[This no longer has anything to do with my Environmental Science class, as I graduated high school long ago, but I saw plenty of debates online and felt like putting my opinion in here]
In a great part, man is responsible for Global Warming and any other changes in the environment. Inventing more and more machines and industries has been useful, yes, but all these mechanisms have greatly poisoned the environment, filling our planet with toxic gases and heat that cannot be reversed and has caused countless damage, not to mention what is to come. We have already lost so much to Global Warming, and unfortunately, it will not stop there. We will continue to lose frozen paradises, habitat for our animal species, the animal species themselves, the oceans will flood our land...countless damage. However, we do not listen and try harder to change things. The deeds that have already been done to make up for this damage are not enough, not at the rate the planet destruction is going. Grant it, it is also damaged through natural causes, but nature always has a way to repair what it does; be it natural fires, or floods, or droughts, etc. However, mankind does not. Up to date, the rivers, lakes, oceans, jungles, forests, animal species, plants...All these things that have been finished, destroyed, harmed, and contaminated by men have not been fully restored.
It is an outrage that animals have to opt for Zoo or captivity life in order to be somewhat safe, when they could be enjoying life out where they were born from the very beginning. Some animals don’t even know that there’s an outside world that their ancestors belonged in; they were born and raised in captivity. Some would say they have turn into shameful samples of the wild animals that they once were, but it is not the animals’ fault this is so. It’s not the frozen, or tropical paradises’ fault that they have ended. Nature does its best to replenish what has been lost; ocean and land flora and fauna, atmosphere health, and peace. But it is not possible for her to do all the work on her own, especially when we are doing anything but help. (Those organizations and people that ARE doing their best and trying their part are very appreciated, but sadly, it is not enough; we still have LOTS to do)
And most of the problem starts because humanity has started to care more about money and profit than anything else. Than keeping the world clean and beautiful; plant and animal life abundant and peaceful. For what other reason are fishes, seals, tigers, elephants, birds, deer, etc. hunted faster than they can reproduce? For many reasons, which trailed down to the right places and companies, eventually lead to profit; M-O-N-E-Y. Nothing else needs to be said.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
China QQC
"At a time when many countries still struggle...the Chinese government has used its strong financial position to direct tens of billions of dollars into clean energy..." "...the Chinese government has taken strong action to promote renewable energy..." We see that China is clearly not wasting time trying to find resources to mantain energy without it being costly to the planet. For example, as seen in The Karate Kid, China already has switches installed in the showers so that people can turn off the water flow when they're finished taking a shower, instead of just leaving it running nowhere. Why not do the same in America and all the other countries? If China has enough resources and money to do it, why, we should be more than capable of doing it, too.
A gesture of kindness towards our planet and the rest of humanity is far more needed than using the money we gain for military and war funds. What is it we want to support and help develop our world? War profit and the ends that brings us? Or renewable, pure sources that help us in many senses rather than destroying us? I would choose the latter. More lives can benefit from that, and it's certainly something more people agree with every day. Renewable energy and saving the planet are peaceful subjects that should be brought upon superiors of every country so that they can really do something helpful to solve our problems.
We should help each other so that we don't waste the sources that we have, share with each other. That applies to China, too. It may be working hard to find renewable resources, but it still relies strongly on sources that are hard to be renewed. I know it is hard to come up with better solutions, but it's the least we can do. Our time is running short, we all should know that and be aware of it.
A gesture of kindness towards our planet and the rest of humanity is far more needed than using the money we gain for military and war funds. What is it we want to support and help develop our world? War profit and the ends that brings us? Or renewable, pure sources that help us in many senses rather than destroying us? I would choose the latter. More lives can benefit from that, and it's certainly something more people agree with every day. Renewable energy and saving the planet are peaceful subjects that should be brought upon superiors of every country so that they can really do something helpful to solve our problems.
We should help each other so that we don't waste the sources that we have, share with each other. That applies to China, too. It may be working hard to find renewable resources, but it still relies strongly on sources that are hard to be renewed. I know it is hard to come up with better solutions, but it's the least we can do. Our time is running short, we all should know that and be aware of it.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The Emotional Connection to Food
Maribel Gomez is overweight and suffers from diabetes. She also finds herself depressed most of the time, often unable to tell why she feels that way. However, she always knows what will make her feel better; a nice plate of five to eight tacos de adobada with a big bottle of Coca-Cola. She can call her neighbor and invite her over to eat so she won’t feel lonely. After this they will talk and talk. On second thought, she’d rather spend some time to herself, indulging in the joy and good feeling that the food she craves will give her. Somewhere else, a young girl named Barbara Lakely is sitting in her bathroom, crying after clawing at her reflection in the mirror and violently forcing herself to vomit the abominable cereal she tempted herself into consuming. To Maribel, food is her best friend, her shoulder to cry on, relief. To Barbara, it is her worse nightmare. It’s surprising what our relationship with food has turned both the food and ourselves into.
The connection that humans have made with food has changed over the course of time. It has evolved from simple natural necessity and satisfaction to emotional dependence and addiction. To people like Maribel, food has become something necessary not only to survive, but to feel good about themselves and their surroundings. Some people eat when they are happy, sad, stressed, anxious, mad, bored or another certain way, yet they’re not even hungry. Others barely eat and avoid it as much as possible, like Barbara. The emotional connection varies according to how people have been taught to eat food, or what they have learned to do when in difficult situations like emotional or physical problems, or criticism from others. The growth of the emotional influence of food has created not only diseases like obesity and diabetes, but also eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia.
Most people find themselves relieved after satisfying their hunger. This feeling has escalated to the point where people go beyond being 'full' because their definition of the word varies according to how they have been taught to eat. To people that have been told that filling yourself with food is healthy and strong, full means 'eating until you can't even open your mouth anymore.' To others that have been influenced by what others wrongly advice them or criticize them to do about their looks, full means 'eating for what you have starved yourself for days.'
Eating excessively has led to many physical and psychological disorders like high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, overweight, bulimia, anorexia, malnutrition, anemia, leukemia, certain kinds of immunodeficiency, self-esteem problems, even social problems. Maribel is currently in a struggling relationship with her husband as he refuses to have relations with her because of her overweight. She feels self-conscious and troubled, which leads her to more over-eating. On the other hand, Barbara feels rejected for other reasons; she often receives strange looks from people around her, instead of receiving compliments, like she expects, she receives reprimands from people and criticism on how unhealthy she looks, and has noticed that her life is not going the way she wants. Currently, Barbara is receiving psychological aid. Many people see food as a friend, a consolation, a way to relieve and escape their problems. Others see it as their enemy; they eat because they have to, because they need it to stay alive and their body craves it, but they cannot wait to get that abomination out of their bodies, which leads to laxatives and forced vomiting.
Children have been taught that food is good, and this is alright, as long as they are also learning healthy ways to eat it. People need to learn the healthy connection between food, which is not seeing the food neither as an ally nor as an arch-nemesis, but for what it is; food, nutrients to nourish the body and stay healthy. We need to encourage healthy diets and establish a healthy relationship with the activities that surround us so that we will learn to exercise, talk, and engage in different activities when we are feeling troubled, instead of opting to an unhealthy alternative that relates to food and can lead to dangerous consequences.
The connection that humans have made with food has changed over the course of time. It has evolved from simple natural necessity and satisfaction to emotional dependence and addiction. To people like Maribel, food has become something necessary not only to survive, but to feel good about themselves and their surroundings. Some people eat when they are happy, sad, stressed, anxious, mad, bored or another certain way, yet they’re not even hungry. Others barely eat and avoid it as much as possible, like Barbara. The emotional connection varies according to how people have been taught to eat food, or what they have learned to do when in difficult situations like emotional or physical problems, or criticism from others. The growth of the emotional influence of food has created not only diseases like obesity and diabetes, but also eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia.
Most people find themselves relieved after satisfying their hunger. This feeling has escalated to the point where people go beyond being 'full' because their definition of the word varies according to how they have been taught to eat. To people that have been told that filling yourself with food is healthy and strong, full means 'eating until you can't even open your mouth anymore.' To others that have been influenced by what others wrongly advice them or criticize them to do about their looks, full means 'eating for what you have starved yourself for days.'
Eating excessively has led to many physical and psychological disorders like high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, overweight, bulimia, anorexia, malnutrition, anemia, leukemia, certain kinds of immunodeficiency, self-esteem problems, even social problems. Maribel is currently in a struggling relationship with her husband as he refuses to have relations with her because of her overweight. She feels self-conscious and troubled, which leads her to more over-eating. On the other hand, Barbara feels rejected for other reasons; she often receives strange looks from people around her, instead of receiving compliments, like she expects, she receives reprimands from people and criticism on how unhealthy she looks, and has noticed that her life is not going the way she wants. Currently, Barbara is receiving psychological aid. Many people see food as a friend, a consolation, a way to relieve and escape their problems. Others see it as their enemy; they eat because they have to, because they need it to stay alive and their body craves it, but they cannot wait to get that abomination out of their bodies, which leads to laxatives and forced vomiting.
Children have been taught that food is good, and this is alright, as long as they are also learning healthy ways to eat it. People need to learn the healthy connection between food, which is not seeing the food neither as an ally nor as an arch-nemesis, but for what it is; food, nutrients to nourish the body and stay healthy. We need to encourage healthy diets and establish a healthy relationship with the activities that surround us so that we will learn to exercise, talk, and engage in different activities when we are feeling troubled, instead of opting to an unhealthy alternative that relates to food and can lead to dangerous consequences.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Blue Gold: Water Wars
The film confronts a lot of concerns that most people may not even be aware of; or, conversely, you may be aware of one problem but unaware it is connected to the world water crisis. For example, developing countries are in debt; to make money to repay their debts, these countries focus their resources on cash crops, draining the water supply that should be feeding the citizens; they then sell their goods well below market value, which does little to improve their situations.
The film introduces several complex ideas and issues, while narrator Malcolm McDowell ties the segments together and gives the big picture explanation. Although this is a very informative approach, failing to fully explain certain terms or provide sufficient back-story can sometimes make it difficult to fully grasp the concepts being discussed. It’s also curious that Australia is the only largely populated continent not mentioned in the debate.
Nonetheless, it is impossible to miss the gist of what is being said: governments around the world are selling out their populaces by allowing the privatization of their water supplies; corporations, globalization and urbanization continue to be the key offenders; most efforts to move water for current use is shortsighted and does not account for what will happen when this good that no one is renewing runs out; Canada is a water-rich country but the United States is already tapping our supply uncontested.
The concluding message is the simplest. The water wars have begun and lives have been lost. But it’s not too late; we can still do something about it.
The film introduces several complex ideas and issues, while narrator Malcolm McDowell ties the segments together and gives the big picture explanation. Although this is a very informative approach, failing to fully explain certain terms or provide sufficient back-story can sometimes make it difficult to fully grasp the concepts being discussed. It’s also curious that Australia is the only largely populated continent not mentioned in the debate.
Nonetheless, it is impossible to miss the gist of what is being said: governments around the world are selling out their populaces by allowing the privatization of their water supplies; corporations, globalization and urbanization continue to be the key offenders; most efforts to move water for current use is shortsighted and does not account for what will happen when this good that no one is renewing runs out; Canada is a water-rich country but the United States is already tapping our supply uncontested.
The concluding message is the simplest. The water wars have begun and lives have been lost. But it’s not too late; we can still do something about it.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
3rd Bibliography
Jennifer Ordoñez. "Taking the Junk out of Junk Food."
The relationship between child and crisp has long been a sacred one. Instead of exploiting this dynamic to shovel unhealthy food into young mouths, healthier companies could use it to push junk food without the junk. It's all part of Frito-Lay's attempt to secure its financial future by creating the ultimate oxymoron: healthy junk food.
The relationship between child and crisp has long been a sacred one. Instead of exploiting this dynamic to shovel unhealthy food into young mouths, healthier companies could use it to push junk food without the junk. It's all part of Frito-Lay's attempt to secure its financial future by creating the ultimate oxymoron: healthy junk food.
2nd Bibliography
K. Bisaga, A. Whitaker, M. Davies, S. Chuang, J. Feldman, B.T. Walsh. "Eating disorder and depressive symptoms in urban high school girls from different ethnic backgrounds."
This study examined ethnic group differences in the rates of eating disorder symptoms (EDS) and depressive disorder symptoms (DDS) with respect to ethnic identity, relative body weight, and abnormal eating behaviors among adolescent girls. Hispanic and non-Hispanic white girls had the highest and African-American (AA) and Caribbean girls the lowest rates of EDS. Asian girls reported the highest and AA girls the lowest rates of DDS. Prevention efforts to discourage unsupervised dieting may help adolescent girls so they do not develop EDS and DDS.
This study examined ethnic group differences in the rates of eating disorder symptoms (EDS) and depressive disorder symptoms (DDS) with respect to ethnic identity, relative body weight, and abnormal eating behaviors among adolescent girls. Hispanic and non-Hispanic white girls had the highest and African-American (AA) and Caribbean girls the lowest rates of EDS. Asian girls reported the highest and AA girls the lowest rates of DDS. Prevention efforts to discourage unsupervised dieting may help adolescent girls so they do not develop EDS and DDS.
1st Bibliography
MD Klinnert, JL Robinson. “Addressing the psychological needs of families of food-allergic children.”
The increase in food allergies among children has increased awareness of the psychological impact on their families. Though the negative effects of families that have a child with a demanding conditions are normal, most families have trouble coping with these effects and are unsure what to do. Health care providers must be aware of the challenges that these families face, understand them and the role that they play, and know when to encourage troubled families to seek guidance on these problems. In order to raise awareness of the food that people consume, they have to know about the problems that unhealthy food can cause, not only physically but emotionally, too. Families have to be aware of when problems go out of control, when and under what circumstances they should find help.
The increase in food allergies among children has increased awareness of the psychological impact on their families. Though the negative effects of families that have a child with a demanding conditions are normal, most families have trouble coping with these effects and are unsure what to do. Health care providers must be aware of the challenges that these families face, understand them and the role that they play, and know when to encourage troubled families to seek guidance on these problems. In order to raise awareness of the food that people consume, they have to know about the problems that unhealthy food can cause, not only physically but emotionally, too. Families have to be aware of when problems go out of control, when and under what circumstances they should find help.
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