Revised Abstract

America’s overconsumption patterns and priorities Abstract


Each American individual uses up to 20 tons of basic raw materials annually. The rate at which the United States consumes and disposes of natural resources has been steadily increasing since the Industrial Revolution. Our society has shifted into a more mechanical and consumer based lifestyle—a lifestyle that demands a higher amount of energy and electricity.
Certain sources of energy have different environmental effects and dangers. Often times, the process of harvesting energy in the form of coal, oil, or gas, can disrupt surrounding habitats or pollute the air or water in which it lies. The transportation of new energy consumes even more energy and emits exhaust from planes, trains, and trucks. The actual burning and use of fossil fuel emits carbon dioxide into the air, causing temperature increase, a process known as global warming. Because America represents only about 5% of the world’s population but uses 24% of the world’s energy, reducing the American impact is essential and lowering our rates of consumption is an important step that should be taken.
My research analyzes and compares energy and electricity consumption rates between the United States, Mexico—a developing nation, and Germany—a first world, industrialized nation. These comparisons showed that an excess amount of electricity and fossil fuels are being consumed, per capita, by Americas. The per capita rates of both electricity and energy for the other two nations were considerably lower in contrast.

Pull Quote: America represents only about 5% of the world’s population but uses 24% of the world’s energy

Abstract

Each American individual uses up to 20 tons of basic raw materials annually. The rate at which the United States consumes and disposes of natural resources has been steadily increasing since the Industrial Revolution. Our society has shifted into a more mechanical and consumer based lifestyle—a lifestyle that demands a higher amount of energy and electricity.

Certain sources of energy have different environmental effects and dangers. Often times, the process of harvesting energy in the form of coal, oil, or gas, can disrupt surrounding habitats or pollute the air or water in which it lies. The transportation of new energy consumes even more energy and emits exhaust from planes, trains, and trucks. The actual burning and use of energy emits carbon dioxide into the air, sequentially, causing temperature increase, a process known as global warming. Because the burning of fossil fuels harms the environment, reducing the American impact is essential and lowering our rates of consumption is an important step that should be taken.

The following research analyzes and compares energy and electricity consumption rates between the United States, Mexico—a developing nation, and Germany—a first world, industrialized nation. These comparisons showed that an excess amount of electricity and fossil fuels are being consumed, per capita, by Americas. The per capita rates of both electricity and energy for the other two nations were considerably lower in contrast.

Recipie Ideas!

Cucumber Salad.

Ingredients:
- 1/4 cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped dill
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 sliced cucumbers
- 1 cup sliced red onion
- 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

Directions:
- In a large bowl, mix the vinegar, sugar, salt, dill, pepper, and oil. Add cucumers, onion, and tomatoes. Toss and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Bananas Foster Waffles.

Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 sliced bananas
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- Organic Waffle Mix

Directions:
- Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat
- Add sliced bananas and stir for two minutes
- Add brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt
- Lower heat and stir constantly for two minutes
- Make waffle mix and spread thinly over waffle maker
- Cook waffles until crispy
- Pour bananas over waffle crisp and serve :)

Food Inc.

Though I was only able to watch the first half of the film with the class, the parts of Food Inc. that I saw were very impactful and thought provoking. One of the ideas brought up in the video that I found especially interesting was learning that the food industry is controlled by just a handful of major corporations. This made me feel uneasy about what I purchase and consume. I definitely don't approve of or encourage the way these corporations treat their animals or distribute their product, but it's difficult to avoid them because they account for so much of the food that is available to buy.

The inside look on factory farming was very disturbing to me. I was shocked to see the huge influence that the major meat companies have on the individual farmers that raise the chickens and cows. It became apparent to me that farming is no longer considered raising animals, more like the mass production of food--at whatever means necessary. It was very disappointing to watch the living conditions for these animals continually plummet and become worse. It was so sad to think that chickens would spend their entire lives without seeing a second of daylight. It was very saddening to see farmers become desensitized with their relationship with the animals that they were raising. Since their job involves raising an animal from birth to death, I would assume that a farmer inherently has a love for animals and their well-being, but it seemed that the ways they were being forced to raise their animals had given them a new and hopeless outlook on their job. I wish these workers felt more empowered to stand up to the large food corporations. From what I could tell from the film, the cycle was continuing and becoming worse.

I also thought that the FDA positions during the Bush administration were very interesting. The fact that they were formerly involved with the food industry made me think that they had an automatic bias. It was very interesting that there were more food recalls and illnesses when they were in office than other years.

Knowing what we know about America's health issues and food industry, in contrast to other nations' hunger crises, what can we do that would help in solving both simultaneously?

Two Peer-Reviewed Sources

Article One: M. S. Dresselhaus and I. L. Thomas “Alternative Energy Technologies” Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy. Macmillan Magazines Ltd. http://efml.korea.ac.kr/lecture/mee-reading1.pdf. Published15 November 2001. Accessed 25 February 2010.

Summary: This article gave a detailed description of our dependence on fossil fuels and how America could ease off of that dependence and into more sustainable forms of energy. It divided energy sources into three basic categories—chemical and photo physicalenergy, nuclear, and thermomechanical which included wind, water, and geological sources. It discussed the pros and cons of different energy sources, some cons including CO2 emissions, lack of space, contaminates, and cost. I chose this article because it related the energy issues to the future, saying that energy success in the future will be dependant on finding scientific and technological solutions, and reaching international cooperation on the topic.

Important Quotes: “Fossil fuels currently supply most of the world’s energy needs, and however unacceptable their long-term consequences, the supplies are likely to remain adequate for the next few generations. Scientists and policy makers must make use of this period of grace to assess alternative sources of energy and determine what is scientifically possible, environmentally acceptable and technologically promising.”

“But to meet increasing global demands for energy and to allow for the depletion of fossil fuel supplies in the coming years, alternative ‘clean’ energy sources, which do not depend on fossil fuels and which have a tolerable environmental impact, must be developed.”

Article Two: Elizabeth Cecelski. “Enabling equitable access to rural electrification: Current thinking and major activities in energy, poverty and gender” Briefing Paper prepared for a Brainstorming Meeting on Asia Alternative Energy Policy and Project Development Support: Emphasis on Poverty Alleviation and Women. Asia Alternative Energy Unit. The World Bank, Washington, DC. http://www.sarpn.org.za/genderenergy/resources/cecelski/energypovertygender.pdf. Published 27 January 2000. Accessed 25 February 2010.

Summary: I chose this article because it caught my attention and is something that is very closely related to my study and career interests. This report is written about the connection between the global energy crisis, poverty, gender, and developing nations. It explained that sustainable energy is supposed to act as a win-win situation, but says that it can deny impoverished people of the opportunity to grow and industrialize. Rural energy poverty is at an unacceptable level today and the report calls for new approaches in solving these interconnected crises.

Important Quotes: “Because of pressure to meet the dual objectives of environmental/climate change and poverty alleviation, programs are being designed without proven models, and models are being sought urgently. Adding to knowledge in this area would be a valuable contribution that could improve energy projects' contribution to poverty and gender objectives in a wide audience.”

“Poverty reduction and gender equality are now integral goals for all major development institutions. Energy assistance programs are seeking models and approaches to respond to these mandates.”

“Despite many efforts, rural energy poverty is still widespread. New approaches emphasize an explicit poverty focus, decentralization and participation, and the integration of energy efforts with other development sectors.”

“Four of the key energy issues for poor rural women identified in the literature, in relation to rural electrification, include:
- data needs and analysis - disaggregation of energy use, supply and impacts by gender, in order to provide a better basis for applying well-known field methods and analytic tools for incorporating gender in project design and implementation, as well as at the micro- and macro- policy levels;
- wood energy, cooking and health - seeking integrated approaches and various solutions (including fossil fuels and perhaps electric cooking) that recognize the central importance of wood energy and cooking for poor women, and health implications;
- women's specific electricity needs in water pumping, agricultural processing, security, work productivity, and health - addressing these in the framework of sectoral development initiatives; and
- equal access to credit, extension, training to assure energy and electricity supplies for women's domestic tasks as well as their micro-enterprise activities.”

Nathan Lewis: Powering the Planet

The first thing that stood out to me about Nathan Lewis' presentation was his public speaking skills and how effortlessly he was able to get direct, important messages across. He definitely showed his knowledge and I gained the impression that he is sincere and doing these presentations for the benefit of the environment. I think his goal is to spread awareness and knowledge, and bring change on the legislative level. A lot of the points he brought up prompted me to think about alternative energy in a different way, because he seemed to bring up the facts that people may try to hide from the public. One thing that I had never thought about was that we cannot fix an energy crisis without using energy. This made me think of our dependence on energy and all the different ways our issues may have to be addressed. It made me think that things may get worse before they get better because we will have to slowly ease off the methods that give us our energy.

My favorite part of his presentation was during the last portion when he discussed solar energy. From what I've learned about solar energy over the years, I think that we should utilize as much solar power as we can, while being economical and realistic. I liked Lewis' presentation because he gave an overview of what it would mean to use different alternative forms of energy and what it would take to replace our current sources with them. After hearing the information he had, my previous thoughts were reinforced and I think that we should increase the use of all alternative forms of energy and have a strong combination. I don't think that dependency on a single form is sustainable, but a balanced combination would help us ease off fossil fuel dependency.

Biodiversity

Article One: General information about biodiversity, global extinction, connection to overpopulation.

"Is it really possible to save our biodiversity?” The Jakarta Post. 09 Feb. 2010. Web. 10 Feb. 2010. Link.

Summary:

This article starts off with a fact that I was unaware of prior to reading—2010 has been declared the International Year of Biodiversity by the United Nations. Tropic areas are the most biodiverse habitats, which is what the majority of this article focuses on. Tropical forests contribute to large portions of all of nature’s diversity. The article warns that the destruction that these habitats and species’ ecosystems are currently experiencing will lead to a global species extinction crisis. The writer also mentions the difference between primary and secondary forests. Secondary forests are forests regenerating after clearing. This means that the species composition is not the same as the original. Primary forests in the tropics, which contain original compositions of plants and animals, are projected to be more restricted to low population density areas, relatively low value agricultural lands and protected areas. Overpopulation and biodiversity have a slight connection, but the article clarifies that the amount of people isn’t necessarily the problem, it’s the overuse of natural resources and land clearing. The increase in human density may not be avoided. The article states that more controlled population growth as well as managing its distribution is needed in order to save our ecosystems and biodiversity.

Important Quotes:

“The loss of one species does not only mean that we just lose that species, but also means it is a decline for the ecosystem.”

“Human population growth indeed affects biodiversity. However, over-exploitation of natural resources speeds up the disaster. Mining activities, timber extractions and land clearing for other purposes are main examples of direct impact of human economic activities.”

“Unfortunately, this condition is not only due to the economic needs of local people, but it is much more related to the greed of industrialization. In fact, mining activities, for example, do not contribute significantly to local economies. They usually just cause environmental problems for the locals.”

Article Two: Biodiversity offsetting, using land techniques on marine ecosystems.

Abdulla, Ameer. "Biodiversity Offsets and Marine and Coastal Development." Ecosystem Marketplace. Web. 10 Feb. 2010. Link.

Summary:

Biodiversity offsetting is measurable conservation resulting from actions designed to compensate for significant residual adverse biodiversity impacts from project development. The goal of biodiversity offsets is to achieve no net loss and ultimately a net gain of biodiversity on the ground with respect to species composition, habitat structure, ecosystem function and people’s use and cultural values associated with biodiversity. This article proposes the idea of transferring biodiversity offsetting on land to use at sea. The activities that take place in the ocean are affecting marine and coastal ecosystems that live there. Biodiversity offsetting may be a tool used to preserve marine animals and help them thrive. Offset locations should be those with the highest potential for biodiversity gain. They should have the highest quality of biodiversity per unit area, and they should also be realistically doable. Being able to keep the ocean biodiverse will be very important in the present and future, as marine life is so closely connected to our own existence.

Important Quotes:

“Contrary to popular opinion, biodiversity offsets do not give developers the right to run roughshod over fragile ecosystems in exchange for cash, but are seen as a last resort to be utilized only in certain circumstances.”

“Biodiversity Offsetting is one emerging multidisciplinary tool that has the potential to enhance corporate environmental responsibility in a multitude of different settings where human and biodiversity values may conflict.”

Article Three: Biodiversity benefits, medical breakthroughs, importance of learning about rare species.

Moeller, Holly. "Biodiversity misses the point - The Tech." The Tech - MIT's Oldest and Largest Newspaper. 09 Feb. 2010. Web. 11 Feb. 2010. Link.

Summary:

This article was written by a MIT graduate student who explained why biodiversity should be important to us as humans. Besides a sense of moral obligation to protect life around us, there are many benefits for humanity because of biodiversity. Scientists constantly screen marine compounds for antibiotic and chemotherapeutic activity. Medical breakthroughs can be attained by these tiny microbes. Nature also inspires new technology and brings us technological advancements. Millions of species remain undiscovered, and their potential and possible importance to humanity is unknown. “And, with human activity driving species extinctions at 100 to 1,000 times the normal background rate, we could lose the cure for cancer or the clue to new photovoltaic technology without ever knowing it existed.”

Important Quotes:

“This year, the United Nations wants us to move beyond iconic and charismatic species (like the World Wildlife Fund’s panda) and recognize the importance of all life on Earth — that is, our world’s biodiversity."

“As extinction rates rise and threats from climate change and habitat loss expand, the U.N. hopes to inspire equal protection for all life forms.”

“It’s time to get a bit more ruthless with our priorities and more creative with our pocketbooks. We must plan to preserve today’s world, but also anticipate tomorrow’s needs and limitations. That means not just tallying the genes, but also seeing the bigger picture.”

Write-Up & Project Proposal:

Biodiversity is a driving force that can determine success or failure of an ecosystem and species. Losing a species is much more detrimental to its ecosystem than one may think. Biodiversity is vital in allowing all species to thrive. My senior project partner and I have been talking about what we would like to create for our sci-fi movie. Our current idea is to create a film that would begin by showing the year 2110 as if we lived the next 100 years without making any changes in the way we treat our environment. We would show a more somber looking Earth, show a lack of resources and humanity and other species in despair. After showing the worst-case scenario, our video would rewind to 2010 and show people taking steps in a more positive direction for our environment. We have talked about showing quick details, like the US signing onto the Kyoto Protocol, conserving water, saving biodiversity, integrating legislative power, etc. After this, our video would fast forward to the new 2110—a bright and happy planet Earth! Showing short, powerful representation of the steps mentioned above would give people the idea that our future is dependent on our actions today. The way we treat our environment and the new steps that we take to make it better will put us in a much better place 100 years from now. The inspiration for our video is from the idea of the butterfly effect—one small action can completely change the course of events.

Initial Plant Write-Up: Raspberries

I decided that I want to grow raspberries in the garden! There are two different types of raspberries—ever-bearing and standard. Standard raspberries grow well in the Pacific Northwest, but not San Diego. However, ever-bearing raspberries grow well in San Diegan climate. “San Diegan Raspberries” are referred to as perennial sub-shrubs, meaning the plant should have more than two seasons of producing berries.

From my research, it seems that the best method to grow raspberries in our climate is using bare-roots. To do this, I would have to use a young raspberry plant that was dug up when it was dormant and plant it in a bed of soil. I can find these at a local plant nursery. It is best to plant the bare-roots very soon after you buy them, but if they must be stored before planting, they should be kept with their roots in a bucket of damp sand or sawdust and out of sunlight. Since the bare-roots are at the end of their dormant season and in their prime for producing fruit, they should start producing berries within weeks of planting.

The amount of garden space needed is dependent on how many raspberry plants I will be planting. Each plant should be planted 4 feet apart and, if in rows, each row should be about 6 feet apart.

The raspberry plants should be grown in a sunny area of the garden. The soil should be cultivated and rich with organic material and would preferably have a vegetable fertilizer applied before planting. To plant the bare-roots, I would make a hole in the soil and simply put the root in at about the same depth that they were in at the nursery, then cover it with soil. The soil can be fertilized with a fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio of 10-10-10. The berries should be watered at the base/deep soil on a weekly basis and harvested when they achieve good size and color. Ripe raspberries will be firm and dark red, not soft. Gently pull a berry to remove it, but if it doesn’t easily come off, leave it to ripen longer.

A berry garden would work well and the raspberries could grow alongside blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, or boysenberries. In the United States, 90% of all raspberries in stores come from California, Washington, and Oregon. Nutritionally, raspberries are great, as they are high in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and folate. They can help lower high blood pressure and may help reduce inflammation of joints.