How Wasteful are YOU?

 Would you be inclined to change your habits?

Yes, I know I am extremely wasteful when it comes to electricity. I tend to flip EVERY light switch available when I go into a room. I cannot stand rooms that are not well lit, and my apartment has terrible lighting. I’m definitely working on this “bad habit” of mine. Once I change completely it will make a different in my electricity bill, because it tends to be rather high (sometimes).

 

Fuel Usage

Home- Starbucks 1.1 Miles

Starbucks- School 7.1 Miles

School- Home 7.7 Miles

15.9 Miles x 52 Weeks = 826.8 miles

Waste

1 Venti frappuccino Cup + Straw x 52 Weeks = 52 cups & straws

2- 16.9 oz water bottles x 52 weeks = 104 water bottles

2 – Pieces of grilled chicken breast ** Accident x 52 weeks = 104 pieces of grilled chicken

2 –16 oz glass bottles x 52 weeks = 104 glass bottles

1— 5oz. Garnier fructis “Rough it putty” – this is a hair product that last me a long time

50-65 Gallons of Water (Shower, sink, toilet, dishwasher) x 52 weeks= 2600-3380 Gallons of water

5-10 min Electricity x 52 weeks = 260-520 minutes

2- 9in pieces of Tin Foil x 52 weeks= 39 feet Tin foil

Cotton

 Fact Sheet: Cotton
"The Fabric of our lives"

 

·          Cotton is a natural fiber that is harvested from a cotton plant

·          There are several species of “wild cotton” (cotton that grows uncultivated) in the world. They have been found in Australia, Africa, Arizona, Central America, Lower California, Brazil, Mexico and other tropical countries and islands.

·          Each fiber is an outgrowth of a single cell that develops in the surface layer of the cotton seed. During early stages of its growth, the fiber elongates to its full length as a thin-walled tube. As it matures, the fiber wall is thickened by deposits of cellulose inside the tube, leaving a hollow area in the center. When the growth period ends and the living material die, the fiber collapses and twists about its own axis.

·          Cotton is harvested by hand or machine.

·          Once picked the cotton get pressed into large modules, each containing some 20,000 lbs of cotton.

 (cottoninc)

What's the Value of Money

The value of $$$ ?

 

 

What is the value of money?

Technically, money has no value because it’s a piece of paper.

In the past coins were made of pure silver but According to the usmint:

Quarters and dimes are composed of cupro-nickel clad, with a pure copper core, and an outer layer of a 75 percent copper, 25 percent nickel alloy.

Nickels are made from the same 75-25 alloy, and the cent, once a copper coin, is now composed of copper plated zinc. These cents are less expensive for the Mint to manufacture, and at 2.5 grams each, weigh about 20% less than the cent previously minted of 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc, which weighed 3.11 grams.

 

Which basically means if you tried to melt them down you would probably get little to nothing. Humans have made money valuable because of the purchasing power due to the supply and demand we have for material items or just “stuff” in general. When you purchase something such as a car or house than money becomes valuable because these are tangible objects. Back In 1971 Richard Nixon announced that the United States wouldn’t exchange dollars for gold, which is when the value of money no longer became relevant and that’s exactly where we stand today.

 

History of the area and why people migrated here…….The California gold rush

 

In January 24, 1848 while mining with a crew at the American river near Sacramento, James Marshall discovered the precious metal gold.  News of Marshall’s discovery marked the beginning of one of the largest human migrations in history, as a half-million people from around the world descended upon California in search of the piece of the pie. By 1849 the population in California had increased to about 100,000 (as compared with 20,000 at the end of 1848 and around 800 in March 1848) due to the gold miners known as the 49ers (history.gov). Due the population influx California was able to apply for admissions into the union and was admitted as a free state in 1850 making it the 31^st state.

 

Capitalism vs. Marxism

 

I believe that Marxism is better suited to facilitate a sustainable future. The text states “Concern about sustainability must be based on moral obligations towards future generations—not just personal self-interest.”  In which Capitalism is a free mark system whose means of production come from privately owned businesses which has helped to create the tremendous gap between the rich and poor based upon their self interest. Marxism on the other hand believes that there should be no social classes and everyone should be equal. In order for this to work there would have to be a complete restructuring in America because we over eat, we waste food, pollute, etc. and we aren’t used to being told NO, but in order for everyone to be on the same playing field there has to be equality, and nobody can be left behind.

Silent Spring

 

Carson was often described as an early activist who worked to preserve the world for future generations. According to PBS the EPA looked to her as a founding inspiration and the fish and wildlife service as a source of agency pride. Rachel Carson was a well known Marine Biologist,   environmental activist and writer who got her “name” from her outstanding works of art about the underwater world.

 With the encouragement of friends and family she took on a bigger issue the environment and the effects that pesticide (DDT) had on it. Through her finding DDT was eventually banned by the federal government. With the publication of Silent Spring, Carson is credited with launching the contemporary environmental movement and awakening concern by thinking Americans about the environment (FWA).

 There is no question...that SILENT SPRING prompted the Federal Government to take action against water and air pollution — as well as against the misuse of pesticides — several years before it otherwise might have moved (EPA).

http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Rachel_Carson/about/rachelcarson.html
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/09212007/profile.html

Uganda, Africa

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ug.html

The place of interest that I would like to learn more about is Uganda, Africa. I am going to Uganda this summer so I felt it fit for this assignment. Uganda is a thriving nation that has substantial natural resources that helps to build its economy. However, it has several environmental issues that have yet to be completely tackled such as sanitation and water. According to cia.gov only 72 % of the populations in improved areas have access to a drinking water source and 34% have access to sanitation facilities. Where only 28% of the unimproved areas have access to a drinking water source and 66% have access to sanitation facilities which is a huge issue. Africa is the largest nation in the world yet, it is stricken with some many issues and I think it’s important for me as a person and global health major to know and understand why.