Update:
I changed my topic! I am now going to analyze the meaning behind dreams and all about dreams. I will be using Freud's theory on dreams in my essay and will be using psychology as my main social science. I created a survey monkey, and put it on face book this morning so hopefully I get lots of responses!

Indigenous resistance and racist schooling on the borders of  empires: Coast Salish cultural survival

This article was about the indigenous residences who live on the USA and Canadian border. The people have to cross the border often for ceremonies and special events. Both the USA and Canada do not know how to address the issue because the civilizations have been there way longer than they the countries have. Both governments built schools and boarding schools for them to attend. This being said, the indigenous people did not choose to attend the schools, they instead went to their own schools and did their own thing. The governments also tried to make them go to public schools with other citizens but the indigenous people are choosing to do their own thing. As much as I think they should follow what everyone else is doing, in a way I do not believe this. Since they have been on the same land for much longer and they have certain customs that they would like to follow they should be able to do their own thing. This doesn't mean that there should be an open border, because I do not believe in that at all. They should be able to do what they want within the country, and when it comes time to cross they border, they should have to do so the same way everyone does.

The topic of food and sustainability rarely crosses my mind. This being said, the more that the issue is discussed the more I am curious to see where my food comes from and what the effects on the environment are. Clearing of land for agriculture and cattle ranching is a main cause of forest destruction in the United States and on earth. About 260 million acres of forested area in the United States has been cleared to create land for crops and cattle. Not only is destroying the forests an issue but also feeding the animals. It requires 16 pounds of wheat and 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of grain-fed beef. Is it really okay to so much wheat and water just to create one pound of beef? I do not think about where my food is coming from and what the effects of my consuming the product has had on the environment. I do not think about ways I could eat differently that would result in a better environment for us all. It was surprising to see the effects cattle have on the environment including such things as acid rain and producing toxins. The relationship of food and sustainability is not thought about everyday but at the same time can be seen every day. 

I believe this image represents environmental ethics. Environmental ethics is the belief that humans have the responsibility to take care of the natural world. It also assumes that they will become leaders and to become more responsible land users. This image represents environmental ethics in many ways. I like that the earth is split in half and opened up to what is a pure image of the environment; a beautiful blue sky, tree, and green grass. The earth is not opened to a city skyline, or polluted sky, instead it is the purest form of earth. I think this image represents what humans should be seeking to preserve which is the natural beauty of earth.

I found a peer reviewed article the Environmental Health Perspectives. I related the article to the one the class read about fracking in Wisconsin. This article discusses how 68 private drinking wells in Pennsylvania and New York have been found to be contaminated by methane. This occurred about natural gas drilling started to occur around those areas. The researchers were measuring for concentrations of certain isotopes that can be seen in methane and also other hydrocarbons. This was so the researchers could distinguish between the gases created from fracking and gases that were created from organic matter. They found that the wells closer to the drilling sights were more likely to contain methane that was themogenic. This means that the drilling sights are leaking into the soil and are contaminating well sights. If this is occurring in New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin then there should be enough evidence to support the stop of fracking.

Holzman, David C. "References." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National

 Library of Medicine, 01 July 2011. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222989/>.

EPA: Natural Gas Fracking Linked to Water Contamination

In Central Wyoming, the EPA found a link between underwater ground pollution and oil drilling that was occurring. The EPA could become of importance in a national debating in discussing whether contamination of the environment from oil fracking is occurring. This national debate could potentially be the standard for how gas pumping is regulated in the United States. Residents have also complained of spoiled water as a result from the fracking. Their water has turned brown when oil drilling was occurring near them. To confirm everything that was being said the EPA drilled two water monitoring wells that where 1,000 feet deep and monitored that amount of carcinogenic chemicals near the wells. The EPA founds chemicals apparent that were known to be used in fracking, which meant the oil and fracking companies are destroying he environment. The EPA also found there to be a lack of disclosure by the companies. Many companies did not report exactly what chemicals had been used to frack. This also meant that EnCana has declined to tell federal officials the breakdown of every compound used in the ground. Fracking companies are polluting the environment and will not disclose which chemicals they are putting in the ground. This means that no one knows what is being put in the earth and soil that nearby residents depend on. Drinking supplies have been damaged and the fracking, if expanded, will continue to pollute more of America.

This article makes me think about what about other countries and the flip side of the argument. Americans do not want oil to be drilled form the U.S. but rather we are willing to pay higher prices for overseas drilling. Would it be most cost effective to drill here and just have that section of land be used for drilling oil if it would be cheaper for Americans? Is the EPA exaggerating and being too worries? Is the stuff reporting really happening because of the fracking or could the chemicals appearing in tests be produced otherwise?

Kahn Reading

I think that Kahn had some really great points in his article. As I read through it I noticed that I was clueless about some of the things he pointed out. Some things include that over 3 billion people live on less than a few dollars a day. I have heard this before but not to the same magnitude as he described. In his article he mentioned zoo school which was a school for high school juniors and seniors that took place on the actual grounds of a school. I thought that was a pretty cool idea but in actuality it wouldn't work. there aren't enough zoos for all students in America and what about other subjects? I do think that Americans need to be more educated on the environment and we should have environmental teachings in the curriculum. Way to many people do not know anything about the environment and in turn the environmental situation continues to worsen.

Extra Credit - Visual Rhetoric

I found this visual rhetoric especially interesting. Naturally after our hands we all instinctively reach for paper towels to dry them. I realized even I do not think about where the paper is coming form I just kind of expect it to be there. The added image of Africa on the paper towel box is especially capturing. As more towels leave, the user is forced to realize where the paper is coming from. The more paper towels we consume the greater amount of resources are depleted and wasted just to dry hands. In the past civilization did not expect paper towels when they finished washing their hands. In present day, technology has advanced what we expect and has influenced how we use the environment. No longer is it for necessities but we deplete the forests and environment for luxury.

Turtle Island Poems -3

O Waters: O Waters talks about water and its different variations and uses in the environment. This includes places that water is found such as a stream, in the soil, or on a plant. I believe the overall theme in O Water is talking about the purity of water and the necessity to conserve it in nature. Water is essential to all living plants and animals and also to the eco system they live in.

Tomorrow’s Song: This poem is unlike the other ones because it describes the USA in particular. The poems tells how I the twentieth century the US gave up on forest preservation and environmental care and they transitioned to a different state of mind. We are not all concerned with the future but not necessarily what is happening right now.

For the Children: This poem talks about the future and what we must do. It suggests that we need to meet in the middle with nature and not be destructive. The generation now needs to think about the future and conserve for the children.

Turtle Island Poems – 2

 Coyote Valley Spring – This poem was different than the others I have read. Instead of describing the negatives of the environmental destruction, the poem describes the things occurring in nature. This includes all of the animals, plants, and sounds. It also detailed the natural scenery including the boulders and mountains.

Front lines – I thought that Front Lines was an interesting poem. It talked about loggers and deforestation. I could relate to this poem more because I have seen television shows about logging companies and what they do. The poem talks about “drawing a line” which to me means that we should stop advancing on the natural forests for our needs, and should look more towards recycling and using what we have.

Control Burn- Control Burn relates to the history of America. Detailing about the Indians used to use our resources. Explaining how they used to burn the brush and make new trees. The theme is that we should follow our ancestors and learn to conserve how they conserved the environment for us.

Manzanita- Manzanita is the tips of fruit and will only open after a fire has passed. This poem describes the night and morning life in a forest talking about all of the animals that come out and all of the sounds that are heard. It also talks about a bow trying to strike an animal but it misses. The theme is that there is so much more to the forest than just trees, that there is life in the animals. 

Turtle Island Poems

The Dead by the Side of The Road: The poem details how manmade structures are polluting and killing off the animals, such as trucks on the interstate, or guns.

I went into the Maverick Bar: The overall theme is remembering what the World used to be. Remembering how people used to dance and when there weren’t as many problems. When he leaves the bar all of that ease disappears and he must answer the questions, “What is to be done?”

Night Herons: Night Herons describes the night life in San Francisco while detailing the smoke stacks and what harmful places around the city. Describing what was manmade and what is polluting the environment we live in. The theme is destruction of what our world once was

The Call of the Wild: This poem describes a man who is a native and has ranched and mined all his life. He then says that his kids will not that the same opportunities to live freely and to experience the environment as he did because of the government and things that have changed the way of life. 

It is surprising to see how little the population knows about the environment they live in. Where does your garbage go? Sure, it’s a simple question, but where does the garbage really go? Thinking about the process of garbage collection, travel, and where the garbage actually ends up is unknown to a majority of the population. Also unknown is things that seem so apparent such as types of grass, soil, birds, and flowers that frame the world. The problem is that the world has gotten too big and too spread out. The United States once was comprised of 50 percent farmers, and has now reached the point where there are twice as many prisoners and there are farmers. The problem with that statement is that all of the small town  agriculture culture is dead. Major producers and corporations have taken over small town business that America was built on. The increase in population and ever expanding corporations has led to un-reversible pollution and damage to the environment. The most populated country in the world, China, has devised a plan to reduce the Energy intensity of GDP by 40 percent by 2020. The problem with this goal is that with the growing population and production rate in China, by 2020 even with the 40 percent reduction, China will still be producing more CO2 rather than less. With the ever growing population and drive to produce bigger and better things, the world will not slow down and the environment will inversely be affected. The invention of internet, texting, and tweeting have all changed the world. Citizens now have the opportunity to be close while not being close at all. This has created a world that is more connected and fast passed that ever before. Companies can order a product to be delivered the next day when the same process used to take weeks. Technology has changed the world and created a cyber environment.

“Every year, Americans throw away enough paper and plastic cups, forks, and spoons to circle the equator 300 times.” Clean air council. Not only is America a leading contributor to waste each year, but is harming the environment more than ever. Waste is a huge contributor for the need of “Island Civilization” because most waste is non-decomposable and will continue to pollute the environment for thousands of years to come. In the United States, over 7 billion pounds of PVC are thrown away each year, meaning that 7 billion pounds are just sitting in landfills polluting and destroying the Earth. Possible ways to cut down on waste is recycling. Statistics show that 40-50 percent of Americans recycle, while only around 25 percent of the World population recycles. This misleading part is that Americans account for 254 million tons of garbage annually which is the most of any country. The problem with waste is that no matter how much someone recycles; there will always be items that need to be discarded and are useless. This meaning that waste is inevitable. Will waste lead to a need for Island Civilization? Even in an Island Civilization there would still be waste, and nowhere to put it without polluting the environment. So far the World has dealt with waste and has found ways to decrease and control it, such as burning waste. I think that the World can control waste for right now but with the current rate that the United States and other leading waste countries such as Russia are going something will need to be changed in the future to help control waste.

http://www.cleanair.org/Waste/wasteFacts.html/

http://www.biology-questions-and-answers.com/environmental-issues.html

                The First main point that I found to be of interest, was when the author pointed out the meaning of wilderness. They only reason that the wilderness exists is of particular interest. Humans used to live among the wilderness and the open land available to us. When expansion and modernization of the Earth began, Humans began to create division between the wilderness and what we choose to live on and use. The wilderness is now some place unpopulated by humans or unknown, but it was once a place that we lived among. The Author also points out the meaning behind Acts that are meant to help the environment. Acts such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act were created so that nonhuman species could live, when in fact they are in the wild and were here before us. The world is growing at a rapid pace which means the destruction of wilderness is inversely affected. Because of human impact, the World is now faced with water, food, and climate problems. We are now facing more natural disasters than ever including more weather related storms and destructed. We as humans have not protected what was once the wilderness but instead have built sky scrapers, roads, unnatural bodies of water, and many other destructive structures. The author explains four possible ends to the Fourth Millennium. The first is the wasteland scenario where the World ends in a trashed and poisoned planet where life is rare. This is the result of greedy humans who thought they were modernizing and progressing the world but in exchange were destroying the natural life that the Earth once was. Where humans have abused what they were given and have destroyed their bodies with genetically engineered and altered substances. The second possible outcome for the future is the garden scenario. This scenario details that humans would control nature but in a beneficial way. This meaning that the Earth is all about the billions of people that occupy it while rivers, lakes, agriculture, and wilderness are all at their prime with no diversity or differentiation as they are overtaken with homogenization. The third is entitled future primitive, entailing that in the future the civilization will look back and think of us as a ten-thousand-year bad experiment. They will look at what we did wrong and maintain what we did right, such as using technology for what the need it for but not what it could be used for. The fourth outcome is Island Civilization, where we live in what might be called a dream. The key to this outcome is putting the Earth first.

                I have never thought of myself as an environmental enthusiast or had that much interest in the environment. That being said, I found that this article was pretty interesting when I started to read it. It was interesting to realize the place of humans on this Earth. Walking around every day I never realize the effects that humans have had. We have built so many buildings and have placed so many unnatural things in the world while destroying the wilderness in the process. While reading I was thinking about the impact humans have had on the environment and it astounded me. Thinking about New York City, China, London and all of the major cities in the world and thinking about how terrible they must be for the environment. Even thinking about how much I throw away and disregard and take for granted about the environment is crazy. Every day we use roads, water from a pipe, take hot showers, throw away plastic bags, and sleep in a bed but we never think about what we have destroyed to obtain the luxuries. This article really made me think about the roots of the wilderness and of the environment which is something I previously have never thought about or had interest in. I found the article to be informational about the outcome of the World and the impact that humans have had on the wilderness and Earth.