Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Over AC We Disagree
Monday, April 27, 2009
Cradle to Cradle
Monday, April 20, 2009
Cradle to Cradle
Monday, April 6, 2009
Global Warming
climate change. Does it matter? no
Both web sites list many counter-arguments to known questions and cite scientific data to reinforce their claims. I found that the pro-global warming (if thats the proper name) had more information and a stronger set of counter-arguments while the other one was more sparse. I can respect the bias for truth in science that both sides have, however it does bother me that one side feels it is wise to use a scientific jargon to ease concerns about the existence of global warming. A science teacher posted a video on youtube where he creates a punnett square to apply pascals wager to the climate change issue. For as much as I hate pascals wager, it did have a strong relevance to this issue. The teacher designated one axis "GW: True/Not True" and the other axis "We Act/ We Do Not Act". He explained through game theory what the risks and rewards are. His basic argument was that if we act and gw is true, we lose nothing but gain a new way of life that is more sustainable, if we do not act and it is true we lose everything. If we act and gw is true, we triumph. If we do not act and gw is not true, nothing happens. Cleary we have everything to gain from treating gw as a fact (regardless of its truth) and nothing to gain and everything to lose if we do not act (regardless of whether it is true). How could you not treat gw as a serious issue? Given these scenarios, it is very disturbing that a website beleives that dispelling gw "myths" is a wise course of action.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Corn, Its In Everything
Corn Exercise
Question 6 and 7 Combined
As the first section of questions: "What, exactly, do you think about when you make food choices? Do you have environmental considerations in mind? Or other stuff?" I do keep nutrition in mind, yet; I'm also a college student with not a large income to spend money on fancy organic foods. I stay away from canned anything, yet; I do purchase frozen foods. I really wish that foods did have labels on them that said "Genetically modified" on them because it would probably reinforce my decisions or cause me not to purchase something. Whenever I buy meat I always purchase the brand that states it does not contain antibiotics or hormones, however; sometimes I'm skeptical about how much truth that holds. I would like the chance to blame my being Dutch-ness on my food purchases too. My roommates always ask me how much stuff I bought at the grocery and how much money I spent. They always do this because I have a tendency to buy only buy what is on sale or if I have a coupon for it.
The second part of this question asks: "Take a few moments to consider everything you've eaten in the last day or two. Of the food or beverage items you've consumed, which, in your estimation, has had the greatest environmental impact? Why?" I think the mini frozen pizza I ate for lunch today had a pretty large environmental impact. First, it consists of a plethora of inputs such as the dough, the sauce- which comes from tomatos, the peppers, mushrooms, and sausages. These inputs were either grown on a large scale farm somewhere that produces a large amount of waste, and the sausages came from a pig, which probably sat in a stall in an industrial farm without room to move and was forced to eat foods unnatural to him, such as the grain. Then these pizzas were put together in a large factory somewhere and frozen. These pizzas used energy to keep them frozen and also had to be transported in a truck that had a freezer to the grocery store. Then these pizzas had to remain frozen in the freezer there. Luckily i do not have a car so it did not cost any fossil fuel energy for me to transport myself to the store and back home with the pizza. From there the pizza went into my freezer until i had to heat the oven and let it bake there for 15 minutes. This pizza also came in a box and plastic wrapping- further pollution. And the cost of the pizza? $1.00. After analyzing that, i don't think i'm going to be buying those pizzas again.
Now for this weeks question: The corn challenge! I also failed at this, but I did always look at the ingredients of what i ate to take into consideration there was corn involved. One thing that surprised me was bread! Just yesterday i went grocery shopping and found a bread that claimed it did not contain "High fructose corn syrup" in it. I didn't know most breads have that! And to prove it I looked at some other brands and it was an ingredient! Another thing I noticed was the frequency of corn, soy and wheat being in our diet. If it wasn't corn, it was one of the other two, often times there was a combo of 2 or even all three. This brought me back to senior year of high school when I went on a field trip to the Chicago Stock Exchange. There traders were buying and selling corn, soy and wheat- the commodities exchange. This really brings it all together for me and shows that these three foods are driving the American diet.
Corn challenge
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Agriculture
The most environmentally damaging food I ate recently was a cheeseburger. Since it most likely came from a large scale industrial beef plant, it was grown by ranchers who use feedlots (discussed in Vegatable-industrial complex), slaughtered in a large processing plant and driven great distances on large trucks. While I normally don't eat such food, especially red meat, the Tavern didn't really give me any alternatives.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Food
If I look back at my recent food consumption, I can easily decide which item is the worst. In a very comfort food mood, I caved and ate a Chiburken at McDonalds. This is where you buy a McDouble and a McChicken, and put the chicken patty between the burger patties. I almost feel shameful in retrospect, not only because of how disgusting that must sound, but the sheer amount of meat in it. It probably contains more meat than the average person is supposed to have in a week. This is representative of my problem too, in that I am a food-loving, meat-loving, American, with a typical American diet, which in this case...is a very high impact one. It is also clear to me that this is one area I can seriously make a difference in impact, as it is simply a matter of choice, and maybe manning up and eating my veggies. I will have to focus on greening up my diet, pun intended.
Monday, March 2, 2009
yes! to technology
Pro-Technology
Technology
The problem is not necessarily with technology, but with we the users, who use it to abuse or harm the environment rather than protect or reduce impact. After all, if we recall Nash's article, he depicts an ideal future of minimal environmental impact made possible only with highly advanced technologies. Indeed, if we put focus into increasing general technological efficiencies across the board, it might be possible to keep a relatively high standard of living while reducing environmental impact to a long-term sustainable level. In addition, technological advances can help supplement reductions in the workforce enabling us to sustainably reduce population. As previously stated, technology is merely a tool, and the real challenge will be learning how our society can use it appropriately and for the right purposes.
technology and the environment
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Technology
Environment AND Economic Growth
- Setting aside $5 billion worth of spending for weathering homes and buildings to become more energy efficient. This in turn is expected to economically help those in the business of weathering homes. Additionally, it will prevent 9.7 million tons of global warming pollution from being produced and create 375,000 jobs.
- A tenth of the money will be given to environmental initiatives, with $32.80bn in funding for clean energy projects, $26.86bn for energy efficiency initiatives and $18.95bn for green transportation, giving a total of $78.61bn directly earmarked for green projects according to an analysis made by Environment America.
- About 3.5 million 'green-collar' jobs are expected to be created or saved over the next two years.
- In the original Senate version of the package, a provision of $50 billion would have gone to and been used by the nuclear and coal industries; however, this provision has been cut from the recently passed package.
- The stimulus package is also expected to create 67,000 solar jobs in 2009, and 119,000 in total through 2010.
- $8bn in new high-speed rail projects will also be invested.
There's a whole list of environmental provisions included in the stimulus found at this link: http://environment.about.com/od/environmentallawpolicy/a/econ_stimulus.htm
What also makes me pleased about this stimulus package is that the money will be disbursed accountably and transparently. Vice President Joe Biden is even in charge of tracking this accountability. The White House is also creating a website to track the spending. I find all of these environmental provisions and even the set backs as astounding accomplishments. Not every environmental need will be met by the government, but the government is taking a big lead in promoting environmental protection. Hopefully, this will inspire other countries and companies around the world to act. Most arguments against protecting the environment have been from those arguing economic advancement, but most of these provisions are benefiting our country both economically and environmentally.
Some online sources I used to look up this data relating to the Stimulus Package include:
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2236575/obama-stimulus-bill-green
Monday, February 23, 2009
obama makes environmentalists smile
stimulus
What is most interesting to me however, is that there is a subtle perceptual shift encompassed in this bill that might not be first apparent. Like I said previously, the sole purpose of this bill was not to reduce our environmental impact, it was to create jobs and help the economy. Wait...help the economy? Surely there must be some misunderstanding... the previous administration assured us the reason we couldn't be more environmentally friendly was because it would prevent job growth. And there it is. Suddenly, environmental protection is no longer a goal at odds with that of creating a healthy economy, and this recognition, more so than the actual policies entailed in the stimulus bill itself, is possibly the biggest and most positive step we could take as a nation. While I'm sure the effects of the stimulus bill will be endlessly debated for generations, there is some sort of consensus that we can now benefit economically from environmental protection and reduction of our impact. If this new assumption rings true on a very large scale, it could even end up defying the basic assumptions of the I=PAT equation on affluence and impact. Its nice to know our politicians have started to embrace the idea that you can benefit from doing the right thing. It will take focus, direction, honesty, serious examination of our society, and hard work to really get results, but people are at least starting to get that we CAN work to protect the environment AND help our economy.
All I can say is...thank god, its been a long time coming.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Obama's Stiulus Plan
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
experiences with the non human world
Monday, February 16, 2009
On Nature
Absolutely. Aside from ecological and environmental health reasons, nature provides a nurturing counter point to the psychological abrasiveness of modern society. Being able to learn about nature with all of your senses rather than a picture book is a scenario to which there is no alternative. The real question isn't whether we should save nature, but whether we can save it. It seems that today, more than ever, we are heavily invested in our self made habitats. People don't hunt their own food, nor do they even hunt the lattes they run on. It seems to me that the only way to reverse the damage to nature is to undue much of what we have built. Can people put down their lattes? Can CEO's of destructive companies dismantle their polluting machines against the better judgement of capitalism? Can people regardless of their profession become more attentive and informed about the environment, enough to make smart choices? To me, these are the only questions worth asking
Sunday, February 15, 2009
magical enchanting nature adventure time.
I recall a special place that my friends and I would always go to in our town park, to... commune with nature if you will. We called it Mordor. You see, there were these massive overturned trees all in a line, such that they formed a wall. To pass this wall, you had to pass through this tiny path in between the torn up roots of these overturned trees, and this we called the Black Gate. Forgive the geekiness, but once you passed through the Black Gate into Mordor, the whole place just took on a magical quality...
Over the course of our years making mischief in the local park, we developed our own nomenclature for this natural world. It took on a mythical quality, with the relevant stories for each place, each landmark, and we developed a magical bond with our surroundings. The natural world around us was as alive as we were, and eventually became as much a part of our "good 'ol days" stories as us too. It was a second home for us, and it still retains a fond place in our nostalgic musings. We of course take the opportunity to return from time to time still and enjoy the place that in many ways has remained the same and yet still different and magical each time. I cannot fondly think of home without also thinking of this place and the memories, stories, and bonds it helped us create. I can't help but think that if more people developed the type of bonds with their natural surroundings I and my friends developed, their respect for it would make it easier to attempt the of society wide changes necessary to preserve these places.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Saving Nature
There are so many magical moments I have had with the non-human world I can hardly name just one. Often when life gets to be moving really fast, I escape by enjoying nature. Through literally 'stopping to smell the roses' I not only appreciate nature but am able to get my personal life back on track and realize this world is so much bigger than my small issues I am dealing with. Thinking back to a specific moment I was absolutely blown away by was when I was in Kenya on safari in the Masai Mara. There were not any tourists in the Mara at the time so it was just me, a small group of people, a Land Rover, and endless land. I remember we were sitting on top of a hill looking over a valley towards a cluster of larger hills when our driver told us the country of Tanzania was what we're looking towards and it would take us around five hours to drive there; yet, my eyes could hardly even imagine that because I've never saw a distance of five hours before! Nature made me feel so small and insignificant! There was not any telephone poles, no electricity, no lodging anywhere in that expanse. At night, I could see EVERY star in the sky. I cannot believe that's something that's withheld from so many people because the sight of a brilliant sky put me in the philosophical stance talked about in so many articles we've read about. In those articles, the authors discussed how humans don't appreciate nature and treat it without ethics because the philosophy we apply to other humans is not the same as toward nature. Looking up at that sky, looking out across the valley, I felt insignificant. I felt my issues, were not that important. I also felt more equal with everyone else in the sense that we're all on this Earth and rich or poor, powerful or not, we are all just one. So yes, I do think we should concern ourselves with saving nature. It shouldn't remain static and unchanging since the Earth is naturally going to adapt to changes due to human and non-human consequences. However since humans are the species with the most negative effects on nature, we should try and lessen our impact. This is especially the case of my views on the food chains in nature. In the Masai Mara, the Maasai warriors have had difficulties with lions because the Maasai herd cattle and the cattle is an easy target for the hungry lion. Historically, a Maasai rite of passage is to kill a lion but because of the Kenyan governments efforts to protect lions this rite has been regulated (Maasai warriors are put in a group to kill one lion for each age group). However, hostilities between lion and Maasai are great because lions prey on what makes up the Maasai's livelihoods- cattle. If the lions are exterminated, the gazelle, impala, and other types of animals will compete with the cattle for the grasslands, which will eventually be degraded without a predator to control their populations. Even though humans are now a part of every food chain, humans must realize the consequences of all their actions in nature. This is something that does need to be undertaken from the top-down, however it is pressure resulting from grassroots movements that needs to help the movements to start and be maintained so they do as they are supposed to.
Monday, February 9, 2009
professor Maniates
Environmental Leader?
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Response to Prof. Maniates
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Article Reaction
Monday, February 2, 2009
Moral Responsibility
Stanley Fish Reaction
Blog Question 1
For instance, in another class today we discussed the idea of the butterfly effect (you know the butterfly flaps its wings and causes a tsunami), and how a slight increase in ocean temperatures could drastically alter ocean currents and cause massive and rapid climatic shifts. Formerly temperate regions would become near arctic, once humid rain forests would become virtual deserts, etc., and all this in a matter of relatively few years. The results would be catastrophic. This simply one scenario however. Another example might be a disease that hit food staples that are almost genetically identical with no mass produced strains surviving. If the disease were to effect the dwarf wheat we read about for instance, the resulting famine would be monumental.
This is what is really scary to contemplate, for while I believe that there is hope to change our environmental habits, if such a disaster were to happen first, the resulting human tragedy might be irreversible. The governmental response might be even scarier. This is not to suggest that the current environmental degradation is not a tragedy in and of itself, but... contemplating a post-environmental disaster world doesn't exactly give me a warm fuzzy feeling.
Pressing questions
In response to the second question, I think that there are businesses that are trying to target a guilt-tripped market. Many products make claims that either can not be verified or are so ambiguous that they don't mean anything. Terms like "natural" and "organic" and "eco-friendly" are absolutely relative and mean less than the average person ascribes to it. I think that a lot of the environmentalism in the US is a superficial fix to a guilty conscience (like indulgences) or just fad that says loudly "I'm political and attentive" whether its true or not. I think the government should retain the rights to terms like "natural", "sustainable", "environmentally/eco friendly", "organic" and others. The purpose being that they can regulate who is allowed to make these claims so that consumers aren't duped into buying goods that don't live up to their name. A third party certification could also work, but not as well because fraudsters could produce similar looking images that might mislead a careless buyer. This way, the government is making it easier for citizens to make everyday decisions that are eco-conscience. For those who might cite the need for "laissez-faire open markets" against my proposal, I would counter that by having the government regulate the use of these terms on products, information asymmetry (the only natural predator to the free market) is eliminated in the most effective fashion and buyers can make truly rational decisions in the marketplace. I think part of Fish's frustration is that he wants to practice eco-friendly behaviors, but that its so difficult to know what is safe to use and that what is safe to use is never cheap or easy to get. We can't expect every citizen to be an expert at determining the relative carbon footprint of any given product, so me must create a system that effective decision making easier.