Recapping #3: Garbage Warrior

My last movie review, I was introduce to an amazing man named Michael Reynolds and his Earthships. Michael Reynolds has been an architecture for 35 years, and he been experimenting with radically sustainable living houses in New Mexico of Taos. He beileves that progress evolves through making mistakes, but not everyone sees it that way. On one view, he did not believe in the past or current standards of architectures. He believe in his own sustainability living houses for the future. Throughout this movie I learned it's not an easy way to pursue sustainability living standards with any city council, government, and the state.

The beginning had Mr. Reynolds introducing us to one his sustainability house called, "The Phoenix", it has nothing that comes into this house. There are no no usage of energy, power lines, gasoline, sewage lines going out, water lines coming in. There are 6,000 of water and food growing, sewage internal lines, 70°space year round, taking every aspect of life, and putting into our own life. A family of can live in it and not have to visit a store. Food production, birds, and insects flying around, goats, chickens, and ducks, Amazon jungle with 24 ft tall trees, and plat forms to hangout with all types of birds and insects. The "Thumb House" is the house Michael Reynolds and his wife lived there for 20 years later, and with their kids are still there because good working conditions. His home is the first house made from beer cans formed into bricks. This was possible by the wires, foil for reflectors, and 2 - 3 other houses were made this way. Thrown away tires are another product used for create his houses. His house was very simple, easy to build, beer cans and plastered over, no door, no walls,windows, u- shaped rooms, and all connected with the Greenhouse, glass faces sun, low winter floods the house and absorbs into the tires wall store, their no heating or cooling system, and under Fahrenheit causes stress on a person and off the planet.

Michael Reynolds will show you to different testing sites called "Castle Compound" and "Reach Community". Castle Compound, Texas built 1976-1986 30 years. It was the testing site and just the evolution of his work, can't worry about what it looks like and just wan it to. Pretty much it's a place for trial error, and experiments, and learning situation from the buildings. Reach Community, Taos the first sustainable testing site, successful and going further,650 acres this time around. $1,000 + was spent on this process of getting a house on a land fields. This houses are good because there are no mortgage bills, utility bill. One thing needs to know is that their contract will say they agree to live in an experimental houses. Hence, mention that people can complain all that goes wrong, and his crew will be there to make sure all the problems be solved out.

Greater World Community located in Taos and found 1990, it's a community that Michael Reynolds was able to established as a whole. Everyone came from a downside life from the reality of regular house living, but they were able to help lead Mr. Reynolds into doing great work. Some people were homeless or wanted a new way to live. They were designated a lot of 10 acres, memberships of share, turn into building lots, paid the same amount and drew number of hat, and got the lot they got. It was a fair and equal deal, and no richer person couldn't afford the better lot, people got in affordable price like a fancy restaurant night out. I enjoyed how they worked it out, and they inspired people to keep on moving this sustainability of living. The crew became a great family, so nothing harmful happened. The house can take care of it's own self that it provides power, heats itself, plants provide food, water comes from roof. Michael Reynolds words with put on websites, magazines, and attracted people to work for him and eventually the crew.

Towards the end of the movie it got kinda messy with knowing what was going on from taking notes. I can just say that Michael Reynolds lost his architecture license, and hit rock bottom for awhile. He was told that he was not following the architecture safeties and the book rules, yet Michael Reynolds did not like it at first. Then he wanted to continue his life, so he just gave in and allowed a certain rural city living.  Construction were done to make things good regarding the rules. Then one thing to keep in mind is that a prospering country will not change their living standards of sustainability, but when a third world country loses all they got with the a disaster hitting them. When everything is destroyed and have to stared back over, it will allow a new sustainability of living happens. This was when Michael Reynolds started to help some countries who got a lot of their living houses wiped out. Finally, he allowed his license back for helping third world country who lost everything.
      

The Grand Finale of Environmental Science Blog

This will be the last blog assignment for the environmental science course, so I was told to bring forward what are the most important environmental issues of today. I will let you in on my thoughts of the important environmental issue, why they are important (supporting it with data/facts/examples), what we can do about it as a society, what can you can do individually, and what I believe is/are the most interesting thing/things I have learned throughout the semester. Throughout the course, I can say as for planet Earth, we are pretty much destroying our self into a massive extinction. There are no important environmental issues because they are equally horrible for our general planet. If you want in on knowing what are some environmental issues, so they be anything that humans would be doing in our daily life and what products we may buy. Because finals is around the corner I would just use Climate Change as my focus point.

Climate Change: 
In a movie review and a blog assignment, I have learned that Climate Change can be a devastating issue on current Earth.The site Climate Change at the National Academies  stated that Earth average surface air temperature has increased by about 0.8°C (1.4°F) since 1900. There are evidence from thermometers records, tree rings, ice core, melting of ice into ocean, rising of sea levels, and increasing temperature. Average surface temperature on Earth it shows that 1983-2012 was probably the warmest 30 years period in more than 800 years. Green house gases had risen global temperature by about over the 20th century. Studies had shown that CO2 increased by 40% from 1800-2012. Additional activities that humans help make matter worse are agricultural, road construction, and emission of small particles, known as aerosols. Potential climate change can impact areas, species and natural environment. In the future average sea levels will be predicted to rise by 9 to 88cm by 2100, and mainly due to thermal expansion.James Balog from the movie "Chasing Ice" made a great film on Climate Change. He tackled the focus area on ice because it's the foundation of glacial melting. His crew and his self had some eye popping  photographic and films that can't lie to people that Climate Change is warming up. Store Glacier was the biggest calving event to happen and to be filmed. It was the longest film record at 75 minutes, it cabin faces 300 ft - 400 ft tall pieces of ice were shooting up 600 ft and falling. Pretty much imagine the city Manhattan breaking up in front of you. This is a must see film because if your curious about Global Warming.

What The Society Can Do World Wide:
From the SF Gate newspaper site and article called, "Top Ways to Stop Global Warming", showed four great ways to stop global warming. As a society, we must reduce fossil fuel use because it's the main source of burning that increase levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Planting more trees and plants can be a way great way to slow or stop global warming. Plants and tress are amazing because they use carbon dioxide and releases oxygen. Chegg is great site to rent textbooks because they plant new trees when you buy textbooks from them. Notable society methods can be to reduce waste and conserve water.

What An Individual Can Do:
From the website Union Concerned Scientists and article called, "What Can You Do About Global Warming", had a list of individual things a person can do overall. Here is some ways to reduce global warming such as taking personal action reduce the amount of gas you burn (by better usable transportation from not burning fossil fuels), buy efficient appliances that useless electricity (look for Energy Star, awarded by the EPA), and reduce everyday electrical usage. Other noticeable task can be to reduce lawn size, recycle whenever possible, eat locally, produced food, and eat vegetarian meals.

What Caught My Interest In The Course:
This whole 2014 Spring Semester, I had a great experience on learning a lot throughout this course. In the course, I loved everything that I learned and was inspired how great Dr. Tonya Huff have a brilliant mind. She taught the class so well, and surprisingly each week on a Wednesday night was way more fun than I expected from other 3 hours night class that I had in the past. All the blogs that I done were equally exciting to find out all lot of facts, so this made me more of a brighter person in the field of environmental science. This may be from the chemicals that manufacturers put into our daily products, so the government can kill us off. Just being around alone in peace with the nature was pretty cool, knowing the fact that tap water is safer than bottle water, finding out about your ecological footprints and you would need a lot more planets to be sustainable, how you can take action to make your campus way more sustainable, and how plastic never goes away and just biodegrade down into small pieces.      

24 Hours Challenge: No Energy Consumption

For blog assignment #11 in my environmental science course, I was told not to use any energy consumption for a 24 hours time limit. In order to finish this task, I was suppose to unplug any technological devices during my 24 hours period. I was not allowed to use my cell-phone, iPod or radio players, computers, television, my graphing calculator for my math class, my G-Shock watch, my amp for the bass guitar, and anything that were electronics. Additional energy consumption around the house should not be in use either such as my blow dryer, toaster, cloth dryer, blender, juicers, electrical tools, mower, fridge and freezer, night lights, lamps, and so on. All the vampire plugs shall be unplug for no energy usage. My family should respect this rule whenever I was around them with the electronic usage, and they were allowed to scold me while I was tempted to use it at all. Memorial weekend was the worst time to do assignment because I around my dad's girlfriend niece going away party to Humble State College, Sunday I was around my nephew who is two months old, and I needed the computer for my homework assignments. Monday my dad hold a BBQ at my grandparent's house, so on Sunday evening and Monday morning I was used the electrical tools to get yard straighten out. 

Then I started my 24 hours challenge on Tuesday because I can get a great chance at the challenge. My morning usually start off at 7 am, and the sunlight always brighten up my room. This was when I was able to open up my curtain, and to let the sunlight come in. This mean I was not able to use the bedroom light, so each morning I can save energy by  this way. My grandparent already got a new fridge that was energy saving, so I just ate Honey Nuts and Oats with almonds. Normally, I get my mind warm up with either a word puzzle or Sudoku. The time was 8;30 am, my friend Alex got me into a bible study the week before. Now I was going to spend some time with the word of God, so I prayed to God to be guidance on this challenge, gave thanks for good stuff that happened on the weekend, and the let me understand the book of John. I spent a good 1:30, so the time leads me to 10 am. When I take a shower it normally takes me a good 15 minutes together with the shower and dressing myself. I just bit the bullet and took the shower like a man because I told myself to not be a girl and be a true man. 

After I got ready without any technology, I just went to school in my truck and drove a little bit because the task required it. This meant no radio usage, so I put it on mute and left with just my thoughts. I drove to school, so I can go get tutoring for my trigonometry course. The time was 11:20 am when got to the MLK tutoring building. I spent a good two hours on my math homework, and I went to get lunch of pizza and Pure Leaf Sweet Tea. Next I was able to go to my math class at 2:45 pm to 4:50 pm. There are normally bible studies at school around 4:30 pm, so I went near the student store for half an hour. At this time of 5:20 pm, I regrouped my thoughts on my energy usage, so I can say it was going well. More ways I can reduce my energy usage can take the bus more often or buy a bike, so I do my traveling around the city. I can try to find a carpooling with my friends too or a being drop of with my parents or grandparents. Sometimes I can walk to certain places such as the convenient stores, parks, and friends or family houses. Now my times is way 6:15 pm when I got home from school, so I had to use the microwave to heat up my BBQ from the day before. This broke one of the rule of the challenge, so I was sad at this moment. Then I had to use the lights at the moment too. However, I was to notice that in the rule I can use the light whenever is  necessary and night time was a good time too. Except the no microwave was not suppose to be use at all.  After my dinner it lead me to 6:35 pm, so I let my grandmother to wash my dishes. I drank tapped water because I learned from my environmental science course that it was pretty much safe to drink from. My next task of the day was to do my reading for my environmental science course and microeconomics course, and it required light to do the reading. 

My reading ended at 9 pm, so I just jumped back into thinking about the energy consumption challenge. There was where I wanted to end my day, and enjoy a new one that God hold for myself. I turned off my bedroom light, and went to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth with cold water. Then said goodnight to my family. Now I woke up at 7 am where I was relieve to get the challenge done. There were a few more question that I had to answer off such as alternatives how to manage the indoor temperature control. Look around my house, so I can find ways to increase energy efficiency without having to give up convenience or technology. For the managing the indoor temperature, I can get some curtain for my patio sliding door for when it's hot. This would allow more cool for summer or hot spring seasons. Open the windows more often and deal with the heat as too use no conditioner, and learn how to deal with global warming. For cold season, I can just bury myself with some blankets or wear some warmer clothes. In order to increase my energy efficiency, I believe a new stove, dryer, washer, and electrical tools can be change in respect. My grandfather already bought a new stove, but I think he is waiting for something like a deliver time to happen and it's energy efficiency. Washer and dryer it's money and time that matters on this equipment. The electrical tools can be manage buying more energy efficiency, so once again the money matters. We already have some lighting that are energy efficiency, so this part is good. 

I can say this was a difficult task to attempt because there are some stuff I did not want to give up at all. I love my cell-phone, computer, and iPod. I listen to music everyday, sometimes on phone for important phone calls, and computer is use for a lot of  school work. I need my amp for my bass guitar because I can listen to my progress of notes being strung together. I use a blow dryer for my spiking my hair, I need hot water for coffee when I am less energized, hot water for showers or washing dishes, electrical cords when doing yard work or fixing my car in the garage. There are some stuff I can give up like the online social sites, messages, and if I have to or want to do it all over again. 

Recapping #2: Plasticized

Another movie review, I chosen to watch for additional 5pts extra credit it was "Plasticized". This movie was an intimate account of a first hand journey aboard the Sea Dragon with 5 Gyres Institute on the very first scientific expedition, focused on plastic waste, through the centre of the South Atlantic Ocean. Their global mission was to study the effects, reality, and scale of plastic pollution around the world. The project was inspired by Charles Moore and partnered with the Algalita Marine Research Foundation. He wanted to raise awareness to other people about this massive soup of buoyant plastics, now known as the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch." Regarding to where the trash of plastics come from is a global problem. Plastic pollution can be found at every coastline and ocean in the world. All the plastic are washed into the sea from every continents of the world. The whole clean up will require an international world help to solve the problem. It took 31 days on the sea to do the mission from California to South Africa, and completed 4,000+ miles of sailing. Some people that I may mention their bibliography can be found at this site http://5gyres.org/who_we_are/advisors_and_staff/ .

Ana Cummins said it best, "What they are doing with 5 Gyers and Algalita is looking at distribution of plastic. Scam the surface of the ocean, count pieces of plastic in lab, and share the results." The goal for trawling is 15-50,000 miles until they get to South Africa is to deploy the sea surface trawls. The plastic can be traced from our footsteps in the United States all the way to Japan. We don't have to ever be at Japan at all, but our plastic can travel over there. Chelsea Rochman is like an environmental chemistry or toxicology professional, and she notice a lot of nurdel of plastics, and these are virgin of plastic found 100 miles offshore. Her project throughout the trip was to research the plastic, the manufactures of plastics that absorbs onto the ocean. How that effect the animals if it transfer to their tissue and toxic effects of that. There was a control survey of feeding the fish plastics in the ocean for 3 months or straight out the manufacture plastics. They did ate the plastic, they looked for toxic effects, losing weight, anemic, single cell losses in the liver.

Chelsea Rochman and Nurdels

Plastic Pollution is a big concern of the causes of plastic being the ocean. Jody Lemmon mentioned "The Ocean is sick in away of pollution, we don't the extend of the problem is, and the damages of the long terms.The pollutants are proven to stick to plastics, and transfer into the dissolve into the organism of the animals. It can also mess up their reproductive systems, and hormones to be mimic. Color of white plastic can disrupt the food source of animals because it can mimic their natural food source in the ocean or on the surface. Visible at night or looks like a fish egg or Zooplankton. 3rd world country does not realized their plastics does not absorbs into the ground, everything we use as plastic throw it on the ground will go back into the Earth. Plastic only biodegrades in the right conditions, so it does it in the ocean from the sunlight and it not a good thing in this area of the world. In addition, 3rd world countries does not know plastic will stay around 400-1000 years.Therefore, new chemical formulas needs to be created, so there can be biodegradable products.

Ever since WWII we started making single use of plastic, no body was thinking about the environmental nightmares outcomes. Unlike thinking about our useful purpose of plastic, we need to go safe our beautiful planet from plastic being produce and sent into the ocean. There are a lot of animals dying from the plastics we produce into the ocean. In fact, we are producing 10's of 1,000's of trash plastic just floating in the ocean. Overall, anyone can learn a lot of what impact plastic can do onto our ocean. I believe it's a 10/10 movie.
 

 

Recapping Movie: Chasing Ice

Throughout my environmental science course, the class was given a chance to do any combination of movie reviews, field trips, movie nights on campus, visit the garden day on campus, book reviews, and 5 hours community service for a separate 5 points each to equal 20 points cumulative available extra credit. Therefore, I chosen a movie called "Chasing Ice" and I can say it really did open up my eyes on the matters of Global Warming or Climate Change. James Balog was the person who directed this movie, and he is an professional scientist in the geography and geomophology, but he always had the love and passion for photography with natural environmental surrounding. He love the subductive fashion to help people to be pulled into, and forces people to think about our environment. One thing he knows for fact about Global Warming was that Climate Change it connects behind ice. National Geographic is where Mr. Balog worked at for his career, and one of its company most popular and well read magazine in five years was his glacier and ice work "The Big Thaw Cover Magazine Story".  

James Balog had a goal to capture all the changes among glacier ice melt in 6 months apart, so he would scatter cameras around to get the images. Extreme Ice Survey (EIS) was a company that created at the beginning of his mission. The company was to provide 25 cameras for every 3 hours only daylight, download pictures into video clips to show people how the landscape was changing. There was a big group of teammates to be assembled for this mission such as Adam Lewinter - EIS Engineer, Svavar Jonatanson Photo Assistant, Dr. Jason Boy Climatologist Ohio State Univeristy professor, and Dr. Tad Pfeffer Glaciologist and best known as the grandfather of glacier in Alaska. There goal was to help people believe in global warming by visualizing it's happening through ice melting photo magic images. EIS cameras are suppose to withstand some harshes part of the environment such as Hurricane Force wind, -40° temperature, not the nicest environment for technology.They ended up installing a dozen cameras in Greenland, 5 in Iceland and Alaska, and 2 in Montana. There were also some trouble shooting that were caused by voltage and computer timer to tell the camera to shoot pictures. Several other technical problems were such as rocks crushing on them, buried under snow 15ft to 20ft, pixie glass window,sand blasted, battery explode inside camera boxes, birds peak at them, foxes chew up the cable chords, and a lot of money wasted. Luckily, their engineer Adam was able to work with National Geographic to redesign controllers, new circuit that use less power and was lot more reliable because simple electronic circuitry inside it. Then it was the was the turn around part, so they had to wait for a new season and to make sure they were working.

Cryconite Illustration

Now I can start talking about the evidence that James Balog and his crew had gather through the successful photography. The facts are worrisome bare the truth because we mankind are destroying the glacial ice. In fact, 800,000 years ago or so atmosphere carbon dioxide were never higher than approximately 280 parts per million. Humans added way more carbon dioxide to our planet, so it's 390 parts per year and 40% higher. Now carbon dioxide is 5,000 parts per million+. Mass extinction on plants and animals can occur from this about in 200 to 300 years from now. They are going extinct already 1000 x"s faster now than 10,000 years ago. Glacier does a trimming and thinning motion, such as air letting out of a balloon. In 1984, the trimming in Alaska was as tall as the New York Empire Statue.Melt zone up and down the edges of the sheet that melts and stored water is running out to the sea.100 thousand years ago ice been entering into ocean. Now Greenland been dumping even more ice into water. The term ice caving (when glacier break gigantic ice bergs into the ocean) it can cause rise of sea level. James Balog also notice that there were Cryoconite Holes surround Greenland snow. Cryconite are caused by natural dust from the Dessert Central Asia, carbon wildfire, fine particle of soft wildlife, and algae. Black and absorbs a lot more heat than the surrounding ice. Melting away and filling up with water, ancient bubbles now being released as the ice sheet melts. Greenhouse gases are one of the biggest reason for Climate Change because it can create way more carbon dioxide. Then it eventually melts the ice sheet around the edges and cause seal level rises. Dr. Tad mentioned "Climate is warm it can shrink, and Climate is cooler it can grow. Too warm and thin volume drops and cross tipping climate will not matter because it will be unreversible. 

Store Glacier Biggest Ice Calving Event

There were some amazing moments through the Chasing Ice movie that on my own believe made me enjoy watching this movie. I was amazed how fast the glaciers were melting in a short amount of time, and I know there is nothing to reverse the motion of this action. The only thing we can do is stop what human impacts that is being done at this moment. One thing I did like was the video capture of Store Glacier in Greenland because it's the mother of all glacier in the Western Hemisphere. Store Glacier was rumored to be the glacier to put out an ice berg to sink the Titanic. The video camera crew captured the longest ice calving event on tape within 75 minutes.The cabin faces was 300 ft -400 ft tall, pieces of ice were shouting up 600 ft and falling. Pretty much like Manhattan breaking up in your eyes. James Balog is one big risk taker and dare devil because he do whatever it takes to capture the breathe taking moments into his pictures. Not even a bad knee or a doctor words would not keep him doing his love passion in life, and this  is why this movie is one to watch.

He mentioned about "Taking a picture at night, places mind on a surface on a planet. No longer a human being walking around on a regular world, your a human animal striding around the surface of the planet. Out on the insight of middle of galaxy." "As a culture we forgetting we are actually naturally organism, very deep contact with nature and depend on it."            

   

Why Is Global Warming Still A Debate?

Have you ever felt like the weather was hotter than it usually should be? This may be because it's Global Warming that is existing on our present geological times. My environmental assignment this week is to do some research on the famous debate if Global Warming is really occurring. I was suppose to find out what the evidence of climate changes are saying right now, what roles humans may impact on it and how, what type of damages are happening on our society and our world. Then I'm to write a brief section on what skeptism on climate denial is being said around the world and why it still exist. In addition, I would give a small brief on what the world would be like in 50 years if we continue with our current current path and do nothing to slow it done.

Global Warming should not be a debatable topic anymore because there plenty of facts can be proven it is happening. This can be based on statics from past, present or future, and physical changes or impact loses.I have found out in the Climate Change at the National Academies website, that the Earth's average surface air temperature has increased by about 0.8°C (1.4°F) since 1900.Majority of this warming took place since the mid 1970's. Thermometer records is the clearest evidence for surface warming evidence provided tool. The tool extends back to 19th century, now the temperatures are monitored at many thousands of locations, over both the land and ocean surface. Tree rings and ice core can help place recent temperature changes in the context of the past, and the estimate of the temperature change to be known. Indirect estimates of average surface temperature on Earth's it shows that 1983-2012 was probably the warmest 30 years period in more than 800 years.A monitoring system measurements can be a helpful tool for scientist to figure out how the lower atmosphere and the upper layers of the ocean have also warmed, snow and ice cover are decreasing. In fact, snow cover has declined by some 10% since the late 1960's in the mid/high latitudes of the Northen Hemisphere. A lot of recorded mountain glaciers in non - polar regions have retreated during this time as well. Recent decades, the extent of Antarctic sea-ice in the spring and summer has decreased by about 10-15% and the ice has likely thinned by 40% during the late summer and early autumn. The mean sea level has risen by 10 to 20 cm, as the upper layers of the oceans warm, water expands and sea levels rises.

Some people may be wondering, what are the impacts humans are causing to our planet Earth? There are several impacts that mankind had already caused upon our planet, and majority of the truth are scary to bare.The rising levels of green house gases are one of the biggest concern of Global Warming. This had risen Global temperature by about 0.6C over the 20th century.Scientist had found CO2 to be one of the main green house gases of importance to Earth's energy balance since mid - 1800s. Direct measurement of CO2 in the atmosphere and in air trapped in ice show tha atmospheric CO2 increased by 40% from 1800 to 2012. Methan and Nitrous oxide known from green house gases are also increasing as a consequence of human activities. Emission of green house gases comes from a variety of human activities, including burning fossil fuels for heat and energy, clearing forests, fertilizing crops, storing waste in landfills, raising livestock, and producing some kinds of industrial products.The Earth's climate is driven by a continuous flow of energy from the sun. It comes from visible light 30% is scattered back into space, but 70% passes down through the atmosphere to warm Earth's surface.Green house gases can block the infrared radiation from escaping directly from the surface to space. Additional activities that humans help make matter worse are agricultural or road constructions, and emission of small particles, known as aerosols. Carbon dioxide is produced when fossils fuels are used to generate energy and when forest are cut down and burned. Methane and Nitrous occur by agricultural activities and changes in land and other sources. Industrial processes can release halocarbans, and other long - lived gases such as sukphure hexaflouride. Lower atmosphere of Ozone can be generated indirected by automobile exhausted fumes and other sources.

Next question is about what are the type of damages that are happening on our society and world? Now once again there are a lot that is taking place in this present, past, and future. Climate Changes can can affect our way of life in many ways. Heat waves can be the cruelness impact to have on our human health. This can lead to heat strokes and dehydration, and are the most common causes of weather - related deaths. Young children, older adults, people with medical conditions, the poor are more vulnerable than others to heart - related illness. There will be longer heat waves in the summer. Increase demand for electricity would another matter because of hotter summers will use more air conditioner to run longer. This will create air pollution and green house gas emissions from power plants. Los Angeles annual heat - related - deaths are projected to increase two - to seven - fold by the end of 21st century, depending on the future growth of green house gas emissions. Fresh foods and water would reduced in availability. With more server warming, floods, and drought reduce crop yields. There will be disease that we will have to consider about with the climate changes. Allergens will come much early and last longer. Pathogens disease can be transmitted through food, water, and animals. Food borne disease will arrive, higher temperature causes salmonella and other bacteria related food poisoning environments. These disease can cause gastrointestinal distress and in sever cases cause death. Water borne disease from heavy rainfall or flooding, so it creates cryptospridium and giradia that are in drinking water. Once again causes of death are known. Mosquitoes are to increase with warmer weather, wet climates and can spread diseases such as West Nile virus. Additional problems can be rising sea levels threaten coastal communities and ecosystem, severe weather conditions, altering where species lives and how they interact.

Another website that I went on to visit was from the Heartland Institute website http://heartland.org/ideas/global-warming-not-crisis. Heartland Institute is an economics focus group that have been studying global warming since 1994. This group are aware that scientist have some gathers believes on global warming, but scientist are unsure how large a role human activity may have played. Heartland Institute are here to help people determine what warming is done by nature or humans. Two - thirds of the warming in the 1990's are due to natural causes. "Real and Crisis" are the words scientist use a lot to talk about Global Warming, so Heartland Institute had realize majority of scientist don't understand what they are saying. In fact, they caught 60% of the scientist to conclude Global Warming is not a crisis. More than 300,000 scientists have signed a petition saying there is no threat to humanity or nature (Petition Project). Klaus - Martin Schulte did a recent study research that 928 scientific paper published from 2004 - Feburary 2007 found fewer than half explicit or implicit endorse the so called consensus and only 7 percent did so explicitly.

Finally, I do see Global Warming in 50 years is only going to get worse. My point of view is that natural causes alone are always making the weather heat up, but  human civilization is speeding the process. Average sea level will be predicted to rise by 9 to 88 cm by 2100, and mainly due to thermal expansion. If the Earth's temperature continue to rise at the rate of the past three decades, the planet would see only 1.23 degrees C warming over the course of an entire century. I don't see the Global Warming getting any better if we work together as a whole, and reduce the causes we human create

http://heartland.org/ideas/global-warming-not-crisis 

http://nas-sites.org/americasclimatechoices/

 

A Field Trip To A Landfill

On May 9th 2014 of a Friday, I went on a class field trip to the Bandlands Landfield located in Moreno Valley. It was a 20 minutes drive from Riverside city county, and basically it was part of Moreno Valleys Mountains (you can visit their web site from here www.rivcowm.org. The real name that they go by is Riverside City Waste Management Department, and they had started up since 1966 as a burning trash site. Because burning trash would pollute the environment, they switched over to landfill in 1970.This landfiled owns 11 hundred acres which is equivalent to 7 Disneyland parks. Bandlands Landfield is consider the end of the line for all trash waste products. A dosser would compact the trash together into a box shape because it is better and safe for the environment. Density and landfill last 120 to 120 feets and invated solution to safing.   There are several monitoring programs such as national Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System, Groundwater Monitoring, Gas Monitoring, and Gas Collection System. 

Riverside City Waste Management Department would normally take in 2200 tons a day, and can be 1 and half houses stack a day. This can be about 150 acers, and 10,000 tons to check each around to not take waste. An interesting fact is a that there are a lot of seahawks flying around the trash, but there is a hawk control man to help with this problem.The hawk man releases the hawk each day, so the hawk can keep the birds away from trash. The Waste Management company also uses a tarp to cover the trash when the day is over because no other ground animals can get into the trash. There is also a cage like fence that can catch the trash before it get out of their site. Then there will be some workers who will clean the fence, so the place can be kept clean. The trash is converted into gas fuels because trash would get buried, turn into liquid, and gets used a burner. The burner would create half methane and dioxide anorabic breaks down and to the land field. More fuel than less dioxide 1,000 or 15,000 to power Southern California Edison it goes to 100 mega watts. It counts to 1.3 millions dollar, and 1 million ahead.There shouldn’t be any drainage such as hazard, methane, and water. Water leaking is the most important for them to make sure there is not drainage of water, so the other places’ water don’t get any polluted water from the landfill. Visiting the main websites on Riverside City Waste Management, you can learn about what they can recycle, what is not good to recycle, fees punishments, and what other landfill sites there are with organization company. Mostly electronic waste, appliances tires, and metals are good recylceable.  The landfill designated as Class 3 facility by Title 27 California Code of Regulations. They are only permitted max tonnage of 4,000 tons per day. Once landfill filled up with trashes, and there is not any more space, they close, nothing goes out of landfill, and everything can be recycled. The linear system layer of landfill structure was 7 for typical bottom liner system, and 5 layers for typical side slope liner system. At times there are inspection on the people monitors the landfills because to see if they are good to keep landfill.

Acceptable Items 

 Solid Waste 

 Household Refuse 

 Yard Trimmings 

 Furniture 

 Tires 

 Appliances (i.e. 

Microwaves, 

Refrigerators, Washers, 

Dryers, etc.) 

 TV’s and Computers 

 Electronic Waste 

Unacceptable Items 

 Hazardous Waste 

 Household Hazardous 

Waste (i.e. Cleaners, 

Chemicals, Pesticides, 

Pool Chemicals, Paints, 

Aerosol Cans, Propane 

Tanks, etc.) 

 Explosives or 

Ammunition 

 Untreated Medical/

Infectious Waste 

(including Sharps) 

 Asbestos (including 

floor tile and roofing 

material containing 

asbestos) 

Snack: Corn Nuts

This week's blog, I'll be doing a research on one of my favorite food or snack. My research should focus on what my food or snack ingredients are, where did my food or snacks come from. how was it grown or raised, who raised/ grew/ produced/ manufactured it, what are it's environmental impacts, and what health effects might it have. Now my type of snack came to while I deciding what should I talk about or bring to school as a potluck. While sitting on my desk were a bag of Corn Nuts - Chile Picante, which my grandfather normally would put on my desk as a snack, or sometimes he will bring real homemade beef jerky from a store in Anaheim. He works in the city of Anaheim that is why I mentioned it. Corn Nuts are a favorite type for all types of ages with teeth. They have a lot of flavor to them, so in fact there are 6 types of flavors. The flavors are Chile Picante, Original, Ranch, BBQ, Nacho Cheese, Salsa Jalisco. In 1936, Corn Nuts were originally named Olin's Brown Jug Toasted Corn by Albert Holloawy who invented and sold it. As a beginning life, Corn Nuts were served as tavern snacks, and made from sweet corn. Originated in Oakland and Salina Valley California, so it's basically the central California near Monetary. . Below are the ingredients that are contained in the Corn Nuts.

Ingredients: Corn, Corn Oil, Maltodextrin, Spices, Onions and Garlic, and Tomatoe(s) Powder, Pepper(s), Chili Dried, Monosodium Glutamate Flavors Enhance, Citric Acid for (tartness), Flavor(s) Natural and Artificial, Paprika Extract Vegetable(s)

Corn Nuts are not actually nuts, they're made from kernels corns that are soaked in water, roasted toasted or deep fried. The crunchy nut - like texture and not the taste was the reason for the name of Corn Nuts.Kernels are soaked because they shrink during the harvesting and cleaning process, and re-hydration returns them to the original size. They are fried in one hundred percent natural vegetable oil. Maltodextin is more described as white powder often used in process foods as a thickener or a filler and it's fairly inexpensive. Mostly found in canned fruits, snacks, cereal, desserts, instant pudding, sauces, and salad, dressings.As a result for containing fewer calories than sugar, it's also found in sugar substitutes. Normally, Maltodextrin are used in small amounts that it doesn't have a significant impact in terms of the amount of protein, carbohydrates, or fiber that it adds to food. Monosodium Glutamate Flavors Enhancers is also known as sodium glutamate, and one of the most abundant naturally occurring non-essential amino acids. It helps breakdown product of proteins, and a common ingredients for Asian cooking.

Regarding healthy food choice, Cor Nuts does not meet some criteria because one point it's high in calories. This means if your watching your weight, corn nuts goes over the calories limit. In the fat categories, corn nuts holds 8 grams of fat per 48 grams, fulling 12 percent of the daily value. Only 1 grams is saturated and the rest is the healthy, unsaturated fat. Then unsaturated fats may lower levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association.If corn nuts are high in fat, they are also rich in calories, with 210 per 48 grams. Snacks rich in protein delays the emptying of food and keeps you feeling satisfied after eating. Corn nuts contain some protein with, 4 grams of protein per 48 rams or 1/4 cup of corn nuts. It's not as high as some other snacks such as peanuts, which contain more than 7 grams in just 28 grams of nuts. The were some information that I can not find which were how the corn was manufacture, transportation, and the environmental impact of them. I know one fact that it get package in 6 different sizes from 0.8oz to 0.7oz bags. Now day Corn nuts are made from Cuzco corn hybrid corn found in every bag. Mr. Holloway and his sons learned of Cuzco corn found in an article in the local paper about a corn in Peru that grew kernels bigger than a quarter. The corn they used were gigante and raised by farmers 9,000 ft up in the rugged Andes mountains. Still cooked in Peru and in Peru restaurants in America. In addition, Corn Nuts are also effect carbohydrates, fiber, and sodium among the snack or human health. High in carbohydrates, but low in sugars. Can be a health risk, if you have diabetes or are at risk for the disease 1/3 of cup serving contains just under 20 grams of carbs, and 7% of recommended daily allowance if you follow a 2,000 calorie diet. Corn nuts can help up a fiber intake, but not too much corn nuts can do good though. Corn nuts contain few nutrients outside of carbohydrate and fat. A serving of corn nuts supplies no vitamin A,C or calcium, and not particularly high in protein. There are high amounts of sodium. Flavored brands often contain more sodium. Age 51 or over, African American descent or have high blood pressure, these people must not consume no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day; a serving of corn nuts would supply more than 100% of your allowed sodium.
   http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/corn-nuts-healthy-4293.html    

Make Your Chioice Tap Water or Bottle Water

On environmental science blog #7, I'm here to debate about what is better tap water or bottle water. I was to find out some information on my home city Annual Drinking Water to determine what water system my city uses (if it's an underground water system or municipal water system). What federal agency is in charge of the tap water or bottle water drinking standards, and which federal agency have the strictest criteria. Then gather what I had learned from my city Annual Drinking Water Support of safety on our health.

My home city is Riverside California, I went on Riverside Public Utilities http://www.riversideca.gov/utilities/water-wqr.asp known for the citizens whom pay bills of daily uses of water, electricity, and gas if your a Riversider. I found out Riverside California has an underground wells from Bunker Hill Basin (located in San Bernardino) and Riverside Basin. Riverside city's underground sources are fed by rain and snow falling in the San Bernardino Mountains and local foothills. A known fact is that Riverside Public Utilities are a completely independent underground water system constructed from facilities. This independence allows RPU to provide their customers with quality service at lower rates, as they are free from having to purchase higher-cost imported water supplies. Riverside Public Utilities main objective on their water service is to provide the highest quality drinking water that met or surpassed all state and federal water quality standards. There are some regulations or provided laws that the California Department of Public Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and RPU had or currently establishing to keep their water safe. Water Supply Plan: Designed to expand additional local water supplies in a cost effective, sustainable manner, and increase local water supplies. There are three important parts of Water Supply Plan, but can be noticed on the Riverside Public Utilities. The 2012 Annual Riverside Drinking Water, it mention about 17,600 water samples to test for a variety of potential containment, and all collected at the water resources ( along transmission pipelines, throughout the distribution system, including reservoirs, and booster stations, and treatments plants to ensure water quality from its source to the people meters.Riverside city water are tested by certified independent laboratories, and Riverside pays $600,000 towards these experts to test the satisfied water standards. RPU water sampling data are 5,762 samples collected to test for bacteria, 6,856 samples collected for source and system compliance and monitoring, 5,033 Samples collected for treatment plant compliance and monitoring, and 17,651 total samples collected.

Bottled = Tap

Through some research to figure out which is better to drink from bottled water or tap water, I found out that tap water is way more better. A Los Angeles Times article by Elena Conis dated from October 13 2008, Dr. Sarah Jannessen a scientist from the Natural Resources Defense Council in San Francisco states "Bottled water is no way safer or purer than what comes out of tap". Bottle water actually comes from the same sources of lakes, springs, and aquifers. A great portion of bottled water are albeit filtered and treated with extra steps to improve taste. Even though tap water can taste funky by too much chlorine and look discolored by air bubbles or rust in pipes doesn't mean it's not safe water to drink. Environmental Public Agency states that tap water in the country does meet their drinking water standards, which regulates the level of roughly 90 different containment. The health concerns of containment are microbial, inorganic, pesticides and herbs, organic chemicals, radioactive, and lead. A lot of states like California are taking care of different contaminant health concerns. Bottle water does hold the same problems as water tap because they come from the same resources. 

The big difference between tap water and bottle water is how often each one test for containments. Large public water suppliers will test for contamints up to several times a day, but FDA will require private bottlers to test for containments once a week, once a year, once 4 years. Tap water suppliers face broader scrutiny because they're required by law to publish and circulate annual Consumer Confidence Report, which states sources of water and any containments found. FDA does not require this of bottled water makers and water bottling plants, such as visits are assigned low priority. Bottle water may not get lead from residential pipes, it holds PET and polythylene terephalate that are leached from plastic bottles.PET can release minuscule amounts of the toxic chemical antimony into water. They are below toxic levels, but microwaving a bottle, leaving it in the sun, or in the car of a hot day can accelerate the process. In addition, bottled water has not been vilified for its health risk, however environmental toll mass consumption (American have consumed 9 billion gallons in half of 2008) that's driving consumer back to the tap. Annually, 1 billion of water bottles are thrown out, 15% of billions of bottles consumed each year, and billions of bottles required 17 million barrels in oil. Bottle water are priced by the gallons single serve bottle is more expensive than even today's high priced gasoline all stated by several big know water companies like The Pacific Institute in Oakland and California Department of Conservation.              

     

       

Considering How Sustainable Riverside City College is Achieving

What is more green than the spring semester season? Finding out whether your college campus is really sustainable to be called a green campus.This is what my 5th blog will be discussing about, so I will let you know that I attend Riverside City College. Slowly and maturely, Riverside City College is becoming a sustainable campus. Here are some impacts that I see where Riverside City College is trying to make changes are in the cafeteria, garden area by the math and science building, the water fountain and grass area in front of the nursing building, and how the campus want to become a free smoking campus.In the cafeteria, the school have a poster telling students to think about what is really trash or recyclable items. Therefore, students  must decide what is really trash or recyclable among the poster that they see in front of them. I will admit that in some classes and buildings at RCC are quite strict on keeping their classes clean from drinks and snacks being inside their buildings. When I am in the math and science building, I see some tutors get mad about having the boards dirty after someone else leaves a finish problem on the board for awhile. In addition, Riverside City College makes the professors or tutors to supply their own makers or materials to class or a learning area. However, when you visit RCC you will still see some needs of improvement in being sustainable.

How to improve Riverside City College Sustainability

• Energy Usage: Riverside City College can improve in this area because we are consuming a lot of electricity around the campus such as the classes building, administration offices, student store, football stadium, baseball and softball field, parking lot, swimming pool, tennis court, walk way lights, and the cafeteria. The electricity we are consuming comes from a lot of technology being used at once. There are several ways we can definitely go around using these electricity usage on campus.
• Water Usage: This is another area of focus Riverside City College can concentrate on because there are still a lot of wasted water system going around on campus. For instance, in the cafeteria where the dishes are being washed over and over again each day from breakfast through the end of the day. There are several bathrooms and drinking fountains that are consuming a lot of water found at the Quad, Martin Luther King building, Math and Science building, Cafeteria, Business building, Music building, Theater building, Gym building, and finally around the fields or courts. Riverside Aquatic at RCC does use a lot of water in it's pool, and it is used for quite a few events. Riverside City College may use their water to keep their field green, and the campus grass, trees, bushes, and roses fresh. 
• Transportation Decision: Every professor, students, and staffs have a choice on how to get to Riverside City College. On each open days that the school is open, commuters have an impacts on whether keeping this campus sustainable or not sustainable. The choices may contain from is driving a car to school alone or carpooling, riding a bike, skateboarding, scootering, riding a motorcycle, walking, by the RTA bus, and either getting a family or friend to drop them off at RCC.
• Grounds: We already know that Riverside City College has a small garden by the Math and Science building. Water Fountain attraction and grass area in front of the nursing building. However, we need to keep count how much nature the school is actually using up instead of paving the surrounding area. Some counts must be consider on how many trees, bushes, types of plants, and other natural surrounding like sand, rocks, and grass sections.
• Waste Management/ Green Waste/ Recycling: Riverside City College must do better in our waste management, green waste, and recycling proper materials. For instance, our parking lots may have trash laying around the ground of our parking lots and campus grounds.This might be a lack of students properly throwing away their trash..The campus needs to consider what can be recycle through the campus such as all types of paper materials, cans and bottles, metal scrap, and whatever materials that are reusable. I actually learned that some grass you mowed can be used to help be nutrient for a lot of fruit trees. The grass really help the fruit trees grow, and would be nice to have at school.

Arizona State University More Green Than Dry

In order to focus on an assessment plan for Riverside City College, I wanted to figure out what other colleges have gone more sustainable. I went on the examine a college that I would have like to play football or wrestled for is the Arizona State University. The Sun Devils is an amazing campus to attend to for your education and for sports. This leads me to what a dry Arizona State University was able to come up to become a sustainable school. If there is one focus that I want Riverside City College follow to Arizona State University footsteps it will be to reduce our water usage. Arizona State University is definitely hotter temperature state than Southern California, so we can handle what they are achieving. ASU is committed to reduce their indoors and outdoor water consumption through technology and refined practice. One way they are trying is going through with is an installation of low flow water - fixtures around the campus dorms, bathrooms, and anywhere water is pumping. Water management had instituted on reducing the amount of water used in landscaping their campus. Two -third of campus is watered at night to prevent evaporation. Different types of plants on campus are being automated for a remaining senser-system, so it can get the proper amount of water. This will mean the plants will get water by an evaporation rate and current weather condition. I will now need to create an assessment plan, so first thing I will do is talk to my father's friend name General. He is a ground keeper for my main campus, and he can give me some ideas to go see whoever is in charger of the utilities. He will be an advisor for myself, so I can plan this water waste plan the right way.I will talk to professor Huff if her club will want to go along with a water waste control plan. This plan will benefit the campus on the long run because of how much money and water we will save. Employing someone for the labor is not that big of problem because General worry about it on his job. This plan should be measured for about a semester or half a semester for the soonest. We will just measure what it will take to have the plan accomplished by seeing if the dean of RCC will accept using less water on campus. It's simple our winter was by far the driest, and even Arizona State University a dryer campus than us is doing it already.  

         

       

Making One With Nature

On a breeze, afternoon of Tuesday, in my grandparent's backyard, you can relax with the surrounding of nature. This leads me to my next environmental science assignment, I'm here to gather some information of an ecosystem that I observe for 20 minutes. It's important to stay quit for the whole 20 minutes and to have patience, so the nature can come to you. During, the task you should keep in mind what type of abiotic and biotic are in your area. I had to do some yard work a day ago, so I can make it more welcoming for the birds to search for food and enjoy the fresh cut grass. I live with my grandparents, and our house is located in the Fairmont Park housing area. Therefore, I can say nature is peaceful because there are a lot of trees around the neighbor hood. In addition, sitting in my backyard you can imagine the palm trees by Lake Evan looks like a paradise beaches in California. At times, you can see some geese, hawks, and planes making their routine fleights around the neighborhood. There is a golf course across the street, so the hawks soar around to prey on gophers, lizards, and anything it can get a hold of to consume which is knows for a food web.
Some biotic that I was able to spot out are 2 Blue Jays, 3 Acorn Woodpeckers, 2 British Show Racer Pigeon, 15 plus types of Sparrows. Then there were 1 Southern Alligator Lizard, 5 plus Honey Bees, 1 Humming Birds, 7 crows and several plus flies or natts flying around. The neighbor hood have a a solid black and white cat name Slick that walks freely. I ended up seeing a squirrel that comes around scavenging for food.
 My grandmother have a lot of abiotic in her developing garden, I'm suppose to keep up with the yard work and make it beautiful. She has a desert section, tropical section, and a forest section, so there are varieties of plants and cactus. For instance, in the tropical area there are some producer trees that humming birds and bees can contribute with the pollen. These trees areYuza Lemon, Eustis Limequats, and Tangerines. There are Morning Glory's growing on the fence. Several big rocks and bricks surround the back yard because its part of decorations. We have a lot of different type of cactus and plants, and  yes I got poked from everyone of those cactus.