Powerpoint Presentation Reviews

Remarks on: Education and the Proliferation of New (Old) Concepts

The authors of the essay: Education and the Proliferation of New (Old) Concepts critices the style of education America's students are receiving. They claim that the U.S. has changed the education style upto the days of industrialism and corporate capitalism. It is believed that today, Americans are only being trained to make make the highest wage, and become a successful capitalist. They theorize that we are only being thaught that the best wage will be the most successful.
I do not see an issue in this because this will pursuade all students to work hard and dream of how successful they can be. I know that if I would have been told by an instructor that I am only capable of  everything besides the best, I would not have a strive to succeed. This essay almost reminds me of communistic values in which the government will tell you what you can do with your life.

Synthesis & Response to: Indigenous resistance and racist schooling on the borders of empires: Coast Salish cultural suvival by Michael Marker

   In the article Indigenous resistance and racist schooling on the borders of empires: Coast Salish cultural survival Michael Marker discusses the integration of Native Indians known as Coast Salish into American and Canadian culture. The Coast Salish Indians lived among the borders of the U.S. and Canada in the state of Washington and the province of British Columbia, and they were incorporated into the country in which they were settled. Therefore, there are now Canadian and American Coast Salish Indians. Today they are still define themselves as Coast Salish Indians, even though they do have to cross a boarder. In British Columbia, the Salish Indians were brought into public schools, mixing them with other Canadian citizens. This has caused racism because the Indians are very different, not just by culture, but even physical features. Washington state took a smarter route and developed a boarding school to which only the Coast Salish Indians attend. Although they may be split and immersed into the modern world, they still stand together to uphold their culture and roots.
   I believe Canada and the United States should have never stepped in and intrude on the Coast Salish Indians. They are not a threat and we should stay out of their culture, as they were the first to inhabit the land. In fact, the United States and Canada should reserve that area and make it Native lands and leave it ungoverned for the Indians. They clearly do not want the help of any of the governments.

The MEATRIX

The MEATRIX Episodes (click here)

The MEATRIX episodes are a very effective way to get the word across of the adverse effects of factory-farming to all ages in America. I found the four mini-episodes to be very entertaining and I am looking forward to another. It sad to see that America's farms are really becoming a factory, and that we are all under a sick illusion. It is disgusting that the public is under an allusion because the meat industry created it. We should know what we are eating and what conditions the meet was really brought up on. The MEATRIX producers are supportive by giving us an alternative to the factory-grown meat known as Organic meat. I used to live in Waxhaw, NC and you can see why there is so much land available for sale in that city. Waxhaw used to be a predominantly farming township that had acres of land for raising livestock. Today these lands are gone and subdivisions encompass all of this. This was most likely due to the local family-farmers being out competed by the money hungry factory-farmers.

Real Text Response 3/12

I found this reading hard to follow because of the nature of the writing. Scientific research papers often use vocabulary and terms only people in a specific field can follow. The passage was also not very interesting to me, perhaps because it dragged on. I do prefer the structure of the writing because it is very easy to format. There is also an abstract paragraph present that provides a easy-read summary of the text. My view of biotechnology and food is quite neutral. I am not for it, but I feel it is necessary to provide food for the largely growing human population. I love organic and unmodified natural food, but I also find it necessary to consume the modified food because it is the only way our population can be sustained. Due to my neutral view this reading was not interesting and very hard to follow.

Synthesis on "EPA: Natural Gas Fracking Linked to Water Contamination"

   The article "EPA: Natural Gas Fracking Linked to Water Contamination "by Abrahm Lustgarten, Nicholas Kusnetz and ProPublica" discusses the controversial subject of hydraulic fracking. It mentions a scientific link between underground pollution and hydraulic fracking. Fracking has become growing debate and in the 2012 Presidential elections a candidate's view on fracking can have an impact as drastic as being elected or not. I am strongly against fracking, as I am against the theft of all natural resource of earth.
   The technique, in which high-pressure fluids are pumped into shale formations to fracture the rock and force out natural gas, has been accused of not only releasing methane into well water and polluting groundwater with toxic chemicals, but also causing earthquakes (Jones). I believe it is childish to have the U.S. government allow fracking. Fracking has been linked to a magnitude-5 earthquake in Denver (Jones). Earthquakes are not only costly but they often kill people. Is natural gas really worth the life of someone? The article states scientists concluded the linkage as contaminants were found in central Wyoming, which were likely caused by the gas drilling process. The pollutants found most likely seeped up from gas wells and contained 10 compounds used in frack liquids. Methane was one of the components found in the polluted water. If there is enough methane present, an explosion can occur. This risk should not be taken under any circumstance. The U.S. government needs to value the lives of its citizens and prevent companies from beleaguering mother earth.

 

  Sources:

  Jones, Nicola. "United States Investigates Fracking Safety." Nature (2011)Print.

 

What's better, an Essay or a Powerpoint?

PowerPoints have always been appealing to me as they are visually attracting. I believe that your point comes across better in a PowerPoint than a formal essay. PowerPoints are a often a summary of main ideas and topics, usually including statistics. Statistics are better comprehended through visuals, which are often paired with words in a PowerPoint. Essays may not clearly provide you with a main point in a paragraph while a PowerPoint can provide you one within a bullet. I prefer visuals when I am conducting research , especially graphs and charts. Images can set the audience's mind to exactly what you want, while in an essay you must be creative very descriptive to be able to draw an image to your audience.What is more clear to you?

Environmental History Artifact

The photography displayed below are of Helheim Glacier in Greenland. These photographs are taken at approximately the same time during the year in 2001, 2003, and 2005. The photographs illustrates the glacier moving towards the end of a river. It may seem that the glaciers are growing, but they are actually shrinking. Due to the melting of the glacier, the glacier is able to move downstream. As long as the thickness of the glacier and the depth of the water allow the ice to remain grounded, it stays intact (Howat). This photograph provides proof that the earth is experiencing drastic changers. Water levels are rising, and the temperature of the bodies of water on earth are increasing.

 

"Retreat of the Helheim Glacier, Greenland : Image of the Day." NASA Earth Observatory : Home. Web. 19 Feb. 2012. <http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=6207>.

What should be the relationship between religion and the environment?

Religion has been a part of human culture for centuries of time. Religion has brought people together for years meanwhile it has also diversified the human population. Religion is a belief in a god or several gods, where humans depend on these figures for reassurance. Theories of the world's creation is often debated because of the facts from science, and the beliefs from religion. There is one thing in common though; the earth was created to inhabit life.Therefore, there should be a very strong relationship between religion and the environment. What you believe in is irrelevant to the fact that we need earth to survive and flourish. The environment has been encountering many problems, from extinction to ozone depletion. Because billions of people follow a religion, religion could be one of the greatest counterparts to diminishing the issues effecting the environment.

http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-environ-042610-103728

Shit Yogis Say

There are hundreds of dialects within languages, beginning from a geographic dialect to a "trended" dialect. The you tube video: Shit Yogis Say is another example of how dialects are different. Even "yoga people" have their own little language. Your dialect can come from you background, race, friends, and even your hobbies. Some go along with a style, for example: California Surfers. They use terms like "dude", and "narly". It is hard to even imagine how many dialects there must be in the United States alone.

Synthesis of Richard Kahn’s Towards Ecopedagogy.

In Richard Kahn’s Towards Ecopedagogy, Kahn asks: “Will we surf the awesome tube of this grave peril and move laterally across it into newly imagined freedoms? Or will we head outward into deeper waters still, floating upon unfathomable depths, along with dangers and possibilities even as of yet unforeseen?” (Kahn 1). Kahn asks this as an inquiry to the reader, to help decide whether the environment should really be an issue taken seriously. Environmental stability is a growing debate on whether or not humans should take responsibility and work to reverse their wrongdoing. Although environmental stability is being debated, individuals have already taken action to work for a cleaner and more sustainable planet, but even if individuals live sustainability, the human species as a whole needs to take action. The main problem of environmental degradation is the reality that the people around the world are uneducated about a concept as simple as sustainability.

Individuals taking part to help make the world sustainable need to be recognized and be taken as an example. The underlying issue with only individuals taking part is that there are billions of other people continuing to degrade the planet. Large-scale efforts must take place with government regulations and large companies promoting sustainability. Companies worldwide, for example: Anglo American Platinum Ltd and Intel Co., are already sustainable and hope to set other companies and the people of earth an example. While this creates a great image of sustainability, many people are still unaware what being sustainable really means.

Kahn states: “Just as there is now a socio-ecological crisis of serious proportions, there is also a crisis in environmental education over what must be done about it”(Kahn 5). The reason behind the quote is the issue of the incompetence behind environmental education. Many humans see that the world is trying to “go green”, but many don’t even understand the concept. Kahn includes the shocking statistics of American’s inability to understand the most basic environmental ideas. 45 million Americans believe that the ocean is a freshwater resource (Kahn 6). It is a staggering statistic that about 15% of the American population believes the ocean is a freshwater resource. If this estimated statistic is true, it is easy to see how public schools should not be teaching Shakespeare, but they should be reinforcing the concept of sustainability.

As the human population of the world is projected to reach over 7 billion by April 2012 it evident that humans themselves need to intervene and take the blame for the environment’s condition. Richard Kahn points out great issues that need to be approached. Education is the key to success in all aspects, including the sustainability of the earth. Programs must be set up throughout the world to combat environmental degradation. The knowledge will grant hope to make the earth a sustainable place for future human generations to come.

Works Cited

"2012 Global 100 List." 2012 Global 100: The Definitive Corporate Sustainability Benchmark. Web. 05 Feb. 2012. <http://www.global100.org/annual-lists/2012-global-100-list.html>.

Kahn, Richard. "Towards Ecopedagogy: Weaving a Broad-based Pedagogy of Liberation for Animals, Nature, and the Oppressed People of the Earth." Web. 5 Feb. 2012.

"World Population Clock." Census Bureau Homepage. U.S. Census Bureau. Web. 05 Feb. 2012. <http://www.census.gov/population/popclockworld.html>.

Response to: Rethinking Water

ARTICLE: Rethinking Water
It is clear that freshwater is becoming a subject of conversation. It is not only Sandra
Postel, who published Water: Adapting to a New Normal, catching on to the issue, but even journalists from Texas. Our population is growing too rapidly to be supported by natural resources. In the article Rethinking Water, Farzad Mashhood includes a quote from Michael Webber(a university of Texas Professor) "A hundred years from now, your grandkids would ask you, `You sprayed what on your lawn?" This quote really caught my attention because of the realism behind it. By 2025 it is estimated that half of the world's population will not have access to freshwater. It is scary to imagine this especially since my children will not even be old enough to even have children by then. To most people right now it is unthinkable to value water as a valuable resource. It is becoming obvious that we need to begin to work on this problem and find a resolution to our future issues. The worlds population is only going to be greater, and so are our problems. I don't believe that we should conserve by not drinking water, but by taking on the biggest consumer of water and uncover new technologies to reduce required water for agriculture and manufacturing.

Response to "End of a River? by Jonathan Waterman"

VIDEO: Drought Hits Southern Iraq (Euphrates River)

The Euphrates River route runs from Turkey through Syria, and then finally through Iraq. There has always been issues with the river because of the unsuitable, dry climate, but in recent years the river has almost completely dried up. Because Iraq is the last country the Euphrates River runs through, it is left with the least and most polluted water. Iraqis are trying to sanction Turkey and Syria for stealing their water and building damns to limit their resources. The water is rerouted to reach the farmlands of Syria and Turkey. This has been a major problem recently because of the development in the three countries.There has been tension because of this issue between the three countries. It is one of Iraq's only freshwater sources and the river is so important that even scriptures and old testaments state that if the Euphrates will ever dry up, it will be doomsday. It can be seen that the issue of damming and rerouting water sources is not just a local problem, but all over the world. Freshwater is essential for life and necessary for growth, so it easy a resource very well demanded.

Wind-farms In Hungary

                                          You can notice the wind-farms found a stretch of the M1
                                                       Motorway in Hungary from (0:01-0:22)

McKibben Haiku

No room for bigger,

Economy is too big,

Local is the way.

Google Alerts and Twitter Experience

My recent experience with Google Alerts and Twitter has been very positive. I have always had a twitter account but I never became accustomed to using it. But through this exercise, I have learned that it not only user friendly but it is also a very helpful tool. I received a couple of alerts from Google with great links to websites. They were right on topic with what I asked it to alert me on. The sources were credible and they weren't blogs or forums. On twitter I began to follow Greenpeace and various other sustainability associations. Even though their tweets are not directly about sustainability, they mention great events they are hosting, and sometimes they even enlighten you on fun little quick facts. Google Alerts and Twitter are very essential tools to keep you updated and informed on what is happening in the world around you.Through these resources I have learned that sustainability is not only conserving but living at peace with earth.

Issue: Biodiversity Loss

Environmental instability is slowly coming to the attention of the world's citizens. Many scientists have realized the increasing rate of extinction across species. Some scientists have classified this issue as "unnatural" due to the extreme biodiversity loss. Fossil records have confirmed this issue. The standard extinction rate for marine life is 0.1-1 extinctions per million species per year and 0.2-0.5 extinctions per million species per year for mammals. To this day, scientists have concluded the rates to be 100-1000 times more than the standard. At this rate the world will quickly be deprived of biodiversity. Soon we will only see mammals that are used for livestock, but only because it is human controlled. Marine life will be exhausted to the point where we will only see fish used in fish-farming practices. The reason for this issue can only be traced to humans, as we pollute the environment with toxins and settle on the habitats of creatures without a voice.
In the article linked below, three of the nine interlinked planetary boundaries that have been exceeded are discussed. It is crucial the realize how humans, as a whole, have affected the world, and this is a reason an island civilization would be essential. The image below shows the nine boundaries and how much they have been exceeded.

Article:  Nature:A safe operating space for humanity

Image link: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v461/n7263/fig_tab/461472a_F1.html

Response to Roderick Frazier Nash's "Island civilization: a vision for human occupancy of earth"

            The ideas of Roderick Frazier Nash in Island civilization: a vision for human occupancy of earth are completely abstract. The concept of  “island civilization” is far-fetched and not promising for the future. It is true that the earth is running out of space and Homo sapiens are the cause, but it is also true that Homo sapiens are stubborn and many are not for change unless it will benefit them. For many citizens of earth, the existence of another species is the least their worries. Humans often take action to fulfill the greater good, but the greater good in their eyes is not aiding the planet and its other species, but themselves. The idea of an “island civilization” is quite brilliant, yet if it is put in reality many will conclude that the theorist is a fool.

            The cost of living in an island civilization will outweigh the benefit for most people. Today people prosper and flaunt on how many acres they have and how they have over 6000 sq ft homes. It will be hard to convince any sane human that we should go live on a “island civilization” that is isolated and condensed with millions of other fellow humans. Even if it were to save biodiversity, I am sure people would be envious of how other species on earth can have so much space and freedom while humans are confined to a 1000 sq ft or less apartment or cottage.   It sounds as if an island civilization would be an isolated New York City, except more advanced with cool technological features and barbwire to keep us in, with even more citizens than there already are. I have lived in Manhattan for over 11 years and to this day I prefer being out in the “country” with wilderness and trees, and readily available Oxygen. People will feel caged in these “island civilizations” and either there will be many riots or the government will have drug its citizens. To have the entire human race agree to live within “island civilizations” will be terribly bewildering. Hostile countries such as North Korea and Iran would be just the pinch of the problem.

            Besides the fact being incarcerated on an island, with so many people there will be many deadly diseases. If one person attains a virus, you can almost guarantee that it will be transferred, especially in such close quarters. Nash is trying to convince us to care for the ecosystem and biodiversity but at the same time he is convincing us to wipe out our own biodiversity. If an epidemic did break out there could be many causalities and the epidemic may even wipe out the entire “island civilization”. It can be anticipated that there will be technological advancements that can most likely ward of any virus or bacteria, although, one thing that will never change is the characteristic of micro organisms, in which they will always be able to mutate for the better or worse.

            Nash makes an effort to convince us by using words and publications of renowned environmentalists. Those he recites have a strong background and knowledge but never do they say we should contain ourselves on an island. It is a fact of life that we will ever die out or flourish, and Homo sapiens chose to flourish. It is natural selection in which the smarter species survive. As humans we should protect other organisms from extinction. It is essential to sustain biodiversity but we will not confine ourselves to an island to support it. By the next millennium technological advancements will be extraordinary where we will be able to have sustainable living with the minimum footprint on diminishing biodiversity. There are many possibilities to protect mother earth. It is rumored that if mother earth reaches full capacity, she will have natural disasters to dissipate the population. As you may know the prophecy of the end of time on December 21, 2012 is inching up, can it be the extermination of millions of humans on earth by mother earth? It is for destiny to decide the course of planet and its inhabitants. Like Nash states, live in pursuit of happiness.