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Hello, my name is Alex Rodriguez and I am 19 years old. I am currently majoring in psychology at the Kendall Campus. I was born in Cuba but moved to Spain when I was a kid, and I have now lived in Miami for the past 8 years. I am planning on transferring to FIU the semester after this one. I have no plans or ideas for how things will go for me after I transfer, but I will think about it when it happens. I am a lazy person, but I get everything done. When I graduate, I hope to go to Austin, Texas, and I like playing video games on my computer. My aims are to finish this semester so that I may transfer to FIU and then determine what to do next, and then just go on to the next phase. My strengths are that I always get things done and that I have an extremely strong memory. My weaknesses are that I am lazy most of the time and that I sleep a lot and stay up late. To me, the definition of successful is being able to do things for myself without constantly needing someone else to do them for me. It's accomplishing my objectives on my own terms and at my own speed.

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The research tool that caught my attention was the library catalog, the broad amount of information it provides it's really helpful and secure, usually I would google my own articles, but with this tool I can get better information on any topic that I selected. It includes an encyclopedia and a great variety of different articles Prof. Duque did an amazing job explaining how to use this tool and now it is something I can use to give the best possible information on any topic. Prof. Duque showed many research tools with a good explanation which made it easy to understand. I wasn't aware of many of the tools we have at our disposal but Prof. Duque provided many useful links and ideas that are helpful like Kanopy, that comes with reliable documentaries and training videos. One of the tools I was aware of was online tutoring that the professor went over that was really nice to listen about it again.

The topic I chose to do my research on was climate change. I decided to go with this topic because is something I share a big interest in and have always been a topic I have wanted to research and expand my knowledge on because here in Miami climate change can cause many negative effects like sea level rise, increase in droughts and floods and impacts to plants and animals.

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How will Climate Change and Sea Level Rising impact Miami?

1. Daniel Cusick. “Miami Is the Most Vulnerable Coastal City Worldwide.” (February 4, 2020) https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/miami-is-the-most-vulnerable-coastal-city-worldwide/

My first article explains why Miami is the most vulnerable coastal city globally. The findings present that 100-year floods could occur every few years rather than once a century in many locations. In addition, parts of the Florida Keys may need to be abandoned because of rising sea levels. Also, Florida's Everglades and Biscayne National Park may become permanently submerged by the end of the century. And finally, Climate Change could cause more deaths per 100,000 Florida residents annually by 2035.

2. Robert Meyer. “Miami and the Costs of Climate Change.” (2014) https://riskcenter.wharton.upenn.edu/miami-and-the-costs-of-climate-change/

My second article talks about how Miami is perhaps most exposed to the sea-level rise of any central U.S. metro area how no one is agreeing to the idea of building a sea wall along Biscayne Bay. The proposed wall in this article would be up to 20 feet high. Also, Florida lawmakers have designated $200 million in tax dollars for sea-level rise and sewer projects.

3. Alexi C. Cardona. “Miami Will See More Effects of Climate Change Within Next 20 Years.” (February 6, 2020) https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/climate-change-effects-in-miami-flooding-property-damage-and-heat-related-deaths-11489523

My third article shows how climate change will affect Florida within the next 20 years. Miami is one of the most at-risk cities in the world for damage caused by flooding and storms. Rising seas threaten property and infrastructure, and those threats will place a financial burden on governments. In addition, the number of days with temperatures exceeding 95 degrees will increase from 22 to 26 a year. Florida could see 1,000 to 1,400 people older than 65 die from high heat each year by 2035.

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I've started to listen more to our environment and learn more about it from these videos. So instead of just letting everything terrible happen, I would like to make these articles that I discussed in these activities a reality.

CAS1: In this assignment, I chose to talk about The Story of Plastic. I knew plastic doesn't rot, like paper or food, so instead. It can hang around in the environment for hundreds of years. And also, each year, 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced, and 40% of that is single-use - Plastic we'll only use once before it is trashed. In the video, we can see how the plastic crisis impacts the whole globe through a process that hurts the environment and humans from getting down to the end. It also demonstrates that plastic is formed from fossil fuels like oil or fracking gas, which causes plenty of pollution in communities. I also learned that one solution to this problem is phasing out the only-use plastics that pollute the foremost and taking action against the fuel subsidies fueling big plastic, and holding companies accountable for the plastic waste they created to make a sustainable circular economy. I also talked about the story of water that shows how many communities around the United States are experiencing severe water shortages due to a lack of funds and old infrastructure. And towns all around the country are developing strategies to preserve their water systems independent of corporate power.

SP3: My experience with this assignment was informative and exciting since I learned a couple of new interesting things. It shows how Miami is the most vulnerable coastal city globally. Also, 100-year floods could occur every few years rather than once a century in many locations. In addition, parts of the Florida Keys may need to be abandoned because of rising sea levels. Also, Florida's Everglades and Biscayne National Park may become permanently submerged by the end of the century. I also learned how Miami has this idea of building a sea wall along Biscayne Bay. And this wall would be up to 20 feet high. Also, Florida lawmakers have designated $200 million in tax dollars for sea-level rise and sewer projects. And finally, how Rising seas threaten property and infrastructure, and those threats will place a financial burden on governments. In addition, the number of days with temperatures exceeding 95 degrees will increase from 22 to 26 a year. Florida could see 1,000 to 1,400 people older than 65 die from high heat each year by 2035.

CAS3: This activity CAS3 changed my perspective by showing me how the sea will help us fight against climate change. At first, I was skeptical about this proposition, but the more I listened to the video and the professor, I started to change my perspective. If we could harness the oceans' power, wind and waves, and tides to produce power, offshore wind alone could produce enough energy for the earth carbon-free. And also have to stop thinking that we have to save the ocean instead. The key is that we have to think about the sea as a source of solutions and find how the sea can save us. I also discussed another article that showed me how important is the Earth's surface and ocean floor. Only seven percent of the ocean and less than a fifth of our land have been protected. We have converted most of our planet into a tame environment, where 96% of the mass of mammals is us and our domesticated livestock. We have removed over 90% of the large fish in the ocean in the last century. But what amazed me the most and showed me a new path to save the surface of Earth and sea is a global plan to protect 30 percent of the Earth's surface on the ocean floor by 2030 with a 30x30 initiative.

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II. Documentation

The Story of Plastic: This film begins by demonstrating how the plastic crisis impacts the whole globe through a process that not only hurts the environment but also humans from getting down to end. It also demonstrates that plastic is formed from fossil fuels like oil or fracking gas, which causes plenty of pollution in communities. We are able to see that globally, 32% of plastic packaging finally ends up within the environment, 40% goes to landfills, where the plastic simply heaps up for future generations to deal with, and 14% gets burnt. The film depicts how the Incineration industry may be a filthy one that emits harmful smoke and ash. One solution proposed by this video is phasing out the only use plastics that pollute the foremost and taking action against the fuel subsidies that are fueling big Plastic and holding companies accountable for the plastic waste they created to make a sustainable circular economy.

The Story of Water: The film begins with Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young explaining how, thanks to the efforts of the commercial water business, the federal government is investing far less on water services than ever before. He also discusses how many communities around the United States are experiencing severe water shortages due to a lack of funds and old infrastructure. When corporations enter the picture, they propose a range of privatization strategies that can increase water prices by up to 59%. Fortunately, towns all around the country are developing strategies to preserve their water systems independent of corporate power. Baltimore is the first large city to prohibit some types of water privatization, setting a new norm for the preservation of public water supplies.

"The Story of Plastic". (April 21, 2020). www.storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-plastic-animation/.

"The Story of Water". (June 15, 2019). https://www.storyofstuff.org/movies/the-story-of-water/.

III. Reflection

A: As a global citizen, it is my responsibility to become someone who takes decisions that promote the international community's long-term sustainability. Personal satisfactions and individual interests would not be eliminated, but they would become useful to the achievement of other more important goals. Environmental protection, social responsibility, and labor security, to name a few. Also teaching to future generations the importance of being a global citizen. A global citizen is someone who is conscious of and understands their role in the globe. They participate actively in their communities and collaborate with others to create our world a more peaceful, sustainable, and equitable place. Our world is becoming a more complicated network of interconnections and interdependencies, and our actions have far-reaching consequences.

B: I decided to start recycling my trash after seeing The Story of Stuff videos. Recycling conserves energy and reduces both waste and the desire to collect and mine fresh resources. Also, discuss about these subjects with everyone, from my family to my friends. Talking about these topics raises awareness, builds communities, and can inspire individuals to take action. I think we are more than capable of changing the world and making it a better environment for future generations so that they do not have to suffer from problems like pollution, intoxication, or severe water shortages. We don't want to hurt the planet but save it and we can only do it together.

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Article 1: Burning Sugar Cane Pollutes Communities of Color in Florida. Brazil Shows There’s Another Way.

The sugar cane industry in the United States is huge, producing raw sugar, ethanol, and energy. Brazil has successfully moved away from the contentious practice of cane burning. Compared to less than 1 million acres in the United States, the country farms about 20 million acres. Cane burns are harmless and cannot be stopped without causing economic loss, according to one of Florida's largest sugar firms. Sugar cane fires in Florida's Glades region emit harmful air pollutants, but the state has chosen to regulate rather than prohibit the fires. Because the harvest is already mechanized, experts in Brazil believe there will be no big job loss in Florida. In the near run, leaving straw on Florida's soil may make plants more susceptible to freezing and slow growth.

Article 2: What can Houston teach Los Angeles about solving homelessness?

Houston, Texas has reduced homelessness by more than half in the last decade. L.A. has doubled in size during the same period. The Houston story has a lesson for Los Angeles: Solving the Homeless is not about economics, but about the clarity and execution of strategy. Every step that makes the street homeless a little  uncomfortable has the unintended consequence of attracting more people to the street. The L.A. homelessness problem is fundamentally a systematic problem, and there are opportunities. The study raises great concerns about the impact of homelessness on the quality of life in the neighborhood and the difficulties that homeless people can tolerate. Many people who live on the street as they are today are not yet fit for this world. To accommodate them and regain the public space they live in, Los Angeles must decide what they really want from these struggling people.

Reflection:

After reading the first article, I think Brazil's method of harvesting sugar cane without polluting the air is amazing, and the country's sugar cane fields are among the best in the world. The majority of sugarcane is still harvested by hand with long machetes around the world. Brazil is a major producer of sugarcane, which has more than doubled in recent decades to meet global bioenergy demands. Adopting optimum management techniques is one of the researchable priorities that may be established to help sugarcane producers realize their full potential. The second article I learned that Houston's sole primary homeless agency is a master at orchestrating its services. The emphasis has been on making homelessness "rare, brief, and nonrecurring," rather than on making it a more pleasant option. In the previous year, the city has decommissioned eight homeless encampments, providing inhabitants with a road to permanent housing. Between 85 and 90 percent of homeless persons take advantage of this service. I believe these subjects were portrayed uniquely through solutions journalism compared to other media by revaling how the communities might more effectively address critical issues. They have the power to alter the tone of public debate, making it less divisive and more productive. They can also lead to meaningful change by revealing what has worked. Solutions journalism is about what journalism has always been about informing and empowering people.

References:

(2021, December 29)

Burning Sugar Cane Pollutes Communities of Color in Florida. Brazil Shows There’s Another Way.

https://www.propublica.org/article/burning-sugar-cane-pollutes-communities-of-color-in-florida-brazil-shows-theres-another-way?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker

(2022, January 30)

What can Houston teach Los Angeles about solving homelessness?

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-01-30/houston-teach-los-angeles-curbing-homelessness?utm_source=Solutions+Story+Tracker

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Article 1:

The ocean's ingenious climate solutions.

Susan Ruffo talks about how the ocean takes 70% of our planets and that we're still really just beginning to understand it. However, she says that the sea will help us fight against climate change. Ruffo says that the ocean has absorbed 90 perfect of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases. She says that if we could harness the oceans' power, wind and waves, and tides to produce power, offshore wind alone could produce enough energy for the earth carbon-free. Ruffo also states that the key is that we have to think about the sea as a source of solutions, and instead of trying to find how we can save the ocean, instead of how the sea can save us.

https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_ruffo_the_ocean_s_ingenious_climate_solutions

Article 2:

A bold plan to protect 30 percent of the Earth's surface and ocean floor.

Enric Sala speaks about how only seven percent of the ocean and less than a fifth of our land have been protected. He continues by saying that we have converted most of our planet into a tame environment, where 96% of the mass of the mammals is us and our domesticated livestock. We have removed over 90% of the large fish in the ocean in the last century. Sala presents the 30x30 initiative, a global plan to protect 30 percent of the Earth's surface on the ocean floor by 2030. Sala believes that nature's return helps people thrive and build a better life. We need to give nature the space to continue providing for us.

https://www.ted.com/talks/enric_sala_a_bold_plan_to_protect_30_percent_of_the_earth_s_surface_and_ocean_floor

Reflection:

The first video taught me that the ocean could provide us with solutions to help us. The sea is warming and rising and acidifying; we need to protect the systems protecting us. The ocean absorbs 25 to 30 percent of the CO2 released into the atmosphere. I also learned that we often overlook the sea and leave it out. The sea is a core part of our climate system, and it has to be a core part of our climate solutions. In the second video, I learned that raging wildfires caused by global warming kill billions of individual animals and trees and many coral reefs worldwide. Also, we need to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to almost zero and draw down the excess carbon pollution in the atmosphere and the ocean, and for that, we need nature's help. This video is innovative by showing a way to save the surface and ocean floor. Many say that we cannot afford to protect our natural world. Still, a study has put the cost of protecting 30 percent of the planet at about 140 billion dollars a year, and that's only a fraction of the money that governments use of industries that pollute our air, waste our soil and empty our ocean. In this video, we learn that reversing the flow of that money from funding the destruction of our life support system is the key to preserving it.

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Will deep-sea mining save us from climate change?

We don't know anything about the deep sea when we think about it. The earth's best-kept secrets with many different living creatures, from creepy fascinating, and largely undiscovered animals, are calling it home. But that's not only the only thing the deep see has. There are natural treasures hidden at the bottom of the sea. Ordinary rocks at first sight at the bottom of the ocean might look like rocks, but they have a name and is manganese nodules, and they can save the future, but they also can damage the ocean ecosystem. Cobalt is an ore that might soon be exhausted. The worldwide demand for it is estimated to double by 2026. This mineral is often mined under terrible working conditions in Congo and Australia. The Manganese nodules contain up to 270 million tons of nickel, 230 million tons of copper, and 50 millions ton of cobalt. The nodules are scattered around the bottom of the sea in many areas between 3,500 and 6,500 meters. Many critics worry about deep-sea mining's environmental impacts. Proponents say climate change and the need to transition to a clean energy economy are urgent reasons to start harvesting the seabed. Many of the machines could disturb or destroy many of the deep-sea microorganisms and animals. It could even disrupt the complex food chains in the ocean.

What did you learn?

This video taught me that we could utilize what we already have by extracting valuable metals from batteries and other equipment. As a result, we may cut down on our consumption and keep the items that contain these precious metals for a more extended period.
https://deeply-assets.thenewhumanitarian.org/20170906063716/seabed-mining-IHC-nodule-test-vehicle.jpg?w=640&fit=max&q=60