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Cuyahoga River fire that inspired movements towards creation of holiday Earth Day (Maher, 2019). 

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Journal 2: "What is Sustainability?" 8/27/23

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Journal 2: "What is Sustainability?" 8/27/23

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Sustainability is one of the biggest issues that we are facing in society today and will be one of the biggest issues in the future. It’s scary to think about the generations after us and what will be left of this world when it is passed down to them and for their care. There can only be hope that there will be new technology developed and that newer generations will want to make a shift to save our planet. “Sustainability means enduring into the long-term future; it refers to systems and processes that are able to operate and persist on their own over long periods of time,”(Robertson, 2017, p. 3). This definition in reference to the Earth brings up the question of without the continual development of technology, would the climate and environment be in a better place? It also makes one wonder what the need for always improving technology is and how in my eyes that has ruined the beauty of nature for many people. Technology has taken precedent in many people’s lives but if technology isn’t sustainable this will ruin many people’s lives at it’s ultimate breakdown as people do not know how to live without it. I often think about if modern technology has ruined the human experience on Earth and ruined the younger generations to not have that appreciation or want to protect Earth. The Earth can only return to sustainability if people raise awareness about the damage that we are causing to our climate. It’s scary the reality of where our Earth is going and how our world is moving away from sustainability, and not enough are wanting to save or raise awareness about this. Coming from Ohio, I resonated with Rachel Carson and her work to raise awareness, especially after the fires on the Cuyahoga River which is now far from where I grew up. I found it inspiring that her efforts helped to create the holiday Earth Day.

Word Count: 294

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This chapter shows how we are all connected, every little plant contributes to your life in some way that many will never realize. All your energy comes and starts from plants in your ecosystem. “A constant flow of energy and matter is a feature of all life,” (Robertson, 2017, p. 36). While humans are very different from plants there isn’t enough appreciation or gratitude for what they give to us as humans. They have helped to develop our world into what it is today and without them we would not be able to survive on this Earth. For me this chapter helped me to realize how truly connected we are to the world around us and everything plays a pivotal part in our world, down to the smallest bug and piece of grass. We all need the same things to be able to survive and grow in this world that is energy and matter. We are not as different from the plants and animals that surround us, just because we exceed in intelligence, when we break down the basics, we need them more than they need us. This proves that we should be more respectful and responsible to our environment around us before we cause detrimental changes to the biomes and ecosystems that we can never change back.

Word Count: 201

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I was very surprised at my ecological footprint to find that food is one of my biggest consumptions. I had assumed that transportation would be the biggest one just because I feel like that causes the most pollution but I never thought about all the transportation that goes into providing food across the country and how that impacts it as well. After seeing these results it makes me think about switching to meatless alternatives and cutting down on the animal products and by- products that I consume during the week. Small changes like this in people’s everyday lives can help to reduce our ecological footprint by so much. Many don’t realize what transportation the items they use everyday take to be brought to accessibility for them, by cutting down and shopping locally and reducing our online ordering and animal product consumption this can greatly reduce our global impact. This concept however might not be the best solution with the growing population rates around the world. “Education, career opportunities, lower childhood mortality, access to family planning, and security in old age are all outcomes of national laws and policies. National governments play a central role stabilizing population,” (Robertson, 2017, p. 50). This is a problem though that we need to advocate for politically though and in our own practices. With government assistance and bringing it to the attention of our government, that is the first step in helping to combat the problem of excess waste and pollution that we all contribute to. After seeing the results of my ecological footprint it has shown that simple changes can make a larger impact that many would think. Without government help though there isn’t much hope in helping our world reach a point of sustainability and help to rebuild ecosystems that we have destroyed. If the government helps to place policies and incentives for ecological living, like Thailand, Iran and Brazil that have created family planning systems for their population, then this would be a greater step towards helping our planet.

Word Count: 302

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The biggest contributor to my carbon footprint was flights. I understand why this is because this past year I traveled internationally and also coming from out of state I visit back home at least twice a semester. I am lucky though because this would be higher if my parents did not come down to visit me however this still contributes to the bigger problem. I had never put in perspective before how impactful airplane fuel is, but after reflecting on this part of my footprint I am not surprised by the amount of carbon output they have. Plane fly into our atmosphere and then pollute it with the waste from the jet fuel, I think though at this point in our technology the only hope for combatting this problem will be alternative fuels as I do not believe people will cut back on flying as it can be necessary at points for work or also for family purposes and pleasure. The biggest thing for me in this chapter was that I was gripped by the first line and have to agree when it is said that “Many scientists believe that climate change is the most serious crisis facing our planet,” (Robertson, 2017, p. 67). I think that climate change is one of the most serious crises that our world is facing and not enough people are taking this as a serious problem. If we look at the graph of our globe's temperature rising it is alarming the speed and the temperature it has already reached in a short amount of time. With scientist’s computer model predictions we are facing many scary effects from the rising global temperature like more violent weather, like floods and hurricanes, rising sea levels and changes in water currents, this can all contribute to extinction as well as drastically change the way that humans live and survive. These are all scary consequences that need to be taken more seriously by our planet.

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This is a hut built on a beach off of my favorite hiking trail next to Lake Erie, (Hoey, 2023). 

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The place that I consider to be home is where I am from, which is Cleveland, Ohio. I grew up in Ohio but moved to Cleveland in 5th grade, while I wasn’t born there I do consider this to be my home. I consider it to be my home because it is the place where I have the most connection to and have made the most lasting memories. Cleveland, Ohio by many would not  be considered the most beautiful place, the town I live in is actually called the “snow belt” because we receive the majority of the lake effect snow. I find so much beauty in this snow though and I feel like it is one thing that truly makes the holidays at home special when I come home from Florida. I lived in a small town outside of downtown Cleveland that is called Chardon, this is a town where the circles run small but this enriched my life so much. I grew up walking home to my grandparents house everyday from school, she lived right off the main town square and on the parade route for all the events of festivals. Some of my greatest childhood memories surround this town and all the people that helped to shape me into the person I am today. One of the biggest differences between my home and Florida is the greenery. My house is surrounded by all kinds of trees and forest, there are hiking trails all around and we cherish the warm weather and when we get to enjoy the beautiful nature. Coming back home from Florida is also a shock because while Florida has lots of nature it’s so different and much more tropical. The expansive green I see when I come home is always something I never really noticed before I left about how many trees there really are surrounding my home. I am fortunate to have grown up with so much beautiful nature surrounding my home and it is something that I find grounding in times of need.

Word Count: 341

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Every living thing needs water to survive but specifically humans need clean, fresh water to survive. This is becoming a struggle and something that humans need to protect as we have many non- renewable sources of it. The evidence they have found shows that we are contaminating many of our freshwater sources ourselves. “Chemical pollution is damaging to ecosystems and to human health as rivers and lakes are increasingly polluted by fertilizer, pesticide residues, chemical wastes, and industrial spills. Pesticide and fertilizer contamination has been found in aquifers,” (Robertson, 2017, p. 93). This is concerning that the non- renewable sources like aquifers are becoming contaminated from pesticides and other chemicals that seep through the ground and run through the groundwater. Also many fresh water sources like rivers and lakes are becoming polluted from the dumping of human waste into them, this creates many problems with the water in our areas and decreases usable freshwater. We need to use wisely and also protect our freshwater sources because in the United States we take for granted our immediate access to clean water. There are many countries that cannot have this direct access and struggle to get clean water, the water around them brings diseases and other illnesses when it is drunk. With a lack of access to clean water this can cause more disease to spread quickly in areas and also create and perpetuate poverty in these areas. Depletion of our freshwater resources can also be threatening to our ecosystems or biomes. It can interfere with the plants that grow in the areas around freshwater sources. It can also change the animals that live in the area, without access to freshwater many will be forced to leave and change the ecosystems around them, this can be very threatening to their survival.  This is why we need to protect and keep clean the limited freshwater sources we have around us, for ourselves and our environment.

Word Count: 283

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Journal 7: Ecosystems and Habitats 10/5/23

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Journal 7: Ecosystems and Habitats 10/5/23

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Currently, we are seeing an alarming rate of extinction because of the rapidly growing and increasing population that is contributing to the increase in pollution and worsening climate change. The ecosystems are increasingly changing as many of the water and freshwater sources are disappearing, this is changing the landscape of the world. The cause of all this destruction is led back to humans and the overuse of our natural resources. “Habitat destruction is the most significant driver of ecosystem damage, biodiversity loss, and species extinction and comes about because of a variety of human activities,” (Robertson, 2017, p. 112). We are at a point where “'sixth mass extinction' is underway, with species going extinct at a rate not seen in 65 million years,” (Robertson, 2017, p. 110). This is extremely scary as we are slowly killing off the animals and companions that we have had on this Earth and many that have been here long before us. We need to protect and respect their area but instead we are depleting their resources and taking them away. As areas are becoming more urbanized we are taking away their habitat and their ability to live, this is one of the biggest contributors to extinction of animals. More people should be alarmed and aware about how extinction rates are rising at such steep rates and that we are the cause of these losses. We need to protect these ecosystems and habitats from extinction, the depletion of biodiversity will take away the natural beauty of the world around us. With more urbanized and unchecked pollution and waste into our climate soon our world will turn into nothing but desert and buildings, there will be no biodiversity which brings all the beauty into nature and to us.

Word Count: 241

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Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.9774/gleaf.9781315625478

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(National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2023). 

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Pollution is one of the biggest growing problems that is impacting our environment. This is the issue that will ruin the Earth for future generations if something isn't done to help prevent further damage and loss of our nature. This also is impacting us now because we will not know the repercussions of this pollution on our bodies until the future. "Our lungs are designed to absorb gases out of the air efficiently; that means they also absorb pollutants efficiently," (Robertson, 2017, p. 136). This is concerning for growing up in this environment and how this could impact our physical health. With pollutants being absorbed into people's lungs so easily and it will only get worse. We need to make efforts to fight against this because it will only become worse for future generations. It is concerning how there are many pollutants that we do not know the long- term impact that they will have on our bodies and health. This toxic release needs to be stopped and efforts made to combat this damage or this will ruin our future generations. The EPA already has a list of the hazardous air pollutants and there need to be more efforts made to stop the release of these into our environment. The air is constantly surrounding us and we need oxygen to survive but our lungs having to clean our pollutants is detrimental to them.

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Our society and their energy use is tied to so many nonrenewable resources. This means that we will run out of this resource and it will not be replenished for continued use. This is concerning because so much of our world is supported by the use of fossil fuels and their energy. "Fossil fuels may eventually be replenished, but regeneration takes place over a time scale of hundreds of millions of years, a duration that is not relevant for human civilization. That means that, unlike sunlight, there is a finite supply. Once it is gone, it is no longer available," (Robertson, 2017, p. 156). This is why alternative fuels must be developed because our continued use of these resources has depleted and soon they will be gone. That's why alternatives like solar energy are such a good resource because sunlight comes everyday. Solar energy is a very good alternative as it also does not contribute to the pollution of the atmosphere like the burning of fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels is bad for the environment and also isn't a good resource that will soon run out. The process of extraction is also very harmful to our Earth with the deep drilling. Extraction can be very harmful with its repercussions to our environment and through "fracking" (Robertson, 2017, p. 158). The emphasis on alternative fuel composition is important because while solar energies clean there are issues with it. The issues with solar energy like the use of it at night when there is no light and also in areas that do not have much sunlight and colder, cloudy environments. Clean and alternative fuel development is in research but needs to be adopted by the world to help save it.

Word: 233

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Food is a necessity that every human needs to survive. With our growing population there is more demand for food which has turned farming into an industry and corporation. They are trying to produce as much food as they can for the most money, no matter if they have to use chemicals and modifications to get their yield. "Cultivation and harvesting are done with large, fossil fuel-driven machinery. Large quantities of irrigation water and synthetic fertilizers boost crop yield, while chemical pesticides reduce competition from weeds and damage from pests. As opposed to small- and midsize farms, which are typically operated by their owners, farms using industrial agri- culture generally feature absentee owners, usually shareholders of corporations," (Robertson, 2017, p. 225). Agriculture is turning into something just for money and not looking to create nutrition for society. It also is creating negative impacts on our environment because of the pesticides used to produce the highest yield possible. The run- off is getting into our soil and our Earth as well as the residue that is left on our food and being ingested. There is no care for the long- term impact that this has on the community surrounding this farm corporation or the health of the environment around. The only goal is producing the most to make the most money. This is a sad reality in our food industry and shows that supporting local farms and businesses is better for our health and our environment. Large corporation farms are going to strip the Earth of its nutrients from using all of these chemicals and only perpetuating the continued use of them. These chemicals could have negative impacts on the health of people who ingest them as well.

Word Count: 224

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The rate of production and consumption are at an all time high and these products being consumed are 95% nonrenewable. This means that almost all the products flowing through our economy now are not sustainable. This is extremely discouraging for the environmental efforts as much of this will end up as wasting in many years anyway, rotting into our Earth. "Consumption of these nonrenewable resources is accelerating exponentially as a result of the dual pressures of rising populations and growing affluence in China, India, and other developing countries. Their use is part of a complex picture in which products commonly seen as environmentally friendly have negative tradeoffs," (Robertson, 2017, p. 255). This is a reference to the creation of technology and the use of rare metals that is required. This technology is something people view as good because of its efficiency and ease of use however with the high rates of consumption it can create problematic waste and use of our rare metal resources. With the growing population that rates of consumption will only continue to grow and contribute to this problem of non renewable products. These products can also be harmful in the materials that they are composed of. "Some choices are obvious, such as avoiding materials and components made with PVC, bisphenol A (BPA), formaldehyde, benzene, or lead," (Robertson, 2017, p. 261). Think of these being in items that children play with and how this can be bad for their health. It brings in the question of what products we use everyday and their ultimate impact on our health and the world around us. The shift to renewable materials needs to be started now as waste is a big problem and the changes to our climate that are negative. With growing populations the shift needs to be made to renewable products or this could ruin our environment.

Word Count: 234

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After keeping this journal I realized that I could be recycling so much more than I do. I realized that I was only throwing away recyclables because of the convenience of the trash can being closer and not wanting to separate or clean it. The reason I was not recycling a lot of the materials was because my recycling bin is in our garage so it's less convenient than the bin that is in the kitchen. This could easily be fixed when it is more accessible because whenever I am on campus I always recycle because there are so many bins available. I honestly thought I would have more waste than this but I also was working a lot this week so I did not have much time for myself. Recycling is one of the ways we can help combat over consumption though. "It extracts materials from the waste stream and processes them so that they can be reused in some way. Reprocessing materials and returning them to the supply chain in some form uses less energy and generates less additional waste than would be needed to produce the same materials from ore or virgin source," (Robertson, 2017, p. 279). This is super important in waste management and helping our environment. With so many nonrenewable products being distributed recycling is one of the ways that we can combat this. In the field trip to Lee County WTE it showed the importance of proper waste management and how we can help the environment. The WTE plant does amazing work and by simply walking in my garage to recycle I could help this problem instead of adding to it.

Word Count: 220

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With the growing population there is constant construction and destruction happening to better accommodate people and living. This can cause lots of waste and negative impacts on the environment as it takes away nature. This is why "green buildings" are something that is important to start turning towards in our construction industry. "The term “green building” is used to describe a healthy building that minimizes negative impacts on the environment," (Robertson, 2017, p. 185). Depending on the climate around these buildings can look different in their construction. "A building suited to hot desert climates, where the primary strategies are ventilation, night cooling, and thermal mass, will have one look. It will be quite different from a building designed for snowy winters, where ample windows on the southern face are needed to let in warming sun," (Robertson, 2017, p. 185). These buildings also have goals towards helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy, water and other waste. Many buildings use daylight to reduce energy use or eliminate completely only relying on sunlight for their light. The methods of facing the building towards the sun, increasing window size, and location can help with the use of daylight. There is also the use of active solar heating which is using the sun's energy to heat water in a solar collector. This helps to reduce the amount of energy used in actions like heating water. There is also the use of passive cooling that allows a building to rely on natural ventilation to replace air conditioning which consumes lots of energy. The construction of these buildings is vital in the future of our sustainable living because at the rate our world is going this will not be possible.

Word Count: 210

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Harry Chapin Food Bank Service Reflection 

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Harry Chapin Food Bank Service Reflection 

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Harry Chapin Food Bank is a great organization that distributes food to so many places all around the community. Their systems and reach is so impressive as well as the amount of food they provide between Naples and Fort Myers. I chose Harry Chapin Food Bank because when I was a freshman there was a presentation from them in one of my classes and I always wanted to volunteer there. Colloquium gave me the perfect opportunity to get involved with this organization as I had already learned about it previously. After becoming involved I was able to fully see just how much work goes into behind the scenes of distributing this food. Their mission is to lead the fight to end hunger in our community. This shows how they are working towards sustainability by striving to provide food to all that are in need. This helps to fight against the agribusiness goals and corporations as the majority of their food and produce comes donated from local farms and grocery stores. It is incredible to see how much the community around supports this food bank through their donations and their work volunteering. We worked to package Thanksgiving dinner boxes and this really touched me to know that all of these people would not be going hungry on the holiday but also getting as close to a Thanksgiving dinner as we could give them. There was ham, mac and cheese, green beans, corn, cranberry, pumpkin and more. It was nice to see that not only are they providing food but also working towards helping give these people a more normal life not worrying about where their next meal is coming from. "Hunger or food scarcity is a problem worldwide. The FAO reports that there are currently over one billion hungry people in the world," (Robertson, 2017, p. 230). Working towards combating this hunger is something that is so important in our world today and with the growing work of agribusiness there should be no reason that people are starving. The amount of food wasted per day is something that needs to be stopped to help allocate those resources to others, like Harry Chapin Food Bank does. Fighting against hunger is something personally connected to me and should be to everyone that has food security. As a person who doesn't have to worry about my next meal I want that for everyone. This is such a sad issue that our world cannot provide food for every person which should not be the reality. Working with Harry Chapin Food Bank helped to empower me more on this issue and inspired me to continue volunteering there even past that assignment for this class.

Word Count: 448