"In 2009, China accounted for nearly a fifth of global primary energy use- a share similar to that of the United States, which has just one quarter of China's population."
In the beginning, this quote didn't come as much of a surprise to me, until I read the last third of it... "Oh, a similar primary energy share, that's expected", until you read that the United States population only makes up one quarter of China's. I knew that Americans were very wasteful when it came to energy and non-renewable resources, but this fact was extremely shocking. What I'm wondering is what Americans are using all of their energy on. I would be interested in seeing advances in China's energy versus that of America's, and differences in energy usage.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
An Inconvenient Conversation
Today I sat down with my parents to engage in a conversation about climate change and energy resources. Global Warming is a commonly discussed topic in our home, so it wasn't an unfamiliar conversation. We're always making efforts in our home to conserve wherever we can, and reduce our waste. In the past few years we have eliminated paper plates, paper napkins, plastic bags, we got a hybrid car, and we recycle. My parents are very invested in helping the environment every way possible.
After asking about the disconnect between science, and what politicians are doing my parents told me that politicians purposefully downplay the severity of global issues because they don't want to cause hysteria. "We've done things the way we have for so long that it's difficult to change. You have industries that are deep-rooted in practices that are not saving the environment at all, but they're so ingrained in our economy." Businesses are focused on profit, not on the environment or the future. They're primarily looking at their profit margin, and they're serving the shareholders; investors don't want to invest in a good future, they want to invest in making money as soon as possible.
Because my dad works on the UCSD campus he's exposed to the daily habits of a younger and supposedly brighter generation. He found it incredible how few people recycle, or even care about environmental issues. "Even when you're looking at the best and the brightest" he said, it's hard to find people that care. On the other hand, my mother works on the SDSU campus, where she says that recycling has taken a turn for the better. There are now recycling bins all over the campus; the medical center no longer uses medical capes and drapes, even though cloth is more expensive; and the cardboard that the medical center receives in their many shipments is now recycled, thanks to my mother.
We closed our discussion with the final question: What's the hardest thing about addressing the climate change? My fathers first answer came quickly: breaking down the wall of propaganda. Trying to make people believe that what's happening is real is the hardest part about making a change. In addition, everyone is stuck in the mindset that "I'm only one person", and that only one person won't make a difference. "You need a moral understanding of what's going on," said my mother "and you have to do what your conscience tells you to do." We're the ones that have to change, or it's not going to change at all. To turn our backs on what scientists are saying is ignorant. It's too much work for people to believe what's happening, because then they would have to make changes in their behavior.
After asking about the disconnect between science, and what politicians are doing my parents told me that politicians purposefully downplay the severity of global issues because they don't want to cause hysteria. "We've done things the way we have for so long that it's difficult to change. You have industries that are deep-rooted in practices that are not saving the environment at all, but they're so ingrained in our economy." Businesses are focused on profit, not on the environment or the future. They're primarily looking at their profit margin, and they're serving the shareholders; investors don't want to invest in a good future, they want to invest in making money as soon as possible.
Because my dad works on the UCSD campus he's exposed to the daily habits of a younger and supposedly brighter generation. He found it incredible how few people recycle, or even care about environmental issues. "Even when you're looking at the best and the brightest" he said, it's hard to find people that care. On the other hand, my mother works on the SDSU campus, where she says that recycling has taken a turn for the better. There are now recycling bins all over the campus; the medical center no longer uses medical capes and drapes, even though cloth is more expensive; and the cardboard that the medical center receives in their many shipments is now recycled, thanks to my mother.
We closed our discussion with the final question: What's the hardest thing about addressing the climate change? My fathers first answer came quickly: breaking down the wall of propaganda. Trying to make people believe that what's happening is real is the hardest part about making a change. In addition, everyone is stuck in the mindset that "I'm only one person", and that only one person won't make a difference. "You need a moral understanding of what's going on," said my mother "and you have to do what your conscience tells you to do." We're the ones that have to change, or it's not going to change at all. To turn our backs on what scientists are saying is ignorant. It's too much work for people to believe what's happening, because then they would have to make changes in their behavior.
Back to 1983 for a day
My day without modern technology wasn't going to be too difficult, seeing as I had already completely disconnected myself from my daily life... I was in Italy.
We woke up to the beautiful city of Venice that morning. We were going to be traveling to Florence and Siena that day, so after eating our hotel breakfast, we were all packed up and on a two hour train ride to Florence. I had my phone in case of an emergency, but unless I wanted to come home to angry parents and an enormous cell phone bill, I was prohibited from using it. There were never available televisions, but even if there were, we were always too busy to even care about our lack of TV entertainment. As easy as it was to go without most technology, we were traveling a lot that day, so this particular train ride was a quiet one without my iPod. To pass the time I ended up taking a much-needed nap, and I spent a while staring out the window as we rode through the hills of Tuscany.
We finally arrived in Florence, and after leaving our bags at a bag-check room in the train station, we walked to the Duomo, where Dominic then let us go do what we wanted. A group of friends and I decided to check out the inside of the Duomo, a cathedral with an extremely tall and intricately painted dome at the top. We decided that we wanted to hike the 467 steps to the top where we would be able to overlook all of Florence, but first we needed lunch. We went to a cute little restaurant where most of us ordered sandwiches. I had prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella on crunchy Italian bread. After powering up we were ready to begin our trek. By the time we got to the top we were extremely exhausted and a little freaked out, but the view was breathtaking. After spending some time at the top we decided to head back down for some gelato and a little bit of souvenir shopping. But soon it was time to leave for Siena.
After getting our bags from the train station we walked to the bus station where we began our one hour ride to Siena. Yet another hour spent traveling without use of my ipod. Once we arrived in Siena we checked into our hotel and went out for pizza. Our evening in Siena was then spent wandering around for a little bit, and playing bananagrams in the hotel.
Overall my no-technology day in Italy was a success. Although, there was one thing I used willingly and would do it again if I could, and that was my digital camera.
We woke up to the beautiful city of Venice that morning. We were going to be traveling to Florence and Siena that day, so after eating our hotel breakfast, we were all packed up and on a two hour train ride to Florence. I had my phone in case of an emergency, but unless I wanted to come home to angry parents and an enormous cell phone bill, I was prohibited from using it. There were never available televisions, but even if there were, we were always too busy to even care about our lack of TV entertainment. As easy as it was to go without most technology, we were traveling a lot that day, so this particular train ride was a quiet one without my iPod. To pass the time I ended up taking a much-needed nap, and I spent a while staring out the window as we rode through the hills of Tuscany.
We finally arrived in Florence, and after leaving our bags at a bag-check room in the train station, we walked to the Duomo, where Dominic then let us go do what we wanted. A group of friends and I decided to check out the inside of the Duomo, a cathedral with an extremely tall and intricately painted dome at the top. We decided that we wanted to hike the 467 steps to the top where we would be able to overlook all of Florence, but first we needed lunch. We went to a cute little restaurant where most of us ordered sandwiches. I had prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella on crunchy Italian bread. After powering up we were ready to begin our trek. By the time we got to the top we were extremely exhausted and a little freaked out, but the view was breathtaking. After spending some time at the top we decided to head back down for some gelato and a little bit of souvenir shopping. But soon it was time to leave for Siena.
After getting our bags from the train station we walked to the bus station where we began our one hour ride to Siena. Yet another hour spent traveling without use of my ipod. Once we arrived in Siena we checked into our hotel and went out for pizza. Our evening in Siena was then spent wandering around for a little bit, and playing bananagrams in the hotel.
Overall my no-technology day in Italy was a success. Although, there was one thing I used willingly and would do it again if I could, and that was my digital camera.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Possible essay intro
Your mouth begins to water, and you suddenly find it hard to focus on anything else. If you're female you're most likely craving sugar. If you're male you're most likely craving a more satisfying meal like pizza. Your craving is most likely caused by one of these two: low blood sugar, or low serotonin levels. INSERT THESIS HERE, more research requried.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Blue Gold Commentary
Water is the most abundant compound on Earth. It covers 70% of the Earth's surface, yet only 30% is safe to drink, and that number seems to be dwindling. The human body requires 1 to 7 liters of water per day to survive. And to think that humans have resorted to fighting over natural resources. The film Blue Gold was a wonderful depiction of the corruption behind the business of water.
Across the world we are polluting and drying out our natural sources of water. We are diminishing the supply from aquifers, drying out lakes, and sending fresh water to the ocean. One good example of our destruction is Owen's lake. What was once a large full lake is now a dry death zone because we were taking the water faster than it was able to replenish.
The government is particularly useless when it comes to issues with water. Developing countries have turned to massive cash crops, which are draining water supplies. In many countries tap water and indoor plumbing isn't even an option, and the people are left to resort to the disease ridden river water. In some countries in Africa bottled water is more expensive than Coca-Cola. On top of all that, big businessmen like George Bush are in the process of making plans to take from other natural sources, and switching business from oil to water.
Water has become so inaccessible and so expensive, at what point does it turn from a necessity into a luxury?
Across the world we are polluting and drying out our natural sources of water. We are diminishing the supply from aquifers, drying out lakes, and sending fresh water to the ocean. One good example of our destruction is Owen's lake. What was once a large full lake is now a dry death zone because we were taking the water faster than it was able to replenish.
The government is particularly useless when it comes to issues with water. Developing countries have turned to massive cash crops, which are draining water supplies. In many countries tap water and indoor plumbing isn't even an option, and the people are left to resort to the disease ridden river water. In some countries in Africa bottled water is more expensive than Coca-Cola. On top of all that, big businessmen like George Bush are in the process of making plans to take from other natural sources, and switching business from oil to water.
Water has become so inaccessible and so expensive, at what point does it turn from a necessity into a luxury?
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Annotated Bibliography Continued
http://foodpsychology.cornell.edu/outreach/comfort-food.html
Accessed: 2/23/11
This article was about comfort foods and their link to genders. While the majority of the males' favorite comfort food was pizza, soup, and ice cream, women preferred ice cream, chocolate, and cookies. They go more into detail about gender preferences when it comes to comfort food, and basic trends in comfort food and the emotions associated with it.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100517172300.htm
Accessed: 2/23/11
This article talked about cravings, and why people have such strong cravings for specific foods. After reading this I'm actually starting to think about narrowing my broad topic of "The Psychology of Food" to food cravings, why we crave food, and it's effects on our bodies.
Accessed: 2/23/11
This article was about comfort foods and their link to genders. While the majority of the males' favorite comfort food was pizza, soup, and ice cream, women preferred ice cream, chocolate, and cookies. They go more into detail about gender preferences when it comes to comfort food, and basic trends in comfort food and the emotions associated with it.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100517172300.htm
Accessed: 2/23/11
This article talked about cravings, and why people have such strong cravings for specific foods. After reading this I'm actually starting to think about narrowing my broad topic of "The Psychology of Food" to food cravings, why we crave food, and it's effects on our bodies.
QQC
Cart A La Carte
"Such problems suggest that street food will fade in importance as the world becomes more affluent: the unsanitary brown stalls in Manila will be replaced by clean, brightly colored enterprises hearing the globally recognizable logos of McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Starbucks, and Yoshinoya."
While this article is about the importance and relevance of street vendors, here they point out that the appeal and marketing of fast-food will run out the local foods. It's interesting how small differences in advertising, location, word-of-mouth, and aesthetics will make or break a business. It's sad to me that the local businesses are suffering due to cheap, processed food. I think it might be interesting to do further research on the marketing of foods/ food businesses, and it might also be interesting to research why people still hang on so tightly to their traditions when it comes to food.
"Such problems suggest that street food will fade in importance as the world becomes more affluent: the unsanitary brown stalls in Manila will be replaced by clean, brightly colored enterprises hearing the globally recognizable logos of McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Starbucks, and Yoshinoya."
While this article is about the importance and relevance of street vendors, here they point out that the appeal and marketing of fast-food will run out the local foods. It's interesting how small differences in advertising, location, word-of-mouth, and aesthetics will make or break a business. It's sad to me that the local businesses are suffering due to cheap, processed food. I think it might be interesting to do further research on the marketing of foods/ food businesses, and it might also be interesting to research why people still hang on so tightly to their traditions when it comes to food.
Annotated Bibliography
Psychology of Food
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200101/food-comfort
Accessed: 2/23/11
This article was about emotional connections to food. When asked their favorite food, a majority of people said it was ice cream, which Brian Wansink believes is an emotional connection to childhood memories. This is a great starting point for my research.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200101/food-comfort
Accessed: 2/23/11
This article was about emotional connections to food. When asked their favorite food, a majority of people said it was ice cream, which Brian Wansink believes is an emotional connection to childhood memories. This is a great starting point for my research.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The Cove Commentary
1. Does the camera ‘take sides’?
It's hard to tell if the camera took sides. The whole point of the movie was to educate people about the killing of dolphins, so obviously the camera would take the side of an environmental activist.
2. Does the film allow the audience to think for itself, and to draw its own conclusions, or does it manipulate audience reaction and emotion?
I think it really manipulated the audience, but that was really the purpose of the movie. To me it wasn't really a formal documentary, but more of an awareness film about dolphin slaughtering. I didn't see a whole lot of talking from the other point of view.
3. Does it support opinion with evidence?
Yes I think it does. The entire movie was evidence basically. They take you to the location, they hide cameras, they go to the political convention, rather than just talking about all of this stuff.
4. Assess one possible interpretation that it reduces particular groups and individuals referred to, or participating in the film, to simplistic polar opposites of good and evil, heroes and villains.
I'm kind of confused about this question, but I'll address it the best I can. Clearly the producers were very opinionated about the subject, so if they wanted you to think a certain way they had to be extreme about it. There was no "this guy likes to kill fish, but he's a really great family man".
5. Through the range of filmmaking techniques presented, are we overtly manipulated into accepting uncritically the film’s version of truth?
Yeah we are. All of the shots and all of the interviews were chosen for a reason, they didn't decide to throw in any clips for fun. They also mentioned that this is an issue rarely talked about, so it's easy for them to convince us of their truth, because nobody knows the other side.
6. Does the film educate, does it enlighten us, or does it ‘preach to the converted’?
It's hard to speak for "us" because people are going to have different opinions, but for me it was educational
It's hard to tell if the camera took sides. The whole point of the movie was to educate people about the killing of dolphins, so obviously the camera would take the side of an environmental activist.
2. Does the film allow the audience to think for itself, and to draw its own conclusions, or does it manipulate audience reaction and emotion?
I think it really manipulated the audience, but that was really the purpose of the movie. To me it wasn't really a formal documentary, but more of an awareness film about dolphin slaughtering. I didn't see a whole lot of talking from the other point of view.
3. Does it support opinion with evidence?
Yes I think it does. The entire movie was evidence basically. They take you to the location, they hide cameras, they go to the political convention, rather than just talking about all of this stuff.
4. Assess one possible interpretation that it reduces particular groups and individuals referred to, or participating in the film, to simplistic polar opposites of good and evil, heroes and villains.
I'm kind of confused about this question, but I'll address it the best I can. Clearly the producers were very opinionated about the subject, so if they wanted you to think a certain way they had to be extreme about it. There was no "this guy likes to kill fish, but he's a really great family man".
5. Through the range of filmmaking techniques presented, are we overtly manipulated into accepting uncritically the film’s version of truth?
Yeah we are. All of the shots and all of the interviews were chosen for a reason, they didn't decide to throw in any clips for fun. They also mentioned that this is an issue rarely talked about, so it's easy for them to convince us of their truth, because nobody knows the other side.
6. Does the film educate, does it enlighten us, or does it ‘preach to the converted’?
It's hard to speak for "us" because people are going to have different opinions, but for me it was educational
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Questions for guest speaker
How do you suggest we go about finding food that will satisfy the 100-mile diet?
How can we verify that the food is locally grown?
How do you feel about trader joe's?
Are there local/natural alternatives to junk food?
I know that dairy is "bad", but: Opinions on soymilk?
Local and natural food can be a lot more expensive, any suggestions for consumers looking to spend as little as possible?
How can we verify that the food is locally grown?
How do you feel about trader joe's?
Are there local/natural alternatives to junk food?
I know that dairy is "bad", but: Opinions on soymilk?
Local and natural food can be a lot more expensive, any suggestions for consumers looking to spend as little as possible?
Food prices/ Food riots
Find at least 2 related news or scientific articles. Link the articles on your blog and write a brief synopsis of each. Be sure to indicate exactly what you researched.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110130/BUSINESS/101300340/Food-cost-shocks-ripple-worldwide-from-Iowa?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage
This article was primarily about the rise in food prices, specifically corn and meat. It was mainly factual, had a few graphs of the rise in prices. It also talked a lot about Iowa and its corn fields, Ethanol companies, and its economy, which I didn't think would be very relevant, but it was really interesting.
What is the argument of the author? What is the interest of the author?
I would assume the author was from Iowa, because that's pretty much all they talked about. But other than that, I wasn't able to detect an argument.
What was the main idea of the article; in other words what was the author's point?
To inform readers of the causes of the spike in food prices, and to warn them of higher prices to come.
What was the author's bias? Has the author included facts from all sides of the issue?
There didn't seem to be a bias. Like I said, it was very factual and straightforward.
What questions do you still have after reading these articles?
How high can we expect the prices to go this year? Will this affect natural/ locally grown food? What other prices can we expect to go up due to the food price increases?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/sep/24/food-crisis-un-emergency-meeting-rome
This article was written in September of 2010 predicting an upcoming food crisis, and talking about an emergency UN meeting concerning the crisis. They talked about trends in food prices, and how they relate to what might happen soon. The article also ends with a few graphs depicting food prices in the last few years.
What is the argument of the author? What is the interest of the author?
The author isn't really arguing any particular point. There is a clear bias, but just like in the previous article, it's very factual.
What was the main idea of the article; in other words what was the author's point?
I think the authors intent was to warn readers of the food crisis. There was no call for action in the article.
What was the author's bias? Has the author included facts from all sides of the issue?
The author definitely believes that this food crisis is going to happen, and sides with the UN.
What questions do you still have after reading these articles?
What does the UN predict will happen if weather and other agricultural issues persist?
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110130/BUSINESS/101300340/Food-cost-shocks-ripple-worldwide-from-Iowa?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage
This article was primarily about the rise in food prices, specifically corn and meat. It was mainly factual, had a few graphs of the rise in prices. It also talked a lot about Iowa and its corn fields, Ethanol companies, and its economy, which I didn't think would be very relevant, but it was really interesting.
What is the argument of the author? What is the interest of the author?
I would assume the author was from Iowa, because that's pretty much all they talked about. But other than that, I wasn't able to detect an argument.
What was the main idea of the article; in other words what was the author's point?
To inform readers of the causes of the spike in food prices, and to warn them of higher prices to come.
What was the author's bias? Has the author included facts from all sides of the issue?
There didn't seem to be a bias. Like I said, it was very factual and straightforward.
What questions do you still have after reading these articles?
How high can we expect the prices to go this year? Will this affect natural/ locally grown food? What other prices can we expect to go up due to the food price increases?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/sep/24/food-crisis-un-emergency-meeting-rome
This article was written in September of 2010 predicting an upcoming food crisis, and talking about an emergency UN meeting concerning the crisis. They talked about trends in food prices, and how they relate to what might happen soon. The article also ends with a few graphs depicting food prices in the last few years.
What is the argument of the author? What is the interest of the author?
The author isn't really arguing any particular point. There is a clear bias, but just like in the previous article, it's very factual.
What was the main idea of the article; in other words what was the author's point?
I think the authors intent was to warn readers of the food crisis. There was no call for action in the article.
What was the author's bias? Has the author included facts from all sides of the issue?
The author definitely believes that this food crisis is going to happen, and sides with the UN.
What questions do you still have after reading these articles?
What does the UN predict will happen if weather and other agricultural issues persist?
Sunday, January 9, 2011
3 Objects
The following are the three activities/companies/objects/products that I have narrowed my "6 Degrees of Seperation" project options to:
Starbucks- There are so many aspects to Starbucks that I can research. There are the employees, there is the building, the ingredients, the packaging of the ingredients, the machines and where they come from, cups, etc. I might want to focus on a specific product from Starbucks, but I think it would be an interesting topic. Everyone drinks Starbucks, so it would be very relatable.
Viva La Juicy Perfume- I actually just received this product for Christmas, and as I was putting it on I was wondering what kinds of chemicals go into creating perfumes. I was also noticing the packaging, and wondering how they created the intricate glass bottle, and where all these things come from. It's a product I really enjoy, and I thought it might be useful to really know about it.
Pepsi- Probably on my favorite beverages. While I was having a sip of one, I was curious about how the bottle was designed, and what ingredients are in it, and where they came from, how do the soda fountains work, etc. There were many questions that came to mind, and I thought it might be an interesting project topic because most people I know drink soda, so I thought the research would be really helpful.
Starbucks- There are so many aspects to Starbucks that I can research. There are the employees, there is the building, the ingredients, the packaging of the ingredients, the machines and where they come from, cups, etc. I might want to focus on a specific product from Starbucks, but I think it would be an interesting topic. Everyone drinks Starbucks, so it would be very relatable.
Viva La Juicy Perfume- I actually just received this product for Christmas, and as I was putting it on I was wondering what kinds of chemicals go into creating perfumes. I was also noticing the packaging, and wondering how they created the intricate glass bottle, and where all these things come from. It's a product I really enjoy, and I thought it might be useful to really know about it.
Pepsi- Probably on my favorite beverages. While I was having a sip of one, I was curious about how the bottle was designed, and what ingredients are in it, and where they came from, how do the soda fountains work, etc. There were many questions that came to mind, and I thought it might be an interesting project topic because most people I know drink soda, so I thought the research would be really helpful.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Day #2 of 5-day-journal Reflection
A reflection based on an outline of my activities on Wednesday 1/5/11:
It's not in my outline, but I'm wearing a silly band right now. I was just curious about where they're made, what they're made out of, and the dyes that are used to color them. And how in the world do they go back to the same shape every time!?!? Although, I have noticed a decline in the silly band fad, and I was actually curious as to how that has effected the economy in terms of the manufacturers, and the distributors as well.
I mentioned that today I ate an apple for a snack, I was just curious as to where it was grown, and how it got here. Was it ever frozen? What kinds of preservatives and anti-pesticides were used to get it to me? What kind of animals live off of apples? And how has the farm affected what used to be a normal habitat?
I also wanted to re-touch on Starbucks products (which I mentioned in yesterday's reflection). There are so many things that are required to run a Starbucks. Blenders, grinders, coffee machine, espresso machine, cash register, etc. Along with that there are all of the ingredients like coffee beans, water, different milks, syrups, sugars, teas, whipped cream, etc. And then along with those, there are the packaging for each of them. Even the store itself took a lot of work: there is all the furniture, the architecture, the building, the property etc. This is something that I might want to be doing my project on!
It's not in my outline, but I'm wearing a silly band right now. I was just curious about where they're made, what they're made out of, and the dyes that are used to color them. And how in the world do they go back to the same shape every time!?!? Although, I have noticed a decline in the silly band fad, and I was actually curious as to how that has effected the economy in terms of the manufacturers, and the distributors as well.
I mentioned that today I ate an apple for a snack, I was just curious as to where it was grown, and how it got here. Was it ever frozen? What kinds of preservatives and anti-pesticides were used to get it to me? What kind of animals live off of apples? And how has the farm affected what used to be a normal habitat?
I also wanted to re-touch on Starbucks products (which I mentioned in yesterday's reflection). There are so many things that are required to run a Starbucks. Blenders, grinders, coffee machine, espresso machine, cash register, etc. Along with that there are all of the ingredients like coffee beans, water, different milks, syrups, sugars, teas, whipped cream, etc. And then along with those, there are the packaging for each of them. Even the store itself took a lot of work: there is all the furniture, the architecture, the building, the property etc. This is something that I might want to be doing my project on!
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