First Post for the Fourth 9 Weeks

[Mr. Dove]

Please respond to this topic post to complete your first post for the fourth nine weeks. PLEASE RESPOND TO ONLY THIS POST. If you wish to appropriately comment on your classmates post then respond to their thread in this discussion. (Due 4/28)

[Kaona Ayres]

A. Environment, Pollution, and Human Health; Emerging Technologies

B. This article speaks of the promise and potential that nuclear energy may hold for the future concerning air pollution. Recently, global use of nuclear power has prevented over a million air pollution related deaths as well as 64 billion tons of greenhouse gasses. Researchers believe that its potential outweighs the safety hazards, waste issues, and weapon controversies that are often concern nuclear energy. However, global use of this low carbon energy source could prevent millions more deaths in the future, as well as billions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions. The only other option to reduce these emissions would be another low carbon technology that ultimately does not exists. But until then, the world will continue to be polluted by coal other fossil fuels, and stricken with fear of potential nuclear disaster. 

C. After watching various videos in class yesterday on Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and Yucca Mountain, its hard not to be biased against this article and its promise for a healthier, nuclear fueled future. The thing that concerns me most is storage of nuclear waste. Sure, if the entire global population one day switches entirely to cleaner, more efficient nuclear energy there could potentially be fewer air pollution related deaths and greenhouse gas emissions would reduce significantly but WHERE would we put a whole plant's worth of nuclear waste? This is where out of this world solutions would arise and become reality- like launching the waste into space, or turning the moon into a nuclear waste site. In the end, all of that radio activity could potentially affect the entire human population and be our demise, all because we simply wanted to clean up our atmosphere.

D. American Chemical Society. "Despite safety and other concerns, nuclear power saves lives, greenhouse gas emissions, experts say." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 May 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130529111343.htm>.

[Ryan Jacobson]

A. Biodiversity & Environment

B. Deforestation is already a big problem through out the world. When you add the problem of narcotics into the mix, then you get an even bigger problem. Narco-deforestation is the new term that is effecting the wildlife and environment around us. Drug cartels and other dealers are using the forests in South America and Mexico for their drug trades. Besides natural deforestation, "narco-deforestation has added almost 10% to the mix.    

C. This article stuck out to me because not only is deforestation a big problem, but when you through drugs into the mix it raises the question of how much we need to take care of this problem. Illegal activity happens all over the world but when it interrupts the process of life that has done anything wrong, it shows that someone needs to step up and take care of this problem. Animals and other organisms do not need to pay for the miscues of illegal activity when their habitat is already being destroyed.

D. Blackstone, Robin. "Narcotics + Deforestation = Narco-Deforestation."Environmental News Network. N.p., 22 Apr. 2014. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

[Caroline Firer]

Caroline Firer

A. sustainable use of natural resources/human health 

B. By the year 2020, Colgate, a popular toothpaste company, plans on making 100% of its packaging recyclable. All their other products in the home, pet, and personal care areas that they sell to will also have recyclable packaging as well, so toothpaste isnt the only product getting an upgrade. The company has refused to continuing PVC, a hard to recycle resin, on all of their packaging. EPR's (Extended Producer Responsibility) have been brought to the Colgate company as to switch the recycling responsibility of buying and using recyclable friendly products from the consumer to the producer. In the United States, 24 states have registered EPR's that put companies in charge of recycling consumer electronics. 

C. I chose this article because I am in need of toothpaste and have been so for the past couple of days. There's no doubt that at the store they have a plethora of companies all for toothpaste so i have been struggling which one to buy and which one would benefit not only me, but the environment as well. After reading this I'm happy to make my switch from crest to Colgate as they are making an effort to reuse, reduce, and recycle which benefits more than just my teeth. Everyone would benefit from reading this article because im sure im not the only one that goes through this dilemma when i run out of tooth paste. We should be more aware as to which products help both us and the environment and not just ourselves.

D. Cheeseman, Gina-Marie. "ENN: Environmental News Network -- Know Your Environment." Global Pollution and Prevention News: Colgate-Palmolive Commits to Recyclable Packaging. N.p., 23 Apr. 2014. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. <http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/47315>.

[Alanna Breeden]

A. Everything. Earth Day

B. This article is about Earth Day and how the Earth has changed since 1970, when the first Earth day occurred. It starts with the fact that we breathe cleaner air, especially in California who was famous for it’s fog. The reason for this cleaner air is because gasoline powered cars are more fuel efficient. The per capita of fossil fuels used has decreased. We recycle more, but the amount of plastic that is placed in landfills have increased from 2.6% to 17.6%. Rivers are less polluted, especially the Cuyahoga river in Cleveland that was so polluted the fish species in it were zero and caught fire in 1969. The river caught on fire. The Bald Eagle is back and is said to have increased in population 5-10 times. The atmosphere is still full of CFCs, but the parts per trillion are slowly decreasing. And lastly but not least, the Earth’s temperature is rising, leading the glaciers to melt and the sea to rise at a rate of 1.7 millimeters per year.

C. I chose this article because it was Earth Day and I was interested in what had changed, both improvingly and worsen. I was very surprised that a river caught fire, not the river bank, but the actual river. It’s astonishing how polluted that river had to get so it could catch fire. I think it’s important the talk about the good things as well as the bad things, yes there are still CFCs in the atmosphere but we have cleaner air and the Bald Eagles are back. I think everyone would benefit from reading this article.

D. Flippen, Allen and Darlin, Damon. “Forty-Four Years of Earth Day.” NY Times 22 04 2014

[Lauren Cosner]

A. Sustainability

 

B. This article discusses the study of economic value of building large dams. In the study of 245 dams, the actual cost of the dams double from preconstruction costs. The cost of the dams were 96% higher than the estimated cost and took more than 44% of the estimated time to build the dams. One would believe that overtime the construction cost and time would be cut in half, but time has shown that the methods have not improved. This article gives us reason behind finding alternative ways for energy because the cost and time put into the dams does not equal out.

 

C. This was a well written article discussing a topic that has been recently talked about in class. With so many different ways to acquire energy now, this article shows that the method of building dams in not as effective as other may be. This article could be relatable to many people because everyone should know where the energy they are using comes from.

 

D. "ENN: Environmental News Network -- Know Your Environment." Wildlife and Habitat Conservation News: Are Large Dams Economical? N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.

 

[Abby Lipscomb]

Abby Lipscomb

 

A: Environment, Pollution and Human Health.

 

B: The FDA has started to realize the affects of antibiotics being distributed in cow, chicken, and pig feed to increase their weight. The change, will make it illegal for ranchers and farmers to use this drug to increase the weight of their livestock. Doing this will improve the human health in America by reducing the development of infections resistant to treatment. Now to get the drug you need to have a veterinarian prescribe it to you and your animal. The drug is no longer sold over the counter. There's a loop hole to it too, so this won't completely stop the problem.

 

C: This article was interesting to me because I live in the country and grew up in the country. I am surrounded by countless farms and have my family's own farm. I think having a drug that increases the weight of a perfectly healthy animal just for you to increase profit is absolutely crazy. Farming means barns and land not a metal building that is taller than it is wide packed with livestock. I think that the health problems happening in America right now can easily be fixed by forcing everyone to go back to real farming. Where animals are not just put on conveyer belts and never touched by human hands, you should have to use your hands and get dirty to be able to get the profit that you deserve. I like that the FDA is attempting to stop the drugs, but I think they should do more. When looking at human health problems that are because of meat from livestock, they ignore the actual problem. The real problem is the industrialization of farming these days. 

 

D: "F.D.A. Restricts Antibiotics Use for Livestock" The New York Times. December 12, 2013.    

[Hunter Critzer]

A) Climate System

B) The article I chose was about Global Warming, and the reality that it is happening now because of us. Just as in the notes, the article stated that the major consensus in the science community is that humans are the main cause for global warming by burnign fossil fuels,and overloading the atmosphere with CO2.The article goes on to say, we must act now to have a safe world to live in for future generations. Some ways we can achieve this healthy Earth is force leaders in our government to make changes and hold large companies responsible for their emissions, as well as each citizen do their individual part to reduce greenhouse gases.

C) I chose this article because we just took notes on global warming, and it is a large part of our everyday life. We effect global warming every day, so knowlegde and action is needed to live sustainably on Earth. I believe each person needs to start taking steps in reducing individual greenhouse gas emissions, and work as a world united to save the Earth. I believe everyone should read this article, or learn more about global warming so we are all educated and understand the danger we are in.

D) "Global Warming: Confronting the Realities of Climate Change." Union of Concerned Scientist (2014).

 

[Wade Goodrich]

A. Emerging Technology

B. This article is reporting on France's plan to move from using nuclear power to using wind power. The French president hopes to reduce nuclear energy use from 75 to 50 percent of the country's total energy consumption. Apparently 80 percent the French people stand behind this decision to move to wind power. 

C. I chose this article because of our recent discussions about nuclear power, and the waste it produces. While France may seem (and is) very modern because of it's near total dependence on nuclear power, we have to remember that nuclear power is not free, and it is not emission or pollution free. Wind power, however, is totally "free" power. It is unlimited, and produces no pollution. Wind power is a truly, completely, sustainable resource. This article is important because it highlights that nuclear power, while a good, high tech solution, is not perfect. Also, it demonstrates people's willingness and desire to become more sustainable by using "clean" energy sources. Hopefully the French president will set an example for other world leaders, convincing them to move to clean, renewable energy as well. 

D."ENN: Environmental News Network -- Know Your Environment."Alternative Energy and Fuel News: France Moving Away from Nuclear Power. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2014.

[Hannah Bingler]

A. Climate System

B. According to Jerry Alder, much of our future will be spent inside, due to the earths temperature rising, even in areas that are already extremely warm. In places like Pheonix, Arizona, air conditioning is already a necessity between June and September, with temperatures mostly above 100 during the day and not below 90 during the night. The heat may not only be affecting our energy bills, it could also be affecting our moods. According to Adler, there are reasons that when people are furious they are referred to as being "steamed" or "hot under the collar". The reason being because heat makes us angry. Adler says theres been studies that link higher temperatures with all kinds of aggression.

C. This article was interesting to me because it explains that there is a link between higher temperatures and aggression, and due to global warming and rising temperatures everywhere we could be seeing more of an outburst of aggression from everyone. Everyone should read this article because it shows how global warming isn't only effecting our environment, its effecting us.

D.Szokan, N. (2014, April 28). An ominous look at a warmer future. Washington Post. Retrieved April 30, 2014, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/an-ominous-look-at-a-warmer-future/2014/04/28/3728eec6-cb08-11e3-93eb-6c0037dde2ad_story.html

[Shannon Simko]

1. Emerging Technologies

2.  This article talks all about what technologies we could see being produced in the year 2014. Ground- breaking developments have been planned for this year. Some of these things are like the electric car taking to the track and racing to space tourism. Making things easier for humans is all apart of these new ideas, like wearable technology. 

3. This article really caught my attention because its really fascinating to see what we could be seeing within the next few short months. Although we have seen things like the computer glasses its insane to actually think those exist. The fact that they were talking about traveling to mars and landing on it is CRAZY! Since I'm very fascinated by space and how big it is, imagine traveling out there instead of your normal high ways. Some of these thing amazed me and its awesome to think about the new things for 2015, 2016, 2017 and so on. 

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/15/tech/innovation/the-coolest-things-technology-2014/