An Inconvenient Conversation

My mother and I discussed climate change. She knew some stuff about it, but I guess I helped her feel in the gaps (along with the research she was doing while we were conversing). I told her I wanted to tell her a little about global warming. So she turned down her television and put her attention towards me. I told her about how the earth is covered by an outer layer. I couldn’t really remember what it was called so she researched it. The Ozone layer.  So the ozone layer is the outer layer of the Earth, and it protects us from the sun’s most harmful rays. The paint sprays that are used rip away the ozone layer slowly. So the rays are coming in more and more. And the cars’ CO2 emission is being released in the air, as well as all the other extra CO2 coming from other common sources like factories, homes, etc.

        The CO2 starts to collect, and build up in front of the ozone layer, blocking the suns rays from bouncing off the earth and back into space. So the rays are coming through strong, and then bounce back into the air weaker, and can’t get passed the CO2 ‘walls’. She knew some about that. And she talked about how the polar bears were dying off (something she saw on the news a while back) because the land they live on is melting. So finding solid rock to rest on after a long swim is becoming harder and harder and they just drown from tiredness. And I thought that was really sad. I never even thought of that. The ice caps and things are melting because they can’t stand the heat, and those things are home to many little critters, and some big critters. So if those are gone, the animals that relied on them are now stranded. On top of all that, the water that was once a glacier is now starting to melt, therefore getting warmer. So the creatures underwater that relied on freezing temperatures in the water, is now either having to adapt to warmer temperatures or dying off. So global warming is killing species by the bunch.

        Then the conversation went towards how we could help change this. I told her we should adopt a polar bear. Then it wouldn’t have to swim anywhere. It could just chill in the backyard and we could shave a bunch of its fur so it wouldn’t be so thick and over heat. My little sister was there and said she would help dress the polar bear, and help me make the home. I agreed to making a home, and feeding the polar bear everyday. Or every other day depending on how they eat. It was a plan. But my mom thought we were just kidding. But I was oh-so-serious. Why wouldn’t I want a pet polar bear? That’d be the bestest friend I’d ever had.

        My mom said we could make sure we use the car less, and maybe carpool so we wouldn’t pollute the air with so much CO2. She also suggested making sure the cars have been smog tested, which they have. So we were good on that. We decided to plant a tree, or more CO2 breathing plants so that would help if even only a little bit. So my little sister and I are starting a little garden thingy in the backyard. I thought about smoking, like smoking is another cause for pollution. Even though no one in my household smokes, that may be a reason so much CO2 is in the air. But I don’t really know.

I asked her what president Obama was doing against global warming. I forgot what she said. Ha. That’s my bad. I think I zoned out on the part of the conversation.  The conversation went towards the things we buy, and how that may effect the ecosystem. I told her factory made things are definitely part of the problem. So Starbucks is a problem, the big name brand companies, Apple, Sterilite, Bath and Body Works, Chuck Taylors, Vans, Victoria Secret. Then we got onto the topic of food. And my mom is a vegan because she knows how nasty the meat industry can get. But I told her about how they also mess with the ‘healthy’ foods and make them genetically enhanced and modified. And she said she knew some about that. So she tries to stick with farmers markets. But I told her, if you think about. If farmers markets use fertilizers and such, the foods that they feed the cows and hormones to make them grow bigger and stuff, all that is in the poop that they fertilize with. So even the fertilizer is genetically modified and edited, and the seeds take in those nutrients and become the ‘healthy’ fruits you eat. So in turn, your ‘healthy’ fruits and vegetables are modified and not as healthy as they could be.

The world is a very unhealthy place. And I feel humans are people of now. Lets see what we can do that’ll help us now. And so that’s whats been going on. And that’s no good…. But hey.

1984

My Attempt to becoming Electronic-Free for a Day

                I woke up this morning determined to not using any electronics that weren’t invented before 1984. I had no idea how much of a challenge that was actually going to be. I usually wake up, and turn on the melodic music in my iPod. (IPods weren’t invented before 1984). So I had to force myself to wake up, and find the energy to actually get out of bed. I sang to myself hoping that would help fill in for the place of my iPod’s music. When I realized I could only remember 2 lines from a song that I usually listen to in the morning, I sang those 2 lines to the best of my ability. And then the 2 lines quickly got played out, and I started making up other words to fill in for the words that should’ve been there.

                Ugh. I missed my iPod. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and put in my contacts singing random words to a random beat that I kind of sort of remember haring on my iPod. It was all bad. My sister came in and made a beat, because she thought I was playing a game. So I sang words to the beat that she had made, and it became fun. But the fun was soon cut short, because I heard the aim ‘bing’ on my iPod. I Got An Aim Message!!! I ran to my iPod. “Oh my gosh I hope it’s my boyfriend,” I thought to myself. My arm reached for the beautiful iPod, and then stopped in mid air. “Nope, I can’t have my iPod for today.” I turned the volume off, and made a sad face. “I’m going to miss you,” I thought to myself.

                Today was going to be hard. I went downstairs, and made some eggs, bacon, and veges. I walked to the tv room, plopped on the couch, and switched it to on. The screen showed Phineaus and Ferb, but my mind was stuck on my iPod. “Dear iPod. I bet you’re binging for my attention right now. But I can’t hear you because I put you on silent.” I thought to myself. “Aaaahhhh Yes!” my phone rang loud, and I could hear it vibrate on my dresser. I ran up the stairs to see what it was. It was a call from my best friend. I answered, and we had an in depth conversation about shopping. Then it dawned on me, my QWERTY-keyboard phone was not invented before 1984. So I told him I was going to have to call him later, and hung up the phone sadly. I put it on silent, but still carried it with me on my way downstairs because I need something to tell the time with. (Ha, they had clocks back then. And my phone is now just another time-telling device).  The television depressed me because commercials about new Wii games, and ‘Just Dance’ games continued to play, and it reminded me of the music I could have been listening to if I had my iPod.

                I finished my food, and went into the garage so I could start the laundry. I had 4 baskets of towels that needed to be washed, dried and folded. So I started on that. The washer began, and the dryer made a tumbling noise as it twirled the soaked towels. I lifted a basket of already dried towels and brought them into the dining room and embarked on the folding. “This would go by so much faster if I had my iPod.” My sister came downstairs texting on her phone , earphones in her ear, and iPod on loud. “Oh that reminds me,” I thought to myself as I took my phone out and checked my text messages. “Be at the mall at 2.” One text message said. “Good morning” “Good morning” “Wyd?” “Call me.” And “Hey Baby girl,” my phone text messages said.  “Ugh. But no phone.” I whispered to myself… I checked the time one more time and put my phone back into my pocket.

                The towels were boring me so I placed them back into the basket, and placed the basket into the corner. Only 7:30. The morning had gone by so slow. I need my phone, my iPod. The garage alarm went off as I entered and went to the exercise equipment. 45 pounds were already placed on the leg thingy, and I set off my exercise. I counted, and tried to keep a good tempo. My iPod stayed on my mind the whole time. I couldn’t do it. I went upstairs to get it. I put the speaker volume on as loud as it could be, and I listened to my music while I exercised. “Only while I work out” I told myself. As I finished, I turned my iPod off, and strolled back into the house, through the hall, and into the kitchen to use the house phone. I dialed the number for California Bus and trolley schedule. I was going to need a ride to the mall. “Urgh. But trolleys weren’t invented back then.” So I asked my mom for a ride because I didn’t feel like going through the hassle of trying to find a way to the mall completely by bus-travel. That would’ve taken far too long.

                She agreed to give me a ride. So I ran to my room so I could hurry up and get dressed. Packed my purse, wallet, and other necessities, then headed towards the car. “Oh, but oh no.” I forgot my iPod. So I skipped back into the house, around the corner, up the stairs, and into my room to retrieve my iPod. I refuse to walk around the mall and shop without my iPod and phone on. So I guess I failed, horribly. But I tried. I couldn’t seem to leave my iPod for a while. I’m sure if I lost it, I’d find a way to get a replacer iPod… or just stay at home next to the computer so I could get music that way. But I was surely not trying to be music-less.

1. Write a short reflection on each of your readings.

The Scope of the World Food Crisis
-900 million people suffer from hunger. Population growth , urbanization, and the increased purchasing power of middle-class populations have increased the chain in food needed. But with all the laws and such, most of the food is only being grown by big corporations. So countries and people not involved with this big corporations distribution have started starving and suffering. Growing food in their own land hasn't helped.

Cheap Food (Workers pay the price)
-Everyone is asking for low prices, and trying to cut prices so they can get paid more or even pay for improvements and expansion. SO the people at the very bottom of the food chain, the farmworkers, are being cut on their wages and income, and are starving. The prices for their wellfare has gone down, and they aren't being taken care of. They are outside in the heat all day and aren't given water (vause water costs). And so they suffer, and they're broke with a family.

The Financial Crisis and World Hunger
-I didn't really understand this article. Maybe because it was late at night and my attention started to drift. But I was confused and can't comprehend it.

Feilds of Poison
-The pesticides used on the vegetables and fruits are effecting the farmworkers that pick the crops. ANd they live next to the runoff and only have the water runoff to bathe in so their families are being affected. They are dying slowly because of the poisonous pesticides are all they breathe and are surrounded by. They can't afford healthcare in America so they go back to Mexico to deal with their health issues. And the Mexican government is already unstable and can't handle all the people with illnesses from the poisons on their job. And there are laws against all this bad stuff, but the companies don't follow them, and the workers don't tell becuase most of the are illegal and don't want to lose their job.

2. If you were going dedicate your energies to champion one of the issues in any of the writings, which would you choose and why? In your opinion, what is it about your particular choice that ranks it above all others?

Study Guide Multiple Choice

Air. (What are the major sources of air pollution in urban areas?)
-What are the major sources of air pollution in urban areas?
a.) Car Emission
b.) Water Runoff
c.) Factory Smog
d.) Microwave Waves

-Why are cars the main source of air pollution?
a.) There are so many of them emmitting gases
b.) Cars are everywhere
c.) They're not
d.) All of the above

Food and Agriculture. (Describe the need for soil conservation.)
-What is soil conservation?
a.) a set of managements to prevent the soil from eroding or being overused.
b.) a set of managements to prevent the soil from salinizing.
c.) a set of managements to prevent the soil from acidifying.
d.) All of the above.

-How does soil conservation help the crops being planted?
a.) It gives the crops a better color
b.) It doesn't.
c.) Conserved soil has nutrients in it that help the crops grow
d.) The crops take more nutrients from the soil, and therefore have more nutrients and vitamins in them.

Land. (Describe the environmental effects of deforestation. What is reforestation and why is it important?)
-What is deforestation?
a.) The planting of more trees
b.) Tearing down farms
c.) The destruction of ocean plants.
d.) The destruction of forests

-What is one of the main reasons for deforestation?
a.) Short term economic benefits
b.) Urban and Construction Purposes
c.) To remodel and make into farmland
d.) All of the above

-What are the effects of deforestation?
a.) Air problems: Without trees, there is no air in that area. So the farmers taking the land can't beathe for a while.
b.) Erosion of soil: When the soil is introduced to pure sun, it becomes dry and eventually infertile. Nutrients being lost, and then it rains, and carries away the last of the nutrients.
c.) Monkey displacement: All the monkeys that used to live in the trees have to live underground because the trees are gone.
d.) All of the above

-What is reforestation?
a.) The replanting of crops.
b.) The restoring of forest animals into their habitat.
c.) The return of sea forests
d.) Replanting the trees that have been cut down from deforestation

-Why is reforestation important?
a.) It helps the forest grow back into what it once was
b.) It's not important
c.) It gives the earth more air
d.) It's pretty

Nov. 1

Fountain Group W/Robert M.

Tues: look online for materials

Wed: buy materials from Home Depot

Thurs: Clean Foutain

Fri: Design the plants that will be by the pond