Genetically Modified Crops Response

Genetically mutated crops may be one solution to the world’s growing hunger crisis, but what risks do they pose to worldwide health. The world’s population has exploded over the last century, and shows no signs of stopping. As populations increase governments are forced to look for ways to feed their growing populations, many have turned to GM crops. These crops are genetically mutated to increase yield, some are changed so that they take shorter time to grow while others are mutated so that they can endure different environmental climates and shocks. Even though these “super crops” sound great in theory, humans must realize that the food they are eating has been chemically altered and carries with it some health risks. Crops throughout the world have been linked to such bacteria as e.coli, among others. These bacteria that have themselves mutated along with the crops are much more resistant to antibiotics and can seriously harm any unfortunate consumers. The moral dilemma of the food service industry is that if we don’t modify crops people could starve but if we do people could get sick. The decision is entirely that of the consumers, if you don’t want to eat GM crops, buy organic. These crops may cost more but they are much safer to eat.

Fracking Response

Environmental groups finally have what they have been hoping for ever since natural gas drilling began, evidence that fracking is harmful to the environment. Fracking is a technique that uses highly pressured liquid (water and other chemicals) to hydraulically fracture shale formations, creating veins that allow for the collection of vast reservoirs of natural gas. Many areas that are “fracked” soon see contaminates show up in their water resources. In Wyoming people started to see particulates in their tap water that gave the water a brown hue. Environmental researchers working with the EPA were able to link this to hydraulic fracking nearby. While this is the first proven case of contamination, many people across the country have reported contaminated water soon after natural gas wells were built near their homes. In a small town in Pennsylvania methane leakage was so bad that tap water turned flammable. Local residents were able to hold a lighter to their faucets and see their water spark. This is because of the many chemicals that are shot down wells to fracture shale. Substances such as methane and lead are sent down right below underground aquifers. Ever though there is a considerable distance between the bottom of the well and the fresh water, some of the chemicals are still able to reach the underground drinking water. Many chemicals that are used are classified as carcinogens and can be detrimental to the health of anyone that is unfortunate enough to come in contact with them. Methods and technologies that are associated with this dangerous drilling technique must be cleaned up, or abolished. There are too many people put at risk to justify drilling for natural gas. By improving drilling technology we may someday be able to harvest the Earth’s natural gas resources safely, but until then something must be done so that innocent people are not forced to suffer and the surrounding areas are not destroyed.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fracking-linked-water-contamination-federal-agency

Relgion and the Environment Article

By incorporating religion into the basic tenants of religion, the world may become a better place. Areas that hold strong religious ties to the environment tend to have more beautiful landscapes, not because they were blessed with them in the first place, but because their inhabitants fought to protect them. If people the world over began to see divinity in nature the effects of environmental travesties such as deforestation would diminish. Legislation would be passed to protect nature, just like it has been passed to protect other holy places.

This article shows how the people in Indonesia shows how religion has helped to reduce environmental damage.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101216111701.htm 

Doing Environmental History Response

In Doing Environmental History, Brian Worster shows how complex the subject of environmental history is. The study of the environment over time is in fact, the study of everything that has ever been. In comparison to the age of the universe, human habitation of Earth is merely a small flash of time. Those who tackle the monumental task of trying understand the history of the universe cannot do so without receiving doubt and controversy. Worster explains that if the scientific method is used than little controversy can occur, this however, is not true for study of the environment. When one is trying to build an understanding of things that predate themselves by billions of years, nothing can be proven as a fact. The history of the environment is also the broadest of all subjects. This field of study encompasses the study of everything. Researchers from field such as biology and anthropology are merely small parts of the giant machine needed to understand the history of our environment.

Religion and the Environment

I personally believe that the environment should be a key component of religion. I personally feel more in touch with god at the top of a mountain than sitting in church. Religious connections with the environment could also help reduce the negative effects that human habitation is having on the Earth's climate. If the natural wonders of the world were considered sacred, people would fight to protect them. Many important religious artifacts, and structures have been granted special protection, why not environmental wonders as well? If polluting the environment was deemed unholy, there would be a drastic decline in the amount of pollutants released into the environment every day. The incorporation of environmental topics in religious views is not a new idea. Many religious around the world have found spiritual solace in the natural world. In ancient Japan people practice the Shinto religion. Shintoism views natural forces (wind, rain, lightning) as the work of deity's, meaning that every natural occurrence is sacred. Because of this the environment of pre-industrial Japan was wild and beautiful.

I also read "Religion and the Environment" by Robin Gill. In this article Ms. Gill explains that Many followers of the Christian and Jewish faiths have been lured into a false sense of ownership of the environment. Instead of controlling the environment, people must assume the role of stewards of the environment. If being a good steward of the environment was considered holy, the earth's climate would not be changing.

Shit Yogi's Say Response

While this video did not pertain to me, it did remind me of a video that I recently watched called "Shit Fly Fishermen Say." I was surprised to see that I use quite a few of the quotes from the video on  daily basis while I am fishing. Especially the one where the guy says "damn wind." I used to blame the wind on all of my bad casts until I fished with Dave Rothrock who told me there is no such thing as a wind know, there is only a terrible cast knot. I also found from the Yoga video that there is a certain language that is common for all "yogis." It took me some time when I began guiding to find this out. My clients would just kind of nod and agree when I would terms such as riffle or emerger. It had never occurred to me that my vocabulary had been built up over a number of years and people just starting did not understand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK9q_cXOvz8

Ecopedagogy: Could Education Save the Environment?

In Towards Ecopedagogy: Weaving a Broad Based Pedology of Liberation for Animals, Nature, and the Oppressed People of Earth Richard Kahn explains that the world is lacking in environmental literacy. It was only in the last 50 years that people began to care about what is happening to the environment. Even more shocking is the fact that a mere 20 years ago there were no environmental classes being taught in American schools. This has changed to some extent but most humans only possess a limited knowledge of the Earth’s environment.

The Earth is experiencing a period of mass extinction, the like of which have only been seen five times before in the history of the planet. Species are being lost with appalling speed. The reason for this massive loss of biodiversity is human expansion. As more of the world’s great untouched landscapes are bulldozed for land Earth’s most beautiful organisms are pushed to the brink of extinction. Odds are that we have already eradicated a plant that held the cure for cancer.

The state of American Education is abysmal. A recent study by the Program for International Assessment (PISA) ranks the United States 30^th in world for education. The United States has also taken a back seat in the movement towards environmental literacy. While classes on the environment are part of most basic curriculum this basic knowledge is rarely expanded upon, resulting in the students eventually forgetting the information. By investing more in education we stand a chance of being able to combat the environmental changes that we ourselves have caused. Literacy and texts taken from the Middle East to Europe in the wake of the first crusade brought Europe out of the dark ages, could the same be possible for our current “dark age?”

I agree with Mr. Kahn that education is one of the most important tools for combatting global climate change. By informing the general public about the environmental effects of their current lifestyles more lasting changes would occur. Khan uses the Zoo School in Minneapolis, Minnesota as an example for a progressive learning technique. Even though schools like this have their flaws, test scores for students as the Zoo School are higher on average than those of students that are forced to sit in a classroom for countless hours every day. By making learning more interactive students would not be as opposed to it. This is why I believe that environmental classes should be taught outdoors, with hands on experiments, rather than from a textbook. If schools transitioned from the “normal” teaching methods, a more lasting effect could be seen.