteria. This bacteria is from the antibiotics that were given to the animals that was passed from them and is now mixed into the ground in which these workers are working with. It doesn’t stop there. Researchers have found a strain of E. coli that is now affecting the sea mammals of the Pacific Northwest. These researchers took their findings to Vancouver and presented them with this title, “Swimming in Sick Seas” (Philpot, 2012). If that doesn’t get the attention of the people who need to get involved who knows what will. The water areas in which these sea animals, such as seals and otters, are being found have been in areas where people get their drinking water. If people were to get sick from drinking this water it would very hard to control with the antibiotics that are available right now, since the antibiotics are what would have started this outbreak in the first place.

Philpot, T. (2012). How Factory Farms are Killing Seals. Retrieved from http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/02/how-factory-farms-are-killing-seals

Article #2

Many things can be learned about how people are thriving by looking at how the oceans around them are doing. Each year that goes by the chemicals that show up in the water show how more industrialized they have become. As in his article, Sperm Whales Bear Testimony to Ocean Pollution, Dan Ferber shows how man made substances, which are now being called persistent organic pollutants (POPs), are causing major changes in the oceans ecosystem. The sperm whale, in this case, has been the animal of choice to examine and follow. What was done was a five year study on the whales and the food they ate, mostly fish and squid. From there they were able to determine how much POPs had been absorbed from their food into their system. The scientists took samples from 424 whales and found very high levels of an enzyme that detoxifies pollutants, CYP1A1. There have also been high levels of mercury found in sperm whales as well from many different parts of the ocean. Peter Ross who is with the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans will be making a trip around the world to visit people who live along the coasts to see if the affects of the POPs are present in them as well. The majority of the world’s population relies on the oceans for a food source. What would happen to the human race if one day the source was contaminated beyond repair? Land pollution that gets into water runoff needs to be better controlled.

Ferber, D. (2005). Sperm Whales Bear Testimony to Ocean Pollution. Science Now, 2-3.

Article #3

Anyone who has spent a good amount of time in the Pacific Northwest, or on up into Canada and Alaska, should be able to give a brief over view of the life of the salmon. This very versatile fish is born in fresh water travels downstream to the ocean, matures and swims back upstream to where it was born in the fresh water rivers and ponds, to reproduce and start the whole process over again. In an article written by Russ Rymer, Reuniting a River, he points out how a power plant has caused a decline in salmon in the Klamath River because of a dam that was built. The affects that this dam had on the salmon in this area was huge. In 2002 there was a massive amount of salmon that had been killed because they couldn’t make their way back up the stream to reproduce. Not only does it affect the salmon who are trying to get upstream but the ones coming down. If the salmon cannot make it over the barrier they will die where they are without ever being able to produce the next generation of salmon. In 2006 after many discussions about removing the dam had been made the comity that brought this forth were concerned nothing was going to be done. But in January of 2007 the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement had been devised and outlined the ways in which the river would be saved. The Chinook salmon is the species that calls the Klamath River its home and thanks to the many men and women, who to it upon themselves to go up against this giant power company on the fishes behalf, has saved it from extinction in this area.

Rymer, R. (2008). Reuniting a River. National Geographic, 214(6), 134-155.

Video – King Corn

Most people do not ever think of the migration their food takes before it gets to their dinner table. In the documentary, King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis take their viewers from the kernel to the shaft of hair. Professor Steve Macko who is with the University of Virginia shows how when one single human hair is out through an isotope analysis it will contain mainly carbon created by corn. This information tells what food that person has consumed so far in their life. With this information Mr. Cheney and Mr. Ellis decide to grow their own corn crop and follow it to the end of its journey. They begin in Greene, Iowa. Professor Ricardo Salvador an agronomist from Iowa State University gives them a picture of what kind of corn they will be growing. It is called yellow dent #2 which has been genetically modified to be resistant to the liberty brand fertilizer. This species of corn has been highly modified from the original species of corn, which was first introduced here in the United States. As Mr. Cheney and Mr. Ellis begin their farming career they start to realize how much money goes in but does not come out. If it wasn’t for the many government subsidy programs farmers would not be able to grow anything. From the one acre they produced they grew only 200 bushels of corn receiving $1.65 per bushel for a crop that essential inedible. They we able to figure out that 32% of their crop went to export or to produce ethanol. Another 490 pounds went to make high-fructose corn syrup, and 5,500 pounds went to cattle feed. With the valuable information that can be learned from this video it is a wonder that corn is still as valuable and wanted as it is.

Website – Guerrilla Gardening

Join in the war against agricultural land takes over and grows where you can. This website, Guerrilla Gardening is all about taking back the land, whether to grow plants for foods or flowers for their beauty. Their lasted takeover is May 1st. They are asking anyone who will, to plant as many sunflowers as they can. So far there have been over 2000 people who are willing to spread seed to show their support. This type of gardening is an amazing idea. A lady from San Diego, Ava, decided to take back a small area of a sidewalk that had once been home to a tree that had been removed. She noticed nothing was being done to it so she took it upon herself to bring back the beauty of growing life that once was there. Others from all over the world have decided to join the guerrilla gardening movement and take back the unused dirt. One that really turned heads was a pumpkin that was planted at the entrance of a village in Italy. It was an abandoned flower garden that just needed attention.   There have been many people who have got involved in guerilla gardening and many have submitted pictures to prove it.  One was of a bike rack that sat at the side of a building.  It was looking a little drab until someone planted peonies around it and brought that area to life.  There are ways in which people can donate to the cause if they are not the gardening type.  What a great idea to but beauty and function back into these wasted spaces. People everywhere should be joining in guerrilla gardening!

Www.guerillagardening.org

Response #11-15

ARTICLE #1

How Factory Farms Are Killing Seals by Tom Philpott is written for the general public.  The article is intended to inform people of how the use of antibiotics on factory farms does cause adverse effects outside of the factory farm borders.  First, the overuse of antibiotics on factory farms helps create antibiotic-resistant pathogens.  When a pathogen transforms into an antibiotic-resistant form it becomes more dangerous since antibiotics, or at least certain antibiotics, will no longer work for a treatment option against the pathogen.  The article explains that although meat companies claim that the use of antibiotics on factory farms does not pose any harm to people or the environment.  The article discusses the fact that the antibiotic practices do in fact cause harm.  In a study the article addresses, it was found that there have been marina mammals that have died due to similar diseases as land mammals.  In some cases the diseases that have been discovered in marine mammals have been genetically identical to diseases that have been found in land mammals.  According to the article, it is probable that the pathogens made their way to the sea through manure runoff.  The manure runoff leaches into streams which eventually makes it out to the ocean.

The counterargument addressed is one that the author believes meat companies may use; antibiotic-resistant pathogens are contained within the confines of the factory farms.  It is already known that antibiotic resistant pathogens result from the overuse of antibiotics, so that would be a difficult counterargument for meat companies to make, leaving the meat companies with little left to argue.  The information given in the article squashes the possible counterargument because some marine mammals have been found to have genetically identical pathogens to some found in land animals.

The article identifies a counterargument at the beginning and then proceeds from there to explain how the counterargument can be disproved.  Further pursuit of this issue could be to research whether or not specific factory farms have been identified in polluting waters with the antibiotic-resistant strands present at those particular factory farms.  If any factory farms have been identified research could continue into whether or not any actions have been taken by those factory farms to prevent any future occurrences.

ARTICLE #2

Sperm Whales Bear Testimony to Ocean Pollution by Dan Ferber is a brief article with a target audience composed of people interested in scientific findings and perhaps also for people interested in the environment.  The main point of the article is to inform readers that pollutants are present within the oceans, which may have been believed to be clean and free of pollution.  The article provides information about research done on sperm whales in which a small portion of skin and blubber were collected and analyzed.  The study referred to includes samples from 424 whales, which is a significant enough number of specimen samples to start forming evaluations of the problems that exist in the ocean.  The article refers to the fact that the study provides evidence that the ocean is contains pollution.

No counterargument is present in this article.  The intent of this article seems to be an introduction to the idea that ocean waters are becoming polluted.  The article does do well introducing the issue but nothing else since it does not contain enough information or further information on the subject to truly convince people a problem exists and it needs to be addressed.  The implication for the environment is not addressed beyond the fact that evidence suggests the presence of pollutants in ocean waters.

I believe that further research about “CYP1A1, an enzyme that detoxifies pollutants,” would be beneficial if one wanted to pursue this issue.  A better understanding of CYP1A1 could provide a greater insight of the connection of CYP1A1 and pollutants in the ocean waters.  Finding other sources that provide more information about pollution in ocean waters would also be helpful.

ARTICLE #3

“German blue chip firms throw weight behind north African solar project”, written by Kate Connolly, was written with a wide ranging audience in mind.  The main point of the article is found at the end, that sustainable energy needs to be implemented but it needs to happen close to home.  The article opens with the thrilling idea of sustainable energy being a priority for big business, and the fact that it plans are being made to harvest the energy the sun provides, and make it available for Europe.  Yay, that is great!  But, wait, there is more.  The initial costs of this project are high, the energy would run many many miles, and there can be many other problematic factors that may crop up over time as well.  Then to top that off, control of energy still would not be widespread but concentrated still.  The upside is that sustainable energy is possible, but it would be best to find use sources closer to where the energy is actually going to be consumed.  The good thing is that some big business is recognizing the fact that sustainable energy is a necessity for the future.

The environmental implications of the plan to build solar power plants in Africa and transport the energy to Europe should be positive, and despite all the other issues the long distance and social stability of the areas the energy comes from or is transported through may present.

The article does recognize the counterargument of the use of cheaper fossil fuels since the solar power project would be quite costly and therefore not worth pursuing in the long run, especially since there are other problems on top of the cost.  The answer to the cost issue is in the conclusion that sources for sustainable energy should be much closer to where the consumption of the energy will take place.

In pursuing this issue one could research what possible sustainable energy could be harnessed closer to the regions the solar power is meant to supply energy to in Europe.

WEBSITE

The Local Burger website is the website for a restaurant in Lawrence, Kansas.  Although the website may be intended for the residences of the area mentioned, I believe that the audience base could be much broader.  The main point of the website is to advertise the business and express to potential customers that the food at Local Burger is good for them and the environment.  The website provides information about where the food used in the restaurant comes from.  Links are provided so that people can learn more about the ranches and farms that are suppliers for Local Burger and even visit the websites of the 4 out of 5 suppliers that have their own website.

This site is very effective at providing advertisement through its information about the food used in the restaurant, merchandise available, and a link for the restaurant menu.  The information provided about the food and how restaurant waste is handled both demonstrate how the restaurant provides healthy food and promotes a healthy environment.  The effects on the environment are positive.  The restaurant supports organic farming and local farmers, recycles, and composts.

Through the dedication Local Burger has for the health of its customers and for the environment this website is a great example of how other restaurants can be both more environmentally friendly and provide delicious, healthy food for their patrons.  This website offers a fantastic alternative to the foods served at nearly every other fast food restaurant.  The only con I can think of would be the cost of the food, but if the demand for healthier and environmentally friendly food, and food sources, would rise then eventually the cost could level out.

Now I am really wishing we had a Local Burger, yum.

VIDEO

The main point of the video Blind Spot is to inform an audience that there looms an energy crisis in the future and that it will have major and far-reaching impacts on the societies, on the world, as a whole.  As with many videos that are made, I believe that the intended audience is meant to be as many people as it can possibly reach.  In the Blind Spot there are some very well made points that would be good for the general public to hear.  The points I am referring to, in particular, are those that give recognition to the fact that often many times important information and issues are simply ignored, cause too much discomfort for people to want to think about, or that people may believe that other “intelligent” people will take care of any looming problems.  These ways of not dealing with what the future may actually hold, are how the “blind spot” in the realm of energy exists.  I think this video does a very good job at making and audience aware of the path the world is on when it comes to using fossil fuels for energy.  The video also does an excellent job at tying in impact people have on the energy consumption of fossil fuels and how there is a correlation between societies as a whole, the numbers of people and it’s government, and how fossil fuels are used.  The implications to the environment are the depletion of energy sources.  Although the video focuses mainly on fossil fuel consumption, other resources are mentioned as well, along with the resultant pollution.

The counterargument that there is enough fossil fuel, or that there are other energy resources out there is dealt with in the video by providing the information about how heavily people of the world rely on fossil fuels.  The video discusses the alternative of biodiesel fuel, which even I thought to be a great alternative and wondered why it isn’t more widely used.  The video goes into the fact that it takes more energy to make this sort of fuel than it outputs, making it a negative in energy it can provide.  Wow.  Not a good solution after all.

If one were to pursue this issue of fossil fuel consumption, the next step would be to research what kind of alternatives to fossil fuels are available, and whether or not they are viable for use as massively extensive as fossil fuels are.

Response #11-15

Article #11

In the article Captain Charles Moore, Neil Greenberg discusses the ramifications of plastic in our oceans with the man that discovered the great Pacific garbage patch, Captain Charles Moore. The great Pacific garbage patch with discovered in 1997, and while it is not an island of trash, it is a huge area where water of different temperatures mixes. The trash gets swooped up in these currents and if it doesn’t float around on the surface, it sinks to the bottom. Along the way, birds and marine life eat the plastic thinking it’s food. This can cause toxins to leach into the animals and poison them.

The purpose of this article was to inform the public that this problem exists. We go about our lives with blinders on, not thinking about the implications of out actions. I really don’t think that many people know about the great garbage patch. This is detrimental to our environment. Toxins in the water equal toxins in our food. They say, “You are what you eat”. Well, I don’t want to be that.

The only way this is going to turn around is with global knowledge of the problem. Informing the US that there is this problem only helps part of it. The next step after global knowledge is finding an alternative. Charles Moore is right when he says that we have to slowly start a program. People will not like having their convenient plastic taken away, but in the end, it’s better for our world.

References

Greenberg, N. (2009). Captain Charles Moore. Earth Island Journal. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Vol. 24. Issue 1. p47-50. 4p

Article #12

In the article Eating Mercury, Alexandra Gross discusses the study completed by the FDA that tested 55 random brands of food for mercury. The incredible thing is, 17 out of the 55 had mercury in them and I’m just now reading about this for the first time. Supposedly the process of making high fructose corn syrup requires caustic soda. There are different ways to make this, but a few of the plants are using old technology. The old way of making caustic soda involves mercury and somehow it’s getting into the food products.

I understand from the article that this study was not done on a grand scale, and that is what the high fructose corn syrup companies are going with. They are saying that this was not a formal study by the FDA, just something a few people did, but I say so what! Even if it was a private study, shouldn’t this prompt the FDA to do a large study? From what I’ve been able to find, it doesn’t look like much has become of this problem and that, in and of itself, is a problem.

From further research I found out that while he was Senator, Barack Obama came up with a bill that would get rid of mercury cell technology in these plants. However, I could not find anything that says if he followed through as president. There is nothing that states if mercury cell technology is still being used. This requires further action as high fructose corn syrup is in 90% of products. (Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, 2009). There’s really no way to completely avoid it. This is very distressing.

References

Gross, Alexandra (2009). Eating Mercury. E: The Environmental Magazine. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Vol. 20. Issue 3. p19-22. 4p

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. (2009, January 26). High Fructose Corn Syrup’s Not So Sweet Surprise: Mercury! Retrieved from Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy: http://www.iatp.org/blog/2009/01/high-fructose-corn-syrups-not-so-sweet-surprise-mercury

Article #13

In the article Oil Exploration Can Be a Boon To Alaskans and Environment, Don Young explains the benefits of drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). He writes about the native Inupiat Eskimos and the modernization that has occurred since oil has been drilled in Prudhoe Bay. I understand that heated schools and modern plumbing are a great benefit, but what about the downsides? I thought that the Young was completely one-sided in his article. He completely failed to talk about the bad things that can happen with oil drilling. He only discussed how small a space the oil drilling would occupy and the amount of money the US would save. Even the ANWR.org website completely supports the idea of drilling.

I am not opposed or for drilling in Alaska because I do not have all of the information, but I do not think it’s ok to publish material that is so one-sided. After reading this, I would be completely onboard to start drilling, but I realized there has to be something bad because there are still 22% of Alaskans that are opposed to it. After some digging, I found out that some of the bad is really bad. By allowing the oil companies into ANWR, it opens up the floodgates for other industrial companies to come in as well. We have the mentality that it’s only a couple thousand acres out of 1.5 million, what’s a few more? We do this until it’s all gone, then we’re up a creek without a paddle. ANWR is one of the last true wilderness areas in the US. By allowing the oil companies in, it jeopardizes a fragile environment.

The research has also shown that the oil fields would not be contained to one small area. There are pipes that need to be run and roads that need to be built. Then there is also housing for the workers (Natural Resouces Defense Council, 2011). The last issue I will bring up is the pollution that comes with drilling for oil. When oil is drilled, there is waste produced. Where does the waste go? Well, BP was fined millions of dollars in 2000 because it was dumping the waste material down the oil shafts. The waste material has chemicals such as benzene and other toxic materials. There is also the large amount of nitrogen and methane that is pumped into the air. It is also almost impossible to prevent spills. Whether this be diesel or oil, it is extremely harmful to the local wildlife and plant life (Miller, 2012).

Whether it is good or bad, the effects of drilling for oil will extend way outside of the 2,000 acres that they want to use. This is a huge matter that should not be decided by a few people reading an article only containing the good facts. The bad are just too bad to ignore.

References

Natural Resouces Defense Council. (2011, 12 19). Arctic Wildlife Refuge: Why Trash an American Treasure for a Tiny Percentage of Our Oil Needs? Retrieved from Natural Resouces Defense Council: http://www.nrdc.org/land/wilderness/arctic.asp

Miller, P. A. (2012). THE IMPACT OF OIL DEVELOPMENT ON PRUDHOE BAY. Retrieved from Arctic Connections: http://arcticcircle.uconn.edu/ANWR/arcticconnections.htm

Young, D. (1995, October 13). Oil exploration can be a boon to Alaskans and environment. Christian Science Monitor. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. p. 18.

Video

To put a patent on life seems unethical, but in the movie The Future of Food that has been shown to have happened. Deborah Koons has shown us that major companies, like Monsanto, have produced seeds that are immune to Round-up. They have then patented the gene so anyone that wants the corn with this gene has to pay a premium. What I think is unethical is that crops cannot be controlled like that. Neighboring farms are being charged with patent infringement because their corn has the Round-up Ready gene in it.  Round-up Ready plants still have pollen and there is still wind and bees in the world. There is no way that they can control where their corn’s pollen goes. It can, and will cross-contaminate other crops.

The Future of Food was a wake up call for me. The fact that four companies are running all the agriculture of the US is disturbing. How can American’s be ok with this? Europeans and some other countries are not. I would like to know what’s in my food. I’m not saying to completely take it off the market, I’m sure there is some good coming from it, but there should be something written on the packaging letting us know what we are eating.

It was also disturbing to find out how many people there are in the government that previously worked for Monsanto. There seems to be a conflict of interest there. I know I’ve stated this in previous reports, but you’re supposed to be able to trust the government and they are making it awfully hard. It past due for American’s to wake up from their dreamy lives and find out what’s really going on. I think they would be shocked to find out what is happening right under their noses.

References

Garcia, D. K. (Director). (2004). The Future of Food [Motion Picture].

Website

I chose to look at the earth911.com website because I have used the website on several occations. I even told people to look here for recycling information in my research paper. The website is easy to navigate and has great environmental information.

The first time I went to the website I was curious about recycling plants. There is an area where you can type in your zipcode and what you want to recycle and it will tell you where the nearest plant is. The only downfall of this feature is that you must be very specific. I typed in Styrofoam and nothing came up, but when I typed in polystyrene I found a local plant. Some people may only know the name brand and will not find what they are looking for.

While on the page I noticed an area for composting information. The information was great; they even had pictures of the products they recommend for composting. There was also a link for sculptures made out of trash that had washed up on the beaches in Oregon. These pictures should be on billboards around the world. There is so much trash it’s scary.

Earth911.com is a great website because they’ve put a lot of information in easy to use pages. The layouts of the pages are colorful and beg to be looked at more. The name is also easy to remember, which is a big deal. It doesn’t do anyone any good to have a great website that no one can remember. I will use this website over and over again in the future as I start to “go green”. It’s a long process, but I think this will be a great source of information.

Resources

Earth911. (2012). Earth911. Retrieved from http://earth911.com/

Responses #6-10

Article #1

Peter McLean in his article “The Need for Sustainability” talks about the impact the population growth is causing on Earth’s natural resources, water, soil, and air.  McLean explains how the population doubled in less than 50 years harming natural resources, changing ecosystems swiftly and broadly causing a great irreversible loss in the diversity of life on Earth (The need of sustainability, 2009).

McLean mentions that while he was growing up one of his teachers encouraged her students to explore the outdoors so they would appreciate nature.  In the current century this is extremely important not only to appreciate its beauty but to learn that we are a part of this and all that it does for us.  Maybe if we learn to appreciate it, we would take care of it.

In his research, McLean mentions that mammals are being threatened by either extinction or the decline of species.  Our behavior is harming the Earth by changing the composition of the atmosphere, causing climate changes and even threatening world’s population.  More extreme weather events are being felt not only by humans, but other species as well.

Artists and artisans of Artists are trying to raise awareness by using both recycled and ecologically safe materials to create their pieces, all this in an effort to make more people understand and appreciate everything that nature provides; there is a big need for sustainability and we need to understand it.

Reference

McLean, Peter. (2009). The Need for Sustainability. St. Andrews School, Middletown.

Plank, April. (2012).  Environmental Artists:  Supporting Sustainability.  Retrieved from http://www.wvmeetingplanner.com/articles/environmental-artists-supporting-sustainability

 

Article #2

Russ Rymer in his article “Reuniting a River”, talks about how farmers and Indians as well as fisherman are acting together to let the Klamath River run wild again.  Throughout his article Rymer mentions how salmons were losing their battle against human miscalculation and basically delayed effects of our actions.  Due to global warming temperature raises and this causes confusion around Salmons who are looking for their spawning spots around rivers and lakes.  Rymer uses this article to inform people about the Salmon life and what is happening on their habitats.

What gives us right to let other creatures without their natural habitats, what gives us the right to destroy our planet, the very same air we breathe, the same water we drink, along with the fish we eat, who says our habitat is better and we can destroy everything else, even our own world.  Rymer talks about a time where in order to   keep farmers happy Secretary Ann Veneman and Secretary of the Interior went to Klamath Falls to open the valve into the main canal.  Rymer mentions that maybe because the water in the slack river was so warm the salmon retreated back to the estuary, but then after rain in the Siskiyou mountains cooled the river  it seemed to encourage salmon to try to go again upstream, but then the weather turned hot again and large amount of fish died weakened by infection.  According to Russ’s article at least 30,000 Chinook salmon died in the lower 40 miles.  This was one of the largest adult fish die offs in U.S. history.

Global warming, a word we hear a lot lately, but what are we doing to help?  There has been a significant decline in snow accumulation causing less water to flow into the rivers as well as the population growth and rising water usage as Rymer mentions.  Global warming is a reality.

Reference

Rymer, Russ. (2008). Reuniting a River. National Geographic

 

Article #3

Dan Ferber in his article “Sperm Whales Bear Testimony to Ocean Pollution” describes once again the harm we are doing to our planet.  Utilizing Sperm Whales as a measuring tool to give us all the information we are neglecting to understand, our Oceans are polluted, does not matter which ocean, they are all contaminated.  Ferber uses this article to get to people who is interested on the harm we are causing to the environment

According to Ferber’s article Sperm Whales were tested for toxic contaminants across the Pacific Ocean and the Mar de Cortez.  Over this 5-year investigation they discover that sperm whales accumulated different pollutants in their tissues.  This served as an indicator of the health of the world’s oceans.  The samples recovered from these sperm whales were analyzed by toxicologists.   They found different contaminants according to the whale’s location.  According to Ferber the sperm whales found in the Sea of Cortez had nearly twice the levels of CYP1A1, on sperm whales near the Galapagos they found high levels of mercury.

What other proof do we need for us to understand that we are killing ourselves?  According to Ferber it was announced that no matter where, these animals where polluted.  We need to take action.

Resources

Ferber Dan. (2005). Sperm Whales Bear Testimony to Ocean Pollution.  Science Now.

 

Video

Albert Gore, in his article “An Inconvenient Truth:  the planetary emergency of global warming and what we can do about it”  explains not only our climate crisis and how quickly this is happening, but also what we can do to help alleviate this growing problem that is affecting not only our planet but our lives and our children’s lives.

He shows charts and proves how the global warming is affecting else and how it will affect us in the near future.  This video is directed not only to environmentalist but also it seems to be done to create conscience in our everyday neighbors and friends.

According to Gore this is a big issue that will cause disastrous consequences if the world’s governments and citizens do not act.  According to Gore this is a crisis that needs to be corrected in order for future generations to be able to enjoy what we have.  Gore also mentions all the effects that we are beginning to see.  It is not just a tale anymore it is for real and we need to do something about it.

Gore demonstrates the radical changes that have been occurring since he started noticing all this effects and became aware of the evidence on global warming back in 1970.  Gore demonstrated back in 2006 everything that we are already seeing, but not even him saw this monster coming as fast as it is coming.

Resources

Albert Gore. (2006).  An inconvenient Truth:  the planetary emergency of global warming and what we can do about it.  Rodale Press.

 

Website

In the Website 20 Liters, race for more than a record, we found information on a really valuable element that a lot of times is not appreciate it.  This website that was created as an online fundraising campaign to help other countries like Rwanda have drinkable water.  The idea is to provide people around the world with slow-sand filters to help them get clean, potable water and to help alleviate problems that they have with microbiological contamination.

It is easy to open a faucet and be able to drink a glass of water or be thirsty and have water within reach, but as it is explained in the website, some countries do not have this ability.  There are a lot of places where water is really scarce and besides having to walk for several miles to be able to find water, this water is contaminated.  Most of us would not even think of drinking it, but when that is the only source of water and there is no other means people will do it.

The article talks about Ben, Merritt, a local athlete who motivated by the desired to race for something bigger started this online fundraising campaign to achieve his goal of cover the cost of slow-sand filters.    On this website it is mentioned how every little helps and how ever $10 donation creates access to clean water for one person for up to ten years.  Has anyone being in a place where they have no water and one is thirsty with nothing to do?  I have.

Resources

20 Liters. (2010). 20 liters.  Retrieved from http://20liters.org/connect/

 

Responses #6-10

Article #1

The article Eating Mercury by Alexandra Gross is aimed at the growing number of people who eat High Fructose Corn Syrup or HFCS. The article reveals the results of a study that found levels of mercury in a majority of food containing HFCS. While the FDA has released standards for seafood mercury levels there are no standards and no investigations into the levels on mercury found in other foods. The article’s effectiveness is limited by the scarcity of studies on this topic. With only a couple of studies there is room for argument from the food companies who are focused on their bottom line. These arguments would quickly put to rest if more research was found and the FDA acted on the new information.

The only part of the environment that is directly affected is the human population. The health concerns and toxicity of mercury has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, so humans are at risk.  However, the mercury will eventually find its way to the environment and will pollute but this will take a long time to have any large lasting effect. The effects of mercury on the human body would also be a consideration that warrants further research. How much mercury does it take to harm the human body? Is there enough in the food to cause problems? These questions would solidify the arguments made by Mrs. Gross.

 

Article #2

Captain Charles Moore by Nell Greenberg is an interview for anyone interested in the life and views of Captain Moore, who is the man who discovered the Pacific garbage patch. The article is just a series of questions answered by the Captain about his discovery and the problems and solutions for cleaning up the mess humans have created in the middle of our ocean. The article focuses on the toll the plastics have on the environment and its inhabitants. The author asks good questions that lead to interesting answers from Captain Moore and an overall engaging dialog.

The environment has already suffered greatly from the pollution caused by humans. The cultural obsession with plastic has led to massive amounts of waste that has to go somewhere and ends up in our oceans. Now some can say, “The oceans are so vast; can some plastic trash ever have an effect on anything?” The problem is the plastics absorb other chemical pollutants and sea life eats the plastics and the pollution works its way up the food chain gaining potency with every step. Soon, if not already, our seafood will contain plastic leftovers and we will be directly affected by the environmental contamination. It would be interesting to see how much of the sea life and our seafood already has chemical contamination.

 

Article #3

City of the Future by Carolyn Fry is a detailed look at the tech behind a self-sufficient community in England who aims to supply their own energy using non fossil-fueled methods. Anyone with an interest in living more environmentally friendly would appreciate the efforts of this city of the future.

If every building in the world became self-powered or even tried to lessen their carbon foot print the effect on the environment would be enormous. Small changes and new technologies used in new construction will have lasting positive effects on the environment. Some more detailed information about the technology utilized would increase the effectiveness of this paper.

 

Video

The movie Food Inc. directed by Robert Kenner, offers a revealing look at the American food industry. This film is for anyone who eats and wants to know what goes into the food. The film serves to peel back the veil that hides the food industry from the public eye. The people behind the film just show the secrets of the food industry then allow the viewer to make their own decisions before offering reasons for hope and actions that can be taken by consumers. The director is effective in showing the hidden side of food production through the use of many separate scenes addressing different types of food or hazards and problems caused by a certain food process. Each scene can stand on its own as a short clip and all together they give the viewer a diverse set of perspectives on which to base their personal views.

The environment is suffering from the new and “improved” ways of creating food. The mass use of chemicals releases toxins that are not fully understood into the environment. Genetic engineering has created new plants that are not natural and that mess with the delicate balance of the local ecosystem. The animals that are raised to become food are treated worse and worse as the focus becomes more on the quantity instead of quality. These animals produce massive wastes that pollute the land. Even the final product, food, is hurting the environment. Cheap food does not mean good, efficiently made food. One could argue that the positives created by this low, low price of food outweigh the harm to the environment. From a purely cash view this seems true, however, economics factors in the costs to the environment and when that is considered the argument is invalid. More research on these costs to the environment and our future would greatly help with refuting this and many other counter arguments.

Reading Responses #6-10

Article 1

Kathy Freston wrote an article named “Vegetarian is the New Prius.” Walsh’s article discusses environmental risks involved with mass production of livestock. The article takes a new look at an old problem. The problem is global warming and the production of greenhouse gases.

Her article examines how people are very aware that driving large trucks and Sport Utility Vehicles and consuming fossil fuels produces volumes of Carbon Dioxide. However, what many people do not realize is that the production process of raising, butchering and transporting consumer meat products actually produces more carbon dioxide as well as more harmful greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide.

Freston’s article provides numerous statistical facts to back up her position on global warming. His article is easy to read and although it contains statistical data, it does not overpower the reader with too much data. The article is well written and does not preach to the reader. The article merely informs the reader of the dangers of the mass meat production processes and provides alternative ideas on food consumption such as vegetarian diets.

Additional investigation into this subject should include data concerning the volumes of greenhouse gases produced and whether or not this is limited to mass production facilities. Information regarding the greenhouse gas production at small scale meat animal production facilities and private farm production. Also, numbers regarding the volume of forest land being destroyed in order to provide farm land would be useful.

Overall this article is well written and leaves the reader wanting more. This would be a good topic to continue to research.

Article 2

The online periodical The Guardian has an interesting article called “German blue chip firms throw weight behind north African solar project.” This article is written by author Kate Connolly. This article discusses the upcoming plan for numerous European firms to construct large scale solar energy facilities throughout North Africa. These facilities would generate solar electricity and then via large transmission lines, ship the energy throughout Europe.

Connolly’s article contains interesting data that shows the vast amount of energy available throughout North Africa. Just a fraction of this energy could be harnessed and used to power most of Europe.

This article provides only an introduction to this energy project. Further questions to be considered could include the issues in constructing these solar facilities in countries that are currently racked with riots and violence. Are these sites going to cause issues with local tribes or populations? What sort of protection are the transmission lines going to need? Will these facilities provide energy to local populations and cities in Africa or will all energy be shipped to Europe? This article brings up numerous interesting questions that could be investigated.

This article is well written and very interesting. It would be nice to see additional data and further investigation into this subject. This article brings up questions as to why the United States and other nations have not considered investing in this type of green energy. Small scale facilities do exist in the United States but nothing to the scale as the proposed facility in North Africa. Overall this is a very interesting article.

Article 3

Bryan Walsh wrote an article for Time Magazine Health called, “Getting Real about the High Price for Cheap Food.” The article discusses the environmental effects of mass production of consumer meat products. Mass production of meat produces high volumes of waste which can easily enter waterways and eventually make its way to the ocean where it kills off vast numbers of wildlife. In addition to this waste the concentrated living conditions of the animals to be butchered is equal to animal abuse or neglect. If a family pet was kept in these conditions it would be considered animal abuse. Because it is a food animal it is considered okay.

This article also covers an issue that is commonly overlooked when looking at this particular issue. Where does the food for the butchered animals come from? The corn used to feed this concentrated high number of livestock is commercially grown in farms across the nation. To get a high enough yield this corn crop is often fertilized and modified to produce high volume. Not only does this process damage the land but runoff can deposit pesticides and fertilizers in waterways which in turn damages the ocean.

This article is very interesting and well written. Walsh adds enough statistical data to back up his ideas but not so much data as to confuse the reader or become boring. This is a well thought out article which brings to mind concerns and fears about buying meat at the store again. This is an interesting and terrifying topic.

Website

The website http://www.terracycle.net is an interesting website dedicated to recycling items that were previously sent to landfills. This website provides methods of collecting and sending this waste to be recycled, remanufactured or reused. Interestingly enough the teracycle company was started by a college freshman back in the early 2000s and is now a multinational fast growing company. It just goes to show that anyone can make a difference.

Other aspects of this website that are nice are the counters at the top of the screen. There are three counters. There is a counter showing the number of members collecting trash, the waste units of trash collected and the amount of money raised for charity. These counters show that change is possible. At the last count http://www.terracycle.net had nearly 27.5 million members that had collected around 2.2 billion waste units of trash and contributed nearly $3.7 million dollars to charity! That is a pretty decent record for a company started by a college freshman.

Terracycle.net also has incentives. Trash collectors can receive cash or points for every piece of trash collected. Trash collectors can get paid to collect everything from candy wrappers, use cell phones and cereal bags to plastic bottle and outdated digital cameras. The possibilities are endless with this company.

The website is well built. It is easy to navigate and interesting to read. It is visually stimulating yet it does not overpower the viewer with too many color schemes and flashy advertisements. The website’s counters show the viewer what progress is being made as well as providing an optimistic outlook at recycling, which is a losing battle with today’s wasteful society. Overall it is a great website and a great project.

Video

The movie “The Future of Food” was both very interesting, and extremely terrifying. The film delves deep into the world of biotechnology and the gene manipulation world of vegetable crops. The movie discusses the moral and financial shortcomings of big corporate companies patenting vegetable seeds that they have genetically manipulated.

The movie follows several farmers through their struggle big corporate biotechnology companies. It discusses how innocent farmers are attacked and sued by these large companies for patent infringement when out of control genetically modified vegetable begin to grow on their property. As terrible as this scenario actually is, this seems like a plot from a cheesy 1950s horror movie. But in reality this scenario is playing out all over the United States as hundreds of farmers find themselves in the crosshairs of big biotechnology companies and their runaway genetic experiments. As if this wasn’t bad enough, these large biotech companies are churning out genetically modified vegetables at an alarming rate and shipping them off to our neighboring countries and effectively spreading these genetically modified vegetables across the globe.

The video further discusses the physical harm some of these genetic experiments can cause people in the form of severe allergic reactions and other physical ailments. In addition to the dangers in these plants themselves, chemicals needed to contain these herbicide resistant vegetables are more dangerous than most chemicals used in the past. Genetically modified vegetables once concocted to grow faster and bigger and be herbicide resistant are now being fought with super-powerful defoliants similar to the Vietnam-era Agent Orange.

On top of all this these vegetables are breeding with traditional vegetables and their growth is quickly spiraling out of control. These genetic vegetables are quickly taking the world down a dark and dangerous path that could lead to no vegetables at all.

This video portrays the horrors and dangers of modifying our food to make it grow faster and bigger. It shows the dangers of eliminating the genetic diversity of a plant species in favor of one genetically modified super vegetable. This video is well filmed and edited and easily understood by the average person. The movie is not preachy or overly scientific. It is in this simple informative manner that the viewer finds the terrifying reality that is the world of genetically modified vegetables that are finding their way onto our dinner plates.