Products/Waste and Recycling

http://www.psdgraphics.com/psd-icons/green-recycling-symbols/

1. "Designers begin by specifying materials with as low an environmental impact as possible and this requires understanding their material chemistry and life cycles in detail—not only the toxicity of a material itself, but also where it came from and how it was produced."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 254.

The important thing to realize here is that the designer cannot approach this issue on the product level. They have to investigate further in to the methods used to produce the materials used in the product. The book uses gold for an example and how we might look at it as a harmless material, but most of the time we fail to realize the effects of all of the processes used to produce it. Just like lithium used in batteries. We look at the batteries as a small good that has little to know impact on the environment. What we don't realize is that mining lithium requires creating a giant hole in the ground. 

2. "One of the issues with packaging is the practice of creating a package that is used once and immediately discarded."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 260.


Think about this, what was the first thing you did when you got a Christmas present in a huge box as a kid? If you are anything like me you ripped it apart and threw all the pieces everywhere until you got to what was inside. Then your mom probably threw away all of the trash while you played with your new toy. You never really thought about where the trash went though, but it has to go somewhere right? Usually it ends up in a waste plant or landfill somewhere to be forgotten about. The point here is that the trash is still there and we need to be more conscience of how we dispose of or packaging. It is so easy for use to just throw things away because it then becomes someone else's problem. However is it just as easy to re-purpose the card board boxes and use them for storing various things. If we are creative enough, there are several things that we can do to reduce the amount of waste we produce just by re-purposing "trash".

3. "The idea of waste is a human construct."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 268.


This statement really stuck out to me in this section because we are so quick to just throw things away. We think that just because we are done using something, like a Styrofoam cup, that it is just trash. IN all actuality we can reuse that same cup over and over again for other drinks. This is why there is such a big push for using reusable water bottles. The amount of plastic "disposable" water bottles on the earth is astonishing. We need to learn to use things to their full potential and not throw hem away because we are done with them.  

Climate

.
https://thefederalist.com/2017/03/30/taxpayers-cant-talk-climate-change-policies-neither-can-scientists/

1. "Temperatures are rising more than twice as fast over land as over the oceans. They are rising faster in the Northern Hemisphere, where most of Earth’s land area is, than in the Southern Hemisphere. Temperatures in the Arctic have risen fastest of all, four times as fast as for the rest of the world at large."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 74.

   The thing that I find the most interesting about this quote is that tmeperature in the Northern Hemisphere have rise much faster than it has in the Southern Hemishpere.  It is really interesting to me that the temperature changes are directly related to the areas where there is more land, and thus more people. I do not think that very many people realize just how much the temperature effects the various environments around the world. Temperature changes determines a lot as far as what type of ecosystem is in a certain area. It determines how much rainfall occurs on average, as well as the types of life that can be sustained in a given area. Temperature plays a huge role in the climate, and we must be conscience of how big of an impact we humans have on it. With a population that is growing exponentially, we produce tons of greenhouse gases that cause the earth to become hotter. If we are not careful, we could totally change the ecosystems all around the world. 

 2. "For measurements before 150 years ago, scientists use proxies: indicators that stand in for temperature."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 75.

   I think this statement is very interesting because I never knew that temperature could be measured by the rings inside a tree or by the layers of coral. I knew that the trees' rings help us determine the age of them, but i never knew that they were effected by temperature changes as well. I also did not know that coral could provide information about temperature or even that it made layers just like the trees. Coral is a very sensitive organism and can be manipulated by even the slighted touch of a finger. With all of the pollutants that are found in the ocean, it is no wonder that we have killed a great amount of the coral around the world. We fail to realize that coral is a very crucial to the survival of many marine life forms. Reefs are usually home to thousands and thousand of fish, and if we continue to destroy them, we will destroy the population of those fish as well. Reefs are also very important for producing oxygen as well. Any adverse effects that we have on the ocean, and the environment overall, come back to have adverse effects on use even though we are oblivious to it. 

3. "Earth’s surface is constantly on the move, with continental plates rafting about on top of heavier oceanic plates."  

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 75.

     I actually have  had the opportunity to study a lot about the continental plates as I took Intro to Geology a few semesters ago. It was very cool to see how the continents actually move about and form volcanoes and trenches and things like that.  We also studied a lot about how the components of the plates melt and turn to magma that flows underground. Most people do not understand that the land we build and live on is constantly moving. This is because the movement is so slow that it can only be measured over a very long period of time. I am very happy that I got to take part in such an informative class. Studying different aspects of how the planet come together to form our home has always been fascinating to me, and I look forward to learning more about it in the future. 

Livable Cities

http://wallpapercave.com/nyc-at-night-wallpaper

1. "During that same period of time, much of our already-aging urban infrastructure will reach the end of its useful life and will need to be replaced."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge (208).

     This is a statement that hits very close to home with us because we are surrounded by all types of construction. Look at I-75 for example. There is not a single day that goes by that there is not some type of construction happening on the interstate. Most of us hate it, but what we fail to realize that infrastructure is the first step in accommodating the population growth. Without the infrastructure, roads and bridges, there would be no way for us to be able to get to new areas of growth. The world's population is growing so fast, that our current infrastructure is not sustainable and needs constant improvements. While the construction is a huge inconvenience, it is very necessary and will need to continue in order to keep people moving.

2. "Sprawl affects not only planetary health but social and individual health as well. Research surveys show significant links between the built environment and obesity. Physical inactivity is an independent risk factor for chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge (209).

     After reading this, I had to stop and think about what it was really saying for a minute. Sprawl is a method of settling land in a way that individuals rely hugely on vehicle or automotive transportation. This statement is saying that since we rely so heavy on our cars for transportation, we are not getting the exercise we need to keep our bodies healthy. It makes me realize that it is not just our eating habits that contribute to bad health, but it is also caused by the way we travel. Maybe we should think about moving more toward a culture where walking and biking are more feasible and reduce our reliance on vehicles. 

3.  "Density is a factor in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and in creating places with social and economic opportunity."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge (212).

     With the growing population, the density, or amount of people in a given ares grows as well. While this may cause the need for more infrastructure, it also has some great benefits. With a high density, it is easier, and more feasible, to use public transportation like buses and subways. This would help reduce the amount of greenhouse gases because people are driving less. Higher density area also foster economic growth. With more people in one area, local businesses would have more business. For people like me, we will stick to the rural lifestyle, but areas with a more dense population definitely has its perks. 

Water

https://www.miamidiscounttours.com/everglades-national-park

1. "The higher we go up the food chain, the greater the virtual water content."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 99.

     The idea of virtual water is a very interesting concept to me, because we do not always think about all of the resources that are used to produce food. This chapter is directly related to the food chapter in that all things need water to grow. This quote brings into perspective that there are so many more resources that are used to produce our food. Take cows for example; cows need a lot of water in order to grow and survive. However, it does not stop there. The cows need water, but the corn, grass and grain used to feed them also need water to grow. By the end of this cycle, it probably takes thousands of gallons of water to grow one cow that we can eat. This is one of the reasons water quantity and quality is of chief concern to us.  

2. "A more-sustainable approach to stormwater uses infiltration. This approach mimics the kinds of conditions that would have existed on the land before development by giving water access to the soil."

 Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 108.

     I believe infiltration is the absolute best way to reintroduce water into the soil to be reused. I actually have personal experience with this type of conservation. My dad owns and operates a large construction company that works in the storm and waste water management industry. His company puts in lift stations and water retention areas that treat water before it is reintroduced to the aquifer. He built a retention area that has ground up rubber materials that actually filter out all of the nitrates and other harmful chemicals in the water. All of it is done naturally, which eliminates the need for concrete and steel pipes that are used in "gray infrastructure".   

3. "The Everglades begin at Lake Okeechobee."

Douglas, Marjory Stoneman (1988). The Nature of the Everglades. University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future, 107.

     I chose this quote because it directly relates to the service learning project that i am participating in. I am working with Captains for Clean Water, which is an organization devoted to restoring the natural flow of water from the Lake to the Everglades. This simple statement provides the absolute truth that the everglades need the water from the Lake. However, big sugar companies have purchased the land south of the Okeechobee and refuse to restore the water flow. The affects on both the east and west coasts of Florida have been very destructive to the fisheries located there. Also the depletion of water flowing into the everglades has caused the environment to suffer there as well. It is said to see the environment suffer at the expense of peo 

Food

http://mrswestaphg.weebly.com/olivias-project-factory-farming/fighting-factory-farming

1.   "By contrast, genetic engineering uses pieces of genetic material separate from organisms. Scientists add or remove segments of DNA, use splicing to recombine them in laboratories, and insert the pieces into genomes."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability Principles and Practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 226.

     I think genetic engineering of both plants and animals is extremely wrong and unethical. Genetic engineering and GMOs have been linked to various diseases in humans. In my opinion, all of the food we eat should be all nature. Putting all of these chemicals in our food so that farmers can make more money and produce more food has huge adverse affects on those of use who eat it. The percentage of obese children has increased immensely because of these chemicals. The health of the general population has dramatically declined because farmers are allowed to use harmful chemicals and farming practices. 

2.     One shocking part of the Food Inc. movie for me was when they said four companies control 80% of the meat industry. These companies are able to manipulate the supply and the manufacturing of almost all of the meat. Each brand is really just part of one larger company. They use this power to make sure they get more money in their pockets, and they also control the farmers themselves. This control is shown through size requirements of the animals all the way down to what they are fed. All of this is down so that the food companies can make more money. 

3. Another shocking part of the movie was when they were talking about how E. Coli is linked to feed cows corn. The movie tells us that cows were never supposed to corn, and because of it they are producing E. Coli bacteria in their organs. It then gets passed through to the other animals because of the terrible living conditions on the feeding grounds. The cows must standing in their own manure 24/7 and they end up covered in it by the time they get to the slaughter house. The slaughter houses also have very low sanitation requirements, and the manure end up passing the bacteria to the meat.  This lead to the biggest meat recall in history. It is very disturbing to see how low the standards for what we call "food" really are. 

Pollution

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/pollution/

"One of its most significant chemical properties is its ability to dissolve other substances, which makes it easily contaminated, allowing it to dissolve and carry pollutants for long distances."

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, P 141.

     This is one statement that really hit home with me. I did not realize that water is known as the largest chemical dissolver in the world. The reason this means so much to me is because my favorite thing in the whole world is fishing and being on the water.  I did not realize that the water carries the chemicals it breaks down and eventually can contaminate all of the fish and other life forms. It hurts me to see plastic bottles and bag floating in the water when I am out because I know it has huge harmful effects on the marine life. 

"Pollution remediation means stopping and reversing damage to environmental systems caused by pollution." 

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, P 147.

     This is probably the most important statement in this section of the text because it talks about reversing and fixing the problems with pollution. I have personally taken my own measure to reverse pollution. Every time I got out on the boat or even just outside in general, if I see trash, I will pick it up and throw it in the trash can or recycle bin. I really try to go out of my way to make sure I give back to the environment because it is so important to our survival.   

"The most alarming of all man's assaults on the environment is the contamination of air, earth, rivers and sea with dangerous and even lethal materials."


Carson, Rachel (1990). The Obligation to Endure. University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future, 153.

The reason I chose this statement is because the way the author describes pollution as "man's assault" on nature. The way she describes it is different than the way I have heard pollution described before, and it really made me think. Humans really are assaulting the environment with different acts such as fracking and mining and logging. I cannot believe I never understood that we really are assaulting the environment because we are causing physical harm to it. We humans need to learn that doing this does not only hurt the environment, but it also hurts us. 

Shiva Biodiversity

http://appvoices.org/end-mountaintop-removal/ecology/

1. "Seeing other life forms as biological and genetic raw material is fraught with environmental risks."

Shiva, Vandana (2000).What is Biodiversity and Why is it so Important. University                                     Colloquium: A Sustainable Future, 41.

      I agree that there are some ecological risks involved with using various life forms as raw materials, but these risks only come if the materials are over harvested. If we use life form as materials at a sustainable rate where the overall health of the population of that life form are not changed, there is no reason why we cannot use the resources we are given. However, the moment we over harvest a resource the risk increases exponentially. 

2. "Ecosystems are a ecologically and biologically organized system consisting of diverse flora and fauna." 


Shiva, Vandana (2000).What is Biodiversity and Why is it so Important. University                                     Colloquium: A Sustainable Future, 42.

     The reason I chose this statement is because after I read it I realized that no matter how close or how far, each ecosystem is unique in its own way. Literally every ecosystem on the entire planet has one thing that makes it different that than any other ecosystem. This means that every organism in that ecosystem has a specific duty that helps it thrive. If we use too much of a resource, we are directly effecting the life of the other members of that ecosystem. This is why is said earlier that we need to be sustainable about how much natural resources we consume. 

3. "Mass extinctions have taken place during geological time, but the erosion of biodiversity has become a systematic product of industrialization."

Shiva, Vandana (2000).What is Biodiversity and Why is it so Important. University                                     Colloquium: A Sustainable Future, 45.

     This statement suggests that because the world is more industrialized, the amount of biodiversity on the planet is being decreased. This is a valid statement, because as we become more industrialized, we have to expand. This results in the destruction of natural habitats and forces the residents to either move or die. We need to find a way to be more sustainable in our expansion so that we can preseve the life around us. 
     

Nature Deficit Disorder

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature

1. "Studies suggest that nature may be useful as a therapy for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), used with or, when appropriate, even replacing medications or behavioral therapies."

Louv, Richard (2005). Nature-Deficit Disorder and the Restorative Environment. University                      Colloquium: A Sustainable Future, 2.

     In all honesty, I am not the least bit surprised by this quote. In fact, I totally agree with this statement and I have personal experience with this type of therapy. As I stated in one of my earlier blogs, I have always been fascinated with nature, and I love being out in the woods or on the water. When I am going through trouble in my own life, the first thing I do is get away from everyone by going out in the woods or on the water. I go here because it makes it easier for me to think about all of the things affecting my life, and it provides me with the clarity I need to make the right decision for my own life. Being in nature allows me to put aside all of life's distractions, and focus on the things that are weighing on me. 

2. "If it is true that nature therapy reduces the symptoms of ADHD, think the converse may also be true: ADHD may be a set of symptoms aggravated by lack of exposure." 

Louv, Richard (2005). Nature-Deficit Disorder and the Restorative Environment. University                      Colloquium: A Sustainable Future, 11.

     This statement provides us with a new perspective of the issue of what causes ADHD. I never really thought about the possibility of ADHD being caused by nature, but I does make sense. If we follow our ancestry back far enough, it is easy to see that at one time, all of our ancestors were very involved with nature. Everyone used to live off of the land and understood and appreciated nature for what it is. Back then Nature was the source of life. It allowed people to cultivate crops and harvest food and other goods. Each and everyone of us now still have that inherited connection with nature, so it makes sense that being deprived of nature causes problems in our lives. This deprivation induces some sort of reaction within the mind that has adverse effect on the individual.

3. "Even the most extensive research is unlikely to capture the full benefits of direct, natural experience."

   Louv, Richard (2005). Nature-Deficit Disorder and the Restorative Environment. University                      Colloquium: A Sustainable Future, 12.

     This statement really brings into perspective just how important the bond between man and nature is. It tells us that experiencing nature is so important that it can not even be measured by scientific research. This could be because each individuals experience with nature is unique to that person. Each individual perceives the different aspects of nature in their own way, just like individuals have different beliefs. In a way, Nature knows how each person is struggling and the best way to help that individual which causes each of us to have different experiences and expectations when it comes to interacting with nature. Some of us may feel more connected with animals while some may feel more connected with the trees or flowers. In the end it all depends on the individual's interaction and connectedness with nature.

Orr Biophilia

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Key_West/wildlife_and_habitat/mangroveforests/

1. "At the other end of the continuum of possible orientation toward nature is 'Biophilia,' which E. O. Wilson (1984) has defined as 'the urge to affiliate with other forms of life' (p. 85). 
     
     Orr, D. W. (2011). Love It or Lose It: The Coming Biophilia Revolution. University Colloquium:                A Sustainable Future, 187.

     The main reason I found this quote interesting is because I had never heard of the term biophilia, and it is the main subject of this section of reading. I have always found myself fascinated by the outdoors and the environment around me.  I always have the urge to be outside so I can enjoy the environment around me and learn new things about it. I would say I life with a high degree of biophilia because I love the outdoors. During my free time I love to hunt and fish, and I do it as much as I possibly can simply for the joy of being in nature. 

2. "But I do not think that early humans chose biophilia, if for no other reason  than that there was no choice to be made. And those tribes that were biophobic or incompetent toward nature fell into oblivion through starvation and disease" (Diamond, 1992, pp. 317-338).

    Orr, D. W. (2011). Love It or Lose It: The Coming Biophilia Revolution. University Colloquium:                A Sustainable Future, 188.
     
     This is another quote that strikes me as very interesting because it suggested that in the early times of human life, the people were in a very life or death situation. This statement basically says that those who were afraid of nature, had no chance of living while those who embraced nature and learned from it were able to adapt and survive. Personally, I have always loved camping and being out in the wild. In my opinion I think i have acquired the necessary skills to be able to survive at least for a short period of time on my own in the wild. My background in hunting and fishing connects me to the way my great ancestors lived in their time. This environment I was raised in is what helped me acquire some of these skills as well. I was raised in a small town and we had a good sized plot of land, so I was able to roam around and explore the environment and other life around me. This is how I learned the importance of preservation in nature. 

3. "The ecological crisis, in short, is about what it means to be human." 
     
     Orr, D. W. (2011). Love It or Lose It: The Coming Biophilia Revolution. University Colloquium:                A Sustainable Future, 197.

     The interesting thing, to me, about this statement is that it implies that we as human have an inherent responsibility to take care of the earth. We get so caught up in our own lives, that we often forget that we need to take care of our home as it has taken care of us. The earth provides us with all of the things we could possibly need to survive, but still we see people who throw their trash out the window with out even the slightest bit of hesitation. The earth is our home and we are responsible for keeping it clean and making sure it is here to provide for our children and grandchildren like it did for us. It is easy for us to take for granted the pleasures of the earth that we forget that it needs our help to stay healthy and alive. 
     
     

What is Sustainability?

What is Sustainability?

1.  "A system is a coherently organized set of interconnected elements (Meadows 2008, 188). A property of every system is that its identity is always more than the sum of its parts." (Robertson, 4).

     When I think about this quote, I am forced to think about all of the living and none living things on earth. While thinking about these things, whether they are humans, animals or even in inanimate objects, I realized everything is part of some sort of system or even many systems. For example, let's look at humans. There are hundreds of different systems within the human body which are essential to life including the respiratory system and digestive system.  There are also systems in nonliving items as well. Cars for example, also contain systems that have specific duties that keep the vehicle running.  There is a cooling system which helps keep the car from overheating. There is also an electrical system which monitors different systems and sends indicator lights to the driver is anything is wrong with the car. In my opinion it is really interesting to see how many elements if take to make something a working object.

2. "When sustainability scientists take measure of the current state of the planet, they find that it is not good. In fact, a variety of indicators all point to the same conclusion: the situation is critical and getting worse." (Robertson, 6).

     This statement really puts in to perspective the need to do some about our effects on the environment. This statement means that today the physical health of the earth is worse than it has ever been in the past. Honestly, humans can be to blame for this because we are very destructive and selfish. Humans do not care what happens in the end, as long as it helps or benefits us. The population is growing at alarming rate, and we are going to continue to expand. Expansion means we will have to  cut down more trees and destroy more habitats for other animals. We are purposely destroying the lives of animals in order to accommodate the growth of our own species. The worst part is, we have the opportunity to at least help offset the amount of bad things we do for the environment, but the sad thing is that most of us don't even care enough about the issue to recycle our own water bottles.

3. "An idea you will hear often in discussions of sustainability is one that is sometimes called the “triple bottom line” (TBL) or the “three E’s,” sometimes also referred to as the three pillars of sustainability or as planet, people, profit (Elkington 2012, 55)" (Robertson, 5)

     The one thing that makes this statement stand out to me is that it shows how the environment, economy and equity through out the world is connected. This proves that we not only have responsibility for ourselves, we also have responsibilities in other areas that are just as important. It is safe to say that we need to be held responsible and be conscious of how our actions effect the things around us. The three E's really help break down what it means to be sustainable, and it also expands on the definition of what someone thinks sustainability means.