A Different View

Before taking the ENG308J course, I did not think much about environmental sustainability. I did habitual things such as turning off the lights when I left the room and closing the refrigerator door quickly and I did not throw my trash out of the car window. Most of my actions were done because of economic reasons, such as driving a gas efficient car. With the rising costs of fuel, I was forced to consider the gas mileage when purchasing another vehicle. I don’t recall purchasing a new computer and usually modified my older one or purchased a used one. I thought that my eating habits were good and I hardly ever purchased ready made foods or ate in a fast food establishment. When I ate out I preferred a sit down restaurant. But these were mostly based on my financial condition at the time since it was cheaper to purchase the basic food items and prepare it myself. I only took the ENG308J course because I am required to take it for my degree and thought that it was just an English class which would fit into my schedule conveniently. If I had known it was an environmental sustainability class, I probably would have picked another English class since I had no original interest in this topic.

Today, because of this course, I am thinking of how my actions contribute to environment sustainability. For example, while riding the elevator to the third floor I was wondering how much coal needed to be mined in order to ride to the third floor. Do the costs involved justify the benefits? Was it worth the costs for me not to have to walk the stairs? If I were to walk the stairs my health probably would have benefited.

Before reading the essays about the wilderness in Saving Place, I never really thought much about a description of the wilderness. Previously when the wilderness was mentioned I would picture a place that was unexplored and uninhabited by humans, a place that was dominated by wild animals and a place that needed to be settled. After reading Kerasote's essay, I began to realize that a place in this world that has not been touched by human hands simply does not exist. My belief was that the Europeans settled this country but there was nothing to settle when they arrived. What the Europeans called wilderness, the American Indians called home (Kerasote). The essay by Owens opened my eyes as to how we need to live within the world without destroying it, and that we can learn from the native Indians. The earth will not survive unless we become responsible and treat the environment we live in like the Indians did (Owens). The Indians were in unity with their surroundings and we need to make it our priority to take care of our environment instead of using our surroundings to take care of our needs.

Because I live in a remote area and about twelve miles from a town, I thought I lived in an uninhabited area of the Wayne National Forest. After watching the movie “A Forest Returns”, I began to realize that the woods that I live in are not that old. I drive by a few properties every day on my way to class that have been clear cut and I can see how this land looked not too long ago. Recently we have had heavy rains and you can see the serious erosion of the soil because these properties have not been replanted. The movie and these barren properties make me appreciate the effort and vision that was required to bring back the forest in these areas. I live on about forty acres of wooded land and harvest the wood to heat my home. Although I have a propane furnace, I heat solely with wood being burned in two wood stoves. After watching the movie and seeing firsthand the devastation that can be created from clear cutting, I see the importance of only selecting dead trees and trees which have already fallen for my firewood. As I look through the woods I see an abundance of dead wood and I don't think I will have to cut a living tree. As a means of reducing my wood consumption, I have also cut back on my use of burning both wood stoves by not heating areas that I am not occupying.

The essay by Durning claims that people living today are four-and-a-half times richer than their great grandparents but they are not four-and-a-half times happier. I agree that material goods are not going to make me any more happy. Durning's essay made me think about my consumption from many different angles. I have always viewed my consumption as being on the conservative side and a lot of my consumption has been based according to my financial resources. For example, recently I had to purchase a new vehicle and I would have preferred a high priced, flashy, gas guzzling sports car. This would be the car that says "Hey, look at me, look at what I have..". But, due to my financial resources, I was forced to be conservative. I selected a car based on gas mileage, low insurance costs, and low maintenance costs instead of comfort and appearance. Probably one of the largest necessity items that we should be aware of conserving is our water. One of the first things I do each morning is brush my teeth, shave, and take a shower. I once asked a friend, who is a student visiting from China, what he thought about our American culture. He was astonished about our lack of water conservation and he used the example of letting the water run while we brush our teeth and shave. One of the reasons our country experiences great wealth is due to our abundant water supply. Because I do not have access to an abundant supply of city water I must turn off the water when I brush my teeth and shave. I also have to be aware how long my shower takes and how many loads of laundry are washed, because the well may run dry. I am forced to conserve not because there is a lack of water in the area but because a new well would cost thousands of dollars. The other day in class it was mentioned that Germany was the leader in solar power. I do not think that Germany is an extremely wealthy country and they may be leading in solar power because they can not afford to purchase oil from another country. They may have been forced to focus their attention towards ways of conserving based on their financial situation.

The movie “Food Inc.” made a strong impression about how our food is grown, raised, and processed. I am amazed at how we have entrusted large corporations to control how our food is produced. The scenes that showed cattle standing in their manure and then showed the butchering process and how the manure gets into the meat, was enough to make me think twice about eating meat again. If we purchase our food from local farmers then we will know how are food is grown and processed along with supporting our local economy. “Food Inc.” also pointed out that a large number of our population is affected by diabetes and in the future the number will dramatically increase. I tend to think this increase is due to the amount of preprocessed foods that we consume and the additives that are added to them. Although a garden will not supply all of our dietary needs, this summer, my wife, children and I are going to focus more of our attention on growing as much as we can. It is amazing how much effort, time and money people put into maintaining a yard and growing grass when they could be growing a garden. If I purchase organic and more wholesome foods then I will be lessening the demand for the preprocessed foods and maybe then those manufactures will start making more wholesome products.

I did not realize the importance of proper computer disposal until I looked into green computing for my research project. When my computer needs to be replaced I will find a local electronics recycling center who will dispose of it properly. Also, in order to reduce my carbon footprint I need to turn off my computer when I am not using it along with unplugging the power supply. I am also looking into solar power, first as a power source for my water well pump and then possibly as a source of power for my entire house. The money spent on solar power will be worth not having to use nonrenewable energy sources such as coal. In conclusion, this class has given me a different few, a view which makes me think more about sustainability in every aspect of daily life.



Works Cited

A Forest Returns. Dir. Jean Andrews, Steven Fetsch. Perf. Ora E. Anderson. Ohio Landscape Productions, Inc., 2005. DVD.

Dobrin, Sidney, ed. Saving Place: An Ecocomposition Reader. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.

Durning, Alan Thein. “The Conundrum of Consumption.” Saving Place: An Ecocomposition Reader. Ed. Sidney Dobrin. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2005. 197-201. Print.

Food Inc. Dir. Robert Kenner. Magnolia Home Entertainment. 2009. DVD.

Kerasote, Ted. “What we Talk About When We Talk About Wilderness.” Saving Place: An Ecocomposition Reader. Ed. Sidney Dobrin. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2005. 68-71. Print.

Owens, Louis. “The American Indian Wilderness.” Saving Place: An Ecocomposition Reader. Ed. Sidney Dobrin. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2005. 68-71. Print.

"The Future of Solar Energy." CBS News. Youtube.

Computer Green

Source: http://thefutureofthings.com



About a week ago, while I was at my desk in the Bioinformatics Computer Lab at Ohio University, a new computer was purchased for one of the more senior graduate students. This student offered me his computer which was being replaced with the new computer. I accepted his offer and he placed his old computer on my desk. A few days later I found a little time and was able to connect the monitor, keyboard, mouse, and computer together to make a functioning component. I turned on the computer and this unit had a Linux operating system rather than the Windows operating system that I am accustomed to. I explored this computer a little and then I decided that I would continue my exploration later when I had more time. I searched extensively for the log out button and was not able to locate it. Just then the previous owner walked in and so I asked him how to turn off the computer. He gave me a confused look and asked “Why on earth would you want to turn it off?” He pointed around the room and showed me about 15 unused computers that were left running with nobody at their stations. I thought that everybody turned off their computer when they were done, just like turning off the lights when you leave the room. As I left the Bioinformatics lab I looked into the three other computer labs located in the same hallway and there were approximately fifty unmanned computers. In the students computer lab down the hall there were another forty computers, all running and no students around. Also, on this floor are numerous offices with numerous computers. How many of these computers are running without anybody using them?

According to Murugesan, each personal computer in use generates one ton of carbon dioxide every year. This is because computers use electricity and electricity is made by burning coal which in turn generates carbon dioxide. According to Gingichashvilli, environmental experts calculate the amount of electricity a computer uses over its lifetime and then they are able to determine how much carbon dioxide it will emit into the atmosphere during its operation. Gingichashvilli suggests that we look into alternative sources of energy such as solar power, in order to reduce the burning of coal. Another suggestion is that we calculate how much carbon dioxide a tree will absorb as it grows and plant the required number of trees in the area were the computers are purchased.

Although it is not always feasible for us to install solar panels, there are other options available. These options do not cost a lot of money and we can conserve the energy that our computers use (Pash). One of the simplest solutions would be to just turn off our computer when we are not using it. The amount of energy we would save is well worth the extra time it takes to re-start our computer. If we want to save re-start time then we can set our computer to go into standby or hibernate mode when we are not using it. In standby mode, the power is turned off to items like the monitor and hard drive. You are using very little power but your computer is still on (Trapani). Because your settings are loaded into the random access memory (RAM), which is your working memory and not your hard drive, your computer responds quickly when it restarts. On the other hand, when you use hibernate mode all of the settings are written onto the hard drive and your computer shuts down completely and is not using any power (Trapani). Because all of the settings were written on the hard drive, your computer will return to its normal state when it is restarted. In order to access the hibernate settings in Windows, open the Control Panel and click on the Power Settings icon and then click on the Hibernate tab.

In 1992 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated an energy-management program called Energy Star (Gingichashvilli). In order for a computer to be labeled as Energy Star compliant it must meet certain energy consumption requirements. Any computer purchased by the Federal Government must meet the Energy Star guidelines. According to the Energy Star website, if every computer sold was Energy Star compliant then $1.5 billion in energy costs would be saved and the amount of greenhouse gases reduced would be equal to those emitted from 2 million vehicles. Part of the Energy Star requirements is that the computer must be able to reduce its power usage when it is not being used. The Energy Star website also claims that 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics and appliances is consumed while the product is turned off. Because of this, they recommend that you plug your computer, monitor and printer into a power strip and then turn off the power strip when you are done using your computer. AC power adapters for laptop computers, and cell phones, use power even when they are not plugged into the computer and it is also recommended that you unplug them when they are not in use.

Most people think that screen savers save energy that is used by the monitor but this is a misconception (Gingichashvilli). If you want to save energy then you need to turn the monitor off or place it in sleep mode. If you are going to be away from your computer for more than twenty minutes, then turn off your monitor. If you are going to be away from your computer for more than two hours then turn off the computer and the monitor (Energy Star).

A lot of people think that they will shorten the life of their computer by turning it on and off. The reality is that the life span of electronics is determined by the total time the apparatus is in use and by its temperature (Murugesan). Therefore, when we turn off our electronic equipment we are extending its life by reducing the total time it is operational and by reducing its temperature. Most people are not aware that they could make a huge difference just by changing a few basic habits. In answer to the question “Why on earth would you want to turn it off?” The earth depends on it.


Works Cited

Energy Star. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy. n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. .

Gingichashvilli, Sarah. “Green Computing.” The Future of Things. Thefutureofthings.com. 19 Nov. 2007. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. .

Murugesan, San. “Harnessing Green IT: Principles and Practices.” IT Pro. IEEE Computer Society, Jan/Feb 2008 24-33.

Pash, Adam. “Easy Ways to go Green with Your Computer.” Lifehacker. Lifehacker.com. 22 Apr. 2008. Web. 27 Feb 2011. .

Trapani, Gina. “Hibernate vs. Standby.” Lifehacker. Lifehacker.com, 17 Oct. 2007. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. .

Uhinfotech, “Green Computing at UH.” YouTube. Youtube.com, 22 Oct. 2009. Web. 27 Feb.2011. .

Cyber Sustainability (75% complete)

“The computer and electronics industry has become the largest manufacturing employer in the United States, representing 11 percent of the gross domestic product and growing at an annual rate of 4 percent” (Houtman). Everybody needs the newest, fastest, and most portable model available. There are superstores that only sell electronics and computer equipment. Department stores set aside valuable square footage in order to display the newest gadgets. It is estimated that over 300 million computers are purchased worldwide each year. According to Green Living, it requires 530 pounds of fossil fuel, 48 pounds of chemicals, and one and a half tons of water in order to manufacture just one computer(Larkin). Some manufacturers are trying to reduce the amount of toxins and hazardous chemicals they use in the production of their computers. Each one of these reductions will reduce the amount of toxins that may end up buried in a land fill or emitted into the atmosphere from an incinerator. Some European electronics manufacturers are required to reduce the amounts of hazardous materials used in their products. They are also required to be responsible for the recycling and the disposal of the consumers unwanted products.
The factories that produce the computer components expose their employees to large amounts of chemicals. Lead, phosphor, barium, and chromium are used in the production of cathode ray tube (CRT) display monitors. Resistors and semiconductors contain cadmium and plastic casings and circuit boards are coated with toxic flame retardants. These and other chemicals which are used are known to cause cancer, miscarriages, and birth defects. These factories also emit chemical waste into the atmosphere and contaminate local water supplies.
It is estimated that when three computers are purchased two computers are replaced. Some of these replaced computers are placed into storage until they are discarded into a landfill where the toxins can be released into the atmosphere or leached into the water supply. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) places restrictions on businesses and requires them to dispose of certain materials into hazardous waste landfills. The problem with these restrictions is that households and small businesses are exempt. Some of these computers are collected for recycling and then shipped to Africa, India and Asia. The recycling costs in these countries can be ten times less than in the United States. This is because these countries have less laws protecting their workers and the environment. In these countries the precious metals, such as gold, copper, iron, silicon, and nickel, are extracted by whatever means are necessary. When some of these products are incinerated then mercury, lead and cadmium can be released into the atmosphere. When mercury is in the atmosphere it can accumulate in seafood and then passed into the general population. When plastics and the flame retardant components are burned other toxins are released.
Computers have become a necessity in our daily lives and we are becoming more and more dependent on them. Before we purchase a new computer we could look look into upgrading our existing system. Maybe more memory, a faster chip, or a new component can be added instead of purchasing a whole new outfit. Besides the possibility of saving money you would be saving those fossil fuels and chemicals that it takes to manufacture a new computer. If you need to purchase a new model then try to purchase a model that will be upgradable in the future. Remember that you can still use your existing monitor, mouse, speakers, and keyboard. Before you purchase a new computer you could find a reputable used retailer who may have just what you need.
If your old computer needs repairs you could donate it to a electronics repair school or a repair shop who could use it for training purposes. Sometimes you can trade your old computer in and they will reuse the good working parts and recycle the rest. If your old computer is not that old and still has a little life left in it you could donate it to a nonprofit organization. They can usually remove personal files and pass the computer along to somebody less fortunate. If your computer is older and outdated then maybe recycling is the answer. Some of the large electronics stores will take your old computer and dispose of it properly when you purchase a new one. They will pass it along to a reputable recycling company. Some cities who offer recycling have a program where they will take computers and dispose of them properly.
There are many items that can be recovered by recycling a computer. TALK ABOUT THE RECYCLING PROCESS






Works Cited
Houtman, Carl. “Computer recycling.” Encyclopedia of Earth. Environmental Information
Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment, 29 Aug. 2008. Web. 14 Feb. 2011. .
Larkin, Karen. “Computer Recycling Statistics.” Green Living. Lovetoknow.com, n.d. Web. 14
Feb. 2011. .
“Recycling Old Electronics.” Web of Creation. Webofcreation.org, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2011.
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Greenpeace?

Food Inc.

Watching the movie “Food Inc” really made me think about where our food comes from. This was the second time I have watched this movie. I am amazed at how we have let these big companies control how our food is produced. The way the cattle stand in their manure and then the butchering process, which lets the manure get into the meat, was enough to make me not want to eat meat again. The movie tends to put the blame on these big money hungry corporations. They are mostly the blame because they keep their practices hidden from the public view. The other part of the blame needs to be placed on the consumer. If we did not demand these products then these companies would not supply these products. Think about it, if Kroger only sold the more expensive and quality food the all their customers would probably start shopping at Walmart. On the other hand, if everybody demanded these products then Kroger would supply the need. We should not always purchase the cheapest food because in the long run, the associated health costs end up being way more expensive. The number of people who will have diabetes in the near future is outstanding and this can be changed by changing our diet.

The Mountains have Eyes

The two essays, Louis Owens's, “The American Indian Wilderness,” and Aldo Leopold's “Thinking Like a Mountain, from A Sand Country Almanac” share some common elements. After exploring these two essays it will be apparent that both authors used similar rhetoric. Both authors come to the final conclusion that when mankind tries to control nature he is unable to see all of the unintended consequences of his actions and he usually makes the wrong choice. If we let nature run its course and choose to work with nature, then we will both be better off. Both essays take place with a mountain watching in the background. The mountain is described as having personal attributes. Owens gives life to his mountain by describing it as “the Great Mother” with “shoulders”, while Leopold's mountain is able to think. Meanwhile, in both essays the mountain is in the background taking everything in. Also, both authors start out with a certain way of thinking about nature and then, after having eye opening experiences, each author reconsiders his views and changes his direction.
Owens's essay is about an experience he had while he was working as a seasonal ranger for the U.S. Forest Service. The Forest Service planned to remove all of the man-made items from the forest and Owens was commissioned to remove an eighty year old log shelter house with a collapsed roof. The shelter was located in northern Washington in the Glacier Peak Wilderness in a place called White Pass. Owens describes White Pass as being located “just below one shoulder of the great mountain”. This was not just any mountain, it was the mountain the Salishan people named Dakobed, which means Great Mother, the place of emergence. This would be equivalent to the biblical name of Eve meaning “the mother of all”. This mountain is where everything came from and where everything began. Just as a mother cares for her child, this mountain is majestically standing there watching and caring for everything. Owens makes it come to life by claiming that the mountain has a shoulder. Owens camped at the location for five days while he dismantled and burned the shelter and then he replanted the area. The area where the shelter previously stood had been returned to its “original condition” and Owens felt very self-satisfied with his accomplishments. Just as he was a half-mile into the eleven mile hike back to his car, he encountered two women who were at least seventy years old. The women informed Owens that they were on their way to visit the shelter house their father had built for berry picking eighty years before. After Owens informed them that he had been sent to burn the shelter, he continued on his eleven mile journey. Owens describes how this encounter changed his views:

“In embracing a philosophy that saw the White Pass shelter--and all traces of humanity--as a shameful stain upon the “pure” wilderness, I had succumbed to a five-hundred-year-old pattern of deadly thinking that separates us from the natural world.”

Owens realizes that the shelter was a part of the ecosystem and the mountain was capable of looking after its welfare. Owens closes his essay with the following:

“Unless Americans, and all human beings, can learn to imagine themselves as intimately and inextricably related to every aspect of the world they inhabit, with the extraordinary responsibilities such relationship entails—unless they can learn what the indigenous peoples of the Americas knew and often still know—the earth simply will not survive. A few square miles of something called wilderness will become the sign of failure everywhere."

Owens reached the conclusion that in order for us to survive we need to be one with nature and not be in control of nature.
Leopold's essay starts by describing how the howl of the wolf sends a tragic message to everyone who hears it. Leopold paints the picture that everyone and everything would be better off without the wolf, but the mountain takes a different view:

“Only the mountain has lived long enough to listen objectively to the howl of a wolf.”

Here again the author brings the mountain to life by claiming that it “has lived” and that it is capable of listening and perhaps even of having an opinion. Leopold expresses that he also viewed the wolves as a nuisance to society until he witnessed a wolf die. While he was in a group eating lunch on a “rimrock”, a pack of wolves appeared below. After eagerly shooting six or seven wolves he describes the encounter that changed his views:

“We reached the old wolf in time to watch a fierce green fire dying in her eyes. I realized then, and have known ever since, that there was something new to me in those eyes—something known only to her and to the mountain. I was young then,and full of trigger-itch; I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters' paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view.”

Notice again that the mountain takes on human characteristics with an ability to think and also that at this moment Leopold changes his personal view. The author then tells the reader that after most states have gotten rid of the wolves that there is now an abundance of deer. As a result the mountain side is trodden with deer trails and most of the edible brush and seedlings are ruined. The leaves of every tree are removed “to the height of a saddle-horn”. The mountain is not able to grow enough food for the deer and tragically many die of starvation. Now just as the deer feared the wolves, the mountain is in fear of the deer. Leopold ends his essay with:

“Perhaps this is behind Thoreau's dictum: In wildness is the salvation of the world.Perhaps this is the hidden meaning in the howl of the wolf, long known among mountains, but seldom perceived among men.”

In conclusion, each one of these authors could have used the others final remark as their own ending. By changing wolf to cabin, Owens could have ended by saying: “Perhaps this is behind Thoreau's dictum: In wildness is the salvation of the world. Perhaps this is the hidden meaning of the cabin, long known among mountains, but seldom perceived among men.” Similarly, Leopold could have ended by saying “Unless Americans, and all human beings, can learn to imagine themselves as intimately and inextricably related to every aspect of the world they inhabit, with the extraordinary responsibilities such relationship entails—unless they can learn what the wolf and the mountain knew and often still know—the earth simply will not survive. A few square miles of something called wilderness will become the sign of failure everywhere.”


Works Cited.
Owens, Louis. “The American Indian Wilderness.” Saving Place: An Ecocomposition Reader. Ed. Sidney Dobrin. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2005. 68-71. Print.

Leopold, Aldo. “Thinking Like a Mountain, from A Sand County Almanac.” Saving Place: An Ecocomposition Reader. Ed. Sidney Dobrin. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2005. 68-71. Print.

Consumption

I have to admit that during the past few week I have thought about my consumption from many different angles. I have always viewed my consumption as being on the conservative side. A lot of my consumption has probably been based according to my financial resources. For example, recently I had to purchase a new vehicle. I probably would prefer the high priced, flashy, gas guzzling sports car. This would be the car that says "Hey, look at me, look at what I have..". But, due to my financial resources, I am forced to be conservative. I selected a car based on gas mileage, low insurance costs, and low maintenance costs instead of comfort and appearance. One of the first things I do each morning is brush my teeth, shave, and take a shower. Probably one of the largest necessity items that we should be aware of conserving is our water. I once asked a friend, who is a student visiting from China, what he thought about our American culture. He was astonished about our lack of water conservation and he used the example of letting the water run while we brush our teeth and shave. One of reasons this country experiences great wealth is due to our abundant water supply. We don't have to worry about running out of water. A few years ago National Graphic magazine published an article on China and one of the problems they deal with on a daily basis is the lack of drinking water. Here again I am forced to conserve based on my financial situation. Because I do not have access to an abundant supply of city water I must turn off the water when I brush my teeth and shave. I also have to be aware how long my shower takes and how many loads of laundry are washed, because the well my run dry. I am forced to conserve not because there is a lack of water in the area but because a new well would cost thousands of dollars. The other day in class it was mentioned that Germany was the leader in solar power. I do not think that Germany is an extremely wealthy country. They may be leading in solar power because they can not afford to purchase oil from another country. They may have been forced to focus their attention towards ways of conserving based on their financial situation.

The Web of Life

After reading the essay "From The Web of Life" I decided to make a comment on the authors thoughts. He claims that we need to be ecoliterate. Ecosystems developed complex ways in order to maximize sustainability and if we study these ecosystems then they will show us how we can become sustainable. I agree with his description of interdependence, the sucess of the whole community depends on the success of its individual members, and, the success of the individual members depends on the sucess of the community. If we are going to survive, and thrive, then we need to work together. In our previous readings we get the notion that the Indians were at one with nature. One reason for this is that they were not focused on monetary gain. Their focus was more on spiritual issues and on ways to survive. I have heard it said that if we have shelter, food and good health then there is nothing else that we need. The author suggests an Eco-tax. This may be a good way to get us to work together and focus on sustainability. Today, we as a society are driven by money, but, money is not one of the three necessities. If we are penalized monetarily when we are going in the wrong direction then maybe we will think twice and reroute ourselves in the right direction.