The population affects and put stress on the environment, society and resources? Existing consumption patterns as seen in Europe and North America can put strain on the environment and natural resources. But how much of the environmental degradation we see today is as a result of over-population and how much is due to over-exploitation due to consumerism and geopolitical interests? Especially when considering that "[g]lobally, the 20% of the world's people in the highest-income countries account for 86% of total private consumption expenditures - the poorest 20% a minuscule 1.3%", according to the United Nations Development Programme's 1998 Human Development Report.
-Christopher Santelli
Friday, May 17, 2013
Energy Security
Energy security is a growing concern for rich and emerging nations alike. The past drive for fossil fuel energy has led to wars, overthrow of democratically elected leaders, and puppet governments and dictatorships.
Climate Change and Global Warming
The climate is changing. The earth is warming up, and there is now overwhelming scientific consensus that it is happening, and human-induced. With global warming on the increase and species and their habitats on the decrease, chances for ecosystems to adapt naturally are diminishing.
Biodiversity
The variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity, is commonly referred to as biodiversity. The number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous diversity of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth. This article blew my mind and was also very enlightening.
-Christopher Santelli
-Christopher Santelli
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/11/us/safe-drinking-water-elusive-for-many-in-california.html?ref=earth&_r=0
Scary how the water coming out of our faucets could have these things in it. I wish it wasn't so expensive to just drink clean water! But in the end, it's definitely worth it to spend the extra money in order to save your life and stay healthy.
Scary how the water coming out of our faucets could have these things in it. I wish it wasn't so expensive to just drink clean water! But in the end, it's definitely worth it to spend the extra money in order to save your life and stay healthy.
Valley Fever
The other day I found this article about valley fever. http://news.yahoo.com/fever-hits-thousands-parched-west-farm-region-202304489.html#
Valley fever is a fungus that is made up of spores. Spores containing valley fever are brought into the air when the dirt is dry and there is wind present. This fungus is obviously prevalent in hot dry areas such as California and Arizona. The most susceptible people for this disease are people that work in dusty fields, vacationers or new residents to the area. This is because the majority of the people that live there have built an immunity to the disease.
There is very little awareness of this disease. The fever "causes mild to severe flu-like symptoms and in about half the infections ... results in no symptoms." Not many people including doctors, are aware of this disease. It is very hard for doctors to diagnose this disease. Becuase of the little awareness of it not much research has been done. There is no cure for this disease as of right now.
So for all you travelers out there be careful if you're going to the West!!!
Valley fever is a fungus that is made up of spores. Spores containing valley fever are brought into the air when the dirt is dry and there is wind present. This fungus is obviously prevalent in hot dry areas such as California and Arizona. The most susceptible people for this disease are people that work in dusty fields, vacationers or new residents to the area. This is because the majority of the people that live there have built an immunity to the disease.
There is very little awareness of this disease. The fever "causes mild to severe flu-like symptoms and in about half the infections ... results in no symptoms." Not many people including doctors, are aware of this disease. It is very hard for doctors to diagnose this disease. Becuase of the little awareness of it not much research has been done. There is no cure for this disease as of right now.
So for all you travelers out there be careful if you're going to the West!!!
Peach Tree
I have been very interested in trees my whole life especially fruit trees. In my yard i have planted almost all of the trees we own so about 12 trees in total. I take great pride in my fruit trees though. I have four apple trees, and a pear tree. All of which have been planted over the past 4 years and have just started bearing fruit last year. Just the other day I went to Home Depot and bought a peach tree. I planted it in the yard this past weekend because it was very nice out. My concern though about this tree is pollination. Apple trees typically need pollen from another tree for pollination to work and for the tree to yield. So I figured the peach tree would be the same. But after doing a little research I was surprised to find that most peach trees are actually self pollinating so they don't need another tree to pollinate from. So hopefully in the next year or two once the tree is settled in it will start pollinating.
Here are some pictures of the tree. (sorry I can't rotate the pictures)
Here are some pictures of the tree. (sorry I can't rotate the pictures)
What About the Frogs?
I am beginning a research project outside of this class analyzing the effects of pesticides on frogs. As I am surfing different websites I am coming across some really astounding material. For my study, I will be using African Clawed frogs which are a fully aquatic species. Because these frogs do not leave the water, they are more susceptible to the effects of common pesticides. It has been discovered that altrazide, one of the most common herbicides used by farmers, mutates male frogs into female frogs. The male frogs are chemically castrated and their testes mutate into fully functioning ovaries. As you can imagine, this is detrimental to the population as the frogs cannot continue to reproduce without male frogs. I was shocked to read that the manufacturers of some of these herbicides claim that the studies done on this are not realistic because in the farm fields the frogs would hide from the spray of the pesticide application. As I was reading this I could not help but think, "What are these people thinking?" Even if the frogs did take shelter, what happens to the chemicals? They go to the water source that the frogs live in! The people who manufacture the pesticides are so worried about selling their product that they are trying to make it sound safe. In my opinion, they are not doing a very good job of it! This is only a portion of the horrifying things I have been reading as I do my research.
Healthy Benefits of Mud?
"What if I told you that you could drink a simple drink consisting of very pure volcanic clay would do the following:vacuum up many toxins, yeasts, molds and poisons from the body, Create a alkaline environment due to its PH, Sooth and heal the intestines and reduce acid reflux and reduce the toxic load on all systems of the body.(ED)" These are the recent findings of what mud can do for you in order to create a better life for yourself. Clay has been used for many years by many indigenous tribes in order to keep there bodies healthy when living out in the wild. This raises a weird question, should mud now become part of our daily intake?
http://www.nutritionw.com/2012/04/the-healthy-benefits-of-mud/
-Robert Lott-
http://www.nutritionw.com/2012/04/the-healthy-benefits-of-mud/
-Robert Lott-
The Hidden Dangers In Organic Foods
Everybody in todays society is on a health kick and they are all about the idea of going green. However, no one thought that someone would be telling you that going green or in this case eating organic foods can actually be bad for your health. There is a new strain of E Coli Bacteria and research shows that those who eat organic foods are 8 times more likely to catch the virus. The reasons for organic produce to have such higher risk is because of the farmers using the methods of using manure to fertilize the food. These although once considered to be healthy food choice are now creating a major health scare again in the United States. The only way to stop the spread of this disease is to find new ways to grow organic or to stop the production altogether. This sounds like a harsh method, but the organic market is currently only using up about 1% share for produce.
http://www.cgfi.org/2002/06/the-hidden-dangers-in-organic-food/
-Robert Lott-
http://www.cgfi.org/2002/06/the-hidden-dangers-in-organic-food/
-Robert Lott-
Ali Kluck-Green Roof
I am posting this because of my interest in Green Roofs. They are far more sustainable and they are more cost efficient because they last longer than an ordinary roof. Green roofs are helpful in cleaning urban air, creating a habitat for urban wildlife and absorbing rainwater. It also helps reduce the heat island effect, which is the increase in temperature due to human activity. Green roofs help with air quality and the quality of living for humans, plants, and animals.
http://www.greenroofs.com
http://www.greenroofs.com
What Are We Eating?
During our family Mother's day brunch, I started an interesting conversation with my uncle about regulating use of pesticides and other food regulations such as organically grown, conventionally grown and the use of GMOs. He brought up the point that it is difficult to convince people not to buy produce grown with GMOs because from the outside these produce items appear to be healthier than organically grown or conventionally grown products. In reality, these "healthier" looking products are bigger and "better" because their genetics have been altered to grow more profusely. What do these alterations do to our bodies? But some people may not want to take the time to read the labels on what they're buying, even if they are aware that these chemicals can be bad for our health. Other people may think that because they ate the food and did not get sick immediately, there are no lasting effects. My uncle suggested I watch the documentary Food Inc. as it discusses what we are really eating today. I have found a website where the film can be viewed at no charge for anyone interested in viewing it: http://documentaryaddict.com/Food+Inc-2174-documentary.html
Are you hungry for a change?
A couple months ago, I stumbled across a documentary about food and the obesity epidemic. It had some great ratings, so i decided to take a look.
In this documentary, called "Hungry For Change" I learned about food and how it directly effects our lives on a every day basis. Relating to my last post about gmo's , food has been altered drastically since the beginning of time.
My favorite line in the doc, they say that "we arent eating food anymore, we are eating "food like" product"
It is broken down into everything from gluten to, msg, to everything in between. Its very science related , because food now is made out of straight chemicals.
I have been recently been altering my lifestyle in response to this amazing documentary.
I highly reccommend for a good watch, and i even found it for free online!!
(click on the link below)
Watch Hungry For Change
In this documentary, called "Hungry For Change" I learned about food and how it directly effects our lives on a every day basis. Relating to my last post about gmo's , food has been altered drastically since the beginning of time.
My favorite line in the doc, they say that "we arent eating food anymore, we are eating "food like" product"
It is broken down into everything from gluten to, msg, to everything in between. Its very science related , because food now is made out of straight chemicals.
I have been recently been altering my lifestyle in response to this amazing documentary.
I highly reccommend for a good watch, and i even found it for free online!!
(click on the link below)
Watch Hungry For Change
GMO....the truth
GMO = genetically modified organism that has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.
Crops,Animals,and Bacteria have been taken to the lab to alter a certain desirable trait.
The Good:
Crops,Animals,and Bacteria have been taken to the lab to alter a certain desirable trait.
The Good:
- We are able to create more food,faster and produce larger quantities (commercial producing)
- Some plants can become resistent to certain pests and diseases
The Bad:
- Ethically, Its wrong
- In Europe, its required to be labeled on the packaging, whereas US and Canada its not. (shocker
- Cross pollination with other organisms
The Ugly:
- Scientific Findings show that gmos can potentially create new dangerous diseases
- Fatal allergic reactions can take place
- Genetic deformities
- Nutritional imbalances
So think twice about GMO's they aren't all they are cracked up to be......
Beautiful Light or Dangerous Plight
Shown above is a photo that was entered in The World at Night's annual "Earth and Sky" photography contest. While most people would admire the contrasting illuminating lights with the deep blue night sky, there is definitely something more important that should be noticed: look at all that light pollution. When you are in a major city like this one shown in Austria, from the city itself, you are unable to perceive all of the light pollution around due to its limited visibility. However, as clearly shown, giving yourself just a little bit of distance allows you to view things in a whole new way, perhaps not always as we would expect. Some people want to know why they cannot see the stars when the look up at the night sky, and this is the reason. We have a habit of using lights in ways that are unnecessary, like brightening up the sky when the purpose should be to light up the ground.
This is exactly what this photography competition is trying to bring awareness too. There is so much beauty in the night sky, but due to the pollution, we are missing out on some of the greatest natural aspects of the world. If you guys have time, I would encourage you to look at the slideshow provided in the link below to see what other beautiful (and shocking) photos were entered into the contest.
(Source)
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Space tourism and carbon emissions
By the end of this year, the world's first space tourism is set to start. For some time, there has been concern over the carbon emissions that the space shuttle would create, but thanks to new technology, the founder of the space tourism firm has announced that the total emissions would equal less than the cost of a flight from Singapore to London. The materials used to build the shuttle are also environmentally friendly and made to reduce the amount of fuel burned during flights. Virgin Group, which also owns Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia, is set to form a market fund with Russia to begin investing in green technologies in the future as well as further reduce carbon emissions.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/scitech/2013/05/14/space-tourism-won-t-hurt-environment-branson
-Yoko Imaishi
http://www.timeslive.co.za/scitech/2013/05/14/space-tourism-won-t-hurt-environment-branson
-Yoko Imaishi
In 100 years, America's birthplace could disappear
Due to a warming climate, America's very first town, Jamestown, may disappear. In recent times, global warming has caused the heating of the oceans, which in turn has led to a higher sea level and oceanic flooding. By the year 2100, oceans worldwide might increase 2-3 feet, which could send Jamestown underwater unless humans do something to stop it. Jamestown, which is owned by the National Park Service, has always been a probable target for flooding, but it was thought that flooding would not occur until 100 or 150 years from now. Since Jamestown is only just above sea level, it is under immediate danger from not only the ocean but also the nearby river, which is invading through the soil from underground. Currently, the National Park Service is looking into options to save Jamestown with the help of scientists and engineers.
http://www.wbur.org/npr/178809495/with-rising-seas-americas-birthplace-could-disappear
-Yoko Imaishi
http://www.wbur.org/npr/178809495/with-rising-seas-americas-birthplace-could-disappear
-Yoko Imaishi
Global Climate Change
Hi guys!
I was reading about Global Climate Change on epa.gov.
There is a lot of interesting information about what could happen in the future, what has already been happening, impacts and also looking at the solutions. On the website it said, "The Earth's climate is getting warmer, and the signs are everywhere. Rain patterns are changing, sea level is rising, and snow and ice are melting sooner in the spring. As global temperatures continue to rise, we'll see more changes in our climate and our environment." I thought this was really interesting and also went along with climate change lab and the information that we gathered from the surveys.
Additionally it mentioned that "The negative impacts of global climate change will be less severe overall if people reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we're putting into the atmosphere and worse if we continue producing these gases at current or faster rates." So then I went into the solutions section on the website and it said to do things like reducing waste and water use, using clean energy and also using less energy and also to tell people you know about what you have learned! This website was good at putting things really simply and spelling it out in a logical way.
Here is the link if you want to look at it!
http://www.epa.gov/climatestudents/solutions/actions/more.html
Rebecca Sheehan
I was reading about Global Climate Change on epa.gov.
There is a lot of interesting information about what could happen in the future, what has already been happening, impacts and also looking at the solutions. On the website it said, "The Earth's climate is getting warmer, and the signs are everywhere. Rain patterns are changing, sea level is rising, and snow and ice are melting sooner in the spring. As global temperatures continue to rise, we'll see more changes in our climate and our environment." I thought this was really interesting and also went along with climate change lab and the information that we gathered from the surveys.
Additionally it mentioned that "The negative impacts of global climate change will be less severe overall if people reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we're putting into the atmosphere and worse if we continue producing these gases at current or faster rates." So then I went into the solutions section on the website and it said to do things like reducing waste and water use, using clean energy and also using less energy and also to tell people you know about what you have learned! This website was good at putting things really simply and spelling it out in a logical way.
Here is the link if you want to look at it!
http://www.epa.gov/climatestudents/solutions/actions/more.html
Rebecca Sheehan
Naperville's Water Quality
With a large percent of our presentation topics being based around water I thought it would be interesting to examine what is in the water were drinking. Throughout many of the seminars, We've been informed that many harmful chemicals can leak into our water system through runoff, natural disasters and even medicines we consume. Also we have spent some time with learning how to test local water sources for high amounts of nitrogen and oxygen. That being said I really wanted to get the actual numbers as to what goes into the water here at NCC. It's really interesting to see where our water sources are coming from and what chemicals we consume on a daily basis. See for your selves and let me know how this makes you feel! Thirsty?
Ali Kluck - Bike Week
This is also an event that Priscilla and I attended for the activities we have to do. For bike week, I rode my bike more than usual in order to celebrate. We went to the three different stands. The sustainability stand helped us understand how it will positively impact our environment. There was also a stand talking about how biking is good for people's health and it helps increase brain function.
file://localhost/Users/akluck93/Desktop/search.webloc
file://localhost/Users/akluck93/Desktop/search.webloc
Eco Friendly Housing
My last blog post is about building houses but using Eco friendly housing tools and materials. I was looking for a good article on this because in today's society I think that we should do whatever we can to make our houses Eco friendly and to help save the earth in any way possible. I found the article on National Geographic and it just goes over some materials you can use to help build your "green" house instead of a regular home. On the side of the article, are more articles talking about Eco friendly clothing, packaging, paint and other items. The article below explains it all !
http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/ecofriendly-house-building-materials-2464.html
http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/ecofriendly-house-building-materials-2464.html
Standardized Labels
This is a quick video on the difference between your own labels created for recycling bins and now the standardized labels that are being created. It explains that now more items are being correctly recycled with the labels across the world and how the world is becoming more clean. The website also has links to facts about recycling and surveys for you to take!
(YouTube Version)
Oil Drilling
As I was reading the newspaper when I went home for a quick visit, it was talking about fracking California from San Francisco to LA. I had no idea what that meant so I kept reading the article and then decided to look on the internet to see what it was all about. What they want to do is to drill into the ground for the oil companies. This would put chemical water into our ground and making the water very toxic. It has already hurt a bunch of our national forests and has created damage throughout the state. Why I thought this was so interesting is that in the article, it is telling you how you can help and contribute to ban the fracking. With this issue being so powerful and so demanding, will the help of the people really help it to be stopped in the state of California?
http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/programs/cae/no-fracking-california
http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/programs/cae/no-fracking-california
Save the Sea Facts
Below is a link to a TON of facts about Oceans everywhere.....
For my final paper, I am writing it on oceans since for my whole life coming from California, I have grown up about fifteen minutes from different beaches. After reading these facts, I had no idea some of these were even true and plan on going more in depth with how the waves are created and the different sand types throughout the different oceans. Another aspect that I thought would be interesting is how the temperatures in the different waters vary. In some places the water is a perfect temperature, but back home in California where year round it is usually a nice 75 degrees, the water is always freezing cold. I plan to look at all of this and see what facts I can come up with and do my research on.
http://www.savethesea.org/STS%20ocean_facts.htm
For my final paper, I am writing it on oceans since for my whole life coming from California, I have grown up about fifteen minutes from different beaches. After reading these facts, I had no idea some of these were even true and plan on going more in depth with how the waves are created and the different sand types throughout the different oceans. Another aspect that I thought would be interesting is how the temperatures in the different waters vary. In some places the water is a perfect temperature, but back home in California where year round it is usually a nice 75 degrees, the water is always freezing cold. I plan to look at all of this and see what facts I can come up with and do my research on.
http://www.savethesea.org/STS%20ocean_facts.htm
global warming quiz
Hey guys! Here is a cool quiz you can take to see how well you know global warming.
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/quiz-global-warming/
After taking it, I realized I actually don't know as much as I thought I did! I won't give away any of the answers, but it definitely makes me realize that it is a much more complex issue than I thought. Knowing as much as you can about global warming means you are one step closer to realizing how to stop it. I think everyone should take a second to take this quiz and see how much they know too! You'll be surprised!
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/quiz-global-warming/
After taking it, I realized I actually don't know as much as I thought I did! I won't give away any of the answers, but it definitely makes me realize that it is a much more complex issue than I thought. Knowing as much as you can about global warming means you are one step closer to realizing how to stop it. I think everyone should take a second to take this quiz and see how much they know too! You'll be surprised!
The Anti-Ark
I stumbled upon this article on National Geographic's website and it really disturbed me. It describes the business of shipping 8,000 sheep, and 855camels across the Red Sea to the Middle East for slaughter. Unfortunately, we are all aware of how our meat is slaughter in the U.S. and if anyone has seen the movie Food Inc, it holds an awful memory at the pit of your stomach. This idea of having to ship livestock across the ocean on the oversize "animal slave ships" just seems insane to me. However, I also began to realize the underlying message, the Middle East has lost their ability to farm the large amounts of livestock needed to sustain the population. This got me thinking, if this can happen to smaller countries in the Middle East, how much longer until the U.S abuses it's ability to properly farm live stock and has to revert to shipping across oceans. While this may be a stretch from current reality, I found this article extremely frighting and it left me a lot of "What If's" Link
Put Down the Heroin
Alright guys, let's be real. It is no secret that Naperville has become a hotspot for heroin use. Ranging from authorities to residents, the idea that an "epidemic" is happening in Naperville has become fairly common knowledge. (Read More) Naturally, given our location, much of this use has poured into North Central College as well. While you won't see the college advertising the high rate of usage, many professors here are not afraid to say that they would also agree that we are close to having a heroin epidemic of our own.
Aside from the obvious effects that heroin can have, people don't stop to think about how their drug use is effecting the environment. After all, Naperville is a healthy looking city which promotes environmentally friendly programs, and the same goes for North Central as well. So even if you were to think about any sort of fleeting connection between drugs and the environment, you probably wouldn't be quick to assume that something was wrong given your current surroundings. That is because while any environmental effects drug use may happen to have on your nearby surroundings is minor, something a lot bigger is occurring elsewhere.
How do you think all of this heroin and other drugs are able to come into your possession? I'm pretty sure the stork didn't drop off some on your door step. No, they are coming from drug plantations in other poorer areas around the world. These plantations don't magically appear either. In the process of making these plantations, large acres of forest and land are destroyed to make room. But wait, they have to make sure they have a way to distribute their product. So they destroy even more of the environment to set up roads and other infrastructure for easier transportation. As the plantations start their processes, plenty of pesticides and fertilizers are used on the plants, which often run off to pollute waterways and forest areas. The mix of cultivation and run off pollution is linked to a even more problems such as land slides, flooding, erosion, and drought, which occur as an after effect.
The illegal opium farmer runs a good business for a while, but then he gets caught. Now what? Reinforcement arrives and they begin their process of eradicating all that is grown. A common method used is aerial eradication, in which chemicals are dropped from the sky. While it is an effective method of getting rid of opium plants, that means it is also effective in the surrounding areas, as this method is meant to have a wide range of coverage. As a result, nearby crops and forests become contaminated as well. Since many of these plantations are in poorer areas, the peasants who lived near the plantation and relied on their crops for food and income are left with contaminated goods and have to suffer even more. It also causes another kind of cycle. Animals in the area who feed on plants or fish are becoming sick due to the environmental contamination, and then the people who rely on those animals as a food source run into problems as well.
As long as there remains a market for these drugs, this process will continue to repeat itself, leaving more and more environmental destruction. In the end, whether it is the environment or the people, nobody comes out a winner.
(Source)
Aside from the obvious effects that heroin can have, people don't stop to think about how their drug use is effecting the environment. After all, Naperville is a healthy looking city which promotes environmentally friendly programs, and the same goes for North Central as well. So even if you were to think about any sort of fleeting connection between drugs and the environment, you probably wouldn't be quick to assume that something was wrong given your current surroundings. That is because while any environmental effects drug use may happen to have on your nearby surroundings is minor, something a lot bigger is occurring elsewhere.
How do you think all of this heroin and other drugs are able to come into your possession? I'm pretty sure the stork didn't drop off some on your door step. No, they are coming from drug plantations in other poorer areas around the world. These plantations don't magically appear either. In the process of making these plantations, large acres of forest and land are destroyed to make room. But wait, they have to make sure they have a way to distribute their product. So they destroy even more of the environment to set up roads and other infrastructure for easier transportation. As the plantations start their processes, plenty of pesticides and fertilizers are used on the plants, which often run off to pollute waterways and forest areas. The mix of cultivation and run off pollution is linked to a even more problems such as land slides, flooding, erosion, and drought, which occur as an after effect.
The illegal opium farmer runs a good business for a while, but then he gets caught. Now what? Reinforcement arrives and they begin their process of eradicating all that is grown. A common method used is aerial eradication, in which chemicals are dropped from the sky. While it is an effective method of getting rid of opium plants, that means it is also effective in the surrounding areas, as this method is meant to have a wide range of coverage. As a result, nearby crops and forests become contaminated as well. Since many of these plantations are in poorer areas, the peasants who lived near the plantation and relied on their crops for food and income are left with contaminated goods and have to suffer even more. It also causes another kind of cycle. Animals in the area who feed on plants or fish are becoming sick due to the environmental contamination, and then the people who rely on those animals as a food source run into problems as well.
As long as there remains a market for these drugs, this process will continue to repeat itself, leaving more and more environmental destruction. In the end, whether it is the environment or the people, nobody comes out a winner.
(Source)
Monday, May 13, 2013
Correlation Between Coal Emissions and Suicide?
Wake Forest University researchers recently found a correlation between emissions of coal plants and rates of suicide in surrounding areas. The study "suggests that the quality of air can affect people suffering from different mood disorders," according to one of the researchers. Therefore in North Carolina, where the study was conducted, about 3,200 suicides annually can be attributed to coal plant emissions. These emissions raise the airborne levels of contaminants such as arsenic, nickel, and cadmium, which are known to have harmful effects. The study does have limitations, however; it was unable to account for individual data because it was only conducted at the county level. Clearly, more research on the topic is necessary.
You can read more about the topic here.
Posted by Colin Wescott
A Twist On Housing
I wish that there were more houses like this in general! This guy's house is all recycled lumber and wood scraps.
These homes are amazing, some of them are made completely from recycled materials. And after reading up on a few of the blogs, these homes actually stay warm and cool when needed. I personally like how these homes look, but I can understand how others may not see the beauty in them. Yet with the obscene amount of trash that we produce, why aren't these types of homes offered as alternative solutions for lower income areas? In reality, yes they are great for the environment, but what about the people? Wouldn't it be better to have homes built from recycled materials rather than live in a broken down tenement? Just a suggestion.
the dark side of dams
As we learned in class, dams are an efficient way to generate electricity without burning fossil fuels. However, dams have a huge negative impact on the environment.
1) Naturally flowing organic matter would normally pass on down the river without a problem. But when you put a dam there, the sediment and organic matter slowly builds up and begins to decompose which can take away oxygen from the water and turn the biologically diverse river into algal blooms. From there, the aquatic life begins to die off the the river becomes empty of organisms.
2) Dams disturb migratory paths of fishes that rely on returning upstream to spawn, such as salmon. This is a huge concern for major salmon populations where dams have been placed because their populations have been dwindling as a result.
3) As mentioned earlier, the sediment that would normally be found at the mouth of the river gets caught upstream, which prevents those organisms at the mouth of the river from gaining those resources. As a result, they have a loss of habitat from those missing materials.
4) It also disturbs the community of people that used to live by a beautiful healthy river and it is now a dam because the whole ecosystem starts to diminish and the community becomes disconnected with nature.
When it comes down to it, its all about cost vs benefits of the dam. Is the energy it is producing worth destroying an ecosystem? Or should the ecosystem be saved? As of recent years, more and more dams are being taken out because people are realizing the effects they are having on the ecosystem.
Just an interesting topic!
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-do-dams-hurt-rivers
1) Naturally flowing organic matter would normally pass on down the river without a problem. But when you put a dam there, the sediment and organic matter slowly builds up and begins to decompose which can take away oxygen from the water and turn the biologically diverse river into algal blooms. From there, the aquatic life begins to die off the the river becomes empty of organisms.
2) Dams disturb migratory paths of fishes that rely on returning upstream to spawn, such as salmon. This is a huge concern for major salmon populations where dams have been placed because their populations have been dwindling as a result.
3) As mentioned earlier, the sediment that would normally be found at the mouth of the river gets caught upstream, which prevents those organisms at the mouth of the river from gaining those resources. As a result, they have a loss of habitat from those missing materials.
4) It also disturbs the community of people that used to live by a beautiful healthy river and it is now a dam because the whole ecosystem starts to diminish and the community becomes disconnected with nature.
When it comes down to it, its all about cost vs benefits of the dam. Is the energy it is producing worth destroying an ecosystem? Or should the ecosystem be saved? As of recent years, more and more dams are being taken out because people are realizing the effects they are having on the ecosystem.
Just an interesting topic!
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-do-dams-hurt-rivers
the wedge game
I don't know how many of you are familiar with this, but I learned about the wedge game in a previous environmental science class last term.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11253361
Here is a link where you can read more about what it is. Basically, it is a way to approach global warming as a game. You have wedges that all fit into the shape of a triangle and each wedge is a way to reduce global warming. Their main categories are:
1) No CO2 cost (renewable) - wind, nuclear, solar, waves, and geothermal energy resources
2) Efficiency - cars get more miles per gallon, energy efficient light bulbs, etc.
3) Biofuel
4) Pull CO2 out of the air - filters
5) Put the CO2 back into the ground rather than the air
There are many individual approaches that might fall into one of those categories, but the key is that you need all of these to actually have an effect on global warming. Solving one of these issues will reduce it, but not to a level that is acceptable. Another key to the game is getting everyone to work together - clearly not just one person can change global warming. Therefore, if everyone can help with their contribution, then that'd be one step closer to solving this problem.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11253361
Here is a link where you can read more about what it is. Basically, it is a way to approach global warming as a game. You have wedges that all fit into the shape of a triangle and each wedge is a way to reduce global warming. Their main categories are:
1) No CO2 cost (renewable) - wind, nuclear, solar, waves, and geothermal energy resources
2) Efficiency - cars get more miles per gallon, energy efficient light bulbs, etc.
3) Biofuel
4) Pull CO2 out of the air - filters
5) Put the CO2 back into the ground rather than the air
There are many individual approaches that might fall into one of those categories, but the key is that you need all of these to actually have an effect on global warming. Solving one of these issues will reduce it, but not to a level that is acceptable. Another key to the game is getting everyone to work together - clearly not just one person can change global warming. Therefore, if everyone can help with their contribution, then that'd be one step closer to solving this problem.
How Far would you go....
My last post was about living with your own waste. This time I just wanted to get a feel for how far we are willing to go to preserve our resources. If you havn't had the chance to post or looking for a way to finish off you post please answer these questions I have.
How Far would you go??
FOOD: *would you consider eating local grown food as your main diet?
* would you start you own garden & learn how to plant different foods/plants?
*would you quit fast food all together?
*would you consider composting at your house?
Transportation: *would you refuse to drive a car & use a bike instead?
*would you buy an expensive "greener" car to lower you emissions to the environment?
Involvement: *would you help advocate for more environmentally safe businesses?
*would you join & support a Green Organization?
*would you spend your free time researching & learning about env issues?
*would you stand up against big corporations & government for a cause?
* would you speak about what you have learned to friends & family?
Consumer Behaviors: *would you buy ONLY products made in an env safe way?
*would you live with you waste (refer to last post)?
Career: *would you refuse a high paying job offer because the company is known to have sweat shops, use harsh chemicals on products, or emits harmful waste into the environment (water/air)?
Some of these questions seem easy to answer when you don't neccessarily have to act out these behaviors. But say if for every question you answered yes to you had to implement them. Things are easier said than done for sure.
How Far would you go??
FOOD: *would you consider eating local grown food as your main diet?
* would you start you own garden & learn how to plant different foods/plants?
*would you quit fast food all together?
*would you consider composting at your house?
Transportation: *would you refuse to drive a car & use a bike instead?
*would you buy an expensive "greener" car to lower you emissions to the environment?
Involvement: *would you help advocate for more environmentally safe businesses?
*would you join & support a Green Organization?
*would you spend your free time researching & learning about env issues?
*would you stand up against big corporations & government for a cause?
* would you speak about what you have learned to friends & family?
Consumer Behaviors: *would you buy ONLY products made in an env safe way?
*would you live with you waste (refer to last post)?
Career: *would you refuse a high paying job offer because the company is known to have sweat shops, use harsh chemicals on products, or emits harmful waste into the environment (water/air)?
Some of these questions seem easy to answer when you don't neccessarily have to act out these behaviors. But say if for every question you answered yes to you had to implement them. Things are easier said than done for sure.
Living with Your Waste
I've been doing a little research on solid waste for my term paper & came across this study of people trying to live with their waste. At first it sounded dirty and a little too wierd for me. However, once I started reading the report I became infactuated with it. Basically, workers refused to pick up any more garbage from its community in the Italian City of Naples. Soon people's homes and streets were piled with municipal waste. So what could they do? I believe it's our human nature to adapt to our situations especially ones that threaten our functioning of life. People could catergorize, organize, and contain thier waste through creative methods. For instance, organize their plastic bags or possibly use magnets as a way to keep all of their alluminum cans together. This is something we don't do or where our environmentally friendly behaviors may lack. By being forced to live with their waste people began to understand and see first hand how much garbage they individually or as a family produce in one day, a week, or a month. Thus, they create strategies in order to manage their personal waste which can lead to more proactive means to help the environment. With organized waste it is easier to recycle ALL the right products and lower the amount of waste going to the landfills.
Do you think the U.S. could endure such a task? Why or why not.
Link: http://www.miket.co.uk/images/My_Beautiful_Garbage.pdf
Do you think the U.S. could endure such a task? Why or why not.
Link: http://www.miket.co.uk/images/My_Beautiful_Garbage.pdf
New Study Forecasts Shrinking Habitats
Greenhouse gas emissions are critical to diminishing the impacts of climate change, according to a new study. Plants, amphibians, and reptiles are among the most at-risk species, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, Central America, and the Amazon. 57% of plants and 34% of animals are projected to lose over half their habitat by the 2080s, the study says. 4% of animals are projected to benefit from these changes to rainfall and temperatures. The group of scientists cautioned that although temperatures are rising globally, it is difficult to forecast so far into the future with so many variables entering the equation. Nonetheless, it is clear that humans have the capability to reduce the efficacy of greenhouse gases.
You can read more about the story here.
Posted by Colin Wescott
China's Myriad of Concerns
While the United States is often derided for its lackluster environmental standards, the Chinese government may be encountering more severe issues. In six major areas (air pollution, water pollution, desertification, biodiversity, cancer villages, and population growth), China is testing the limits of its habitat.
These concerns are dire by most standards. Various publications have noted that on some days air pollution makes living in Beijing no better than living in a smoking lounge. This could be attributed to the fact that China burns 47% of the world's coal. But China's issues are not only airborne: floating pig carcasses recently bobbed past Shanghai. Also, an estimated 90% of China's groundwater is polluted; in a predominantly rural country, this causes many problems. Many of China's problems are exacerbated by its population.
You can read more about China's environmental issues here.
Posted by Colin Wescott
These concerns are dire by most standards. Various publications have noted that on some days air pollution makes living in Beijing no better than living in a smoking lounge. This could be attributed to the fact that China burns 47% of the world's coal. But China's issues are not only airborne: floating pig carcasses recently bobbed past Shanghai. Also, an estimated 90% of China's groundwater is polluted; in a predominantly rural country, this causes many problems. Many of China's problems are exacerbated by its population.
You can read more about China's environmental issues here.
Posted by Colin Wescott
Eternal Flame At Chestnut Ridge Park In Western New York Fed By New Gas Source, Study Reports
Nestled behind a waterfall in western New York state is an eternal flame whose beauty is only surpassed by its mystery. It is one of a few hundred "natural" eternal flames around the world, fed by gas seeping to the Earth's surface from underground, said Arndt Schimmelmann, a researcher at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind.
But even within this rarefied group, this flame is special. Perhaps lit by Native Americans hundreds or thousands of years ago, it is fed by a new type of geologic process that hasn't been recorded before in nature, Schimmelmann told OurAmazingPlanet.
Typically, this type of gas is thought to come from deeply submerged, ancient and extremely hot deposits of shale, a kind of rock. Temperatures have to be near the boiling point of water or hotter to break down the large carbon molecules in shale and create smaller molecules of natural gas, Schimmelmann explained. [Image Gallery: One-of-a-Kind Places on Earth]
A curiosity "nobody believed in"
In this case, though, the rocks that feed the flame are only warm — "like a cup of tea" — as well as geologically younger than expected, and shallow, Schimmelmann said. Those findings suggest the gas is being produced by a different process, whereby some sort of catalyst is creating gas from organic molecules in the shale, he said.
"This mechanism has been proposed for many years, but it was a curiosity that nobody believed in," Schimmelmann said. "We think there's a different pathway of gas generation in this location and that there probably is elsewhere as well." If that's true, and gas is naturally produced this way in other locations, "we have much more shale-gas resources than we thought," he added.
The eternal flame behind the veil of a waterfall in Chestnut Ridge County Park in New York State (top) and in Cook Forest State Park in northwestern Pennsylvania (bottom).
Originally, Schimmelmann and his colleague Maria Mastalerz, of the Indiana Geological Survey, were tasked by the U.S. Department of Energy to estimate the total amount of methane that seeps out of the ground in parts of the eastern United States. To help, they recruited Giuseppe Etiope, a researcher at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy, and world expert on natural gas seeps and eternal flames, Schimmelmann said.
A flame eternal
Etiope guided the researchers to the aforementioned eternal flame in Chestnut Ridge Park in western New York, calling it "the most beautiful in the world," Schimmelmann said. They also looked at a "permanently burning pit" in Cook Forest State Park in northwestern Pennsylvania, although this eternal flame is not as special because it’s supplied by an old gas well, Schimmelmann said. The team reported their findings on the New York eternal flame in a study published in the May issue of the journal Marine and Petroleum Geology.
Their results were consistent with estimates that about 30 percent of all methane emitted worldwide comes from natural sources such as these gas seeps. When possible, it can actually be beneficial to set fire to these gas seeps to create "eternal flames." Fire converts methane to carbon dioxide, which traps about 20 times less heat than methane in the atmosphere, Mastalerz told OurAmazingPlanet.
However, "macro seeps" that can be lit and form eternal flames remain rare. In most cases, gas percolates through soil — where methane-eating bacteria convert it into carbon dioxide, Schimmelmann said — or it comes out in a location that can't sustain combustion. In the case of the New York flame, gas percolates in a naturally hollowed-out chamber, where the flame flickers eternally.
The New York gas seep also features the highest concentration of ethane and propane of any seep in the world, according to the study.
Email Douglas Main or follow him on Twitter or Google+. Follow us @OAPlanet,Facebook or Google+. Original article on LiveScience's OurAmazingPlanet.
- Gallery: The 10 Strangest Places on Earth
- Strange & Shining: Gallery of Mysterious Night Lights
- Spooky! The Top 10 Unexplained Phenomena
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Mercury Emissions Further Threaten Food Webs
According to an article from Environmental Health News, further mercury contamination of oceans and lakes are threaten aquatic food webs. The link to the article is here.
The article discusses the end of mercury treaty talks by the Untied Nations and how fast mercury is beginning to contaminate fish and aquatic life higher up the food chain. Much of the research for these findings was done when researchers put mercury into Lake 658 of the Experimental Lakes in Ontario, Canada. According to the studies, scientists are finding that new mercury emissions pose more of a threat to global food chains than old mercury pollution through acid rain and the like. There is an expected increase of about 500 tons per year of mercury emissions by 2020 if no major changes occur and no treaty is set in place. Scientists are worried about the effects this may have on the aquatic environments as well as an increase in mercury levels found in humans from their aquatic foods.
~Alexandria
Levi Creates Recycled Jeans
Hey everyone!
I found another interesting article that deals with plastic bottles, but in a very unique way. Apparently Levi Strauss & Co. has created a limited edition "Waste<Less" jean. According to the article, Levi has partnered with Ekocycle (a brand initiative by Will.i.am and Coca-Cola Co.) to create jeans made out of recycled plastic bottles. The two partners hope that creating these jeans will popularize the notion of recycling plastics properly and help consumers recognize sustainability. Each pair of 501 Waste<Less Jeans is manufactured from 29% post-consumer recycled products, approximately 8 recycled plastic bottles.
To read more about these jeans and the fashion industries sustainability initiative, the link is here
~Alexandria
I found another interesting article that deals with plastic bottles, but in a very unique way. Apparently Levi Strauss & Co. has created a limited edition "Waste<Less" jean. According to the article, Levi has partnered with Ekocycle (a brand initiative by Will.i.am and Coca-Cola Co.) to create jeans made out of recycled plastic bottles. The two partners hope that creating these jeans will popularize the notion of recycling plastics properly and help consumers recognize sustainability. Each pair of 501 Waste<Less Jeans is manufactured from 29% post-consumer recycled products, approximately 8 recycled plastic bottles.
To read more about these jeans and the fashion industries sustainability initiative, the link is here
~Alexandria
Concord, Massachusetts Ban on water bottles
Hey guys,
This was posted back in January of this year, but I thought it was pretty interesting. The link is here.
The article is a post on a online environmental blog called treehugger.com and it covers a recent ban on the sale of plastic water bottles in Concord, Mass. According to the article, local activists starts a campaign to ban the sale and use of plastic water bottles in the area in 2010. The activists were lead by 82-year old local Jean Hill. According to campaigns like "Ban the Bottle", it takes over 17 million barrels of oil per year to make the amount of plastic water bottles that the United States consumes. This amount of oil could fuel an estimated 1.3 million cars for a year. The ban does not completely prohibit the sale of plastic water bottles though, as stores can only be fined up to $50 for a violation and are exempt in the case of emergencies. However, the activists see this as a step in the right direction for the protection of the environment from the harmful pollution that is caused by the disposal of water bottles.
You can find out more about the ban and how the activists managed to pass the ban by reading the article in the link above.
~Alexandria
This was posted back in January of this year, but I thought it was pretty interesting. The link is here.
The article is a post on a online environmental blog called treehugger.com and it covers a recent ban on the sale of plastic water bottles in Concord, Mass. According to the article, local activists starts a campaign to ban the sale and use of plastic water bottles in the area in 2010. The activists were lead by 82-year old local Jean Hill. According to campaigns like "Ban the Bottle", it takes over 17 million barrels of oil per year to make the amount of plastic water bottles that the United States consumes. This amount of oil could fuel an estimated 1.3 million cars for a year. The ban does not completely prohibit the sale of plastic water bottles though, as stores can only be fined up to $50 for a violation and are exempt in the case of emergencies. However, the activists see this as a step in the right direction for the protection of the environment from the harmful pollution that is caused by the disposal of water bottles.
You can find out more about the ban and how the activists managed to pass the ban by reading the article in the link above.
~Alexandria
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/resultsadvanced?sid=05a5d200-4be2-418b-8d7b-82befa84cf46%40sessionmgr198&vid=2&hid=114&bquery=environment&bdata=JmRiPWFwaCZ0eXBlPTE%3d
Here is a link to the NCC library academic search premier for good references on your final term paper.
Here is a link to the NCC library academic search premier for good references on your final term paper.
The Great Pacific Island Garbage Patch.
This has been a pet issue of mine, something I find fascinating, and I wanted to save my last entry for it. This is that garbage island the size of Texas you might've heard of before. Technically, it's a gyre of ocean currents, rotating currents that is, but these currents have collected a lot of solid waste that made its way into the ocean one way or another. Technically, chemical sludge may or may not be considered "solid," but there's also plastics and other debris.
The very slow photodegradation of plastic has a very nasty effect on the wildlife, along with the rest of the chemical sludge and such of course. Not matter how much the plastic degrades, the basic structure still remains a polymer, meaning the plastic lasts for a very long time on a microscopic level and is always around to damage wildlife who accidentally ingest it.
For more information, here's a link to the site of the NOAA, the group who originally discovered the patch in 1988.
http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/info/patch.html
Madeline Wierzal
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Environment Ranks Low on List of Concerns
I recently read an article published through the University of Chicago that outlined polling conducted by the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) regarding the environment and other issues. It researched 33 countries from 1993 to 2010, gathering data about which issues were perceived as the most important: health care, education, crime, the environment, immigration, the economy, terrorism and poverty. Of the eight issues, the environment ranked only ahead of terrorism and immigration. Researchers attribute this to the feeling that environmental concerns are more of a "national problem" than an area of personal concern. In the U.S., only 3.6% of responders ranked the environment as their highest concern. Norwegian responders, in contrast, were four times as likely to perceive the environment as their biggest concern.
It will be interesting to see whether attitudes regarding the environment change in coming years. Otherwise the environment will continue to be a marginal area of concern, especially for Americans.
You can read more from the article here.
Posted by Colin Wescott
It will be interesting to see whether attitudes regarding the environment change in coming years. Otherwise the environment will continue to be a marginal area of concern, especially for Americans.
You can read more from the article here.
Posted by Colin Wescott
Ali Kluck-Overpopulation
Overpopulation is a huge issue in today's society. With over population, the air quality is decreasing because it equates to more pollution. We are over farming land, which is creating poor soil quality as well. "We are straining our Oceans' ability to breed the fish we eat, to sequester carbon, and to replenish the air."
http://www.howmany.org/environmental_and_social_ills.php
http://www.howmany.org/environmental_and_social_ills.php
Carbon Dioxide Levels atop Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawaii
Hey everyone,
I came across an interesting article in the NY Times today about the rising carbon dioxide levels being measured over Mauna Loa Volcano in Hawaii. According to the article, scientists have measured CO2 levels at ~400 parts per million in the atmosphere above the volcano. This is almost ~100 parts per million more than the past average levels of CO2. This level of carbon dioxide has not been seen in the Earth's atmosphere for almost 3 million years, before human beings evolved, and scientists believe we will be seeing many more changes in climate and sea levels because of this. If anyone is interested, the link to the article is Here. It talks more about the implications of such high levels of CO2 and where the highest emissions are coming from, etc.
- Alexandria
Talk the Talk
It seems as if everyone now a days if talking about how we need to curb the green house emissions and change our ways now. But in reality how many countries, cities or people for that matter actually change how they do things? It is really disturbing even if you don't believe global warming is a threat. Yet you would think, even if you don't believe in climate change, that changing how we live and trying to be more sustainable would be a good life decision. This possibly the fifth article calling for change that I've seen.
In case anyone is interested: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22500673
In case anyone is interested: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22500673
Friday, May 10, 2013
Growth In The Clean Energy Marketplace
Hi all,
I thought this article was interesting about the growth of clean energy sources in the United States.
Here's the link...
http://energy.gov/articles/emerging-mainstream-growth-global-clean-energy-marketplace
I thought this article was interesting about the growth of clean energy sources in the United States.
Here's the link...
http://energy.gov/articles/emerging-mainstream-growth-global-clean-energy-marketplace
Carbon Dioxide Level Passes Long-Feared Milestone
 | Carbon Dioxide Level Passes Long-Feared Milestone
The level of the most important heat-trapping gas in the atmosphere, carbon dioxide, has passed a long-feared milestone, scientists reported ...
|
Ali Kluck-Safe Water
Safe water is a huge global concern for a large percentage of the Earth's population, including the animals that also inhabit the planet. When the water runs off of things like roofs or even from the soil, it collects toxins that are then polluting the waters. We need to efficiently and sustainably clean up the water and things that we are putting into our water.
http://www.nrdc.org/water/default.asp
http://www.nrdc.org/water/default.asp
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Alternative Source of Fuel?
So this isn't hot off the presses but I thought it was pretty exciting. This article is just an overview of what was found, but scientists altered E. coli, a common bacteria, so that they produce oil which is nearly identical to the diesel fuel we use every day.
One of the problems I can see with this is that, even though these bacteria can make fuel, the study didn't say how much fuel they make. And with the obscene amounts we use in our day to day lives, I don't really see how this would work. That and even though it would help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil, if it burns like diesel fuels then it won't really help the environment that much.
Here's the article if anyone is interested.
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/14469944-uk-researchers-create-bacteria-that-can-produce-diesel-biofuel
One of the problems I can see with this is that, even though these bacteria can make fuel, the study didn't say how much fuel they make. And with the obscene amounts we use in our day to day lives, I don't really see how this would work. That and even though it would help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil, if it burns like diesel fuels then it won't really help the environment that much.
Here's the article if anyone is interested.
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/14469944-uk-researchers-create-bacteria-that-can-produce-diesel-biofuel
My last post was about looking into alternative energy. This post will be focusing on a specific type of alternative energy, fracking, or mining the ground for natural gas. Some people, including those in the Switch documentary, hail this technology as clean energy and a promising industry, but the damage done by fracking may far outweigh the limits. I watched yet another documentary I highly recommend called Gasland which studies the issue in depth.
Typically, fracking is done out in poor rural communities, which makes it difficult for the people to be heard when they complain about the way fracking has polluted their town. What kind of pollution you might ask? Well, the natural gas can sometimes leak into a resident's water supply, which of course makes it unsafe to drink. Enough pollution can lead to incidents like the ones shown in these videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U01EK76Sy4A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LBjSXWQRV8
Typically, fracking is done out in poor rural communities, which makes it difficult for the people to be heard when they complain about the way fracking has polluted their town. What kind of pollution you might ask? Well, the natural gas can sometimes leak into a resident's water supply, which of course makes it unsafe to drink. Enough pollution can lead to incidents like the ones shown in these videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U01EK76Sy4A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LBjSXWQRV8
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Natural VS Organic
I came across a really interesting article comparing ORGANIC to NATURAL - I know that this was touched on a bit in class but I feel like the average person really doesn't know or understand the difference. Actually, the average person probably doesn't know much about what they're eating in general.
Here's the link:
http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/difference-between-natural-products-organic-products-2417.html
The article, from Natural Geographic, says that if something is Certified Organic, it met the USDA standards to be called so. That means it contains at least 95% organically produced ingredients! Sometimes they even put the exact percentage on the label.
I also found out that the government does not regulate the use of "Natural" - AT ALL - except for when talking about poultry and meats - but even then it only really covers the use of certain flavors at colorings. Natural typically means that it was processed minimally and contains barely any additives.
Overall, I learned that we all should just be especially careful of reading labels when purchasing food. It's all there in the fine print!
Here's the link:
http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/difference-between-natural-products-organic-products-2417.html
The article, from Natural Geographic, says that if something is Certified Organic, it met the USDA standards to be called so. That means it contains at least 95% organically produced ingredients! Sometimes they even put the exact percentage on the label.
I also found out that the government does not regulate the use of "Natural" - AT ALL - except for when talking about poultry and meats - but even then it only really covers the use of certain flavors at colorings. Natural typically means that it was processed minimally and contains barely any additives.
Overall, I learned that we all should just be especially careful of reading labels when purchasing food. It's all there in the fine print!
Hey guys! I went to Rachel Louise
Snyder’s lecture yesterday. It was informative and inspirational. I enjoyed the dynamism of
the presentation. At first, I thought she would focus solely on sweatshops, but
she encompassed really interesting information about the environment and
stressed the importance of consuming mindfully. I wish she elaborated on the
DNA tracking system for clothing purchases that consumers can access. She
explained how Gap items can be chronologically tracked back to their origin,
which grants consumers with more knowledge about their purchases. If time
permitted, I would have asked about the details of this process and its level
of accuracy. I also found her North Central College connection and accompanying
story very moving. Her emphasis on writing about people’s struggles to survive
is refreshing when juxtaposed with common journalistic styles that revolve
around petty pop culture. She also recommended visiting a site called “Better
Factories Cambodia” that deals with the International Labour Organization. This
is a program that goes into factories unannounced to check on and inspect
working conditions. It was so eye opening to find out that such terrible things
are happening to workers all around the world. It is good to know there are
organizations fighting against this and that we can help also.
Crazy Weather
Hey everyone,
I was trying to figure out something interesting that I could post on this site that people hadn't really talked about yet. I think it's crazy to think about the fact that we were still getting snow until about two weeks ago - and there are some parts of the country still getting it now! I read that Minnesota was getting 18 inches of snow just last week. Crazy.
Anyways I found this fun article wrapping up the crazy weather that our country got in 2012. Here's the link.
http://www.weather.com/news/ten-weirdest-things-weather-20120709?pageno=2
This is what it talks about:
-The worst wildfires in Colorado history
-Alaska snow was so crazy, entire towns were buried.
-Florida had an awful drought - that seemed to disappear in record time.
-Heat waves across the country were all over the place.
-Overall, March 2012 had higher temperatures than April 2012.
How much do you guys think this ties into global warming? Snow seemed to be very temperamental this year as well, and now we are having things like a week of 70's followed by a week of 30's.
Thanks for contributing!
-Bryan
I was trying to figure out something interesting that I could post on this site that people hadn't really talked about yet. I think it's crazy to think about the fact that we were still getting snow until about two weeks ago - and there are some parts of the country still getting it now! I read that Minnesota was getting 18 inches of snow just last week. Crazy.
Anyways I found this fun article wrapping up the crazy weather that our country got in 2012. Here's the link.
http://www.weather.com/news/ten-weirdest-things-weather-20120709?pageno=2
This is what it talks about:
-The worst wildfires in Colorado history
-Alaska snow was so crazy, entire towns were buried.
-Florida had an awful drought - that seemed to disappear in record time.
-Heat waves across the country were all over the place.
-Overall, March 2012 had higher temperatures than April 2012.
How much do you guys think this ties into global warming? Snow seemed to be very temperamental this year as well, and now we are having things like a week of 70's followed by a week of 30's.
Thanks for contributing!
-Bryan
NCC teaches kids with learning gardens
Hi guys,
I don't know if anyone's seen this article from April 2013 on the NCC website, but it's all about a North Central club called Enactus that partnered with Ann Reid Early Childhood center to teach children by making learning gardens that the kids can work in. They made vegetable gardens, a sensory garden and a butterfly garden on the Ann Reid property. The gardens are grown organically and are under NCC faculty supervision as well.
The kids will be involved in designing, building, planting, and harvesting in the gardens. Learning materials will be created to teach them and do-it-yourself boxes will also be created! I'm not sure what stage this project is currently in, but I'd imagine since this is from April and it's now May, the project is now underway.
Here's the full article.
http://northcentralcollege.edu/news/students-partner-local-school-create-learning-gardens-children
Anna
I don't know if anyone's seen this article from April 2013 on the NCC website, but it's all about a North Central club called Enactus that partnered with Ann Reid Early Childhood center to teach children by making learning gardens that the kids can work in. They made vegetable gardens, a sensory garden and a butterfly garden on the Ann Reid property. The gardens are grown organically and are under NCC faculty supervision as well.
The kids will be involved in designing, building, planting, and harvesting in the gardens. Learning materials will be created to teach them and do-it-yourself boxes will also be created! I'm not sure what stage this project is currently in, but I'd imagine since this is from April and it's now May, the project is now underway.
Here's the full article.
http://northcentralcollege.edu/news/students-partner-local-school-create-learning-gardens-children
Anna
Hey guys. A while back I watched part of a documentary called Switch as part of an Earth Week event. The documentary discussed which alternative, greener power sources will be the best alternative to coal and oil. I was supposed to go to a continued discussion on this video tomorrow, but unfortunately I have to work so I'll just discuss it with all of you fine people. To bring yourself up to speed, here's a website about Switch:
http://www.switchenergyproject.com/
The way the Switch documentary project poses it, it seems that no one energy source can completely overtake the coal or oil with the world's current energy consumption rate and the economic status of various other countries.Some methods only work for certain locations, such as geothermal energy, and others need to be improved upon efficiency wise, such as the storage capacity and size of electric car batteries and the low energy levels collected by solar panels. TO me, it seems like everyone will just have to go for what works best in the area, which could make this switch very complex and confusing.
After looking over the website and thinking on what you already know about alternative energy, what do you think is the best plan for the big energy switch?
http://www.switchenergyproject.com/
The way the Switch documentary project poses it, it seems that no one energy source can completely overtake the coal or oil with the world's current energy consumption rate and the economic status of various other countries.Some methods only work for certain locations, such as geothermal energy, and others need to be improved upon efficiency wise, such as the storage capacity and size of electric car batteries and the low energy levels collected by solar panels. TO me, it seems like everyone will just have to go for what works best in the area, which could make this switch very complex and confusing.
After looking over the website and thinking on what you already know about alternative energy, what do you think is the best plan for the big energy switch?
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