Water Issues -Discussion One
These five videos introduce, explain the efforts and resulting benefits of an organization called WaterAid America. These films discuss the health and economic issues present when clean water and basic sanitation is absent and the projects instituted by this organization to solve these problems. WaterAid’s goal is to provide realistic and long term projects and education highlighting the importance of latrines and clean water. WaterAid focuses primarily on ‘marginalized’ groups such as women, to improve the health and social situation for poor people in many countries by improving their access to clean water and understanding of good hygiene.
The first video, ‘We are WaterAid’, concentrates on some individuals, who they are, the needs that they have and what WaterAid America does to assist them. The second video, ‘Health is Wealth’ discusses health issues that arise and are ongoing because of a lack of clean water and defecation happening next to their homes. Having better health because of better water and sanitation, improves the economic situation of those impacted. The third video, ‘Liquid Gold’ reviews the other benefits to individuals because they have access to clean water. People are able to save time in collecting water and they do not have to spend money on medications for health issues related to consuming contaminated water. A couple of examples shown are individuals who begin to attend school and another who starts a café. The fourth video, ‘Mapping in Malawi’, focuses on scattered and missing records of water points. One of the difficulties faced by WaterAid was the uncertainty of where new water points would be most beneficial. This film again reiterates WaterAid’s focus on teaching hygiene education and practices at the time that water improvements are done. The last film focuses on the impact that WaterAid has had in improving access to clean water and promoting personal sanitation in Africa, Asia and the Pacific regions.
Something I learned from these videos is that by mixing ash with human waste in latrines to reduce the smell of defecation also assists in neutralizing bacteria. When residents then cover the latrines for six to seven months the excretions turn into usable fertilizer. This sanitary practice has the double benefit of also becoming free fertilizer for crops.
I thought a comment made in a couple of the videos showing a mother’s understanding of the need for clean water but missing knowledge that they did not know to wash their hands after relieving themselves or before eating, was interesting.
There are many people in the world that benefit from the assistance of others. Private charities and human interest organizations greatly impact and improve the lives of many people in many countries. Education is the greatest tool offered by any society to another, as shown by testimonies of people in these videos. Many of the persons portrayed stated they did not know defecating outside of their homes or that bacteria carried was by flies into water sources and other unsanitary practices was the cause of many of diseases and illnesses. Given understanding and knowledge as well as the tools to get clean water and to have better hygiene, lasting change is possible.
The first video, ‘We are WaterAid’, concentrates on some individuals, who they are, the needs that they have and what WaterAid America does to assist them. The second video, ‘Health is Wealth’ discusses health issues that arise and are ongoing because of a lack of clean water and defecation happening next to their homes. Having better health because of better water and sanitation, improves the economic situation of those impacted. The third video, ‘Liquid Gold’ reviews the other benefits to individuals because they have access to clean water. People are able to save time in collecting water and they do not have to spend money on medications for health issues related to consuming contaminated water. A couple of examples shown are individuals who begin to attend school and another who starts a café. The fourth video, ‘Mapping in Malawi’, focuses on scattered and missing records of water points. One of the difficulties faced by WaterAid was the uncertainty of where new water points would be most beneficial. This film again reiterates WaterAid’s focus on teaching hygiene education and practices at the time that water improvements are done. The last film focuses on the impact that WaterAid has had in improving access to clean water and promoting personal sanitation in Africa, Asia and the Pacific regions.
Something I learned from these videos is that by mixing ash with human waste in latrines to reduce the smell of defecation also assists in neutralizing bacteria. When residents then cover the latrines for six to seven months the excretions turn into usable fertilizer. This sanitary practice has the double benefit of also becoming free fertilizer for crops.
I thought a comment made in a couple of the videos showing a mother’s understanding of the need for clean water but missing knowledge that they did not know to wash their hands after relieving themselves or before eating, was interesting.
There are many people in the world that benefit from the assistance of others. Private charities and human interest organizations greatly impact and improve the lives of many people in many countries. Education is the greatest tool offered by any society to another, as shown by testimonies of people in these videos. Many of the persons portrayed stated they did not know defecating outside of their homes or that bacteria carried was by flies into water sources and other unsanitary practices was the cause of many of diseases and illnesses. Given understanding and knowledge as well as the tools to get clean water and to have better hygiene, lasting change is possible.
Climates and Biomes -Oceans Deep -Discussion Two
This episode begins with introducing the whale shark. This is a massive shark that feeds primarily on plankton and bait fish. Tuna work with it, taking advantage of the bait fish that try to hide behind the whale shark. These fish only manage to serve both the tuna and whale shark dinner.
Watching this I am impressed with how difficult it must have been to film in a region as vast and open as the oceans the filming is impressive clearly portraying the battle of survival that it is to live in the ocean. Unlikely alliances assist other species in catching scarce food.
I, like most people, love dolphins. I love watching them working as a group to herd their prey into little balls of darting silver as the birds dive down from above.
The show follows the day to night and camera personnel descend in a submarine to show us the tiny, odd and almost ghostly creatures of the deeper waters. They show a vampire squid ‘from hell’. It shines in the dark to confuse potential predators. When they reach the sea floor, 2 miles below the surface which extends for thousands of miles as it gradually sinks downwards.
Even at this depth there is life, such as sea urchins and shrimps. A monk fish is shown, blending almost perfectly into the sandy bottom. It has a ‘lure’ on the end of its front, baiting dinner to it. Eels and crabs scavenge and other creatures on the carcasses that drift from the surface until there is nothing left.
A volcanic chain of mountains circles the oceans and spews minerals and sulfides into the ocean. At 400 degrees, it allows shrimp to be able to feed on the bacteria that grows there. A whole community of life lives without any direct or indirect assistance of the sun. Different vents in different part of the world all support different types of life, such as tube worms. Vents may become inactive without warning and busy teaming with life chimneys’ are silent ghost towns. Some of these volcanic peaks are taller then Mt. Everest. Ocean currents swipe up these cliffs and soft corals grow elegantly up them, blossoming a mile below the reach of the sun.
The octopus is a fascinating creature. Its ability to hide and blend into its surrounding gives it a hunting edge to be admired. Fish and squids are examined at the film brings you back up to an island around one volcanic that breaches the surface. There sea birds and green sea turtles are able to nest or lay their eggs
Sea birds fly a hundred miles from the Mexican coast they see sail fish hunting their prey, bait fish. There are nearly a hundred sail fish gathered. They raise their fins to herd their prey, changing colors to let fellow fish know their direction and intentions, preventing any mishaps.
The ocean is home to the biggest animal to exist, the blue whale, weighing nearly two hundred tons. We know so little about them, such where they bred. They are mystical still. Less than three percent of them remain. Unfortunately, many countries still hunt them.
I am an open water diver who loves and respects the ocean. It is such a foreign world to all that I know. This is a world that contains much for us to learn from. I hope we cherish it.
Watching this I am impressed with how difficult it must have been to film in a region as vast and open as the oceans the filming is impressive clearly portraying the battle of survival that it is to live in the ocean. Unlikely alliances assist other species in catching scarce food.
I, like most people, love dolphins. I love watching them working as a group to herd their prey into little balls of darting silver as the birds dive down from above.
The show follows the day to night and camera personnel descend in a submarine to show us the tiny, odd and almost ghostly creatures of the deeper waters. They show a vampire squid ‘from hell’. It shines in the dark to confuse potential predators. When they reach the sea floor, 2 miles below the surface which extends for thousands of miles as it gradually sinks downwards.
Even at this depth there is life, such as sea urchins and shrimps. A monk fish is shown, blending almost perfectly into the sandy bottom. It has a ‘lure’ on the end of its front, baiting dinner to it. Eels and crabs scavenge and other creatures on the carcasses that drift from the surface until there is nothing left.
A volcanic chain of mountains circles the oceans and spews minerals and sulfides into the ocean. At 400 degrees, it allows shrimp to be able to feed on the bacteria that grows there. A whole community of life lives without any direct or indirect assistance of the sun. Different vents in different part of the world all support different types of life, such as tube worms. Vents may become inactive without warning and busy teaming with life chimneys’ are silent ghost towns. Some of these volcanic peaks are taller then Mt. Everest. Ocean currents swipe up these cliffs and soft corals grow elegantly up them, blossoming a mile below the reach of the sun.
The octopus is a fascinating creature. Its ability to hide and blend into its surrounding gives it a hunting edge to be admired. Fish and squids are examined at the film brings you back up to an island around one volcanic that breaches the surface. There sea birds and green sea turtles are able to nest or lay their eggs
Sea birds fly a hundred miles from the Mexican coast they see sail fish hunting their prey, bait fish. There are nearly a hundred sail fish gathered. They raise their fins to herd their prey, changing colors to let fellow fish know their direction and intentions, preventing any mishaps.
The ocean is home to the biggest animal to exist, the blue whale, weighing nearly two hundred tons. We know so little about them, such where they bred. They are mystical still. Less than three percent of them remain. Unfortunately, many countries still hunt them.
I am an open water diver who loves and respects the ocean. It is such a foreign world to all that I know. This is a world that contains much for us to learn from. I hope we cherish it.
Dangerous Drives 'Storm Chasers' -Discussion Three
I chose to watch an episode from ‘Dangerous Drives’ from Season one, ‘Storm Chasers’ on itunes. I thought about watching Storm Chasers but I have seen enough of them casually before and I wanted to watch something else for this assignment.
Storm Chasers, (storm researchers and meteorologists), pursue storms to document severe weather. They track weather patterns and try to intercept storms. Their vehicles help them complete their documentations as they turn them into weather centers and their vehicles also help protect them from the elements. They review the importance of having a vehicle that is reliable. The narrator also reviews the dangers of hydroplaning, sleep deprivation, low visibility, high winds, hail, lightning strikes and panicked bystanders.
The first set of Storm Chasers, Jim and Mike, pursue storms in an SUV and Jim reviews his maps and laptop to find their target storms and super storms. The other chaser, Simon, drives a little Chevy two door sedan that has a roof heavily dented with hail from prior storms. I have previously watched a few of Discovery Channel’s ‘Storm Chasers’ and I couldn't help but compare the high tech vehicles on that show with these passenger cars. I honestly thought it was not an intelligent decision for Simon to chase storms in a car that doesn’t even have four wheel drive.
I like to watch Discovery Channel’s ‘Storm Chasers’ on mute. I get impatient with the people on the show and the narrator. It feels ‘fake’ to listen to them because there is too much yelling and too many disputes between characters. I felt the same way with this show because of the music and facial close up. I watched it a second time on mute.
The footage shown on this type of show can be just epic. This show presented a storm that Jim, one of the researchers, was chasing in 2008. The tornado is a treacherous deep dust brown column spinning against a purple sky. On day four they find a storm that looks promising of over development. They drive through the precipitation to the center to film the storm.
On the last day of the five days planned for this storm chasing trip, both sets of chasers go to the same area on the north east Colorado border where there is a predicted super cell storm. It is an ominous looking and large storm.
Jim comments that large hail usually precedes a tornado as a hail storm begins. His poor car drives through baseball sized hail and he pulls over to hide under a tree as the windshield cracks. As the hail recedes he takes a back road with a posted sign advising that the road is closed. He takes it to get closer to the storm’s center only to get stuck in the mud. A local farmer comes to his aid in a tractor that also gets stuck. Eventually Jim is retrieved by a tow truck. Despite all this, Jim was able come back from his five day trip with some pretty amazing photographs.
Simon’s sections of the episode include a speeding ticket, a flat tire, and lots of rain. He misses all the storms forecasted on the Great Plains for the week and heads home.
I drove across country a few times and saw a few major storms in the Great Plains but always from a faraway safe distance. When I lived in Virginia there were some pretty awesome hurricanes there too. It’s best not to challenge these storms but to stay out of their way if possible and watch from a location not in their paths.
Storm Chasers, (storm researchers and meteorologists), pursue storms to document severe weather. They track weather patterns and try to intercept storms. Their vehicles help them complete their documentations as they turn them into weather centers and their vehicles also help protect them from the elements. They review the importance of having a vehicle that is reliable. The narrator also reviews the dangers of hydroplaning, sleep deprivation, low visibility, high winds, hail, lightning strikes and panicked bystanders.
The first set of Storm Chasers, Jim and Mike, pursue storms in an SUV and Jim reviews his maps and laptop to find their target storms and super storms. The other chaser, Simon, drives a little Chevy two door sedan that has a roof heavily dented with hail from prior storms. I have previously watched a few of Discovery Channel’s ‘Storm Chasers’ and I couldn't help but compare the high tech vehicles on that show with these passenger cars. I honestly thought it was not an intelligent decision for Simon to chase storms in a car that doesn’t even have four wheel drive.
I like to watch Discovery Channel’s ‘Storm Chasers’ on mute. I get impatient with the people on the show and the narrator. It feels ‘fake’ to listen to them because there is too much yelling and too many disputes between characters. I felt the same way with this show because of the music and facial close up. I watched it a second time on mute.
The footage shown on this type of show can be just epic. This show presented a storm that Jim, one of the researchers, was chasing in 2008. The tornado is a treacherous deep dust brown column spinning against a purple sky. On day four they find a storm that looks promising of over development. They drive through the precipitation to the center to film the storm.
On the last day of the five days planned for this storm chasing trip, both sets of chasers go to the same area on the north east Colorado border where there is a predicted super cell storm. It is an ominous looking and large storm.
Jim comments that large hail usually precedes a tornado as a hail storm begins. His poor car drives through baseball sized hail and he pulls over to hide under a tree as the windshield cracks. As the hail recedes he takes a back road with a posted sign advising that the road is closed. He takes it to get closer to the storm’s center only to get stuck in the mud. A local farmer comes to his aid in a tractor that also gets stuck. Eventually Jim is retrieved by a tow truck. Despite all this, Jim was able come back from his five day trip with some pretty amazing photographs.
Simon’s sections of the episode include a speeding ticket, a flat tire, and lots of rain. He misses all the storms forecasted on the Great Plains for the week and heads home.
I drove across country a few times and saw a few major storms in the Great Plains but always from a faraway safe distance. When I lived in Virginia there were some pretty awesome hurricanes there too. It’s best not to challenge these storms but to stay out of their way if possible and watch from a location not in their paths.
Global Warning -Discussion Four
‘A Global Warning’ is an hour and half review of scientific information reviewing the natural cooling and warming cycles of our planet. It begins 250 million years ago when 95% of species on Earth disappeared after there was an explosion of greenhouse gases.
This first warming is believed to have begun in the Siberian traps; they were active for about a million years, spewing out large amounts of carbon dioxide. This local event would affect the entire world. A scientist shows dividing line between the grey and red rocks in a mountain in Africa. This dividing line shows where 19 out of 20 species became extinct. This line is the same around the world. After thousands of years the Earth’s temperatures stabilized.
55 million years ago, global temperatures peaked again. Scientists found flora in the freezing artic that only grows in warm climates, meaning that it was a lot warmer then. They believe that this time, carbon dioxide levels were not to blame. Instead it was a different green house, methane gas. They believe that large amounts of methane; released by a lot of volcanic activity, was the culprit for the warming 55 million years ago. After thousands of years, the Earth once again cools.
125,000 years ago, large amounts of polar ice melted and the world flooded. Oceans were twenty feet higher than they are today. A new argument in the 18th century explained that the rise and fall of global temperatures was because the earth’s rotation changes and so does Earth’s distance and exposure to the sun. Again the Earth cools after several thousands of years.
11,500 years ago there is again a warming. This is the last of the ice age, the last natural global warming. The global warming and the ‘mega mammal’ extinction happened within only a few decades. The cause remains unsolved although there are many theories. The one that they did expand on is if a comet hit Earth and triggered the rapid change. Humans were able to survive until the weather stabilized.
400 years ago, the ‘little ice age’ began in North America and Europe. Crops failed and many lives were lost. Galileo began to track sun spots during this time but it was a long while until a link between the occurrence of the little ice age and his records showing a lack of sun spots during that time was made. On a tangent I think it is important to note that this was a time of witch hunts, revolutions, civil unrest, disease, etc. This cooling triggered a lot of superstition and it sparked religious suspicions. Our climate greatly affects our civilizations.
192 years ago, 1815, Mt. Tambora erupted and the effects are felt around the planet. The following year was known as the year ‘without a summer’. There was a killing frost every month, ruining crops and causing food shortage. The eruption released huge amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. Yellowstone’s potential eruption could kills millions and also effect the world’s atmosphere. The next eruption is 50,000 years overdue. Hopeful huh?
By the mid-nineteenth century the industrial revolution begins and our activity becomes a force of its own. One of the examples is that Mt. Kilimanjaro’s ice cap is melting for the first time in 11,700 years. The ‘perma-frost’ fields in Alaska, and other places are melting. Beneath them, currently frozen and trapped, is tons of methane gas. If they continue to defrost, releasing this methane, our atmosphere would dramatically increase in temperature.
This video answered a lot of questions I have had. I have heard our Earth is warming, of course, and I have also heard that Earth is cooling yet I have found both of these arguments incompletely argued. Our current rotation suggests that we should be cooling but because of human activity we are warming. The concern is that temperatures could rise to the levels of 125, 000 years ago and if that happens, the resulting levels of ocean water would impact all continents by the end of this century.
The video states that 80% of China’s energy comes from burning fossil fuels. The narrator advises scientists believe that China’s emission output will surpass the United States in 2010. India’s consumption continues to spiral as well. Europe and North America have begun to pass laws and there is also a general awareness in the population of the necessary actions that must be taken to combat this issue. I was curious about this and did a couple of internet searches and found that China over took the United States in 2006 (NY Times) (2007), ‘producing 6,200 million tons of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels and making cement’. Another article blames the United States for this increase because we are ‘contributing to their increase through our consumption of their products’, (Chameides) (2009). This is such a complicated issue and I haven’t seen any solution, much less a simple solution, to the problem.
There is a lot of conflicting information available; i.e. I have heard that the pollution caused by recycling negates the benefits. I do recycle but this is an argument that I wonder about. I personally run the water less, re-use whenever I can, use energy efficient appliances (including things such as low watt light bulbs) in our home and walk when I am able but I am not sure what I can do more individually.
Chamedies, B., (2009) Duke Environment , “Greenhouse Gas Emissions: a Tale of Two Countries, Retrieved June 1, 2011 from: http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/thegreengrok/china-vs-us-ghg
Unknown, (2007) New York Times, Retrieved June 1, 2011 from: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/20/business/worldbusiness/20iht-emit.1.6227564.html
This first warming is believed to have begun in the Siberian traps; they were active for about a million years, spewing out large amounts of carbon dioxide. This local event would affect the entire world. A scientist shows dividing line between the grey and red rocks in a mountain in Africa. This dividing line shows where 19 out of 20 species became extinct. This line is the same around the world. After thousands of years the Earth’s temperatures stabilized.
55 million years ago, global temperatures peaked again. Scientists found flora in the freezing artic that only grows in warm climates, meaning that it was a lot warmer then. They believe that this time, carbon dioxide levels were not to blame. Instead it was a different green house, methane gas. They believe that large amounts of methane; released by a lot of volcanic activity, was the culprit for the warming 55 million years ago. After thousands of years, the Earth once again cools.
125,000 years ago, large amounts of polar ice melted and the world flooded. Oceans were twenty feet higher than they are today. A new argument in the 18th century explained that the rise and fall of global temperatures was because the earth’s rotation changes and so does Earth’s distance and exposure to the sun. Again the Earth cools after several thousands of years.
11,500 years ago there is again a warming. This is the last of the ice age, the last natural global warming. The global warming and the ‘mega mammal’ extinction happened within only a few decades. The cause remains unsolved although there are many theories. The one that they did expand on is if a comet hit Earth and triggered the rapid change. Humans were able to survive until the weather stabilized.
400 years ago, the ‘little ice age’ began in North America and Europe. Crops failed and many lives were lost. Galileo began to track sun spots during this time but it was a long while until a link between the occurrence of the little ice age and his records showing a lack of sun spots during that time was made. On a tangent I think it is important to note that this was a time of witch hunts, revolutions, civil unrest, disease, etc. This cooling triggered a lot of superstition and it sparked religious suspicions. Our climate greatly affects our civilizations.
192 years ago, 1815, Mt. Tambora erupted and the effects are felt around the planet. The following year was known as the year ‘without a summer’. There was a killing frost every month, ruining crops and causing food shortage. The eruption released huge amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. Yellowstone’s potential eruption could kills millions and also effect the world’s atmosphere. The next eruption is 50,000 years overdue. Hopeful huh?
By the mid-nineteenth century the industrial revolution begins and our activity becomes a force of its own. One of the examples is that Mt. Kilimanjaro’s ice cap is melting for the first time in 11,700 years. The ‘perma-frost’ fields in Alaska, and other places are melting. Beneath them, currently frozen and trapped, is tons of methane gas. If they continue to defrost, releasing this methane, our atmosphere would dramatically increase in temperature.
This video answered a lot of questions I have had. I have heard our Earth is warming, of course, and I have also heard that Earth is cooling yet I have found both of these arguments incompletely argued. Our current rotation suggests that we should be cooling but because of human activity we are warming. The concern is that temperatures could rise to the levels of 125, 000 years ago and if that happens, the resulting levels of ocean water would impact all continents by the end of this century.
The video states that 80% of China’s energy comes from burning fossil fuels. The narrator advises scientists believe that China’s emission output will surpass the United States in 2010. India’s consumption continues to spiral as well. Europe and North America have begun to pass laws and there is also a general awareness in the population of the necessary actions that must be taken to combat this issue. I was curious about this and did a couple of internet searches and found that China over took the United States in 2006 (NY Times) (2007), ‘producing 6,200 million tons of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels and making cement’. Another article blames the United States for this increase because we are ‘contributing to their increase through our consumption of their products’, (Chameides) (2009). This is such a complicated issue and I haven’t seen any solution, much less a simple solution, to the problem.
There is a lot of conflicting information available; i.e. I have heard that the pollution caused by recycling negates the benefits. I do recycle but this is an argument that I wonder about. I personally run the water less, re-use whenever I can, use energy efficient appliances (including things such as low watt light bulbs) in our home and walk when I am able but I am not sure what I can do more individually.
Chamedies, B., (2009) Duke Environment , “Greenhouse Gas Emissions: a Tale of Two Countries, Retrieved June 1, 2011 from: http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/thegreengrok/china-vs-us-ghg
Unknown, (2007) New York Times, Retrieved June 1, 2011 from: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/20/business/worldbusiness/20iht-emit.1.6227564.html