the-conservation-conversati-blog

[the-conservation-conversati-blog]

Uptake Report

Analysis 

Production: All posts were made on Tumblr.com and created using a MacBook Air. All research was done on the same laptop as well as two print sources I had purchased prior to work on this project. 

Representation: Anyone in the 12:00-12:50 p.m. ENG 101 course had access to this blog. Hashtags were also included to broaden the audience. The purpose of this blog was to write about topics I think are important/interesting. 

Reception: My background on this topic was essentially all my antecedent knowledge. My audience was anyone in the ENG 101 course and anyone who stumbled across the hashtags. 

Distribution: All content was uploaded online and no print copy exists. The use of social media was integral in the creation of this genre. 

Socialization: The event that caused its production was the need to create a project. The effects of taking up the genre was that someone should be able to walk away from each post learning something new and impactful. 

Activity: Reading through multiple articles as well as searching for pictures and sources were among the main activity. As well as typing and planning on how to present the post. 

Multi-Modal Components

Photos: All photos were found using google and were properly cited. Photos were relative to the article and the topic at hand.

Videos: All videos were found using youtube and revolved around concepts that were best visualized. 

Gifs: Were not utilized as I felt it didn’t fit the mood of the blog. I tried to go for a blog that was based on factual information and kept a serious tone throughout. 

Discussion

     Samples were collected by google searches and through utilization of google scholar. All sources were checked for validity and I avoided websites that seemed to have an agenda, as this project was also a learning process for myself. With this project I was able to jump right into creating a post seamlessly. The casualness of writing on a blog on topics that I cared about was motivation enough and I throughly enjoyed the writing process. I asked peers to review my articles to check for length, errors, and to determine if the post was able to keep the readers attention. With the blog style of posting there are relatively zero unbreakable conventions. I attempted to be as serious as I could but still with the casualness of a blog. While not unbreakable, most Tumblr posts don’t contain a “works cited” page. This was important because it was required of me and also reinforced the validity of the article. Overall, I would say this project may be the only English project I have been assigned that I was motivated and excited to work on. I am proud of what I have created and enjoyed the process along the way. Not only did I learn how to effectively conduct the day to day tasks of managing a blog but also I also learned relative information to my field of study. 

[the-conservation-conversati-blog]

A Look at Nature’s Most Bizarre Creatures.

     For my last content post I wanted to create something more interesting and uplifting. I decided, what would be more perfect than looking at the most amazing creatures to grace this planet. We’ll look at four amazing creatures including: the dumbo octopus, the barreled fish, the saiga antelope, and the superb-bird-of-paradise. 

     Lets begin with the most adorable of the four, the dumbo octopus. Scientifically known as Grimpoteuthis spp, this octopus is the deepest living octopus known to date. Named after their large “ears” that are used for locomotion this octopus swallows prey whole. There is still much more to learn about this animal as the population count of this animal is still unknown. If you are interested in watching this adorable killer in action a link will be posted here.

(Still photo taken from rare footage of a baby dumbo octopus.)

     Next, keeping with the theme of deepwater fish is the barreleye fish. My personal favorite on the list simply because at first glance I was convinced it was a clickbait photo. Famous for its translucent head and tubular eyes this fish lives in the depths of the ocean where it remains still for most of the day. It uses its specially adapted eyes to spy silhouettes against the pitch black background of the deep sea. Amazingly this animal was first described in 1939, which I imagine had to be a riveting discovery. If you would like to learn more about the magnificent eyes of the barreleye more info is here.

(An amazing image of the translucent barreleye.)

         With this next animal, we step out of the sea and look to the sky to discuss the superb-bird-of-paradise. First, watch this short video of its amazing colors and courtship dance here. Perhaps the most amusing feature of this avian creature is the uncanny “smiley face” it displays when performing its mating ritual. This is a form of intersexual competition where females choose the males depending on their flashy colors and or dances. Interestingly enough, human males have taken this ritual and applied it to frat house basements throughout college campuses with great success. *joke*

     Finally, we’ll discuss the sad case of the saiga antelope. This creature lives mostly in or around kazakhstan. It’s striking feature is its abnormal snout. WWF.org describes it as, “The large humped nose hangs over the mouth of the saiga. The nose is flexible and inflatable so helps it to breathe clean air during dusty summers and warm air during cold winters.” Saiga antelopes are poached illegally for their meat and their horns. Combine this with habitat loss and you have a conservationist’s worst nightmare. It now has a population around 50,000 individuals and is listed as critically endangered. 

(A saiga antelope shows off his distinctive horns and nose.) 

     The point of this post is to show that life is truly amazing in every sense of the word. Earth is a planet worth saving, these animals are worth conserving. We owe it to our children and our children’s children to preserver nature’s beauty. 50 years from now, I hope that the story of conservation will be one of improbable comebacks. With ecosystems making unlikely returns and endangered species returning to healthy numbers. Tomorrow’s people will see that we as a generation cared for the spectacles this world has to offer and will be eternally grateful for efforts put forth to protect them. 

Works Cited

Pacific, Aquarium of the. “Dumbo Octopus.” Online Learning Center | Comb Jelly (Sea Walnut), www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/dumbo_octopus.

EVNautilus, director. Shy Octopus Hides Inside Its Own Tentacles | Nautilus Live. YouTube, YouTube, 23 Aug. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxuBwfNp2wk.

Robison, Bruce, and Kim Reisenbichler. “Researchers Solve Mystery of Deep-Sea Fish with Tubular Eyes and Transparent Head.” MBARI, 23 Feb. 2009, www.mbari.org/barreleye-fish-with-tubular-eyes-and-transparent-head/.

LabofOrnithology, director. A New Species? The Vogelkop Superb Bird-of-Paradise. YouTube, YouTube, 16 Apr. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWjx6oSgC4M.

“Saiga Antelope.” WWF, WWF, 2017, wwf.panda.org/knowledge_hub/endangered_species/saiga_antelope/.

Digital Works

“First Ever Footage of Baby Dumbo Octopus .” Nydailynews.com, New York Daily News , 20 Feb. 2018, www.nydailynews.com/life-style/first-ever-footage-captured-baby-dumbo-octopus-article-1.3832072.

“Barreleye Fish .” MCIRCC, mcircc.umich.edu/barreleye/.

“Saiga Antelope Grazing .” MNN.com, 18 Jan. 2018, www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/why-are-saiga-antelope-dying-in-record-numbers.

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Everyday Actions That Make A Difference

       As individuals, we may not be able to make as large of an impact such as federal regulations for example. Even so, your individual actions make a huge impact on the health of our planet especially in an industrialized nation. Investing in a more sustainable lifestyle will lessen your impact and also make you feel good about everyday actions. This is not an easy step to take especially when being wasteful is convenient and easy to forget about. To live this lifestyle one almost has to re-wire their brain to see the world through a conservation lens. Here, I will illustrate a few steps to help the everyday person become a more eco-friendly person. 

     One of the more enjoyable parts of living an eco-friendly lifestyle is investing in what I call an “eco-kit”. This is perfect for college students with book bags or anyone else who uses a bag for every day life. Unfortunately, creating your eco-kit will take some money but all materials are relatively easy to locate. The creation of your kit is a type of environmental practice called source reduction which is preventing waste in the first place. The materials needed for your eco-kit are as follows.

Invest in a reusable cloth. This is a huge first step to reducing the amount of trash you produce. Paper towel and napkin waste is a huge percentage of waste in landfills. According to oceanconservancy.com, “In the United States alone, 13 billion pounds of paper towels are used each year.” If we elected to skip paper towels in favor of cloth rags we could greatly reduce our impact. A cloth rag is also an incredibly useful tool to have on hand. 

(Pie chart showing that over a quarter of all landfill waste are recyclable paper products.)

Buy a reusable water bottle and reusable straw. Plastic water bottles are public enemy number one to conservation minded people. Water fountains are found in nearly every public building and more buildings are installing refill stations. Did you know it takes 700 years for a plastic bottle to begin decomposing? Cutting plastic out of your life is certainly a great way to reduce your impact. 

Reusable silverware. Another form of plastic waste that is prevalent in landfills is the use of plastic forks and knives. Carrying a reusable fork in your bag will help prevent plastic in our landfills!

Mason Jars. Carrying a mason jar is a great way to store leftovers and to skip the to go box when eating out. Many restaurants use Styrofoam take out boxes which rivals plastic as the worst environmentally friendly packaging. 

Buy a bamboo toothbrush. Plastic toothbrushes are found in landfills throughout the world. Make brushing sustainable with bamboo toothbrushes. These do the same job as plastic brushes but are biodegradable! 

     Investing in these materials make a lasting impact on our planet and lets business know that unsustainable practices will not be tolerated any further. The choices we make everyday will come make their way back to us. Don’t be apart of the problem and become a part of the green movement!

Works Cited

“Preventing Trash at the Source.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 11 Dec. 2017, www.epa.gov/trash-free-waters/preventing-trash-source-0.

“Paper Towels – What's the Big Deal Anyway?” Ocean Conservancy, Ocean Conservancy , 10 May 2017, oceanconservancy.org/blog/2012/10/12/paper-towels-whats-the-big-deal-anyway/.

“Bottled Water Waste Facts.” The World Counts, 15 Mar. 2014, www.theworldcounts.com/stories/Bottled_Water_Waste_Facts.

Digital Works

“Plastic Bottles Gathered in the Ocean. .” Foodandwaterwatch.org, 30 July 2018, www.foodandwaterwatch.org/news/were-literally-eating-and-drinking-plastic-fossil-fuels-are-blame.

“Figure 4. Total MSW Generation (by Material), 2013 254 Million Tons (before Recycling).” Epa.gov, 2013, archive.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/web/html/.

[the-conservation-conversati-blog]

The Politics of Climate Change.

     A healthy planet with clean air and water is not a partisan issue. It is in our best interest to create the healthiest environment to flourish in. A planet depleted of oxygen and fresh water is not a world we want to live in. 

     Unfortunately, this has become a hot button issue in today’s politics. An overwhelming majority of the scientific community realizes climate change as a very real threat to the well being of our species. Yet politicians continue to turn a blind eye to the challenges we face despite the mountains of evidence in front of them. 

     One of the biggest enemies of climate change is none other than the 45th President of the United States Donald Trump. When asked about the Fourth National Climate Assessment, a report carried out by government agencies and scientists working under Mr. Trump; his reply was dumbfounding. 

     “I’ve seen it, I’ve read some of it and yeah, it’s fine.” replied Trump when asked about the assessment. When further questioned he went on to say, “Yeah, I don’t believe it. No, no, I don’t believe it”. 

     Amazingly, Mr.Trump was able to refute a 1,000 page assessment written by over 300 authors by stating, “I don’t believe it.” It’s peculiar, if an essay ranging a thousand pages and written by hundreds of authors on cancer research was provided to the president there would be no doubting the scientific validity. 

     There is no logical reasoning behind denying basic science unless there is something to gain from denying it. For example, Citgo a United States-based fuel industry company donated $500,000 to Trump’s campaign in 2016. Other environmentally destructive companies have also donated such as, Chevron and Monsanto each donating $25,000 respectively. The list goes on with Transocean Offshore Drilling, Murray Energy Corporation the self touted “largest coal mining company in America, and White Stallion energy company. The entirety of the campaigns donors can be found here.

     With a plethora of energy companies donating to 45 its easy to see why he may turn a blind eye to green regulations. With a bulk of campaign donations coming from oil and coal it would be unwise to regulate these industries. 

     Looking forward to the future there must be comprehensive partisan solutions to the changing world around us before its too late. We deserve a government that cares about the greening of the planet and less of the green in our wallets. 

Works Cited

Worland, Justin. “Climate Change Report Challenges Donald Trump's Denials.” Time, Time, 23 Nov. 2018, time.com/5462102/climate-change-report-trump-science/.

Usgcrp. “Fourth National Climate Assessment: Executive Summary.” NCA4, U.S. Global Change Research Program, Dec. 2018, nca2018.globalchange.gov/.

News, CBS, director. Trump Says He's "Not Happy" about GM Cuts, Doesn't Believe Climate Report. YouTube, YouTube, 26 Nov. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=KstkbywXTI8.

“Oil, Gas and Coal Interests Filling Donald Trump's 'Swamp' with Cash – Center for Public Integrity.” Center for Public Integrity, 19 Apr. 2017, publicintegrity.org/federal-politics/oil-gas-and-coal-interests-filling-donald-trumps-swamp-with-cash/.

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Food Choices - Why it Matters.

     I’m sure everyone at one point in their lives has been hassled by a vegan or vegetarian about their food choices. Many people get fairly annoyed when confronted on this topic because it creates a moral conflict. Often, the main point brought up is the ethical treatment of animals which while important, isn't the whole story. 

     According to the book “Drawdown” by Paul Hawken, a plant-rich diet is the number four solution to global warming. The statistics are eye opening, animal agriculture accounts for 15% of global greenhouse gases. Emissions could be reduced by 70% through the adoption of a vegan diet and 63% by adopting a vegetarian diet by 2050.

     As discouraging as it may be the percentage of the population that identifies as vegetarian/vegan has remained steady since 1999. Most Americans support common sense environmental procedures such as recycling, carpooling, and not littering. Yet people are still reluctant to accept a vegetarian diet as it ties to peoples pleasure and tastebuds. This deeply cultural connection is nearly impossible to change as meat prices continue to decline and becomes more and more accessible. 

     The bottomline is that America is an obese country with obese food practices. A vegetarian diet could prevent heart disease, diabetes and other health ailments as well as conserving our environment. The rise of animal agriculture also leads to the loss of habitat in the most biologically rich corners of the earth such as the Brazilian rainforests. The amazon rainforest continues to be clear cut to make room for animal grazing. 

(Satellite photo shows the loss of the Amazon rainforest from 1972-2012.)

     When one chooses to eat an excess of meat with every meal you also choose to ignore the science and gravity of the situation our climate and every organism on this planet faces. When put into perspective, a person’s tastebuds are not more important than the health of all animals and this rare jewel in the vastness of open space, Earth. 

     Perhaps, this is why vegans/vegetarians are so outspoken about their views. They understand the implications of an animal rich diet and the benefits of plant based. Instead of dismissing them, listen with an open mind and you may learn something of importance. 

Works Cited

Hawken, Paul. Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming. Penguin Books, 2018.

Judkis, Maura. “You Might Think There Are More Vegetarians than Ever. You'd Be Wrong.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 3 Aug. 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2018/08/03/you-might-think-there-are-more-vegetarians-than-ever-youd-be-wrong/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.78b4c4ba0825.

Digital Works

“Cows Grazing .” Irishexaminer.com, 3 Mar. 2016, www.irishexaminer.com/farming/news/poaching-problems-as-weather-hits-cow-grazing-385230.html.

“Missing The Forest For The Trees.” Mnn.com, 3 Aug. 2012, www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/blogs/satellite-photos-show-amazon-vanishing.

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Green Energy - What’s Our Options?

     Changing the small everyday things we do in our life is a great first step towards a greener future. For example, recycling, carpooling, and using reusable cups are great but real change will be seen when we can become more reliant on green energy. I’ll focus on three energy types that could greatly decrease our CO2 emissions but also save money. All statistics will be cited from Paul Hawken’s “Drawdown, The Most Comprehensive Plane Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming.” 

     First, I want to focus on the most likely form of energy of the future, wind energy. The implementation of solar energy would reduce CO2 emissions by 84.6 gigatons and save $7.2 trillion by 2050. Wind power is vastly becoming the cheapest form of energy, even more cost effective than natural gas. Wind power also saves 98-99% more water than coal, gas, and nuclear power. Wind energy is ranked as the #2 solution to global warming. 

     Perhaps the second most popular form of green energy is solar power. An estimated 36.9 gigatons of CO2 would be reduced as well as saving $5.02 trillion and ranking as the #8 best solution to climate change. Costs of production and implementation of solar panels have plunged in recent years making them ever more practical. Solar farms are faster to install than other energy plants as well. Panels can also be installed on individual houses, saving homeowners thousands of dollars. 

     Finally, I would like to discuss the role of nuclear energy in the green revolution. There is a giant stigma surrounding nuclear as people are generally misinformed on what it actually is. To me, I see nuclear energy as the “bridge” energy. Is it the safest form of energy? Certainly not, disasters such as Chernobyl and Fukushima have proved that even if both were caused by human error. With that being said, it is certainly less harmful than coal or natural gas. There is still debate whether or not nuclear is a “green” energy source as the by-product is harmful plutonium with half lives spanning tens of thousands of years. A great video explaining the good and bad of nuclear energy can be found here. According to “Drawdown” nuclear energy is listed as the #20 solution with 16.09 gigatons reduced of CO2 and saving $1.7 trillion dollars. 

(Workers check on stored uranium casks, temporarily stored above ground.) 

Works Cited

Hawken, Paul. Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming. Penguin Books, 2018.

“Nuclear Energy Explained: Risk or Opportunity.” YouTube, YouTube, 31 July 2014, youtu.be/d7LO8lL4Ai4.

“Wind Turbines in an Open Field .” Phys.org, 6 Sept. 2018, phys.org/news/2018-09-turbines-percent-current-electricity-consumption.html.

“Workers Check on Uranium Casks.” Theconversation.com, 27 June 2016, theconversation.com/risks-ethics-and-consent-australia-shouldnt-become-the-worlds-nuclear-wasteland-61380.

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The Ecology of Commerce - Review

     The Ecology of Commerce is a book written by American environmentalist Paul Hawken. Originally published in 1993, the book is slightly dated but a revised edition was created 17 years after the first publication. 

     My first read through this book was during this past summer. I picked it up as I wanted a good background of “green capitalism” which is what the book mostly focuses on. Hawken does a great job explaining this concept and provides even better examples of how it could possibly work. For example, he describes how some companies have committed to zero waste programs. This approach not only helps reduce the amount of trash created by business but also can make that waste profitable. 

     Hawken also discusses the logistics of a “green tax” which would punish businesses that had a negative impact on the environment. He explains how through a green tax an organic farmer, who rotates his crops and uses water saving techniques could come to market cheaper than the farmer who mass produces using monocultures and pesticides. 

     A theme of the book is the idea of a cyclical economy where it is designed to  mimic nature, not defy it. In a cyclical economy, waste is seen as another resource and if it can’t be repurposed it should be able to return back to earth. 

     Overall, Hawken’s classic novel still stands as a useful testament of the nuances between sustainability and economy. It’s a great read for those interested in both conservation and finance. One comes away feeling like they truly learned something special and with a sense of optimism. 

Works Cited 

Hawken, Paul. The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability. Harper Business, 2010.

“Biography.” Paul Hawken, 2018, www.paulhawken.com/biography/.

Created 11/21/18

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The Silver Lining of Climate Change.

     Many people are often scared of buzzwords like, “climate change” or “global warming” and rightfully so. Even if the world’s surface temperature raised by just a few degrees Celsius there would be catastrophic consequences. Warming of oceans leads to less oxygen rich water through a process called deoxygenation. Just like us, fish need oxygen in order to live. Pair this with ever more acidic water and detrimental effects will rivet through the ocean affecting everyday human life. 

     I would consider myself a person who doesn’t get too scared when they hear these words. Yet, I would consider my true passion in life is the conservation and well being of the Earth. How could this be possible? 

     When most people proclaim, “Save the Earth!” what they really mean is “Save Us!”. As in all actuality not many are devoted to the conservation of our planet and simply think a healthy planet equals happy humanity. Some individuals like myself believe that Earth is special itself and that humanity isn't what makes our world magnificent. 

     Life has survived five mass extinctions and has bounced back every time with vast biodiversity. All these mass extinctions, while they may not have a clear reason why, had a catalyst that provoked this sudden loss of life. For example it was sudden releases of methane gas that caused the Permian extinction, an event that led to the loss of 90 percent of all life on earth. This extinction paved the way for the development of dinosaurs proving that life can rebound after hitting rock bottom

(Photo showing how methanogens affected life during the Permian extinction.)

     If we are in the midst of a sixth major extinction, then humans are undoubtedly the catalyst to this. What does this mean? To me, humans often think of “climate change” as being synonymous with the end of the world, but it isn’t. It is the end of favorable conditions for the human species. The end of favorable conditions for the human species would mean that the catalyst to this sixth extinction would be eliminated, therefore creating a clean slate for life to evolve again. 

     Think of it like this, humans are the worlds most invasive species. They have misplaced thousands of species and sprawled into far reaching corners of the worlds. Therefore, climate change is what I would consider as a morbid form of chemotherapy. With planet Earth acting as the body, humans acting as the cancer, and global warming is the treatment. Harm must be done to the body in order to purge the cancer. Life will survive climate change. The question is whether or not we will survive with it. 

Works Cited

“Ocean Warming.” IUCN, 18 May 2018, www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/ocean-warming.

Gibson, James. “Science and GAIA.” Decoded Science, 19 Aug. 2013, www.decodedscience.org/gaia-theory-is-there-evidence-that-earth-is-a-self-regulating-system/35541.

“The Permian Period and Extinction.” National Geographic, National Geographic, 24 Jan. 2017, www.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-world/permian/.

Julio Lacerda. Earth Archives. http://www.eartharchives.org/articles/the-great-permian-extinction-when-all-life-on-earth-almost-vanished/ 

Created 11/20/18