These are time sensitive. You do not receive credit if you write them after the deadline each week.
First, there's a blog entry (about 250 words) which will have you respond to a hopefully thought-provoking question. Each week, you must do the blog entry with enough time left in the week to be able to enter into dialogue online with your classmates. Write, reply, write more, reply more, and then write and reply more.
Second, there's a reading. There’s no blog entry associated with this. Just read.
Third, there's a written response to the reading. Your reading and writing on the blog must be completed by the SATURDAY (by midnight) of the week in which the reading falls. This entry should be a long paragraph. YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESPOND TO OTHER STUDENTS' PART THREE EACH WEEK.'
Monday, October 26, 2015
WEEK SEVEN WRITING ABOUT WHAT YOU READ
I understand that there is now a political divide over issues of global warming--but forget all that. What does this article make you think?
I have taken a Geology class specifically on natural disasters, and we spent a week talking about the truth and myths surrounding global warming. Although this article does point out a few of the things that can happen if the earth's temperature continues to rise, I do not believe this article is a fair depiction of what is actually happening. It was only mentioned briefly at the end in a passing comment that there have been numerous fluctuations of temperature like this in recorded human history. Even thought this particular one appears to be caused by human behavior, that does not mean that every possible bad things is bound to happen. This article as appeared odd to me that it did not even attempt to reform behavior. It mentioned that this is bad and caused by people, but what should we do with this information? Overall, this article made me think that global warming is less of a problem than it really is, which is the opposite of the authors intent, because of the lack of refutation and reform considered in the writing.
The article provided makes me think about events that are certain to occur in a nearby future. The article points out a few possible outcomes if the earth's temperature continues to rise, and I believe we should start preparing for the worst. Rising sea levels can lead to several problems in many populated cities such as New York where hundreds of thousands of people live. It can also lead to habitat loss for many animals, yet little to nothing is being done about the issue. While yes, not every possible bad thing is bound to happen, most of the fluctuations of temperature appear to be caused by human behavior. It is our responsibility to minimize behavior that leads to global warning and slow down the process as much as possible because there is no real way of stopping it. The article does not mention anything we can do to help out, but making us aware of the situation is a great start. Global warning is a real threat that I believe more people should be aware of. I believe this article provided a fair depiction of what may happen if we don't get our acts together.
I did not realize how much changes have happened over a small length of time. Reading this article helped me understand how the environment has changed and is continuing to change. I have not taken any classes yet on the environment so I was not aware of what changes have occurred. Learning about ice melts, glaciers grounded below sea level, extensive drought, and using agriculture areas to build buildings, railroads, etc. are all part of how our future will look like. Humans are increasingly driving these changed and allowing them to occur faster. As people we should be aware of our surroundings and how these changes can affect our daily lives. This article provides insight about the growing changes around us.
It appears to me that this article gives us the worst-case scenarios for the future. The future holds so many possibilities, and I think there is still the possibility that many of these events mentioned may not occur or will occur later than they think. While I do believe that there is a global warming, and it may be partly caused by human production, I also think that this is one of the Earth’s natural warming periods. We have had several ice ages and warming periods in between. The truth is that Earth’s climate has always fluctuated and will always fluctuate. While global warming may be occurring, I also believe that there will be another cooling off/freezing period in the future as well. This is what has been seen in the past. Human society continues to grow and invent. I hope that in the future, more people will be conscientious about the Earth’s well being. Society continues to advance, and I have no doubt that we will have more and more ways to reuse products and cut down waste and carbon emissions in the future. These events they speak of will not occur in our lifetime, but we can be the beginning of cutting back on the partial role we are playing in this global warming. Although it won’t affect us greatly, society will have to greatly adapt in the future. Luckily, society has warning of any of these events happening, and they can adjust to the climates and rising sea level in the future.
This articles is very straight forward. It informs us on what is happening all over the world with glaciers melting and how it will affect each area differently. Some areas will cause sea levels to go up 14-20 feet, while other glaciers will cause more sun attraction to the dark deep seas. This article also informs us on the forest and how loosing them will cause an imbalance to the entire world. After reading this article its come to my attention that the temperature is in fact rising in all areas. I do not know if and how us "humans" can fix these problems; we can't control mother nature, or at least I think we can't. If there is a way to stop the glaciers from melting I would push for that cause, but my question would then be how? I feel mother nature is always up and down. One year it can be the hottest and the next could be the coldest. I feel like the article is only leaning towards one side; if it temperatures continue to rise then there findings would be true, but I highly doubt that is the case. Like I mentioned before, mother nature always changes. I do hope we find a solution if temperatures keep rising and nothing changes. I also hope El Nino does hit California in the winter so we can get out of this drought.
The article is informing us about the effect that we have on the artic sea, Greenland, el Niño, and rainforests. Due to the high climate change, ice is melting and causing disruption in the ecosystem. New york, a high-populated city is at threat because of the raise in sea levels. The warmer the weather, the dryer the rainforests are. This could also result in disruption of the ecosystem. Although this situation may occur in many years from now, it is still good to be aware of our climate changes. I think it is important to take action now that we have the ability to do so. Slowly but surely the world could make an impact to decrease the melting of glaciers and biodiversity loss. People are not taking into considerations the effects because we are far away from the impact. I think it is better to act now than act when it is too late. This is our Earth, the planet we live on. This article made me think about the importance of global warming. We live our life without thinking about these types of issues. People need to be reminded of the little things that are occurring outside our everyday lives.
With the ongoing distancing of our nomadic journey, we have found ourselves awaken in this willful ignorance. As pioneer’s in technology and industry, we are the now sloth’s, of our evolution. Countries have turned this biosphere upside down and inside out. The only depth to their massacre, are those vast reaches beyond present transport. (Who occupy these countries, the weak?) But, surely given access, like a phage, they will infect new lands, imprint their code, and take over all resources. When the end has come, a long path of lysis surrounding them, and we, like war-strung bodies, lying lifeless on the redden grounds of battle. Nothing left to conquer, nothing left to celebrate, a top a mountain of extinction they will place their flag.
Why we lay foundations upon the earth, with a mind set that our surroundings, are permanent? We have known about the impact of our sedation on the planet for many decades. We continue, each new day, putting off the hard changes until eventually we have reached the day of no return.
Unfortunately, that day was years ago...and the planet is a changing.
Now, in our complacency, we have may have helped doomed lineages to come. We, too feeble, too ignorant, and all too busy to act, have stained this earth.
Unless world nations halt their destructive force, the planet will cease to support a population any of species-namely us. But, do not fear, for you are already entomb in a capitalistic race towards doom. (What can you do?)
The question for you now:
How then should we choose our demise? Continued, without care? Focused, on nature?
Should we give up, or given in, or give it forward?
There is a political divide over the issues to global warming and what we as humans should and should not be doing to “control” this. Before reading this article, I didn’t realize that the drought we are now living in is affecting all areas of the earth around the world. Although certain events aren’t happening to us here in Bakersfield like ice melting or waters rising in our city, these events will affect everyone no matter where you live. I am not sure how valid the information present is, but it scares me to know that there is no place to hide when Mother Nature strikes back. My father has worked in the oil field for the past fourteen years. It causes major anxiety when politicians seek to eliminate all drilling. I am concerned for the financial well-being of our family that when oil picks up, it is the best news. Unfortunately, after reading the presented article, I come to realize that although drilling is good for financial purposes in my family, it is not good for our world or the creatures living in it. In regards to rain, I have heard many rumors about El Nino making it to California this winter. However, I don’t believe that this would be enough to pull us out of the drought and put us back on track. It seems that every year gets hotter and winter gets shorter. We will be reaching the month of November this week and it still hasn’t cooled down like expected. Before we know it summer will be here again and winter will be long gone. It is scary to think that it will most likely will.
After having read the article, I have come to realize that things will never be the same. As humans have been responsible for the effects of global warming. Global warming and the various ways it can affect the ecosystem cannot be changed because we have used and destroyed all the natural resources, for our own benefit. Being in a biology major and specializing in environmental studies and its resources, I have come to learn that some species and some habitats are being destroyed because we have forced them out from their natural environment by creating buildings and factories. The article brings in an important concern regarding the arctic sea ice melt, due to the construction and the need for petroleum, we are searching for petroleum anywhere we can. The arctic meltdown is being destroyed because of the addition of humans for fossil fuel because major corporations are ready to pierce the arctic in order to find to fossil fuel. Many boats are also dropping tons of oils into the ocean affecting the ecosystem of the ocean. Due to the effects of major corporations in the Arctic Ocean, many species can be affected because it is destroying the resources for species to continue to survive. Burning fuels are causing the ozone layer to disintegrate and are also exposing us more to the harmful rays of the sun. After reading the article, I have come to realize that I need to work more in finding resourceful ways to help the ecosystem and implement laws that would prevent major corporations and people to continue destroying the environment and its resources.
The first thought that came to mind is that we humans have a lot to do with what is going on. We are destroying nature, animals, and ourselves basically. We go about our days doing things that benefits us, regardless of how it affects others. It seems as if we start caring about nature, animals, or anything that matters after it becomes an issue. It is important to be informed and inform to foresee the future. As of right now, I see that people will continue to cause further deterioration of this world. Climates are definitely changing. There has been a lot of natural disasters in the last couple years and I recently heard that there has been earthquakes in states where such events never occurred. I am not certain behind the causes of the increase in these natural disasters, but the scientific community confirm that nine out ten are related to the climate change in our planet. Also, this week’s reading made me think about the various ways that these changes affect a person or regions that are more vulnerable than others. For instance, islands are more likely to suffer serious damage from tsunamis. And poor countries are more affected than rich countries because they do not have the supplies needed for such events. It is clear that we are the cause of this problem. Its causes and consequences are not limited geographically and, therefore, the only solution to this problem is for people to acknowledge the importance of nature regardless if they believe it is an issue or not. We all know that our environment is a public goods and that is why people have to act together.
This article is addresses some serious issues that the majority of society tries to ignore. I feel that we are a selfish society who only cares about things that benefit us and overlook what affect us. I myself am afraid of all of the horrible things that can happen if we keep polluting our earth. Yet I also feel hippocratic and selfish for not making any changes to try to improve our environment. I feel that this is because today's society is a fast paced society who tries to find ways to make life easier and it is also filled with followers. We want to do what everyone else is doing so if everyone owns a car we buy one too, if everyone has green lawns we want one too, if everyone simply throws away plastic and aluminum we do that too. We like to fit in and be as comfortable as possible even if it means risking our own habitat. This is why I think the best way to address this issue is by enforcing laws that will monitor the use of things that lead to all of these tipping point issues. The government should monitor the use of cell phones, vehicles, plastic, aluminum, paper and water and only let us use the amount we need instead of overusing all of these resources. There should also be fines for when these violations are broken. In my opinion this is the only way society will listen and contribute to creating a positive change to keep our world healthy for many more years.
This article mainly talks about the different consequences of what is happening in different environments. It made me think, of course, about the effects of global warming and how much we as humans are either contributing to the problem or trying to solve the problem. There is a CSU mandate that each campus has to conserve at least 85% of water. Our University has taken dramatic steps to achieve that mandate and yet we are still the second highest water user in the city. This is only obvious because of the size of our campus in relation to the highest user of water, which was the city; they use water for their parks, buildings, etc. It is a sad fact that we as people contribute to the Earth slowly dying but it is a necessary evil for the continuation of our species. A lot of negative-spirited people have said that the only way to solve the problem and slow down the process of Earth disintegrating is to limit the number of childbirths. This, to me, is not acceptable even if it is the only "logical" choice. We should though, as students that can have an impact on the future, should focus on sustainable alternatives and increase the amount of focus on this broad theme.
This article mainly talks about the different consequences of what is happening in different environments. It made me think, of course, about the effects of global warming and how much we as humans are either contributing to the problem or trying to solve the problem. There is a CSU mandate that each campus has to conserve at least 85% of water. Our University has taken dramatic steps to achieve that mandate and yet we are still the second highest water user in the city. This is only obvious because of the size of our campus in relation to the highest user of water, which was the city; they use water for their parks, buildings, etc. It is a sad fact that we as people contribute to the Earth slowly dying but it is a necessary evil for the continuation of our species. A lot of negative-spirited people have said that the only way to solve the problem and slow down the process of Earth disintegrating is to limit the number of childbirths. This, to me, is not acceptable even if it is the only "logical" choice. We should though, as students that can have an impact on the future, should focus on sustainable alternatives and increase the amount of focus on this broad theme.
I believe that a lot of engineering majors, or science majors in general, can be the "heroes" of the future. Technology has advanced over the years, and there has been a spark interest/emphasis on recruiting students that have the mindset and capability in creating something new and extraordinary. Through their efforts, and "tech-savy" students, I want to believe that things will be built in order to restore the planet and help societies become sustainable through basic everyday actions.
A lot of elements in this week’s reading are familiar to me because we have gone over the scientific aspect of them in my science courses. There are two issues that alarmed me the most: the Arctic sea ice melting and the boreal forests being cut in half. According to the article, the melting ice in the Arctic sea could lead to multiple harms, including reinforcing global warming, changes in competition for space and petroleum, and disruptions in ecosystems. The issues with the boreal forests, which include “increased water and heat stress…and vulnerability to disease and fire,” worry me because this ecosystem is more related than the rainforest to the environment that I grew up in.
From a moral and societal standpoint, this reading makes me realize how much better we can do across the globe. If the world’s ecosystems are tampered with and ruined or destroyed, this will decrease the Earth’s biodiversity and beauty and will make it more difficult for humans to thrive. After all, we rely on nature for agriculture, food, clothing, and even some types of health care. If we do not care for the environments we live in, we are ultimately hurting both nature and ourselves.
This article really made me think about what could happen with global warming occurring. The article points out a few possible outcomes if the earth's temperature continues to rise, and I believe we should start preparing for the worst. I think that the most alarming issue in my personal opinion would have to be the Arctic sea ice melting. The ice melting could lead to interruptions in the eco system. The government should monitor the use of cell phones, vehicles, plastic, aluminum, paper and water and only let us use the amount we need instead of overusing all of these resources. There should also be fines for when these violations are broken. In my opinion this is the only way society will listen and contribute to creating a positive change to keep our world a better place for us and the animals to live.
After reading this article, I was reminded of the many environmental issues that I learned last quarter in my environmental psychology class. I had never taken an environmental related course prior to that psychology course but I am glad that I did. I learned about some of the environmental issues that were mentioned in this article and many more. I truly believe that many of us are not well informed when it comes to this topic and really should do our research. By doing this we can find out about environmental issues that are affecting us locally and world-wide. The article states that, "humans are now driving these changes and the warming is occurring at a faster rate." This really stood out to me as I remember learning in my environmental psychology course that a lot of these issues are occurring at faster rates and we are the ones who are to blame for these dangerous changes. The article talks about the Arctic sea ice melting and sea levels could greatly rise affecting many cities. There is more harm that we are causing to our oceans and its wild life as well. Fertilizer is used by many people for their lawn but may not realize that when it rains, that fertilizer ends up in oceans and rivers. This run-off then creates “dead zones" in the ocean which causes wild-life to die due to asphyxiation. There are many more issues that I can go on and on about that are mentioned in this article and that I have learned about. Ultimately, what really matters is knowing that we can help change the outcome. It really is not that hard to do some research and learn what changes can be made so that these environmental issues occur at a much slower rate or completely disappear. We can continue to think about how much these environmental changes suck and do nothing or take some time to make a positive change.
I have taken a Geology class specifically on natural disasters, and we spent a week talking about the truth and myths surrounding global warming. Although this article does point out a few of the things that can happen if the earth's temperature continues to rise, I do not believe this article is a fair depiction of what is actually happening. It was only mentioned briefly at the end in a passing comment that there have been numerous fluctuations of temperature like this in recorded human history. Even thought this particular one appears to be caused by human behavior, that does not mean that every possible bad things is bound to happen. This article as appeared odd to me that it did not even attempt to reform behavior. It mentioned that this is bad and caused by people, but what should we do with this information? Overall, this article made me think that global warming is less of a problem than it really is, which is the opposite of the authors intent, because of the lack of refutation and reform considered in the writing.
ReplyDeleteThe article provided makes me think about events that are certain to occur in a nearby future. The article points out a few possible outcomes if the earth's temperature continues to rise, and I believe we should start preparing for the worst. Rising sea levels can lead to several problems in many populated cities such as New York where hundreds of thousands of people live. It can also lead to habitat loss for many animals, yet little to nothing is being done about the issue. While yes, not every possible bad thing is bound to happen, most of the fluctuations of temperature appear to be caused by human behavior. It is our responsibility to minimize behavior that leads to global warning and slow down the process as much as possible because there is no real way of stopping it. The article does not mention anything we can do to help out, but making us aware of the situation is a great start. Global warning is a real threat that I believe more people should be aware of. I believe this article provided a fair depiction of what may happen if we don't get our acts together.
ReplyDeleteI did not realize how much changes have happened over a small length of time. Reading this article helped me understand how the environment has changed and is continuing to change. I have not taken any classes yet on the environment so I was not aware of what changes have occurred. Learning about ice melts, glaciers grounded below sea level, extensive drought, and using agriculture areas to build buildings, railroads, etc. are all part of how our future will look like. Humans are increasingly driving these changed and allowing them to occur faster. As people we should be aware of our surroundings and how these changes can affect our daily lives. This article provides insight about the growing changes around us.
ReplyDeleteIt appears to me that this article gives us the worst-case scenarios for the future. The future holds so many possibilities, and I think there is still the possibility that many of these events mentioned may not occur or will occur later than they think. While I do believe that there is a global warming, and it may be partly caused by human production, I also think that this is one of the Earth’s natural warming periods. We have had several ice ages and warming periods in between. The truth is that Earth’s climate has always fluctuated and will always fluctuate. While global warming may be occurring, I also believe that there will be another cooling off/freezing period in the future as well. This is what has been seen in the past. Human society continues to grow and invent. I hope that in the future, more people will be conscientious about the Earth’s well being. Society continues to advance, and I have no doubt that we will have more and more ways to reuse products and cut down waste and carbon emissions in the future. These events they speak of will not occur in our lifetime, but we can be the beginning of cutting back on the partial role we are playing in this global warming. Although it won’t affect us greatly, society will have to greatly adapt in the future. Luckily, society has warning of any of these events happening, and they can adjust to the climates and rising sea level in the future.
ReplyDeleteThis articles is very straight forward. It informs us on what is happening all over the world with glaciers melting and how it will affect each area differently. Some areas will cause sea levels to go up 14-20 feet, while other glaciers will cause more sun attraction to the dark deep seas. This article also informs us on the forest and how loosing them will cause an imbalance to the entire world. After reading this article its come to my attention that the temperature is in fact rising in all areas. I do not know if and how us "humans" can fix these problems; we can't control mother nature, or at least I think we can't. If there is a way to stop the glaciers from melting I would push for that cause, but my question would then be how? I feel mother nature is always up and down. One year it can be the hottest and the next could be the coldest. I feel like the article is only leaning towards one side; if it temperatures continue to rise then there findings would be true, but I highly doubt that is the case. Like I mentioned before, mother nature always changes. I do hope we find a solution if temperatures keep rising and nothing changes. I also hope El Nino does hit California in the winter so we can get out of this drought.
ReplyDeleteThe article is informing us about the effect that we have on the artic sea, Greenland, el Niño, and rainforests. Due to the high climate change, ice is melting and causing disruption in the ecosystem. New york, a high-populated city is at threat because of the raise in sea levels. The warmer the weather, the dryer the rainforests are. This could also result in disruption of the ecosystem. Although this situation may occur in many years from now, it is still good to be aware of our climate changes. I think it is important to take action now that we have the ability to do so. Slowly but surely the world could make an impact to decrease the melting of glaciers and biodiversity loss. People are not taking into considerations the effects because we are far away from the impact. I think it is better to act now than act when it is too late. This is our Earth, the planet we live on. This article made me think about the importance of global warming. We live our life without thinking about these types of issues. People need to be reminded of the little things that are occurring outside our everyday lives.
ReplyDeleteHAVE we forgotten so much?
ReplyDeleteWith the ongoing distancing of our nomadic journey, we have found ourselves awaken in this willful ignorance. As pioneer’s in technology and industry, we are the now sloth’s, of our evolution. Countries have turned this biosphere upside down and inside out. The only depth to their massacre, are those vast reaches beyond present transport. (Who occupy these countries, the weak?)
But, surely given access, like a phage, they will infect new lands, imprint their code, and take over all resources. When the end has come, a long path of lysis surrounding them, and we, like war-strung bodies, lying lifeless on the redden grounds of battle. Nothing left to conquer, nothing left to celebrate, a top a mountain of extinction they will place their flag.
Why we lay foundations upon the earth, with a mind set that our surroundings, are permanent? We have known about the impact of our sedation on the planet for many decades. We continue, each new day, putting off the hard changes until eventually we have reached the day of no return.
Unfortunately, that day was years ago...and the planet is a changing.
Now, in our complacency, we have may have helped doomed lineages to come. We, too feeble, too ignorant, and all too busy to act, have stained this earth.
Unless world nations halt their destructive force, the planet will cease to support a population any of species-namely us. But, do not fear, for you are already entomb in a capitalistic race towards doom. (What can you do?)
The question for you now:
How then should we choose our demise?
Continued, without care?
Focused, on nature?
Should we give up, or given in, or give it forward?
There is a political divide over the issues to global warming and what we as humans should and should not be doing to “control” this. Before reading this article, I didn’t realize that the drought we are now living in is affecting all areas of the earth around the world. Although certain events aren’t happening to us here in Bakersfield like ice melting or waters rising in our city, these events will affect everyone no matter where you live. I am not sure how valid the information present is, but it scares me to know that there is no place to hide when Mother Nature strikes back. My father has worked in the oil field for the past fourteen years. It causes major anxiety when politicians seek to eliminate all drilling. I am concerned for the financial well-being of our family that when oil picks up, it is the best news.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, after reading the presented article, I come to realize that although drilling is good for financial purposes in my family, it is not good for our world or the creatures living in it.
In regards to rain, I have heard many rumors about El Nino making it to California this winter. However, I don’t believe that this would be enough to pull us out of the drought and put us back on track. It seems that every year gets hotter and winter gets shorter. We will be reaching the month of November this week and it still hasn’t cooled down like expected. Before we know it summer will be here again and winter will be long gone. It is scary to think that it will most likely will.
After having read the article, I have come to realize that things will never be the same. As humans have been responsible for the effects of global warming. Global warming and the various ways it can affect the ecosystem cannot be changed because we have used and destroyed all the natural resources, for our own benefit. Being in a biology major and specializing in environmental studies and its resources, I have come to learn that some species and some habitats are being destroyed because we have forced them out from their natural environment by creating buildings and factories. The article brings in an important concern regarding the arctic sea ice melt, due to the construction and the need for petroleum, we are searching for petroleum anywhere we can. The arctic meltdown is being destroyed because of the addition of humans for fossil fuel because major corporations are ready to pierce the arctic in order to find to fossil fuel. Many boats are also dropping tons of oils into the ocean affecting the ecosystem of the ocean. Due to the effects of major corporations in the Arctic Ocean, many species can be affected because it is destroying the resources for species to continue to survive. Burning fuels are causing the ozone layer to disintegrate and are also exposing us more to the harmful rays of the sun. After reading the article, I have come to realize that I need to work more in finding resourceful ways to help the ecosystem and implement laws that would prevent major corporations and people to continue destroying the environment and its resources.
ReplyDeleteThe first thought that came to mind is that we humans have a lot to do with what is going on. We are destroying nature, animals, and ourselves basically. We go about our days doing things that benefits us, regardless of how it affects others. It seems as if we start caring about nature, animals, or anything that matters after it becomes an issue.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to be informed and inform to foresee the future. As of right now, I see that people will continue to cause further deterioration of this world. Climates are definitely changing. There has been a lot of natural disasters in the last couple years and I recently heard that there has been earthquakes in states where such events never occurred. I am not certain behind the causes of the increase in these natural disasters, but the scientific community confirm that nine out ten are related to the climate change in our planet.
Also, this week’s reading made me think about the various ways that these changes affect a person or regions that are more vulnerable than others. For instance, islands are more likely to suffer serious damage from tsunamis. And poor countries are more affected than rich countries because they do not have the supplies needed for such events. It is clear that we are the cause of this problem. Its causes and consequences are not limited geographically and, therefore, the only solution to this problem is for people to acknowledge the importance of nature regardless if they believe it is an issue or not. We all know that our environment is a public goods and that is why people have to act together.
This article is addresses some serious issues that the majority of society tries to ignore. I feel that we are a selfish society who only cares about things that benefit us and overlook what affect us. I myself am afraid of all of the horrible things that can happen if we keep polluting our earth. Yet I also feel hippocratic and selfish for not making any changes to try to improve our environment. I feel that this is because today's society is a fast paced society who tries to find ways to make life easier and it is also filled with followers. We want to do what everyone else is doing so if everyone owns a car we buy one too, if everyone has green lawns we want one too, if everyone simply throws away plastic and aluminum we do that too. We like to fit in and be as comfortable as possible even if it means risking our own habitat. This is why I think the best way to address this issue is by enforcing laws that will monitor the use of things that lead to all of these tipping point issues. The government should monitor the use of cell phones, vehicles, plastic, aluminum, paper and water and only let us use the amount we need instead of overusing all of these resources. There should also be fines for when these violations are broken. In my opinion this is the only way society will listen and contribute to creating a positive change to keep our world healthy for many more years.
ReplyDeleteThis article mainly talks about the different consequences of what is happening in different environments. It made me think, of course, about the effects of global warming and how much we as humans are either contributing to the problem or trying to solve the problem. There is a CSU mandate that each campus has to conserve at least 85% of water. Our University has taken dramatic steps to achieve that mandate and yet we are still the second highest water user in the city. This is only obvious because of the size of our campus in relation to the highest user of water, which was the city; they use water for their parks, buildings, etc. It is a sad fact that we as people contribute to the Earth slowly dying but it is a necessary evil for the continuation of our species. A lot of negative-spirited people have said that the only way to solve the problem and slow down the process of Earth disintegrating is to limit the number of childbirths. This, to me, is not acceptable even if it is the only "logical" choice. We should though, as students that can have an impact on the future, should focus on sustainable alternatives and increase the amount of focus on this broad theme.
ReplyDeleteThis article mainly talks about the different consequences of what is happening in different environments. It made me think, of course, about the effects of global warming and how much we as humans are either contributing to the problem or trying to solve the problem. There is a CSU mandate that each campus has to conserve at least 85% of water. Our University has taken dramatic steps to achieve that mandate and yet we are still the second highest water user in the city. This is only obvious because of the size of our campus in relation to the highest user of water, which was the city; they use water for their parks, buildings, etc. It is a sad fact that we as people contribute to the Earth slowly dying but it is a necessary evil for the continuation of our species. A lot of negative-spirited people have said that the only way to solve the problem and slow down the process of Earth disintegrating is to limit the number of childbirths. This, to me, is not acceptable even if it is the only "logical" choice. We should though, as students that can have an impact on the future, should focus on sustainable alternatives and increase the amount of focus on this broad theme.
ReplyDeleteI believe that a lot of engineering majors, or science majors in general, can be the "heroes" of the future. Technology has advanced over the years, and there has been a spark interest/emphasis on recruiting students that have the mindset and capability in creating something new and extraordinary. Through their efforts, and "tech-savy" students, I want to believe that things will be built in order to restore the planet and help societies become sustainable through basic everyday actions.
A lot of elements in this week’s reading are familiar to me because we have gone over the scientific aspect of them in my science courses. There are two issues that alarmed me the most: the Arctic sea ice melting and the boreal forests being cut in half. According to the article, the melting ice in the Arctic sea could lead to multiple harms, including reinforcing global warming, changes in competition for space and petroleum, and disruptions in ecosystems. The issues with the boreal forests, which include “increased water and heat stress…and vulnerability to disease and fire,” worry me because this ecosystem is more related than the rainforest to the environment that I grew up in.
ReplyDeleteFrom a moral and societal standpoint, this reading makes me realize how much better we can do across the globe. If the world’s ecosystems are tampered with and ruined or destroyed, this will decrease the Earth’s biodiversity and beauty and will make it more difficult for humans to thrive. After all, we rely on nature for agriculture, food, clothing, and even some types of health care. If we do not care for the environments we live in, we are ultimately hurting both nature and ourselves.
This article really made me think about what could happen with global warming occurring. The article points out a few possible outcomes if the earth's temperature continues to rise, and I believe we should start preparing for the worst. I think that the most alarming issue in my personal opinion would have to be the Arctic sea ice melting. The ice melting could lead to interruptions in the eco system. The government should monitor the use of cell phones, vehicles, plastic, aluminum, paper and water and only let us use the amount we need instead of overusing all of these resources. There should also be fines for when these violations are broken. In my opinion this is the only way society will listen and contribute to creating a positive change to keep our world a better place for us and the animals to live.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article, I was reminded of the many environmental issues that I learned last quarter in my environmental psychology class. I had never taken an environmental related course prior to that psychology course but I am glad that I did. I learned about some of the environmental issues that were mentioned in this article and many more. I truly believe that many of us are not well informed when it comes to this topic and really should do our research. By doing this we can find out about environmental issues that are affecting us locally and world-wide. The article states that, "humans are now driving these changes and the warming is occurring at a faster rate." This really stood out to me as I remember learning in my environmental psychology course that a lot of these issues are occurring at faster rates and we are the ones who are to blame for these dangerous changes. The article talks about the Arctic sea ice melting and sea levels could greatly rise affecting many cities. There is more harm that we are causing to our oceans and its wild life as well. Fertilizer is used by many people for their lawn but may not realize that when it rains, that fertilizer ends up in oceans and rivers. This run-off then creates “dead zones" in the ocean which causes wild-life to die due to asphyxiation. There are many more issues that I can go on and on about that are mentioned in this article and that I have learned about. Ultimately, what really matters is knowing that we can help change the outcome. It really is not that hard to do some research and learn what changes can be made so that these environmental issues occur at a much slower rate or completely disappear. We can continue to think about how much these environmental changes suck and do nothing or take some time to make a positive change.
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