Farewell

Well the end is here. This is my last post assigned for my Environmental Science class and well I have told myself I’m not going to cry. It really is bittersweet you see this requirement (of blogging) is something that I have enjoyed. I am going to let you know a little secret, I always wanted to create a blog but I was always too afraid to do so. And well in this class I was forced to face my fears, which I am glad for. Now enough of that and let’s get down to business.

As my final blog I was asked to write about what I believe is the most important environmental issue (or issues) today.

http://www.climate-concern.com/

And well, where does one start? There is so much that is troubling and threatening our planet. Fresh water shortages, climate change, pollution, overconsumption, overpopulation, chemicals in our food, destruction of habitats for thousands of species, endangerment of species, extinction of species, deforestation, the production of large amounts of waste, and the list goes on and on. Overall this class has opened my eyes to the sad state our planet is in. And what is sadder is that this is occurring because of human greed, we live lives that are unjustifiable and detrimental not only to our generation but it seems to the generations that are to come after us. Yes, yes, I know I’m ranting and well I apologize. But okay I am now going to focus.

http://voidmirror.blogspot.com/

The most troubling issue that we are facing is climate change. Why climate change over all others? Because the problem we are causing has the potential to threaten human and animal life as we know it. We learned that there is overwhelming support from the scientific community stating that climate change is real and happening (over 99% of scientists actually). These experts have stated that if we continue down the path that we are traveling through we can harm our planet to the point where human life as we know it will be forever changed. We are releasing extreme amounts of CO2 into our atmosphere that is harming the planet.

http://www.opengreenspace.com/opportunities-and-challenges/climate-change/

What will happen? Well some scientists argue that evidence shows that some areas of the planet will warm while others will cool. The balance that we know the planet to have will be changed. Some have stated that destructive weather patterns will increase in strength and number; our lives will be threatened by such happenings. Others have pointed out that climate change will also change our daily lives. We will not be able to produce food as we have been doing, as climate change will affect the weather negatively. Weather patterns will not be constant and we will be living lives of constant change trying to adapt to the weather. Climate change is also affecting the amount of precipitation that we receive, our water supplies will dwindle and we will soon be fighting over water. And I am sure we are all aware that none of us can survive without water.  Our societies and our economies will crash. Some might argue that my words are false; that they are nothing more than a doomsday message with no actual scientific support. But remember over 99% of environmental scientist have stated that climate change is real and is happening now. They have stated that it is happening even faster than previously thought! And this is only talking about how we as humans are being affected; thousands of other species are/will be affected negatively by climate change. 

http://www.teenjury.com/climate-change-can-it-be-part-of-a-science-curriculum/

Summits and other meetings have taken place throughout the world where scientists from all around the world have met in hopes of influencing their political leaders, trying to achieve solutions for climate change. 

http://redgreenandblue.org/2012/05/21/g8-summit-leaders-agree-on-meaningful-action-on-climate-change-but-will-it-matter/

But we must not wait until the politicians of the world come to an agreement before we act out against climate change. Everyday citizens like you and I can make a difference. It won’t be easy and we must rid ourselves of some of the “conveniences” of the modern world. What must we do? Well if the cause of the harm is that we are releasing too much CO2 into our atmosphere, we must live in ways that reduce this on our part. Among other things we can:

• Bike or use public transportation whenever possible rather than drive our personal vehicle

• Upgrade our vehicle to a more earth friendly model

• Purchase local foods that have not been trucked from distant parts of the country or world

• Invest in alternative fuels

• Help our planet heal itself through reforestation                                    
• Become thoroughly informed and educated regarding climate change 
  

http://www.myseek.org/world-in-crisis/crisis-climate-change/

If we take these actions together we will then not be acting alone as individuals but our societies will be united and send out a strong and powerful message together. We will be working for a clean, healthy, strong planet one that will house not only us, but also the future generations that are to come. 

http://www.cooltribe.com/tribe/climate-change-for-kids

This class has helped me a lot. I have been influenced by it much more than I ever expected. You see I always thought I was not a “science person.” I dreaded taking a science class and I was not exactly looking forward to this class. I now know I was wrong, I like science (at least this class). I have learned so much and in extension have taught my children so much of what I have learned. The other day when I was explaining something to the kids my sister said something to me that made me realize just how much this class has affected me, she stated that maybe writing was not my calling but rather I should look into a career in science. And though I am not ready to change my major I am ready to take other science classes.

Well, if I had to state what was the most interesting thing I have learned this semester it would be hard to narrow it down. Recently we learned about indoor air pollution, and about what causes it and how we can help clean our indoor air. This really hit me. Indoor air pollution? What? I had never thought about it, and it turns out it’s a big problem. But thanks to our lesson I have taken steps to help our indoor air quality. I have always had plants indoors which helps tremendously, but I have also cut out the use of harsh chemicals inside our home and have ditched the Windex; rather we are now cleaning our windows with vinegar. This is just one of the many issues that we dealt with that have changed the way we do things at home. 

There was so much I learned and every week I felt that I walked away with information that was pertinent to me, to my life. I obtained info that has changed different aspects of my life; I was always reminded that there is always something that I can work on. I can always improve and I must try to do so. 

http://buzz.roots.com/2009/07/environmental-quick-tips.html

Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout

This week for my Environmental Science class I had to pay close attention to the trash we produce at home. Well after completing the experiment what can I say? I think Mr. Shel Silverstein said it already:

Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout

Would not take the garbage out.

She'd wash the dishes and scrub the pans

Cook the yams and spice the hams,

And though her parents would scream and shout,

She simply would not take the garbage out.

And so it piled up to the ceiling:

Coffee grounds, potato peelings,

Brown bananas and rotten peas,

Chunks of sour cottage cheese.

It filled the can, it covered the floor,

It cracked the windows and blocked the door,

With bacon rinds and chicken bones,

Drippy ends of ice cream cones,

Prune pits, peach pits, orange peels,

Gloppy glumps of cold oatmeal,

Pizza crusts and withered greens,

Soggy beans, and tangerines,

Crusts of black-burned buttered toast,

Grisly bits of beefy roast.

The garbage rolled on down the halls,

It raised the roof, it broke the walls,

I mean, greasy napkins, cookie crumbs,

Blobs of gooey bubble gum,

Cellophane from old bologna,

Rubbery, blubbery macaroni,

Peanut butter, caked and dry,

Curdled milk, and crusts of pie,

Rotting melons, dried-up mustard,

Eggshells mixed with lemon custard,

Cold French fries and rancid meat,

Yellow lumps of Cream of Wheat.

At last the garbage reached so high

That finally it touched the sky,

And none of her friends would come to play,

And all of her neighbors moved away;

And finally, Sarah Cynthia Stout

Said, "Okay, I'll take the garbage out!"

But then, of course it was too late,

The garbage reached across the state,

From New York to the Golden Gate;

And there in the garbage she did hate

Poor Sarah met an awful fate

That I cannot right now relate

Because the hour is much too late

But children, remember Sarah Stout,

And always take the garbage out.

http://mste.illinois.edu/courses/ci407su01/students/north/kristy/Project/K-Poem-Net.html

Why the poem? It was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the amount of trash we had collected. Why did I collect trash? Well, the rules of the experiment were pretty much the following:

  1.)    Keep track of the trash you collect for three days.    
  2.)    Find ideas of ways you may reduce the amount of trash you produce.  
  3.)    Implement these ideas and once again keep track of the garbage    collected.

So here is the bad news, I feel like this is a great idea BUT it came at a very bad time for me. You see I started the experiment on Friday morning and was to complete my first three days on Sunday. Now I was to be hosting a bridal shower for a girlfriend on Sunday evening and so I was worried that we would be creating large amounts of trash, and well my fear was correct. 

First I must state that we already try to create the least amount of trash possible. We try to purchase the items we can that are packaged in recyclable containers. We have quite a collection of glass jars that we use for various things from drinking jars, pencil holders, and flower vases. My kids have a great time painting the outside of large tin jars that we then use as planters for flowers that we put on our porch. 

Friday and Saturday we went about our daily lives as usual and we created relatively small amounts of trash. After the first two days we had some plastic wrapping, a Coco’s pie box, a plastic milk gallon, some napkins, a plastic mustard container, and some foil. All in all we had less than ¼ of a tall kitchen trash can full. And as always we separated the recyclables from non-recyclables. I was feeling pretty good about the whole thing but I was sure that Sunday would put a dent in our low amounts of trash produced. 

Sunday:

I woke up early and headed for the grocery store. On the list:

Fish, radishes, limes, tostadas, chiles, tomatillos, onions, garlic, avocados, cilantro, tomatoes, oregano, and tortillas. 

All of these things came wrapped in plastic either because they were prepackaged or because I put them in a thin plastic bag at the store so that I could purchase them. I came home unwrapped them threw the plastic in the trash and started the cooking process. As the day progressed friends started showing up with more food and other items that were to be used for the day. By the end of the day we had THREE full tall kitchen trash cans of waste. These included things such as plastic cups and plates, forks, spoons, plastic wrappings, wrapping paper, tissue paper, napkins, plastic containers that many desserts came in, some 2 liter plastic soda bottles, and a few empty glass bottles of wine. I must state in my defense that we did separate the recyclables from the non-recyclables. 

I felt a little bummed that we created so much trash but I tried to make myself feel better about it, by reasoning that this is not an everyday thing in our house rather this is the exception. 

And so after feeling like Sara Sylvia Cynthia Stout I decided that the kids and I would be working extra hard to make up for the large amounts of waste we created on Sunday. I researched “waste reduction strategies” and obtained 3,310,000 results for my search. I read about how schools, cities, communities, and companies are committed to reducing waste and have implemented ways of doing so. Here are a few tips I read about reducing waste at home:

• Buy in bulk

• Reuse products

• Buy products with less packaging

• Purchase refillable products

• Cancel magazine subscriptions

• Avoid single serving products

• Avoid throwaways such as: straws plastic utensils, wood chopsticks

• Compost organics

• Use less hazardous cleaning products

• Donate your used items instead of throwing them away

I decided to implement a few of the tips provided. First after last Thursday’s class and after some internet research I decided we are done with Windex which I use a lot. I will not create as much trash because I will not have the plastic container to deal with and I will at the same time help our indoor air quality become better. I will avoid throwaways, when we visit restaurant places we will use our own mustard, ketchup, and silverware instead of bringing individually prepackaged items home that will create waste. I will try to purchase items that are wrapped in less packaging, purchase refillable items, I hope to use cloth napkins, I am going to try and not use plastic bags at the grocery store, and when I can buy in bulk. Also I am going to try to compost our organics.

The next three days:

Once again we went back to creating smaller amounts of trash. We went to Albertson’s and instead of using their plastic bags we took our own large canvas bag that we put our items in. It was kind of nice because the bag is one of my favorites but I had not used it very much because of its size. Well I have now found a great use for it. It really helped reduce the amount of trash we would have created. Instead of bagging our milk gallon we simply carried it by hand. We also used cloth napkins rather than paper. 

Tonight when I went over what we had in our trash can we have: a few organics, a paper cup, dust from sweeping, a plastic cereal wrapper, and a chip bag. 

Our family has been trying for some time now to reduce our waste and I am proud of what we have accomplished to date; but I also see that we still have a lot more that we can work on. In order to do better I know that we do have to switch to cloth napkins, we have to continue to take our own reusable bags with us when grocery shopping, we must put together and use that composting bin we have in the shed out back and we must avoid throwaways. We must also find ways of reducing our trash when we host gatherings in our home. 

http://www.recyclingsupply.com/blog/?tag=ez-can-recycler-system

This week’s assignment was great. It reminded me that I must continuously try to improve our way of living. 

Climate Change

This week for my environmental science class I had to take on the task of becoming a researcher. I was assigned to research some very interesting questions about Climate Change? What is climate change you ask? Well most of us know it as global warming, yet the term “global warming” is misleading as some areas of the planet are indeed warming and this is where the phrase might have been taken from, but the reality is that while some areas are warming others are in fact cooling. So you see the proper and correct term when referring to the changing weather patterns is “climate change” rather than global warming.

Now, let us talk about the controversy that surrounds climate change. Around the globe scientist are practically unanimously in accordance in their conclusion that the climate of our Earth is indeed changing. They state that findings show that humans are causing the planet harm because of our hazardous actions, mainly releasing extreme amounts of CO2 into the air. What releases CO2? Well when we burn coal, oil, and gas we create the problem. Then when you add the fact that we are destroying our forest through deforestation the problem becomes even bigger.  But not all seem to agree with these ideas, there is a very limited number of scientist (.03 % actually) that disagree with the findings of the vast majority (more than 99.7 %.). These small numbers of scientist argue that the climate is not changing. They promote their skepticism through a few institutes that they have founded. We know that their ideas are in fact adopted by some since there are average citizens, news outlets, and government officials among others who have identified themselves as skeptics. But we must ask ourselves, can 99.7% of scientist be reading the data wrong? Probably not. I also must note that the very small number (.03) of scientists, who disagree with climate change, might to some degree be moved by bias. Their institutes are funded by groups and corporations who benefit from the denial of climate change.  Many might argue that regardless of where funding come from these scientific institutes are capable of reaching unbiased results.  And though this can be true, we must also take into consideration, that if in fact they were to agree with the rest of the scientific community and state that climate change is real and present; well they probably run the risk of not receiving funding from such generous donors again.  Therefore we must educate ourselves and learn about climate change, once we have done so we can reach an informed decision regarding whether we are believers in climate change or whether we fall into the skeptics’ category.  

So let us start educating ourselves today. Following is a small lesson in Climate Change 101.

According to evidence, is the climate changing right now?

Yes. The climate of our planet is rapidly changing. Results show that climate change is real and happening so quickly that at the June 2009 just prior to the G8 Summit which took place in Italy the scientific community of the 8 member nations that were to be present along with their colleagues from other nations who were also assisting the summit urged their political leaders to “seize all opportunities” they have to address climate change. Why? They stated that climate change "is happening even faster than previously estimated."  Across the globe the weather is changing. Our summers are becoming longer and hotter. Our rainy seasons are shorter and drier, snowy areas are melting.  Sea levels are rising as glaciers are melting and record breaking paces. All around the world indicators and examples such as these are proving that climate change is happening.

What does evidence say about humans’ roles in the changing climate?

Scientific results show that since the time of the industrial revolution the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in our atmosphere have increased steadily. Today scientists track the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere by different sectors of our society. The results of these studies (just as those conducted regarding the industrial revolution) show that human activities are increasing the emissions of these gases. A recent scientific study showed that between 1990 and 2005 the increase in greenhouse gasses steady increased and rose up by 31%! Humans are also killing many of our planet’s forests. Through deforestation immense amounts of land are being cleared of its trees and this in turn harms our planet and adds to climate change. Trees help clean our air and balance our planet when we cut them down at record speeds we are bringing tremendous harm to our planet; harm that is harsh and has potentially deadly consequences for our planet and ourselves.  If we take this evidence into consideration we can logically reason that if the cause of global climate change is the increasing amounts of greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere and as we can clearly see humans through their activities (burning coal, oil, and deforestation) are releasing steadily rising amounts of these gases into the atmosphere then we can with certainty argue that these two are linked. And not only can we say are they linked but rather we can conclude that human activities are responsible for the changing climate.  

All of this information leads us to a very important question:

How is climate change likely to affect our society and our world?

The world as we know it will and is changing. Weather patterns as stated before are not constant as they once were.  Areas that were used to warm temperatures are now experiencing cooling trends, in other parts hot areas are becoming hotter, cold areas are warming, rainy seasons are shorter and precipitation levels are down. These are just some of the ways our weather will, can and is changing. But let us think beyond the mere aspect of adjusting to new weather conditions. We must also realize that our way of life and daily activities will be affected, our economies will also suffer. Farming patterns and locations will have to change and try to adapt to the changing weather. If we obtain less rain we will suffer from a water shortage that can affect not only farming but also daily aspects of our lives such as having limited amounts of drinking water. The costs of goods will rise tremendously and bring upon us unprecedented difficulties.  The list of potential harms is endless, some are small and maybe even considered insignificant to some. But others according to scientists are going to be world changing. Hurricanes, tornadoes, and overall harsher, stronger and extreme weather conditions will occur that will cause devastation to our planet, our communities, our societies, and our families.  

Now that we know what is happening to our planet and when we take into consideration that 99.7% of scientist agree on not only the existence of the problem but also on the root of it, why are some in our country still not convinced? 

First let me start but stating that around the world there is almost a unanimous agreement that Climate Change is real and needs to be addressed before it too late. It seems as if the United States is the only country where its citizens and political leaders are debating whether in fact climate change is real. Does this remind you of anything? Maybe 99.7% vs. .03%? ;) Well then why is this so? I believe this debate is raging in our country because of Capitalism. You see there are those in our country which profit in the selling of “stuff” and in order to continue making this profit they must continue to make their “stuff” in the cheapest way possible regardless of whether it harms our planet and its people. In the process they are releasing greenhouse gases through the production process or the things they produce (such as cars) produce these gases. They do not wish to curb their production (profits) and so they want the system to stay as it is.

So how have they gotten so many to buy into their reasoning? Well first they have socialized us to feel that we have the best way of life that exists around the planet. We feel that we deserve to use as many resources needed in order to live the lives that we are accustomed to even if they harm our planet. I also believe that in order to justify their actions and in order to provide us with a justification they have supported and in effect bought off certain scientific institutions so that these can help them. Institutions that receive funding from these giant companies and groups are influenced and persuaded because of the funding to reach results that are favorable to their donors. When these institutions state that climate change is false then the media especially the media that caters to these points of views spreads the message.  Many citizens of our country are not informed enough about the facts and so they are influenced and persuaded by the headlines in the news. They do not follow through in finding out for themselves instead they take “their word for it.” And accept the message as reality. But is this the only reason the problem exists? No. not only do these “skeptical scientist” argue that climate change is false; they also attack those who argue in favor of the reality of climate change. They label the work of 99.7% of the scientific population (climate change related) as junk science and perpetuate this message through various means. 

I have also learned that a breakdown in communication is also partially at fault. The scientific community is one that like many other communities has specialized words and meanings attached to these words. Well in our everyday society we also use many of these same words. So what’s the problem? They have different meanings to each other and so while they might understand their statements and arguments fully, we (regular citizens) do not. An example I found interesting was the word “manipulation.” When a scientist uses the word to him/her it means that the data was computed and results were obtained. To us when we read or hear that something was manipulated, we associate it with negative tampering. This is just one example of how communication between the scientific community and us can be and is affected due to terminology. 

So we must address these two main issues in our society if we are to get past them. We will then be able to focus on the immense problem at hand, take concrete steps toward the healing of our planet.  If we do not address the issue now in 50 years we will have very little of a planet left. If we continue as we do we will soon find ourselves fighting each other for the few resources left. It will not be where countries are fighting each other rather it will be where neighbors are fighting with their neighbors for survival. The planet I imagine will be dry and colorless our “quality of life” will be nonexistent and will resemble the hard and desperate lives that many around the world live in underprivileged countries. 

So we must ask ourselves if this is what we want. If not, then we must act now!

Chemicals Everywhere!

This week in in our Environmental Science class I had to read “Regulating toxic chemicals: Do we know enough about chemical risks?” an article dealing with the chemical risks we are dealing with in our country today. 

You see in today’s society we come into contact with thousands of chemicals throughout our lifetime and you and I might assume that they are safe based solely on the fact that they are used in the products we purchase otherwise we might reason if that were not the case the government would not allow them to be used. Well this assumption would be a false one. It turns out that the government does not require companies to prove that their products are safe rather it puts the burden of testing and proving possible harmful effects on scientist, government regulators (who are understaffed and ill equipped) and other consumer watch groups. This has the potential to create devastating health effects on consumers. The article spoke how large recalls of products have had taken place because a product was deemed unsafe and potentially harmful after being in use for long periods of time among consumers. Well you might reason, that must be because the chemicals used in products are mostly well known and their history has proven they are safe right? Wrong. Every year according to the article about 700 new chemicals are added to the list of chemicals being used in our products. Most are used before true and efficient testing is done. For many of these chemicals we do not know what if any long term effects by come to be. Our testing methods are also faulty. You see we do the majority of test on animals where they receive large doses of chemicals in hopes of learning whether a certain chemical causes major harmful effects. But, we do not seem to be testing for the harmful effects caused by small doses of these chemicals. The companies that are promoting the uses of these chemicals are ignoring that their products might be harmful to us. 

The United States is not the only country that faces this problem. Countries all around the world have to deal with these same issues, but some have taken bigger steps toward solving the problem. The European Union and other countries have adopted what is known as the Precautionary Principle (PP) into effect in their regulations. The PP puts the burden of proof of a products safety on the manufacturer rather than the government and consumer watch groups. A company must submit proper scientific proof that their product is safe for human use prior to obtaining approval for use in the consumer market. Also, if a product might pose a harmful risk then the PP states that the product must be banned. The PP aims at preventing harmful effects rather than having to scramble to correct a potential health issue in the future without the use of the principle. 

There are those who do not agree with the PP. Some state that it does not really help prevent potential health effects rather they state it hurts the consumer market and consumers as additional cost are incurred and passed down to the consumer. Others state that it is troublesome. In the article Gary Marchant a law professor at AZ State University argued that the PP is not a good idea because among other things it is “problematic” because there are “various unofficial versions” of PP exist. 

Well I learned that the government is not doing its job to keep us safe from chemicals that might harm us. As I read the article it seemed ludicrous to me that the government would allow these companies to pretty much regulate themselves and have them decide whether the chemicals were safe for human use. Are you kidding me? Does the government really feel these companies are in a position to decide objectively? I do not believe it so, I believe that most companies are in the market to make profits and that being so they will and have pushed chemicals that might be harmful all in the name of greed. They do not care about the consumer and therefore they should have the responsibility of proving their products safe prior to use in the consumer markets. The government should also require that they (companies) use outside independent testing in order to prove safety. We are not talking about something frivolous here; we are talking about our health and that of our children. It angers to see that these large companies have so much pull and clout that the government that was created “by the people and for the people” caters to these large corporations and does not care about “its people.” 

Those who oppose the adoption PP do so because they are not looking at the bigger picture or because they have vested interest in the rejection of the PP.  The principle is not perfect, it might have various definitions but instead of rejecting it altogether we should work to perfect it. The companies promoting and using potentially harmful chemicals have proven they are not willing to do what is best for the consumer. The BPA found in plastics was one example given. The companies that used this product did not act out to replace its use in plastic until consumers and suppliers refused their products. 

I believe that we should adopt the Precautionary Principle in our society. Other countries around the world are successfully using this idea to help their societies. I do not mean to say that this will correct all the ills in our society regarding harmful chemicals but I do believe it will be a start in the right direction. We must take back control of our health. We must not allow those with vested interest in profits to make decisions for us. Instead they must prove that they are responsible with the use of chemicals. They must prove that the safety and concern of our health is more important to them than profits.

Here are two links that will help you become more familiar with the Precautionary Principle:

http://www.sehn.org/ppfaqs.html 

http://www.commonweal.org/programs/precautionary-principle.html

E=gc2 Unplugged

As our assignment for my Environmental Science class this week I had to unplug from the matrix for the day. And well needless to say it was an interesting experience. On Monday night I informed my kids that we would be using no electricity the next day and instead of driving to school we would bike. Then yesterday when we awoke plans were changed just a bit, being that it was raining and my daughter’s school is about 2 miles away I decided that we would have to scrap the biking, it was not going to work with the weather as it was. The kids got ready for school and I did my rounds of dropping them off. 

When I returned home I started the process of unplugging. I started off with the bedrooms and went around unplugging the light fixtures in each room followed by the light fixtures in the living room, family room and kitchen. We have only one TV in the house and so I unplugged that also, I went into the garage and unplugged the washer and dryer. I was all done and felt pretty good, and then I happened to glance into the family room and noticed I had forgotten to turn off and unplug the computer and stereo. As I walked toward it I felt uneasy turning it off, it is always on and it is my link to the rest of the world. I turned it off and told myself I had to disconnect it just as I had done with everything else, and then that uneasy feeling got stronger, it felt as if it was wrong what I was about to do. I was surprised to feel this way as I always thought that I was not attached in any way to electronics, I always reasoned I could do without any of them.

Throughout my day I realized that I missed the computer immensely. While I was cleaning I could not go over to it and listen to Pandora, I couldn’t listen to my regular podcasts, and I had no access to my regular newspaper readings. So even though I did have withdrawals from not being able to use the computer, once I accepted the fact the day was not so bad. Yes it was quite when I was cleaning and the silence seemed awkward at first but I focused on the bird sounds coming from outside. I could hear the birds chirping and pigeons cooing. And I realize that in all the silence I was immersed in I prayed a whole lot more than I usually do and I am grateful for that, so it turned out kind of nice. 

The rest of the day wasn't so bad we read and sat together and talked more than we regularly do. And we all ended up going to bed earlier than usual because once the sun went down and we had no light there wasn't much to do.

Today I caught up with the news and with my friends FB posts and its interesting how in being without access to the world for one day one misses so much.

Now that our experiment is complete I know that on a daily basis we do not consume tremendous amounts of energy. The house has many windows and so we rely a lot on natural light during the day. At night we tend to hang out in the family room and the light fixtures in there are energy savers. We don’t watch a lot of TV; actually we hardly watch it at all. And the only other major electronic we own is the computer which we do use and is the only thing that is on even when we are not using it. 

So long story short my main energy consumption is the computer, am I willing to cut down on it? I don’t think so. I am always so busy I always seem have so much to do and not enough hours to accomplish it and so the computer helps me squeeze in things I would have no time for. 

But I did leave all the light fixtures and appliances unplugged and plan to continue doing so. I had no idea they still used up energy even if they were not on.  Our home is somewhat energy efficient. We have energy efficient windows in the living room, kitchen and family room and so it stays pretty cool during the summer and pretty warm during the winter in these areas. I also replaced our front and back doors for ones that are energy efficient. I have caulked around the windows and other areas also in order to help, and eventually plan on replacing the remaining windows that are in need of upgrades. At home we have ceilings fans in the family rooms and each bedroom because they consume less energy than the air conditioner and these work great; we very rarely turn on the air. We take showers rather than baths and I have replaced the shower heads to water saving models.

My only electronic addiction  ^.^

I enjoyed this week’s lesson, as it taught me that even though I have always considered myself earth friendly I still can and need to do more. It also allowed me to realize that I depend on the computer immensely and that I feel lost without it.  

Dinner from Across the World

As our weekly blog assignment we were asked to look into where our food comes from. And so I visited our regular market in search of dinner. Well once I decided what I was going to make and I started taking notes I realized that my food travels quite a distance before it makes it to our dinner table. 

I decided to make Tostadas de Ceviche and so I would need the following ingredients:

Ground fish

Limes

Onions

Tomatoes

Radishes

Cilantro

Avocados

Salt

Tapatio hot sauce

Tostadas

And here is the bad news, everything on our list except for three items (the hot sauce, the salt, and the tostadas) came from a foreign country. Terrible I know…

And here it is:

Tilapia fish: was a product of China and was farmed.

Limes: a product of Mexico.

Onions: a product of Chile.

Tomatoes: a product of Mexico.

Radishes: a product of Mexico.

Cilantro: a product of Mexico.

Avocados:  a product of Mexico.

Salt: a product of the United States.

Tapatio hot sauce: a product of the United States. (Vernon, CA)

Tostadas: a product of the United States. (Southgate, CA)

Now you might be wondering, all of these veggies were they farmed in a large or small farm? Were pesticides used or are they organic? Good questions. But unfortunately I don’t have very good answers. I do know they are not organic as it was not advertised as so, and the prices were too low to be so. I spoke to the produce guy at Cardenas and he told me he was aware of the countries they come from but was not familiar with the farming practices or sizes of the farms. So I contacted someone in the Cardenas office who politely informed she did not know either but directed me to the manager who might be able to help me. When I spoke to him I was told that their purchasing practices are confidential (really?) but he could tell me that everything is purchased though a middle man. The products are brought in from Mexico, Central, and South America by different corporations and then purchased by Cardenas and that is all he was permitted to say. 

So I in my limited knowledge of the world and how it works I am pretty sure about some things regarding my produce. I reckon that odds are that pesticides were used. I know that each country has different regulations when regarding the use of pesticides and let’s face it; most developing countries are more lax with their regulations.  Is this practice healthy? No. I actually don’t know how damaging to our health it must be though. I hope that when I wash the produce most of the damaging agents are washed off. 

Who benefited economically from the product? Not the farm workers that’s for sure. So it might be that the farm owner benefits, then the middle man makes a profit and finally Cardenas. And I must admit I benefited also because the reason I shop at Cardenas is that their produce is so much cheaper than Albertson’s my other option nearby.

The environmental impacts of bringing the food to us must be tremendous. All of it was shipped from thousands of miles away and the exuberant use of oil, a non-renewable resource is detrimental to the Earth. Also though the products might be shipped in large amounts together in large crates, when we purchase them at the store we put them in plastic bags that end up in the trash. Therefore the overall damage to the environment is extensive.

The Tapatio hot sauce is made here in the States and the ingredients seemed pretty basic, water, chiles, spices, garlic, vinegar. Except when I got to the Xanthan Gum (?) which when I researched it, I found out it is an additive that thickens the sauce, and the process of creating it sounds just as gross as its name.  The tostadas were made of corn, water, salt, limes, and soybean oil. Where did these ingredients come from? The two products were produced here in the States with products of other countries. 

After this experience I’m a little torn, I feel guilty that our food is traveling from so far. And so I am going to try to visit local farmers markets which I have never really done before. My munchkins and I have also started a little garden this year, something we had not done before. And I’m happy to report that our cilantro, parsley, mint and chives are growing nicely. We also have corn, radishes, watermelons, oregano, chiles, and green beans planted. So hopefully soon we will be eating a lot of our own products and not so many from so far away.

Life In Our Backyard

Today I spent some time under a tree out in my back yard. I picked a spot out on the south side of my yard because there is a large tree that I wanted to sit under. When I first sat down the only thing I could think of was how chilly it felt out there. The wind was cold and unforgiving. I decided I would try to focus on my task at hand and try to ignore the temperature. What was my task? Well I was to focus on nature. What could I see? What could I hear? How did it all interact? 

As I took my spot under the tree I was greeted by Russa, my 7 year old Pit Bull. She nudged me in hopes that I was out there to play. I greeted her in return and patted her head, and as I sat down and began to take some notes she lost interest and walked away to find her favorite spot under our back porch. I focused on sounds first; closing my eyes I tried to identify them. The wind rustling through the trees, the leaves, the large palm tree in the front yard. The sounds were strong and clear; the wind found all the spots available to it and slid its way through them. Then I could hear the sparrows, the many, many sparrows all happily chirping their songs. I could hear their serenades coming from all around me. Above me in the tree I sat under, across me in the tree 10 feet away, and to the left of me in the large Eucalyptus tree. I could also begin to hear the cries of crows as they called out to each other. Pigeon coos also danced in the air, though I must admit there were other bird sounds I heard; I unfortunately could not recognize which of our feathered friends were responsible for the lovely tunes. I heard the dogs across the street barking, followed by my neighbors Chihuahuas, and then Russa responding to them. The horses in the field behind me also sent out their sounds calling out to each other. 

Next I focused on sight. I noticed all the prior birds mentioned in action, they interacted with each other and with the vegetation. Sparrows moved from one location to the next. From tree tops to the fence, from the fence to the palm tree and just seemed to chase each other from one local to another.They fluttered in midair, happily singing their tunes, or would touch the ground and peck a while before flying off. The four crows I spotted seemed to be particular to the tallest palm tree, they perched there while scoping out the area. The trees and the birds seemed to be a good example for commensalism. Through their interaction the tress themselves provided shelter for the birds, while the birds didn't seem to do much for the tress. These also drew my attention. While some trees lay bare waiting for spring to arrive; others were blooming as if it already were here. 

I looked at the ground and at first glance I could only see dead leaves and a few rocks on the moist soil. But as I took a closer look I could see hundreds of busy little ants. They were dark, the color of the dirt and seemed to camouflage perfectly with the land. They were busy all moving quickly in their own direction, knowing exactly where to go. I was struck by how strong they are. The wind came and tried to bully them in different directions but they remained steadfast, their routes would not be redirected.  I noticed many were on their way to a decomposing lemon. I also noticed what appeared to be small fruit flies trying to gain access to the same lemon and so I focused my attentions to this interspecific competition. I reasoned that these small insects might battle each other for the lemon. Well I was I wrong; the insects seemed to share their resource. Both worked away at the lemon without getting into each other’s way. 

As I sat out there today enjoying my “I am one with nature” time, I realized a few things. First, I must make time to clear out the back yard; the annual and perennial weeds are starting to take over! Second, I had a very enjoyable time. It was very nice to be out there focused on other things that can bring us peace and enjoyment. I took a moment and sat in one of my kids makeshift swings and as I looked around, I realized why they love spending so much time out there. 

Biotic (living) things I encountered:
Sparrows, crows, pigeons, horses, ants, trees, weeds & grass, fruit flies, cactus, and my dog :) 


Abiotic (non living) things I encountered: Dead leaves, dirt, rocks, neighbors old boat, fence, dead branches, water hose.