Food

     Food today is not being grown like it used to be. "For around 200,000 years, human lived by gathering and hunting for their food" (Robertson, 2014, p. 223). Food is no longer coming from farms like before, but from factories. These factories do not treat the animals humanely, and these factories are dangerous to the animals and to us. Contamination is also a big problem in these factories. E-coli and salmonella are found in these factories, as they are grinding up thousands of animals, and combining them into one meat source. This makes it harder for the company to find the source of contamination, and the contaminated meat goes all over the country and the world. The farmers that work for these companies, are not allowed to talk about their farms anymore.
     The first types of these factories were fast food restaurants. The first one that ran like a factory was McDonalds. They trained one person to do one specific job. This made the pay wages lower, and it was easy to replace a worker when they were fired. They are now the main user of beef and potatoes in America.
     One thing from the movie that I did not realize, was that cows are not made to eat corn. Cows need to be grass fed only. Factories are feeding the, corn, because it is cheaper, and they gain weight much faster. When cows eat corn, they do not digest it correctly, leading to the build up of E coli bacteria in their guts. This e coli is then transferred to the meat when the animal is slaughtered. It also is present in the manure, and on their coats, and the workers are present to it all day. They get infections on a regular basis, which can some times cause death.

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     There are only three or four companies that control all the meat in America. These types of factories are known as factory farms, and consist of CAFOs. "Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) or feedlots are industrial-scale yards housing animals at very high densities for feeding prior to slaughter" (Robertson, 2014, p. 225). The biggest chicken provider in the world is Tyson. Not only is Tyson the biggest supplier of chicken, they have modified the chicken to create more breast meat. This is not good to the consumers, because what are they putting into the chickens to make them bigger? These growth hormones in the chickens are then eaten by everyone all over the world. It has changed generation after generation, and each time it odes something different. They have cut down the time it takes for a chicken to grow from three months to around 45 days. These changes in our food are not good for anyone. The workers are becoming immune to medicines, as they are exposed to antibodies everyday. Also, these changes are making children grow faster than they have in the past. This is not good as childhood and development are important times in a child's life. Changing the biology of a growing child can and will have detrimental effects in the future.

 

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     Produce and water cost more than cheeseburgers from a fast food restaurant. This is due to over production of products, like corn, that are used in almost every product. Corn is in almost every processed product. Also, corn can be transformed in the lab, into hundreds of other products used in foods. This limits a lot of food for a person allergic to it. One of my friends can no longer eat corn, and it is hard for her to find food that she can eat at restaurants. She has to watch what she eats and drinks. She can rarely buy anything that was processed. Mostly everything she eats is vegetables, fruits, and meat.

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     Fresh produce in grocery stores, are not 'fresh'. They are grown in different parts of the world, injected with preservatives, and shipped to the country that needs them. "There are no seasons in the American supermarket, now there are tomatoes all year round. Grown halfway around the world, picked when it was green and ripened with ethaline gas. Although it looks like a tomato, is notional tomato, its the idea of a tomato" (Kenner et al., 2008). These pesticides are then eaten with the product, and add to other chemicals we are putting into our bodies willingly.

Works Cited

Kenner, R., Kenner, R., Kenner, R., Pearce, R., Schlosser, E., Schlosser, E., . . . Adler, M. (Writers), & Pearce, R. (Director). (n.d.). Food, Inc. [Video file].

 



Robertson, M. (2014). Sustainability principles and practice. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.













Pollution and The Obligation to Endure

     Pollution "is a substance that is harmful, and it comes from a variety of sources" (Robertson, 2014, pg.135). These sources are natural, like volcanoes, organic like sewage, or synthetic chemicals. These varying sources, all release different levels of pollutants, and they vary in toxicity levels. Some of this pollution is needed to replenish chemicals in the air, but from natural and organic sources. Nitrogen and carbon dioxide are needed in the air, but in certain levels. If there is too much, it will disrupt the climate, or affect drinking water. Pollution is not limited to the air. The soil and water can also become polluted. If this happens, we cannot drink the water until it has gone through extensive filtration. This water also cannot be used to grow food and given to livestock, as they will be taking in the pollution. The same thing goes for the soil. If the soil is polluted, no crops can be grow as they will be getting their nutrients from polluted soil. The air, water, and soil all work together throughout the world, and if one gets polluted, the others will eventually.

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     In the world today, there is no time for the environment to change to new conditions presented to it. Forests are being cut down for more houses, the ocean is being filled with garbage, and chemicals are being dispersed into the air. "Given time- time not in years but in millennia- life adjusts, and a balance has been reached. For time is the essential ingredient; but in the modern world there is no time" (Carson, 2011, p.154). Millions of years ago, the Earth was able to take natural pollutants, and was able to balance them. Now, we are seeing synthetic creations and disruptions in natural elements, and the Earth is not able to adapt to them quickly. Since the Earth cannot adapt fast, it is causing damage that cannot be undone. Climate change is one of these issues. We are heating up the world at a faster rate than we ever have, and there has been no solution yet on how to stop this. 

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     One way the effects of pollution can be reversed is through remediation. "Pollution remediation means stopping and revising damage to environmental systems caused by pollution" (Robertson, 2014, pg.147). One way this is done, is by using organisms, like bacteria and fungi. Some of these organisms eat the pollutants, where as they are deadly to other animals. These organisms are able to eat the pollutants, because they have adapted to do so, to keep the Earth in equilibrium. Without them millions of years ago, the Earth would have been in a worse state than it is now. Although these organisms help in reversing the damage, we need more than that. We need to realize that everything we do as a society, all have some type of negative affect. We need to find sustainable manufacturing practices to limit the amount of byproduct released into the air and water. By doing so, we can start to reverse some damage we have done, and possibly extend the life of many natural resources, plants, and animals. 

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Works Cited

Carson, R. (2011). Excerpt from Silent Spring. In University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future (pp.153-160). Acton, MA: XanEdu Publishing

Robertson, M. (2014). Sustainability principles and practice. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Biosphere and Human Sphere

     The Earth is composed of many organisms, animals, plants, gases, and other natural resources. All physical substances are named matter, and is made from atoms. Matter then is made up of elements, which cannot be broken down by regular chemical means. The Earth's biosphere is closed, and rarely any matter goes in or out. Only matter from space will make it in sometimes. All of the elements found within the biosphere descend from Earth's creation 5 billion years ago. "The biosphere is the thin layer at the surface of the planet where life exists"(Robertson, 2017, 2017, p.30). Inside the biosphere, not only is all life living there, but regenerative patterns, called cycles are taking place everyday, all day long. These cycles "happen at all scales of systems, from the metabolism of a bacterium to the pumping of carbon around the planet to the recycling of fundamental matter in the great star factories of interstellar space" (Robertson, 2017, p.24). Different types of cycles are needed in the biosphere, as they help generate another cycle, and it just continues. These cycles happen in all types of ecosystems within the biosphere.  

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     One thing transferred through systems during the carbon cycle, is carbon, as it is a building block of life. "Plants take CO2 out of the air during photosynthesis, plants are eaten by other organisms and become part of the eating sequence known as the food chain. then when the plants die, they are broken down by microorganisms and become part of the soil. Some CO2 goes back into the air, and into the oceans algae and becomes part of that food chain" (Robertson, 2017,  p.24-25). Another essential gas to life is nitrogen. These gases needed in the ecosystems, earth, organisms, air, and water are known as biogeochemical cycles. Phosphorus is created during a cycle, and is called the energy element. Phosphorus cycles through the food chain in the ocean, which is then brought to land through birds. Sulfur is also needed in the biosphere. It comes from the ocean as well, and eventually makes its way to land, to be reused again. 

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     The earth consists of all these moving parts, that are need for all organisms on Earth to survive and prosper. If we do not have some of these cycles within the biosphere, it would stop working, and no life would be able to survive. We need to start protecting the biosphere. There needs to be regulations on what gets released into the air, because it will disrupt the natural gasses. Also, if the gasses are disrupted, the plants will not grow right, which will then limit the food for other organisms. This cycle will be continuous, and eventually kill the biosphere. As humans using the Earth for our own use, we need to be cautious about what we are doing to the Earth, and how we can help protect it. We need to see that every part of the Earth works together, and if we damage one part, eventually the rest will start to crumble. This is seen through using natural resources and not replenishing them, not wanting to protect natural landscapes, protecting animal populations, and much more. If we start protecting the Earth, it will be able to natural sustain itself, as it has been doing so for 5 billion years. 

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     It is important for humans around the world to realize that the human population is projected to grow every year. This means that there will need to be more resources used, more food, and more emissions will be put out into the biosphere. The Earth's carrying capacity will continue to get smaller until there is nothing left. 

Works Cited

Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Biodiversity: What is it and why it's important

     "Biodiversity means the diversity of life--- the rich diversity of life forms on our beautiful planet. Biodiversity is the very fabric of life---it provides the conditions for life's emergence and maintenance, and the many different ways in which that life is expressed" (Shiva, V. , 2011, pg.38). The diversity of life can be seen in all the different organisms all over the world, or in each individual ecosystem. This diversity has happened from years of evolutionary processes and from human involvement. Naturally evolution occurs, and creates new alleles, and also new species. These all have a purpose, some more than others. When humans interfere, we start killing of species that are needed to maintain certain populations. By removing forests, destroying the ocean, melting icebergs, and more, we are taking away habitats of animals that have survived there for years. Also, humans are making some animal species endangered or even extinct. Once these animals are gone, we will never get them back. In parts of the world, they need all parts of the environment to work together to be able to survive. The soil needs to be healthy to grow crops that are harvested and sold by farmers to feed their local community. The crops also help feed animals, who then are eaten by other animals, or humans. This cycle is continuous.

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     "The diversity of life forms is also fast becoming the 'green oil' or raw material for the next industrial revolution based on the emerging biotechnologies" (Shiva, V. , 2011, p.39). During every industrial revolution, some form of the environment is being used. The first Industrial Revolution in the 1700s to mid 1800s, was when machines were introduced in manufacturing. Steam power and coal were two of the biggest sources of energy. Coal power led to the start of air pollution. Also, the need for growing factories overtook the need to preserve natural landscapes. People gave up farming to work in these factories. Their farms were leveled, and buildings were produced. The second Industrial Revolution took place in the late 1800s, and also saw the rise of more factories, but that dealt with the creation of metals. The  revolution Shiva talks about, is one where we are using a 'green oil' or raw material that will power biologically run technologies. This biotechnology is items in the environment that can be used to fuel the economy. Biotechnology examples are "vaccines, antibiotics, biofuels, pest and pesticide resistant crops, nutrient supplements", and more (Phillips, T. ). 

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     Biodiversity is needed in all parts of the world, because some regions have no access to modern medicine and products. These regions rely on natural remedies, planting and harvesting crops, and hunting their food. Since there has been diversity in many species, certain plants are better to use as a healer than others, or grow better in that region. This is an adaption the plants species has made to be able to survive there. This can be compared to Darwin's finches that adapted to their specific island to survive. Humans also adapt to changing environments, and always will need to with new species and environmental changes. 

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Works Cited

Phillips, T. (n.d.). What Is Agricultural Biotechnology? Retrieved October 10, 2017, from https://www.thebalance.com/agricultural-biotechnology-examples-375753

Shiva, V. (2011). Excerpt from Tomorrow's Biodiversity: What is Biodiversity and Why is it Important. In University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future (pp.38-57). Acton, MA: XanEdu Publishing

Leopold: The Land Ethic

The Land Ethic
 

     In the excerpt from A Sand County Almanac: The Land Ethic, Aldo Leopold, describes how humans ethics towards lands are messed up. He writes that we are not taking care and using our resources the right way. Leopold says that we "do not love the soil that we are sending down river, the water which we use to run turbines, float barges down, and dump sewer into, the plants we kill, and the animals who are endangered or extinct" (Leopold, p.60). Humans have been granted these natural resources to help them succeed in life, but are not returning the favor. This abuse to the resources has been going on since land was settled, but not everyone has abused it. Leopold explains that the Pueblo Indians civilization expired, but from a cause that was not the land, and how regions in India are able to maintain cattle herds, without there being any grass.

     I live in Martin County on the east coast of Florida, and our river and beaches are being ruined by the discharges from Lake Okeechobee. They U.S. Army Corps, is draining the lake into the St. Lucie River, which then feeds into the Intracoastal, and eventually the ocean. This lake water has produced toxic green algae blooms that are killing marine life, and damaging coastal and underwater ecosystems. Mostly everyone from my community knows that this drainage is ethically wrong. The state does not want to hear about what happens to our water. All they care about is protecting themselves. Their ethics on protecting the land is just what Leopold is describing. They use it for their own purposes, but do not return the help.

 

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     The way we want to protect our water will also help save the Everglades. We want the state to buy land south of Lake Okeechobee, from US Sugar, or Big Sugar, and send the water south. Big Sugar does not want to sell this land, as they want to keep it to grow more sugar cane, and in return make money. They do not want to restore Florida to the way it was before farming and development. The Everglades are slowly dying, and they need this water from the lake to survive, and prosper once again. "When one asks why no rules have been written, one is told that the community is not ready to support them" (Leopold, pg.64). My community has been ready for years, but every time, something gets in the way. In 2008, it was to financial crisis. Then, we had no one supporting us. Now, in 2020,  we are ready to finalize the plan, to buy the land.



     Leopold writes, "It is inconceivable to me that an ethical relation to land can exist without love, respect, and admiration for land, and a high regard for its value. This value is something far broader than the economic value. The most serious obstacle impeding the evolution of land ethic is the fact that our educational and economic system is headed away from an intense consciousness of land" (Leopold, p.75). He means that we need to have a drive to protect the land we were given, as it will be the only chance we have to save it. This drive is out of love, respect, and admiration for our environment.

Works Cited

Leopold, A. (2011). Excerpt from A Sand County Almanac: The Land Ethic. In University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future (pp.58-77). Acton, MA: XanEdu Publishing