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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Los activistas dicen que eliminar los espectaculos de con orcas en Sea World no es suficiente

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Los activistas dicen que eliminar los espectaculos de con orcas en Sea World no es suficiente

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Aquariums and marine mammal theme parks like SeaWorld, the Miami Seaquarium, and Canada's Marineland are part of a billion-dollar industry built on the suffering of intelligent social beings who are denied everything that's natural and important to them.

Wild orcas and other dolphins live in large, complex social groups and swim vast distances every day in the open ocean. In captivity, they can only swim in endless circles inside tanks that, to them, are the equivalent of bathtubs and they're denied the opportunity to engage in almost any natural behavior. They are forced to perform meaningless tricks and are often torn away from family members when they're shuffled between parks. Many die far short of their species' natural life expectancy.

Families Torn Apart

Countless marine animals (even the original Shamu) were taken from their rightful ocean homes and placed in tanks. Tilikum, the orca who lashed out and killed SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau and two other people, died in a concrete prison 33 years after he was taken away from his Icelandic family. Lolita, torn away from her family when she was just a baby, has spent half a century in the same tank at the Miami Seaquarium. Some countries continue to capture wild dolphins and whales.

Captivity's Tragic Consequences

Frequently housed with incompatible tankmates, dolphins, whales, and other marine mammals are often drugged in order to manage stress-induced aggressive behavior and relieve the endless monotony of swimming in circles. They break their teeth chewing on the metal bars and concrete sides of their tanks and are forced to perform tricks for tourists in exchange for food-all in the name of entertainment.

While wild female orcas can live to be more than 100 years old, orcas at SeaWorld often die by the time they reach their teens and rarely approach even the average life expectancy of wild orcas. More than 40 orcas have died at SeaWorld from causes such as bacterial infections and fractured skulls. More than 300 other dolphins and whales along with approximately 400 pinnipeds have also died at the parks.

While Marineland can no longer breed whales and dolphins or confine new ones-thanks to Canada's recent ban on their captivity-it's still imprisoning the animals currently languishing there. Dozens of dolphins, whales, and walruses have died there-including a walrus named Apollo who recently suffered a heart attack. An orca named Kiska-who was abducted from her family in the ocean as a baby 40 years ago-is confined in isolation and can do nothing but swim in endless circles inside her cramped tank.

The Trouble With 'Interactive' Programs

Touch tanks as well as "swim with dolphins" and "paint with dolphins" programs allow the public to pet, kiss, paint with, or even ride these animals. Such programs invade their already diminished worlds and are intrusive, stressful, and even dangerous for them, as well as being risky for human participants.

Animals in "petting pools" are frequently exposed to foreign bacteria and other pathogens, and they can become anxious, frustrated, aggressive, and even neurotic as a result of being confined to shallow tanks and exposed to constant interaction with humans. Members of the public have been injured at SeaWorld's dolphin-petting pools.

Even programs that enable people to swim with dolphins in nature can be invasive. Boats and swimmers may chase, harass, and scare them, interfering with their natural feeding, resting, migrating, and playing behavior.

Poor Government Regulations

Captive marine mammals have some federal protections in the U.S., but enforcement is lax. There are simply too many animal exhibitors for the limited number of U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors-as of February 2020, there were 104 inspectors for 12,851 facilities. Even when exhibitors are cited for violating the federal Animal Welfare Act, they're rarely assessed fines or meaningful penalties.

Keeping Dolphins Free

In nature, orcas work cooperatively in search of food. They share complex relationships in a matrilineal society and-in some populations-rarely leave their mother's pod. They have group-specific food preferences and behavior. These attributes, along with their pods' unique dialects, are considered a form of culture that is unrivaled by any species other than humans.

Other dolphins, too, maintain dynamic relationships within a large social network. They live with up to a few dozen others in a pod and can swim as many as 60 miles each day and dive to depths of nearly 1,500 feet in nature.

The world is moving away from keeping intelligent, sensitive cetaceans in captivity. In the U.S., the National Aquarium is building the dolphins in its care a seaside sanctuary-a safe ocean cove in which captive marine mammals can be released into a protected area of the sea to dive deep, feel the ocean currents, and finally live like they should, all while still receiving care, food, and veterinary support. Two whales have been moved from a marine park in China to a seaside sanctuary in Iceland, and The Whale Sanctuary Project just announced plans for a seaside sanctuary for rescued orcas and belugas in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Governments around the world are also recognizing that dolphins (including orcas) and other cetaceans do not belong in tanks. Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, and Croatia have all banned the practice of keeping cetaceans in captivity. In 2013, India's Ministry of Environment & Forests banned the practice of keeping dolphins captive for public entertainment. Other countries, including Brazil, Luxembourg, Nicaragua, and Norway, have highly restrictive standards that make it nearly impossible to keep cetaceans in captivity. The last dolphinarium in the U.K. closed more than 20 years ago.

What You Can Do

Please don't visit marine parks, and never buy tickets to roadside zoos or aquariums that keep ocean animals in captivity. Encourage your local aquarium to create more space for rehabilitating (and releasing) injured wildlife by refusing to breed more animals.

You can also leaflet at local roadside aquariums or marine parks, pressure officials to avoid subsidizing these facilities with taxpayer money, write letters to the editor of local publications, and support legislation that prohibits the capture or restricts the display of marine mammals.
Please join PETA in urging SeaWorld and other marine parks to stop using animals and to relocate the orcas, bottlenose dolphins, and other animals to seaside sanctuaries, where they can thrive in the enrichment and diversity of the sea while still receiving the care that they require.

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Aquariums and Marine Parks are no safe havens for marine mammals like dolphins and whales. Learn more on how you can help animals and not support these facilities.

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Czech zoo cheers birth of endangered eastern black rhino

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Czech zoo cheers birth of endangered eastern black rhino

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MALTRATO ANIMAL: ANTESALA DE LA VIOLENCIA SOCIAL

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MALTRATO ANIMAL: ANTESALA DE LA VIOLENCIA SOCIAL

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Editorial: el agua embotellada no es mejor

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Editorial: el agua embotellada no es mejor

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Extreme Sports Facts

Check out our range of extreme sports facts.

Learn about the summer and winter X Games, different types of extreme sports, the surfaces and environments such as water, land, snow and air, as well as lots more interesting facts and information.

Extreme sports, sometimes called action sports or adventure sports, do not have an exact definition but are generally considered to be activities that are seen as having a high level of potential danger.

Extreme sports often involve high speeds, dangerous heights, the requirement for a high level of specialist technical skill, and highly specialized gear or equipment.

Success in extreme sports usually involves judging panels scoring athletes based on visual and technical criteria and completion of a 'trick'.

Height based extreme sports include Bungee jumping, skydiving, BASE jumping, paragliding and hang gliding.

Water based extreme sports include scuba diving, windsurfing, kitesurfing, wakeboarding surfing, whitewater kayaking and rafting.

Wheel based extreme sports include BMX, skateboarding, mountain biking, inline skating, rally car and motocross.

Winter based extreme sports include skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobile.

Cliff and cave based extreme sports include rock climbing, ice climbing, caving, free diving, mountaineering and cave diving.

The X Games are an annual extreme sports event, organized by the U.S. sports broadcaster ESPN. Participants compete to win gold, silver, and bronze medals along with prize money.

The first Summer X Games were held in 1995 in Newport, Rhode Island. The first Winter X Games were held in 1997 at Mountain Resort, Big Bear Lake, California.

X Games are typically held in the USA. The winter games are held in January or February and the summer games are usually held in August.

X Games have also been held in Asia since 1998 and Europe since 2010.

The X Games competitions often makes heroes of those athletes who are talented and brave enough to pull of a new and exciting 'trick' such as Tony Hawk's 900 in skateboarding, Travis Pastrana's double backflip in freestyle motocross, Heath Frisby's first snowmobile front flip or snowboarder Torstein Horgmo's triple flip.

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Extreme Sports Facts - Information About X Games, Action Sports & More

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Extreme Sports Facts Check out our range of extreme sports facts. Learn about the summer and winter X Games, different types of extreme sports, the surfaces and environments such as water, land, snow and air, as well as lots more interesting facts and information.

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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¿Qué tan riesgoso es practicar deportes extremos?

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¿Qué tan riesgoso es practicar deportes extremos?

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You know all those people that told you that video games are bad for you? They were wrong. Read this to find out more.

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Back to Animals

A zoo can be an awesome place to see animals first hand and learn about what they eat, their habits, environment, and all sorts of other interesting facts about animals. Another name for a zoo is zoological garden.

Today zoos are becoming better and better places for animals. In the past some zoos were somewhat cruel to animals. Placing animals in environments they were not suited for and often not keeping the animal's best interest in mind. However, today many zoos do wonderful work in animal research and take great care of their animals.

Photo by Ducksters

Some good things that many Zoos do today include:

Acting as sanctuaries for endangered animals. They provide a safe environment for animals that are being threatened by changes in the environment. Often zoos will work to breed and maintain endangered animal populations. Sometime animals are nearly extinct in the wild and the only place they survive is in zoos.

Education on wildlife. Zoos provide a great opportunity for us to learn more about creatures from distant lands.

Research on wildlife and how we can help animals survive radical changes. Zoos do veterinary medicine research as well.

Today's modern zoos house animals in enclosures that are similar to the animal's natural habitat. This can include buildings made for nocturnal animals where they are bright at night, so the animals can sleep, and dark during the day, so zoo visitors can see the animals moving about. Also, climates are controlled in some zoo enclosures for animals like penguins and polar bears. Many zoos have great open spaces as well where animals may graze together. Some zoos have an area where you can take a mini-safari or ride around in a truck or bus to hopefully see the animals up close.

Perhaps the most famous zoo is the San Diego Zoo in Southern California. Many modern zoo practices were pioneered at the San Diego Zoo. The largest zoo in number of animals is the Bronx Zoo with over 6000 animals. The largest zoo in land size is the North Carolina Zoo with 535 acres.

Photo by Ducksters

Seeing an elephant, giraffe, lion, polar bear, penguins, seals, or other incredible creatures at the zoo can be an amazing experience. Be sure to check out your local zoo and get the opportunity to see some awesome animals and learn more about nature.

Another great place to see animals, similar to a zoo, is at an aquarium. Most states have an aquarium where they display all sorts of fish and some sea mammals.More on endangered species:
Amphibians in Danger
Endangered Animals
How Animals Become Extinct
Wildlife Conservation
Zoos

Back to Animals

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Learn about the zoo. History and types of zoological gardens. List of Zoos with interesting animals.

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Qué animales pueden ser mascotas y cuáles no

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Qué animales pueden ser mascotas y cuáles no

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Si bien los perros y los gatos se llevan la palma a la hora de elegir un animal de compañía, también suele ser una opción común los peces, los pájaros y algunos reptiles y roedores. Sin embargo, quizá por moda, hobby u ostentación, algunas personas prefieren especies catalogadas como exóticas. Y entonces surge la pregunta del millón, ¿qué animales pueden ser mascotas y cuáles no?

¿Todos los animales pueden ser mascotas?

Partamos de la base de que los animales domésticos -de granja o de compañía- son aquellos que se han adaptado a los ambientes caseros en los que habitan. En contrapartida, los animales salvajes necesitan que se reproduzcan las condiciones de su ambiente silvestre para poder sobrevivir en una casa.

Hecha esta aclaración, sabemos que el hombre desde siempre quiere jugar a ser dios y elige caprichosamente a sus mascotas, a veces con consecuencias impredecibles.

Y l a legislación española aún no es clara ni específica a la hora de determinar qué animales pueden ser mascotas y cuáles no. P or eso, p ara evitar vacíos legales y contradicciones, vienen solicitando a las autoridades que confeccionen un listado positiv o de las especies que se pueden tener en los hogares . En todo caso, es importante que la especie exótica no esté en peligro de extinción o no sea considera invasora o potencialmente pel muchas asociaciones de defensa de los animales i grosa.

Quizá por moda, hobby u ostentación, algunas personas prefieren especies catalogadas como exóticas o salvajes como animales de compañía. Pero no todos pueden ser considerados como mascotas.

El afán humano por controlar cada ser y cada cosa , o quizá por querer ostentar y considerar que el dinero todo puede resolverlo, ha dado muestras a lo largo de la historia de famosos o poderosos de distintos ámbitos que poco habituales.

Para ilustrar el tema, un buen ejemplo es Salvador Dalí, cuyas genialidades a la hora de encarar el arte no tenían por qué repetirse en sus actitudes cotidianas, aunque algunos también las festejaban e incluso imitaban.

6o tuvo como mascota a un oso hormiguero. Una fotografía de Dalí saliendo de una estación de l metro de París con este pobre animal obligado a tamaño despropósito, hizo que buena parte de la alta sociedad francesa lo imitara. Así fue como los vermilinguos se convirtieron en mascotas de muchas personas por puro e snobismo. Pero antes del oso hormiguero, el artista había tenido como mascota a B abu , un ocelote.

Hoy en día nos siguen llegando noticias de celebridades que eligen como animales de compañía a tigres, canguros, boas, leones, mofetas o distintas especies de monos. Y algunos quieren imitarlos. O una p elícula exitosa pone de moda al guna criatura exótic a y muchos enseguida quieren tener un a igual en sus casas sin medir las consecuencias de sus acciones.

Las mascotas exóticas también se abandonan

Pero cuando las modas pasan, los animales crecen o no resultan tan adorables ni manejables como se suponía que eran. E stos seres inocentes que tuvieron la desgracia de ser convertidos en mascotas, también suelen ser abandonados por propietarios irresponsables.

Algunos tienen como destino la muerte segura, porque no desarrollan sus habilidades de supervivencia estando en cautiverio o porque se encuentran lejos de su ambiente natural .

P ero los que logran adaptarse al nuevo hábitat y no tienen competencia, se propagan con facilidad y pueden convertirse en plaga, poniendo en peligro a especies autóctonas.

Es el caso, por ejemplo, de l as Estos últimos suelen verse cerca de los cascos urbanos e incluso llegan a cruzarse con los jabalíes. tortugas de Florida, los mapaches o los cerdos vietnamitas.

Por qué algunos animales no pueden ser mascotas

A continuación te detallamos algunas de las razones por las que l os animales salvajes no deberían ser elegidos como mascotas:

Criarlo s en un entorno distinto al suyo es cruel.

Contribuyes a la caza furtiva y al contrabando de algunas especies en peligro de extinción.

Transmiten distintas enfermedades: rabia, salmonelosis, psitacosis, etc.

P ueden terminar atacando a algún miembro de la familia, sobre todo cuando llegan a la edad adulta.

Necesitan alimentos específicos que, por desconocimiento o dificultad para conseguirlos, no les puedes proporcionar. Y estas deficiencias nutricionales suelen traer graves consecuencias.

Los privas de la convivencia con sus congéneres, esencial para que aprendan a sobrevivir.

Estar alejados de su ambiente natural puede causarles depresión y enfermar o hasta morir sin causa aparente.

Además, habiendo tanto gato y tanto perro sobrepoblando protectoras o vagando por las calles y con muchas ganas de dar y de recibir cariño, ¿cuál es la necesidad de sacar a un animalito de su hábitat natural?

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Qué animales pueden ser mascotas y cuáles no

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Si bien los perros y los gatos se llevan la palma a la hora de elegir un animal de compañía, también suele ser una opción común los peces, los pájaros y algunos reptiles y roedores. Sin embargo, quizá por moda, hobby u ostentación, algunas personas prefieren especies catalogadas como exóticas.

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¿Tanques o corrales oceánicos? Continúa la controversia sobre cuál es el mejor lugar para las orcas. - 

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¿Tanques o corrales oceánicos? Continúa la controversia sobre cuál es el mejor lugar para las orcas. - 

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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SeaWorld to Expand Killer Whale Environments

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SeaWorld to Expand Killer Whale Environments

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SeaWorld plans to spend upwards of hundreds of millions of dollars to build an expanded killer whale environment and programs to protect the creatures in the wild, the company announced Friday.

This announcement comes two days after SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. released a report showing a significant drop in revenue for the first half of 2014. The company has also come under fire from animal-rights activists who claim the company was mistreating its killer whales.

In addition to the new habitat, SeaWorld is pledging $10 million in matching funds for killer whale research. The company said it is embarking on a multi-million dollar partnership focused on ocean health, the leading concern for all killer whales and marine mammals. The total investment will be hundreds of millions of dollars, officials told NBC 7.

SeaWorld San Diego will be first park to debut the new killer whale environments, named the Blue World project, with a planned total water volume of 10 million gallons, nearly twice as much as the existing facility. The new environment will also provide the world's largest underwater viewing experience for guests.

"Our guests will be able to walk alongside the whales as if they were at the shore, watch them interact at the depths found in the ocean, or a birds-eye view from above," Jim Atchison, chief executive officer and president of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc., said in Friday's announcement.

PETA Foundation Director of Animal Law Jared Goodman called the announcement "a desperate drop-in-the-bucket move to try to turn back the hands of time."

In a written statement obtained by NBC 7, Goodman said, "It will not save the company. What could save it would be the recognition that it needs not to make larger tanks but to turn the orcas out in seaside sanctuaries so that they can feel and experience the ocean again, hear their families, and one day be reunited with them. A bigger prison is still a prison."

Images: Changes Coming for SeaWorld San Diego's Orca Exhibit

At a special announcement in San Diego, SeaWorld lead veterinarian Dr. Christopher Dold said the park has invited a number of experts to be part of an advisory panel to help design the project.

Plans will include a fast-water current. "A treadmill for killer whales," Dold said. "The whales can swim through this and be exercised and stimulated."

Each animal will react differently but they will all explore it and staffers will monitor their reactions, Dold said.

The announcement comes midway through a challenging year for the major theme park. Officials have launched a new publicity campaign to combat the effects of the documentary "Blackfish," which focuses on claims of whale mistreatment. The park also successfully fought a proposed bill in California that would ban using killer whales as performers.

In June, dozens of riders stranded for hours hundreds of feet off the ground in the park's iconic SkyTower ride. Then, in July, a controversial anti-SeaWorld ad was unveiled in time to greet Comic-Con crowds in San Diego.

City Council President Todd Gloria and other city leaders attended Friday's announcement.

The city has a vested interest in how SeaWorld San Diego conducts business because the 190-acre theme park sits on city-owned property in Mission Bay Park.

The city earns revenue in a number of ways from ticket to alcohol sales - an estimated $14 million a year.

It's also one of the city's largest employers with a staff of 2,500 to 4,500 depending on the season.

"This new habitat enriches the experiences for our visitors to our region expanding on their appreciation for killer whales and all marine life and our environment as a whole ," Gloria said. "I think we can all agree that's an important message and one that's worth investing in.
-NBC San Diego's R. Stickney contributed to this report. Editor's note: An earlier version of this story stated that the new environment will cost upwards of $10 million. SeaWorld says the project will cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

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SeaWorld to Expand Killer Whale Environments

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Sea World plans to spend hundreds of millions to build an expanded killer whale environment and programs to protect the creatures in the wild, the company announced Friday. to build an expanded killer whale environment and programs to protect killer whales in the wild, the company announced Friday

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La industria peletera se cobran anualmente la vida de 20 millones de animales salvajes cazados en trampas y de 40 millones de animales criados en granjas.

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A sea turtle swims through the water and spots a white blob floating near the surface. "Yum!" it thinks. "A jellyfish!" Chasing after its dinner, the turtle swallows the item. But the floating blob isn't a jelly-it's a plastic bag that could make the sea turtle sick.

This sea creature isn't alone: Over 700 species of marine animals have been reported to have eaten or been entangled in plastic. Scientists think that the amount of plastic in the ocean might triple by 2050-and that would mean seriously bad news for the ocean and the creatures that live there. But by understanding the issue and taking action, you can help stop that from happening.

What's the problem with plastic?

First, let's get real: Not all plastic is bad. Bike helmets, car airbags, and many medical supplies made with plastic save lives. Plastic water bottles can bring clean drinking water to people who don't have it, and plastic straws can help people with disabilities drink.

The problem is that most of us use and then toss way more plastic than we need: things like grocery bags, drink bottles, straws, food wrappers, and plastic packaging around toys. This kind of plastic that's used only once before being thrown away is called single-use plastic, and it makes up more than 40 percent of all plastic trash.

Where does the plastic go?

That's a lot of trash. Scientists think that 8.8 million tons of plastic winds up in the ocean every year-that's as if you stacked up five plastic grocery bags full of trash on top of each other on every foot of coastline in the world.

How does it get into the sea? Plastic left on the ground as litter often blows into creeks and rivers, eventually ending up in the ocean. And because plastic trash is different from other types of waste-it doesn't decompose back into nature like an apple core or a piece of paper-it stays in the ocean forever. That means discarded fishing nets and six-pack rings can entangle animals; harmful straws and grocery bags can be mistaken as food.

What can we do about it?

You can do so much to help keep Earth clean! You can look at how much single-use plastic your family uses by filling out a plastic journal for a week-then talking about what you can do to use less. Need ideas? Check out these quick tips to reduce your plastic waste. By working together, our choices can help save animals-and the ocean they live in.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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¿Los deportes de riesgo tienen algún beneficio físico?

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¿Los deportes de riesgo tienen algún beneficio físico?

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How did a quiet 16th birthday celebration turn into a full-scale riot? Read this to find out what happened when a Dutch teenager made a Facebook error.

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Los videojuegos ahora son cosa de familia

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Los videojuegos ahora son cosa de familia

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Este artículo forma parte de la sección del podcast Game Over. Si te gusta el artículo puedes leer más contenido suyo en su apartado.
Cuando éramos niños, los videojuegos eran cosa de niños. Juguetes infantiles que atrofiaban el cerebro. Cosa mala, muy mala. Crecimos, y los videojuegos ya no eran cosa de niños. Eran cosas malvadas que corrompían las mentes de los infantes con su ultraviolencia, su lenguaje soez expuesto a todos, y su adicción sin aparente fin. Pero he aquí que llegaron los juegos casual, y todo se convirtió en un bello prado de paz, alegría y buenos deseos.

Un vídeo, el puto vídeo de presentación de la Wii, fue el inicio del cambio. ¿Qué mostraba el vídeo? Abuelos. No unos abuelos cualquiera, abuelos jugando a la Wii, abuelos jugando a videojuegos (o lo que fuera aquello). Pero la cosa no quedó aquí, evolucionó y envolvió a más miembros de la unidad familiar hasta que, al final, se conformó el marco tan bonito y potito que es ver a la familia unida jugando con una consola.

De repente los videojuegos eran menos malvados y unían más a las familias. Hacía más bien el Wii Sports que un psicólogo familiar. Sonrisas, carcajadas, alegría sin aparente fin. Todo el mundo disfrutaba del panorama contemporáneo de los videojuegos... un momento, ¿todos? ¿Qué hay de aquellos niños que jugaban con videojuegos cuando eran niños y que juegan ahora como adultos? Os lo diré, estamos en la sombra.

"Gracias" a los juegos casual la visión de los videojuegos ha mutado a algo muy raro, al menos para mi. Ahora, un ciudadano medio sin experiencia previa en el sector, piensa en los videojuegos y asocia dicho pensamiento a una imagen muy clara: anuncios de videojuegos de Nintendo, con títulos infantiles, que ayudan a nuestra agilidad mental o a mantenernos en forma con una Wii Balance Board. Personalmente, esa visión me da vergüenza ajena.

No digo que esa gente no tenga derecho a jugar, al contrario, que jueguen hasta romperse las muñecas lanzando bolos virtuales, pero que sean conscientes de que sólo se están comiendo la nata que cubre a la enorme tarta de chocolate que están ignorando. Que es muy posible que lo que están disfrutando como críos esté cimentado en unos inicios que ellos catalogaron como nocivos para la sociedad. Que paren un instante, piensen sobre ello y reconozcan su error, si es que su visión sobre los juegos ha cambiado.

Por otra parte, el hecho de esta "normalización" en la visión ciudadana sobre los videojuegos no me gusta, es más, la odio. Estamos volviendo atrás, cuando las consolas se consideraban juguetes por el simple hecho de que servían para jugar. El catálogo de algunas consolas no ayuda nada a negar esa realidad. ¿Quién quiere muñecas si tiene un "Imagina ser mamá"? ¿Quién quiere muñecos de acción teniendo "Invizimals"? ¿Quién quiere jugar al balón teniendo Kinect? Mi afirmación suena radical y así es, pero no se puede negar que el acercamiento de los videojuegos al paradigma juguetero es evidente.

Y mientras tanto, yo y otros, que disfrutamos jugando con un pad normal y corriente en nuestras manos, que gustamos de juegos de mayor o menor complejidad solos en un rincón o en compañía (real u online) de nuestros hermanos y hermanas de batalla, volvemos a ser unos parias. Nosotros, que hemos sido fieles al sector, que hemos creado comunidades, que hemos visto la evolución de una industria mucho más grande de lo que otros ignoran, los que nos hemos comido la puta tarta de chocolate, somos de nuevo los apestados que estamos enganchados a los videojuegos porque no somos casual, ahora somos hardcore.

Si la cosa se quedara ahí, personalmente me daría lo mismo, pero es que no es así. La cosa está yendo a peor por correo urgente y todos quieren entrar en el universo casual, aunque ello signifique mearse en las cabezas de los jugadores que ya tienen ganados. Decisiones como la de Microsoft de eliminar las armas de los avatares del Xbox Live ya están rozando el absurdo a un nivel que ni los Monty Python osarían perpetrar. Hacer que las consolas sean más amigables para toda la familia no debería pasar por decisiones como esta. Yo también soy un miembro de mi familia, ¿no? Pues quiero un puñetero Lancer en manos de mi avatar.

Se están dando pasos importantes, el problema es que todos parecen ir hacia un lado: el de querer a toda la familia frente a la consola. Padres, hijos y abuelos, todos. . Y si para ello es necesario sacar del sofá a los que llevamos años disfrutando de un tipo de ocio que nos parecía perfecto tal como estaba, adelante. Y es que parece que ahora nos quiere hacer sentir como extraños en nuestra propia casa.

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Artículo: Los videojuegos ahora son cosa de familia

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Este artículo forma parte de la sección del podcast Game Over. Si te gusta el artículo puedes leer más contenido suyo en su apartado. Cuando éramos niños, los videojuegos eran cosa de niños. Juguetes infantiles que atrofiaban el cerebro. Cosa mala, muy mala. Crecimos, y los videojuegos ya no eran cosa de niños.

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Primary Kids This way to amazing animal stories, poetry and art and loads more info. Tell us why you love animals, and send us your poems and pictures, too: Age 5 – 7 The Issues. If you’re 5, 6 or 7 years old, and you want to learn some fascinating things about animals, you’re in […]

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TOP: 5 razones para no tener animales salvajes como mascotas

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TOP: 5 razones para no tener animales salvajes como mascotas

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TOP: 5 razones para no tener animales salvajes como mascotas

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5 razones por las cuales es fundamental respetar las condiciones naturales de los animales salvajes.

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¿Qué haces aquí? Insólitos encuentros de animales marinos 

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¿Qué haces aquí? Insólitos encuentros de animales marinos 

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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¿Deberían los animales tener los mismos derechos que los humanos?

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¿Deberían los animales tener los mismos derechos que los humanos?

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No es raro ver animales valorados y exaltados muy por encima de los humanos. Grupos para los derechos de animales, como PETA (Personas por el Trato Ético de los Animales), pelean vehementemente en contra del uso de animales para todo, diciendo cosas como: "Los animales no son nuestros para comer, vestir, experimentar, usar para entretenimiento o abuso en algún otro sentido" 1 y: "Con respecto al dolor, el amor, la alegría, la soledad y el miedo, una rata es un cerdo es un perro es un chico. Cada cual valora su vida y lucha en contra del cuchillo." 2 ¿Cuál debe ser la respuesta de un cristiano a estos argumentos?

Si los humanos son sólo animales, entonces . . .

Bueno, es importante notar primero la inconsistencia de la mayoría de los grupos para los derechos de los animales. Estos grupos protestan estar en contra del abuso animal pero, ¿son éstas las mismas personas que están en contra del abuso de millones de niños brutalmente asesinados en la matriz de sus madres por medio del aborto?

Es bastante irónico que, en la cosmovisión evolutiva de PETA, los seres humanos sean sólo animales; sin embargo, PETA no protesta en contra de la "crueldad animal" de matar a niños no nacidos. Y, ¿qué de una campaña para preservar La Sociedad de las Lombrices Solitarias o La Preservación de las Moscas de la Fruta?

Si toda la vida evolucionara, ¿no deberían estos grupos también estar en contra de la matanza de estas criaturas? Pero la mayoría de los grupos para los derechos de los animales no están tratando de preservar plagas como éstas. Esto destaca su inconsistencia. Y si éstos son evolucionistas, entonces toda la vida, animales y plantas están relacionados en una gran suposición del árbol evolucionario de vida. Entonces, ¿qué acerca de los derechos de las plantas también?

Ahora, algunas de las personas a favor de los derechos de los animales claman ser cristianas. Entonces, ellos necesitan entender que Dios dio dominio al hombre sobre la creación ( Génesis 1:26), incluso sobre los animales. Este dominio no quiere decir que nosotros podemos abusar deliberadamente, descuidar y dañar la creación pero, en cambio, hemos de usar lo que ha hecho Dios por nuestro bien y para Su gloria. En Génesis 1:29-30, Dios le dijo al hombre que comiera plantas y frutas. Pero en Génesis 9:3 después del diluvio, Dios dijo que podríamos comer todas las cosas (plantas y animales).

Los grupos para los derechos de los animales realmente quieren que los animales tengan dominio sobre el hombre. Sin embargo, irónicamente, la mayoría alega que el hombre es simplemente un animal. Así que, si ellos quieren igualdad de derechos para los animales, ¿cuáles derechos deberían tener los humanos si ellos creen que el hombre es sólo un animal evolucionado?

Por ejemplo, si los animales matan a otros animales, ¿piensan los grupos para los derechos de los animales que los humanos (si somos sólo animales) deberíamos tener también igualdad de derechos para matar? ¿Por qué deberíamos nosotros ser sometidos a algún estándar más alto o a algún código moral diferente al de otros animales?

Si unos animales roban a otros animales, ¿piensan los grupos para los derechos de animales que los humanos (si somos sólo animales evolucionados) deberíamos tener los mismos derechos de robar? ¿Qué pasa con el incesto, el canibalismo o el abandono infantil? ¿Por qué son estas cosas incorrectas para los seres humanos, pero no están mal para "otros" animales? Si los defensores de los animales fueran consistentes, deberían argumentar que está bien robar a los animales, matarlos y comerlos-ya que esto es de todos modos lo que se observa regularmente en los animales malditos por el pecado.

¿De dónde vienen los derechos?

En una cosmovisión evolucionaria, ¿qué es lo que hace pensar a los defensores de los animales que los derechos existen en primer lugar? Los derechos son un concepto abstracto que viene de una cosmovisión bíblica negada por la teoría evolucionista. La posición evolucionista, la cual viene del naturalismo y el materialismo, no puede tomarse en cuenta para el concepto de derechos, porque no son materia. En otras palabras, el materialismo evolucionario debería tomar el concepto de derechos de los cristianos para argumentar contra la posición cristiana del hombre siendo superior y teniendo dominio sobre los animales.

Si los animares no son diferentes a los seres humanos, entonces ¿por qué no hay lombrices luchando por los derechos de los animales en vez de personas? Nosotros no vemos una organización llamada Las Lombrices para el Trato Ético de los Animales o en siglas (LTEA) (RETA en inglés). En cuanto a los defensores de los derechos de los animales, ellos saben en lo profundo de su corazón que los hombres están por encima de los animales. Lo que no saben es por qué. Esto es porque el hombre es hecho a imagen y semejanza de Dios ( Génesis 1:26-27)

La moral evolutiva-Irremediablemente inconsistente

Los que empiezan con una visión evolutiva de la humanidad no tienen ninguna base absoluta para la moralidad. Debido a que no tienen fundamento, se ven obligados a crear un código moral en que cada uno hace lo que "bien le parece" ( Jueces 21:25). Esto conduce a todo tipo de inconsistencias.

Los evolucionistas arbitrariamente crean o mantienen un código moral para los seres humanos -que, en su opinión, incluye no usar cualquier cosa que venga de animales ni siquiera de pruebas en animales y, sin embargo, creen que somos sólo animales. Por lo tanto, ¿por qué deberíamos quedar sujetos a esta norma arbitraria a la cual ningún "otro" animal que se atenga?

Después de todo, nadie culpa a un león por descuartizar una gacela, o una hiena por intentar robar el cadáver, o microbios por acabar con los restos de la gacela. Pero de alguna manera los seres humanos se ven como diferentes arbitrariamente a pesar de la insistencia que no somos diferentes.

Considere si los grupos para los derechos de los animales están en lo cierto al decir que no hay distinción entre el hombre y los animales. 3 Entonces, ¿qué decir de que hay una distinción entre los animales y las plantas? Tal vez el argumento debe ser de abstenerse también de cualquier uso de plantas. No se pasaría mucho tiempo antes de que murieran de hambre los defensores de los derechos de los animales y las plantas.

Una visión evolucionaria de la humanidad y la moral conduce a la inconsistencia y la confusión.

Una visión evolucionaria de la humanidad y la moral conduce a la inconsistencia y la confusión. Es sólo cuando comenzamos con la Palabra de Dios que tenemos una base firme para la moralidad. No somos animales; fuimos especial y únicamente creados a imagen de Dios, separados y distintos de los animales (de una forma similar, los animales no están creados como las plantas tampoco).

Somos moralmente responsables ante nuestro Creador, y Su Palabra nos ha proporcionado directrices claras de cómo debemos comportarnos y no comportarnos. El asesinato y el robo son incorrectos porque nuestro Creador ha decretado que no hemos de matar ( Génesis 4:8-11; Éxodo 20:13) y no debemos robar ( Éxodo 20:15). Comer carne no es moralmente incorrecto porque, después del diluvio universal, Dios le dio permiso a la humanidad para comer carne ( Génesis 9:3). Incluso Jesús mismo comía pescado ( Lucas 24:41-43) y participó del cordero de la Pascua ( Lucas 22:7-22).

No se nos deja a la deriva en un mar moral inconsistente de las opiniones del hombre. A partir de la Palabra de Dios, tenemos una base firme para la moralidad.

"Que señoreen"

La mayoría de los grupos para derechos de los animales comienzan con una visión evolutiva de la humanidad. Ellos nos ven como lo último en evolucionar (hasta ahora), como una plaga en la tierra y los destructores de la naturaleza prístina. La naturaleza, en su opinión, es mucho mejor sin nosotros y no tenemos derecho a interferir con ella. Esto es un culto a la naturaleza, que es una realización adicional de la profecía en Romanos 1 en la que el corazón del hombre pecaminoso ha cambiado el culto de Dios para el culto de la creación de Dios.

Pero como ha observado la gente desde hace años, la naturaleza es violenta de por sí. La naturaleza no es una especie de lugar perfecto, prístino. Y, ¿por qué es esto? Debido a que la humanidad escogió pecar contra un Dios santo. Cuando Adán y Eva desobedecieron el mandato de Dios, trajeron la muerte, el sufrimiento y la maldición a la creación ( Génesis 2:17, 3:17).

Ahora toda la creación gime, esperando el día cuando Jesús la libere de la maldición ( Romanos 8:20-22; Apocalipsis 22:3). La creación nunca fue diseñada para vivir en desarmonía. Nosotros y los animales fuimos creados originalmente para ser vegetarianos ( Génesis 1:29-30) y vivir para siempre sin ningún tipo de sufrimiento o enfermedad. Pero debido a que el pecado cambió todo eso, nuestra lucha es con sus consecuencias hoy en día.

Pero esto no quiere decir que los seres humanos son una plaga o una enfermedad. A pesar de nuestro pecado, somos los únicos creados a imagen de Dios, completamente distinto del resto de la creación. Se nos concedió el dominio sobre la tierra y sus habitantes ( Génesis 1:26). Esto fue parte de nuestro "muy bueno" ( Génesis 1:31), el propósito y misión antes de la caída, y que se deriva de nuestra posición como portadores de la imagen del Creador.

¿Cómo debemos ver el "dominio"?

Pero, ¿significa tener el dominio que podemos tratar a los animales de la manera que queramos? ¡No! Este punto de vista se deriva de una visión equivocada de nuestro dominio sobre la creación. Exalta el ser humano, mientras devalúa el resto de la creación de Dios.

¿Significa tener el dominio que podemos tratar a los animales de la manera que queramos? ¡No!

Vea usted, Dios se alegra grandemente en Su creación. En seis ocasiones diferentes antes de crear la humanidad, Dios vio lo que había hecho y lo llamó "bueno" (Génesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). La Escritura está llena de celebraciones de la belleza de la creación y el cuidado de Dios por lo que Él ha hecho ( Mateo 6:30, 10:29).

Y en Proverbios 12:10 leemos: "El justo cuida de la vida de su bestia . . . ." El testimonio de la Escritura como un todo pinta la imagen de un Creador que ama y se preocupa por todo lo que ha hecho. Como hechos a Su imagen, debemos también amar y cuidar de lo que Él ha hecho.

Así que la respuesta aquí no es señalar que está mal todo lo que están diciendo los defensores de los animales. Tenemos que ser perspicaces basados en la Palabra de Dios. El problema es que los defensores han ido demasiado lejos, hasta un punto en que esencialmente están adorando animales.

Una posición equilibrada

En nuestro mundo de duras partes contrastantes, a menudo es difícil encontrar un equilibrio. Hay una tentación de aceptar un extremo u otro: exaltando a los animales por encima de los seres humanos o devaluando las otras creaciones de Dios.

Como cristianos, tenemos que encontrar un equilibrio adecuado de acuerdo con la Escritura. Sólo los seres humanos están hechos a imagen de Dios: somos únicos y, por lo tanto, tenemos un lugar único en la creación de Dios. Jesús mismo se hizo hombre y murió en la cruz para salvar a la humanidad, no a los animales.

Esto no quiere decir que podemos tratar el resto de la creación de Dios cruel o abusivamente. Necesitamos reflejar el corazón de la persona a cuya imagen hemos sido creados, y tratar con amabilidad a Su creación, dando la gloria a nuestro Creador y Salvador.

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¿Deberían los animales tener los mismos derechos que los humanos

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No es raro ver animales valorados y exaltados muy por encima de los humanos.

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Agua en botellas de plástico, cáncer y calor

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Agua en botellas de plástico, cáncer y calor

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Inicio

Ram

Agua en botellas de plástico, cáncer y calor

Colaboraciones de la RAM 4 min

Se ha oído un consejo insistente de no tomar el agua de botellas de plástico que se hayan podido recalentar dentro de un choche o que han sido dejadas en una ventana en un día caluroso de verano, con su reutilización posterior.

Desgraciadamente el uso del plástico está aumentando a unos niveles preocupantes en todo el mundo (recordar que existen continentes de plásticos de las basuras arrojadas a los océanos). España es un país consumidor de plásticos y más concretamente de botellas de agua embotellada.

La mayor parte de ellas utiliza envases PET (politereftalato de etileno), donde el antimonio es uno de los componentes. El antimonio puede ser tóxico (al igual que otros componentes de los plásticos) e, incluso, mortal si se consume unos 100 mg. Se estima una persona ingiere unos 0,5 mg/día desde diversas procedencias.

Es lógico pensar que el antimonio y otras sustancias podrían pasar al agua contenida en las botellas. Para evitar riesgos para la salud humana (cáncer, problemas de estómago, etc.) se han establecidos unos limites y regulaciones en este sentido.

Para el antimonio en Europa ello se traduce en un límite máximo de 5 ?g/L (directiva 2003/40/CE de la Comisión de las Comunidades Europeas), mientras que en EE.UU. se fija en 6 ?g/L y la de la OMS es de 20 ?g/L.

Algunos estudios muestran que ciertas circunstancias, como plásticos de mala calidad no regulados, el envejecimiento, el calor, los múltiples rellenados, etc., podrían tener implicaciones sobre la salud. Pero no solo en las botellas de plásticos para el agua sino para otros líquidos (zumos, sangrías, vinos, aceites, vinagres, etc.)

Cada vez la normativa es más estricta y los tipos de plásticos que se fabrican ahora hacen que ciertos aditivos del plástico no pasen como antes al líquido, y si lo hacen, en menos proporción. Es conveniente y necesario seguir investigando sobre estos temas, y hacer cumplir la normativa, con plásticos menos contaminantes y potencialmente dañinos para la salud.

De cualquier manera sería aconsejable ser más cuidadoso en este tema, el uso botellas de plástico con contenidos líquidos, y en otros donde el plástico esté presente (basta ir a un supermercado y ver cuantos alimentos están encarcelados dentro de plásticos: muchísimos, es parte de nuestra vida. No reutilice las botellas de plástico con frecuencia, no las deje al sol, no las exponga a cambios bruscos de temperatura, etc.
Pero hay alternativas, al menos para los líquidos: usemos más botellas de vidrio para almacenar agua, por ejemplo, y no dejemos envejecer las botellas de plástico o no las sometamos a temperaturas altas o a la acción prolongada de la luz solar.
Posiblemente le estemos prestando mucha atención a los plásticos en tema de salud y, por el contrario, estamos prestando menos a la comida basura que poseen más conservantes, edulcorantes, grasas, especias, etc., algunos de ellos potencialmente cancerígenos.

Más sobre botellas de plástico en: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botella_de_pl%C3%A1stico

Esta entrada se publicó en Actualidad en 31 Jul 2017 por Francisco Martín León

En determinadas ocasiones se oye "No dejes botellas de plástico con agua dentro del coche en verano, porque desprende sustancias cancerígenas con temperaturas altas" ¿Qué hay de cierto en ello?

Últimas noticias de la RAM Ver más

Buscador en revista Secciones Histórico revista

© 2023 Meteored. Todos los derechos reservados

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Agua en botellas de plástico, cáncer y calor

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Inicio Ram Agua en botellas de plástico, cáncer y calor Colaboraciones de la RAM 4 min Se ha oído un consejo insistente de no tomar el agua de botellas de plástico que se hayan podido recalentar dentro de un choche o que han sido dejadas en una ventana en un día caluroso de verano, con su reutilización posterior.

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What Are Some Advantages of Bottled Water?

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What Are Some Advantages of Bottled Water?

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What Are Some Advantages of Bottled Water?

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While some people might argue that it’s silly to spend money on something you can get for…

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A pesar de su supuesta preocupación hacia los animales, los zoológicos son más bien “colecciones” de animales interesantes: no son refugios ni hogares para los animales.
(Foto de Pedro Pinacho)

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Slopestyle can be dangerous. But is it too risky at Sochi Olympics?

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Slopestyle can be dangerous. But is it too risky at Sochi Olympics?

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El impacto medioambiental de las bolsas de plástico

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El impacto medioambiental de las bolsas de plástico

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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Medidas de seguridad en deportes extremo

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Medidas de seguridad en deportes extremo

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Pros and Cons of Technology in Classrooms

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Pros and Cons of Technology in Classrooms

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Technology in education is the biggest change in teaching we will ever see. For years, policy makers, teachers, parents and students alike have been weighing the potential benefits of technology in education against its risks and consequences.

Prior to March 2020, some would say that technology allowed you to experiment in pedagogy, democratize the classroom and reach Generation Z students. Others may have argued that technology in the classroom could promote cheating. But after 2020, technology in education has become essential-especially as the COVID-19 pandemic forced higher ed and public schools to swap face-to-face instruction for distance learning.

Below, we share 20 best practices for using technology in the classroom-and offer workable solutions that will help you meet the needs of your students. You can also download our free guide, which highlights how five acclaimed educators use technology to help their students excel in any course.

How technology can support learning outcomes for today's students

Students are digital natives. They've grown up with technology; it's woven into their lives. In fact, it's one of the basic 21st-century skills that they'll need in school and the workplace.

Technology integration in the classroom now begins during elementary school and carries through to high school and higher education. But using computer technology in the classroom isn't just about digital devices in class-it relates to anything that facilitates an interaction between teacher and student. Technology in education programs could be seen as a culprit, or it could be harnessed to improve student engagement and effectiveness-and that's what we'll discuss below.

"Digital education is generating new learning opportunities as students engage in online, digital environments and as faculty change educational practices through the use of hybrid courses, personalized instruction, new collaboration models and a wide array of innovative, engaging learning strategies," says David Goodrum, Director of Academic Technology and Information Services at Oregon State University.

"Furthermore, a 21st century view of learner success requires students to not only be thoughtful consumers of digital content, but effective and collaborative creators of digital media, demonstrating competencies and communicating ideas through dynamic storytelling, data visualization and content curation," Goodrum says.

Types of classroom technology

Education technology allows you to engage, interact with, and inspire students in and out of your class. Plus, certain types of technology tools like podcasts or video streaming platforms can help meet the unique learning styles of your cohort. Many of the technologies below are used to operate online education programs-including lectures, labs, group meetings or class tutorials. Plenty of higher education institutions have already integrated some of the following technology tools into their degree programs today.

Learning management systems (LMS) such as Canvas, Moodle and Blackboard allow you to manage courses, assign homework and tests, and track student grades.

Digital courseware such as ebook products by Pearson, McGraw-Hill and Macmillan can be used to create and distribute teaching resources (such as textbooks or question packs) to students as a way to create engaging homework experiences.

Classroom response systems including iClicker and Poll Everywhere help students reflect on their learning via polls or discussions in class.

Virtual classroom tools like Microsoft Teams and Zoom are used to host synchronous online lectures and let participants engage in breakout rooms or 'share their screen' with one another.

Remote proctoring software like Proctorio and Honorlock help maintain academic integrity by monitoring student behavior during tests and flag behavior indicative of cheating.

This article looks at the pros and cons of using technology in the classroom. We'll also share the advantages and disadvantages of technology in the classroom when incorporating new digital teaching and assessment techniques into your lesson plans.

8 pros and cons of using technology for student engagement

The pros:

1. Technology in the classroom helps ensure full participation

Online polling and other digital tools help to engage all students, including shy students who wouldn't normally raise their hands in class. Online engagement systems allow you to regularly check in with students for feedback on course materials and assignments. Student insights can also be used to help spot areas where learners might be struggling.

Student response systems help learners measure their understanding of a topic while professors can see what areas they need to review. For instance, iClicker offers questions that may be multiple choice or true or false. Students are then asked to identify a correct answer to a question in exchange for participation points from a professor. Clickers, virtual classroom software and assessment platforms like Socrative or Kahoot! can make for great engagement tools for educators looking to enhance their lectures. Student response systems help foster digital citizenship in the classroom and give students an opportunity to engage in class and get rewarded for it at the same time.

Another active learning technique that education technology can facilitate is offering students quizzes (not for credit). At the beginning of the class, students can gauge familiarity with a subject by taking a quick, anonymous quiz on the topic you're teaching-and this can also inform and direct what you need to focus on. At the end of the class, facilitating the same quiz again allows all students to gauge what they do and don't understand.

2. Using technology in the classroom allows you to experiment more in pedagogy and get instant feedback

Technology allows for more active learning. You can increase engagement through online polling or asking quiz questions during online lectures, with instantaneous results. If you're using a digital textbook, subject matter is dynamic and timely with embedded links to relevant materials or immersive multimedia.

Whether adding a single tool for a specific project or term, or making a more dramatic change such as a flipped classroom, being well-versed in technology can help build credibility with students and even fellow colleagues. Video conferencing software, live polls and discussion boards are all ways to form feedback loops with your students. An LMS such as Moodle and polling software like Poll Everywhere can also help educators get an instant understanding of student comprehension.

3. There are countless resources for enhancing education and making learning more fun and effective

From apps and e-textbooks to organizational platforms, there's no shortage of tools that can transform the classroom. Some instructors are turning toward classroom 'gamification,' the use of competitive scenarios, and the distribution of points and rewards to make the online classroom more fun and engaging. The key to ensuring these methods are also effective is designing them to support your course learning objectives. Digital storytelling, where students use simulations to immerse themselves in a fictional environment, can make learning more exciting and relatable for students. Gamification also allows for interactive lessons and can reduce passivity in the classroom.

Some gamification activities introduce healthy competition to your class. In role play, for example, students are asked to pose arguments on behalf of historical figures. Technology can greatly aid the implementation of classroom games, while students may be incentivized to complete their assessments. Blended learning can also play an effective role here, whereby student curriculum is partially delivered in person and partially via digital means.

4. Technology makes it simple for students to collaborate and engage in group work outside of class

Gone are the days when one student was tasked with creating a PowerPoint presentation for a group. Through technology, students can start working on a project together in class and seamlessly collaborate, communicate and bounce ideas off one another using social media, interactive whiteboards and more. Physical and social barriers no longer exist, letting students work together from anywhere and at any time. Technology has also enabled students to engage in spontaneous discussions and find instant answers to problems or questions they may have about a topic.

The cons:

5. Technology in the classroom can be a distraction

Tech savvy students may find it hard to concentrate in class when a wide range of digital devices are around them. It can be hard to keep students' attention while lecturing behind a screen, but James Lang, Professor of English and the Director of the D'Amour Center for Teaching Excellence at Assumption College, has a solution. Lang argues that change renews attention-meaning that if students are starting to tune out, it's time to incorporate opportunities for class discussions. Lang calls these moments 'signature attention activities' as they are designed to spark engagement in the midst of a slump.

Matthew Numer, an assistant professor in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dalhousie University, says in an article for The Chronicle of Higher Education that banning laptops is an "insult" to students. "Our students are capable of making their own choices, and if they choose to check Snapchat instead of listening to your lecture, then that's their loss. Besides, it's my responsibility as an educator to ensure that my lecture is compelling. If my students aren't paying attention, if they're distracted, that's on me." To Numer, students glancing at their mobile devices may indicate that a course's curriculum and instruction needs to be revamped.

This makes the notion of creating a structure and culture of respect all the more important from day one. Identify specific projects, opportunities for breaks and your intentions for participation and engagement using technology in the classroom. Creating expectations and guidelines for students-and sticking to them-will be important for them in respecting your boundaries.

6. Technology can disconnect students from social interactions

Many people are skeptical of technology and what it does to students', and everyone else's, ability to verbally communicate.

By creating assignments in class that use both technological tools as well as oral presentations and group collaboration, student learning has the potential to become more dynamic and interactive. Participation can also go beyond verbal communication. Consider how your LMS, discussion board or live chat can be leveraged to increase student engagement.

7. Technology can foster cheating in class and on assignments

Students have always found ways to cheat, but the digital age makes it even easier-from copying-and-pasting someone else's work to hiring an essay-writer from an online essay mill. Here, digital technology could end up hindering students' professional development.

While technology could be seen as yet another avenue for cheating, it's possible to structure assignments and exams in a way that makes cheating difficult. Alternatively, you can make exams open-book and focus on problem-solving and mastery rather than retention. Some classroom software allows you to set questions that are subtly different for every student, making them focus on the technique rather than the answer. Ed tech software such as Turnitin is already well-established in most higher education settings. With COVID-19, some institutions have relied on proctoring software to maintain academic integrity from a distance. These assistive tools can help professors maintain academic integrity.

8. Classroom technology doesn't necessarily make students more accountable

While it can certainly help, technology use in the classroom doesn't always mean students are more likely to stay on top of their deliverables. For example, it can be tricky to know if your students are viewing the full lecture recordings or coming to class having completed their assigned readings. Social media and other ed tech platforms don't necessarily indicate completion. Some LMS providers may show if a student has opened a file, but that only says so much. Whether students have reviewed, absorbed and are able to retain that information is a question that-like traditional learning materials-not all classroom tech can solve.

7 pros and cons of using classroom technology to increase flexibility

The pros:

9. Technology can automate a lot of your tedious tasks

Automation can speed up tedious, time-consuming tasks, such as keeping track of student attendance and performance. Engagement tools can help streamline grading for writing assignments, discussions and participation, as well as answer common student questions, which otherwise could seem daunting due to their objective nature.

The canonical example of this? One professor at Georgia Tech coded an artificially intelligent teaching assistant. ' Jill Watson' was able to answer a selection of student questions and pass any that she couldn't handle to a real person. Integrating technology in the classroom has the potential to reduce the amount of time spent on minor tasks.

10. Technology in college classrooms gives students instant access to fresh information that can supplement their learning experience

There is value in having textbooks and course materials that are always up to date, which can even include additions suggested by students. This also fosters a more collaborative learning environment-students can share information, work together on group projects and interact with their instructor online. Collaboration between professors and their students is put into practice through a learning management system (LMS) such as Moodle or Blackboard, where professors upload new content for students to review online.

Educational technology enables students to engage in an ongoing cycle of learning: before, during and after class. Student response systems such as clickers can also help learners apply their understanding of concepts covered in class and can indicate areas that need to be reviewed. For Generation Z, technology is arguably the best way to meet student needs. Demian Hommel, Senior Instructor of Geography and Environmental Sciences and Marine Resource Management at Oregon State University, uses a classroom response system to poll students every few minutes during lectures. "Using technology to help students understand the trends and patterns that are going to affect them is transformative," he says.

"Using technology to help students understand the trends and patterns that are going to affect them is transformative." -Professor Demian Hommel

11. Students have the choice to learn in real time or at their own pace

Using technology in the classroom has given students more choice in, and control over, their learning experiences. Learning tools have also given professors the flexibility in how to deliver their lectures or labs. For instance, students can tune into live-streamed lectures hosted at a specific time, while others can view lecture recordings on their own if they're unable to attend a live session. Plus, real-time lessons in online learning can help students feel a great sense of belonging and camaraderie that would otherwise be lost.

Asynchronous learning provides a new level of flexibility for both students and educators. For example, instead of waiting for students to show up at your office, host your office hours via Zoom and let your students know that they're free to drop by during a given time frame. Additionally, technology can be used to help students take asynchronous tests. Just make a test available on your LMS for a 48-hour period so that students can take their assessment at a time and place that works for them.

12. Address the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines with thoughtful technology use

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for ensuring your course delivery meets the needs of all students. It's the ultimate way to provide flexibility in how, when and where learning takes place. The three tenets of this framework are providing multiple means of engagement, representation and expression.

In order to represent content in a variety of ways, you might consider complementing a textbook reading with a podcast. Alternatively, multiple ways of expressing students' understanding could mean offering students learning opportunities through journal articles or video reflections. Finally, multiple forms of engagement might mean gauging students' interests at the start of the term through icebreakers or a student interest inventory-and then use these insights to tailor your units of study accordingly.

The cons:

13. Lesson planning might become more labor-intensive with technology

The task of adapting technology into your classroom can seem daunting or overwhelming. In many ways though, using technology can become as natural to you as any daily activity.

When you're choosing classroom technology, it's important to engage with the software vendor and make sure you have the appropriate level of support in place. Some questions you should ask include whether they supply training or onboarding, and what their reliability statistics and support functions are. After all, you don't need to be the person all the students come to if the technology goes offline.

The most important factor is to allow yourself time to learn how to use a new ed tech tool and make sure you ask for, and receive, the support that you need.

14. Students don't have equal access to technological resources

An online education should be accessible to students. But some students can't afford iPads or even the textbooks required for class. Others simply do not have reliable Internet access. Point these students in the direction of your institution's library or community resources, or create assignments that allow them to work in groups and share resources. You might also consider using open educational resources (OER), which provide a cost-effective alternative to the traditional college textbook. Don't make technology the focus of your class, and don't make it a barrier. Incorporate it in a holistic and inclusive manner-and ensure you do your part to find equitable learning solutions.

15. Technology in education can create privacy concerns

Video conferencing or web-hosting solutions have brought with them some concerns around data protection. For example, do platforms offer end-to-end encryption in basic plans provided to students? Social media handles set up as part of a tutorial or learning activity can also lead to student information being accessed by a wider audience than intended. What's more, Zoombombing-disruptive intrusions into a video conference call-became a common occurrence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And though they maintain academic integrity, remote proctoring solutions can make test-takers feel uncomfortable. Students may not want to have their homes shown in front of a proctor and being monitored can increase stress and anxiety.

5 pros and cons of using technology to aid instructional design

The pros:

16. We live in a digital world, and technology is an essential life skill

Being digitally literate is more than obtaining "isolated technological skills," according to the NMC Horizon Report: 2017 Higher Education Edition. Rather, it's about "generating a deeper understanding of the digital environment, enabling intuitive adaptation to new contexts and [the] co-creation of content with others." Here, the traditional whiteboard is almost extinct, while technology has never been more essential in the virtual classroom. Creating presentations, learning to differentiate reliable from unreliable sources on the Internet and maintaining proper online netiquette are all vital skills that students will learn to develop in the classroom.

Technology use can also help universities deliver a better return on the investment students pay for their education-as well as make learning relevant to a primarily Generation Z audience. Mobile technology in classrooms is a must-have if students want to be prepared for almost any career today. Student achievement may be boosted if they have the means to continue working on projects outside of the classroom.

17. Classroom technology is a cost-effective alternative to traditional course materials

Technology can help save students hundreds during a semester. Rather than asking students to buy a copy of five different textbooks, some professors might want to direct students to their institution's library or adopt open source textbooks.

Using technology in the classroom has its benefits for the environment as well. Institutions can reduce the amount they spend on ink and paper by distributing important documents in a centralized digital location. As opposed to asking students to buy a print book from your campus bookstore, authoring your own digital, interactive book can help students save big. Katie Thompson-Laswell, Senior Instructor of Human Development and Family Science at Kansas State University, was able to save her students $70 on course materials in the spring 2019 semester. Two years later, new cohorts of students continue to enjoy a low-cost, interactive homework experience from anywhere.

The cons:

18. The quality of research and sources students find may not be credible

The Internet is a blessing and a curse. Your students may need guidance on identifying legitimate and unreliable sources. Many colleges have writing centers that can help with this. You can also use OER-ranging from lecture notes, examinations, assignments and textbooks-and adapt them to fit the needs of your course and students. How can you tell if content is written by a competent authority? Use these tips to find effective OERs. Top Hat's Catalog-filled with hundreds of low-cost, interactive textbooks-is also a reliable source of OER you can use, regardless of your discipline or teaching modality.

19. Some classroom technologies could eventually replace professors

Classroom technology has helped position educators as a 'guide on the side' versus a 'sage on the stage.' But that shift in the role that professors play has the potential to put them on the sidelines-especially with online learning. Technology has automated many learning processes such as grading. With asynchronous online learning especially, it's possible that students could now have little-to-no interactions with their educators compared to their experiences in the traditional classroom.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), which prioritize unlimited participation and open access, let students gain an unrestricted learning experience without a professor present. Platforms like Coursera let students watch on-demand video lectures from leading universities and companies for a fraction of the cost of a university degree. These platforms even offer selective degree and certificate programs. Other platforms like LinkedIn Learning prioritize skill-based learning, which allows students to complete courses or learning modules at their own pace-without the guidance of an instructor.

20. Institutions' lack of IT support can make it challenging to evaluate and implement new classroom technologies

Where do you begin if you're new to teaching? Educators may understandably feel overwhelmed when adopting new tools and platforms to meet the needs of their Generation Z students. While colleges may have a site-wide license for a particular LMS, educators are often left to their own resources to decide how to bring their material to life. Depending on the scale and quality of instructional design services offered at their institution, this can be a lengthy and uneasy process.

How classroom technology can help you meet your teaching goals next semester

This past academic year has highlighted the essential role that technology plays in student learning. No matter where you're teaching next semester, the best practices for using classroom technology below can help make your course more engaging, interactive and active. For additional advice, download our free guide on how to effectively use technology in your next face-to-face, hybrid or online classroom.

Eliminate distractions in class

1. Use frequent polls to make sure students pay attention-and to hold them accountable
2. Begin lessons with a game or icebreaker to encourage focus and collaboration from the start of class

Allow students to learn at their own pace

1. Adopt a flipped classroom model where students can view lecture modules and complete quizzes in advance of live lectures
2. Complement live activities with self-paced exercises such as blog posts or video journal responses, which students can share in your LMS

Create a classroom environment where students feel comfortable speaking out

1. Incorporate an anonymous discussion board during in-class polls
2. Ask your teaching assistants to respond to, and acknowledge, students' contributions in and out of class

Help students stay accountable for their learning outside of your classroom

1. Adopt or author your own digital interactive textbook that includes comprehension questions throughout
2. Keep a digital repository of discussion board prompts or quiz questions and re-quiz students on these concepts in future homework assignments to check for subject mastery

Provide instant feedback on student performance

1. Consider employing low-stakes, multiple choice quizzes that can be auto-graded
2. Grade assignments using a built-in rubric in your LMS and provide personalized feedback upon student request

Technology in the classroom: The final verdict

It's clear that the benefits of technology in the classroom outweigh the cons. But the key to technology in the classroom is always going to be the teacher-student relationship, because that's where the education happens. Technology can be a highly effective tool, but that's all it is-a tool. In today's hyper-connected world, sensible use of technology can enhance education. By using technology as an aid in the classroom, educators can create memorable and impactful learning outcomes for their diverse group of college students. For best practices on how to integrate technology in your classroom next semester, download our free guide packed with tips and tools five professors have used to give their course delivery a boost.

References

1. Kelly, R. (2018, January 11). 7 Ed Tech Trends to Watch in 2018. https://campustechnology.com/Articles/2018/01/11/7-Ed-Tech-Trends-to-Watch-in-2018.aspx?Page=1

2. Dhami, H. (2020, August 13). James Lang's Distracted: Why Students Can't Focus and What You Can Do About It. [Blog post]. https://tophat.com/blog/james-lang-distracted/

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How to Take Advantage of Ed Tech In The Classroom | Top Hat

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Get best practices for enhancing technology in your classroom. Plus, download Top Hat's free guide to make ed tech tools work for your course.

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Los videojuegos estimulan la creatividad en los adolescentes

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Los videojuegos estimulan la creatividad en los adolescentes

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Los videojuegos estimulan la creatividad en adolescentes

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Los videojuegos no son tan malos como se piensa. Pueden estimular la creatividad y no necesariamente promover el sedentarismo.

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How do you feel about keeping animals in zoos? Read both sides of the argument to help you decide.

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NO TODOS LOS ANIMALES PUEDEN SER MASCOTAS

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NO TODOS LOS ANIMALES PUEDEN SER MASCOTAS

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Faunia, el Parque Temático de la Naturaleza

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No todos los animales pueden ser mascotas | Faunia, el Parque Temático de la Naturaleza

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Este mes, Brinzal nos ofrece este post sobre el mascotismo que algunas especies sufren , ocasionándoles un daño irremediable

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Parques acuáticos luchando contra el cambio

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Parques acuáticos luchando contra el cambio

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Should Zoos and Aquariums Exhibit Beluga Whales?

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Should Zoos and Aquariums Exhibit Beluga Whales?

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Should Zoos and Aquariums Exhibit Beluga Whales?

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Should Zoos and Aquariums Exhibit Beluga Whales?

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Las polémicas en torno a los toros, la caza del zorro, el trato a los animales de granja, de laboratorio, las exhibiciones en circos y zoológicos, el cuidado de los animales de compañía, han reavivado desde el último tercio del siglo pasado una pregunta que en el mundo occidental venía planteándose al menos desde el siglo XVIII: ¿tienen derechos los animales?

Así dicho, la respuesta no puede ser hoy más palmaria: sí, claro, tienen los derechos que les conceden las legislaciones de un buen número de países, que cada vez precisan más el trato que debe dispensarse a los animales; un trato que, como mínimo, exige no provocar sufrimiento inútil. Por poner un ejemplo, cualquier investigador sabe que, antes de experimentar con animales, debe cursar un posgrado para aprender cómo tratarlos, presentar su proyecto a un comité ético y seguir el protocolo correspondiente. Está bien claro, pues, que existe este tipo de derechos que se conceden a los animales para protegerles del maltrato.

La polémica sobre los toros es el último episodio de un debate abierto ya en el siglo XVIII

Estados Unidos tiene hoy poca capacidad constructiva en América Latina

Sin embargo, la pregunta "¿tienen derechos los animales?" suele referirse a una cuestión más complicada: si tienen un tipo de derechos similar a los derechos humanos, que no se conceden, sino que deben reconocerse. Los derechos humanos son anteriores a las voluntades de los legisladores y les obligan a reconocerlos y encarnarlos en las legislaciones concretas. No es lo mismo conceder un derecho, cosa que podría hacerse o no, que tener que reconocerlo. En esta diferencia nos jugamos mucho.

En cuanto a los hombres -mujeres y varones-, es ya una referencia la Declaración Universal de Derechos Humanos de 1948 que, por primera vez en la historia, reconoce a todos los seres humanos derechos inalienables. Pero, ¿por qué los seres humanos tienen este tipo de derechos?

Ríos de tinta han corrido sobre este asunto tan complejo, pero en este breve espacio tal vez se pueda aventurar una respuesta convincente: porque los seres humanos tienen la capacidad -actual o virtual- para reconocer qué es un derecho y para apreciar que forma parte de una vida digna. Si los demás no se lo reconocen, tienen conciencia de ser injustamente tratados y ven mermada su autoestima. Por tanto, en el caso de que solo los seres humanos tuvieran este tipo de derechos, tendrían total prioridad en cuestiones de justicia. ¿Tienen los animales un tipo de derechos similar?

Como es sabido, en 1977 se proclama una Declaración Universal de los Derechos del Animal, que pretende equipararse a la de 1948. Se compone de 14 artículos, referidos fundamentalmente al derecho a la existencia, a la libertad, a no sufrir malos tratos y a morir sin dolor. ¿Por qué se supone que los animales tienen esos derechos? Las respuestas son diversas.

Tal vez porque Dios se los ha dado, como aseguraba en 1791 el presbiteriano Herman Daggett en su discurso sobre los derechos de los animales, llegando a afirmar: "Y no conozco nada en la naturaleza, en la razón o en la revelación que nos obligue a suponer que los derechos inalienables de la bestia no sean tan sagrados e inviolables como los del hombre".

Tal vez porque tienen capacidad de sufrir, como defiende el utilitarismo, pero aclarando que la capacidad de sufrir no es la fuente de derechos que se reconocen, sino de los que se conceden, como de forma diáfana afirma Peter Singer, que utiliza explícitamente el discurso de los derechos de los animales como arma política, porque no cree que existan, como tampoco los derechos humanos.

Por su parte, Martha Nussbaum asegura que los animales no humanos son "personas en sentido amplio" y por eso tienen derechos, afirmación poco creíble porque resulta imposible detectar en ellos autorreflexión, autoconciencia o responsabilidad, por muchas semejanzas que existan con los seres humanos.

Pero si acudimos, con Tom Regan, a la afirmación de que la vida es un valor que importa respetar, que no se debe maltratar a los seres valiosos, entonces no es necesario apelar a derechos para pedir para un ser respeto y cuidado: basta con que sea valioso.

Un buen cuadro no tiene derechos, pero es pura barbarie destrozarlo, porque tiene un valor. Un bosque hermoso tampoco tiene derechos, pero talarlo es mala cosa, a no ser por proteger algún valor más elevado.

Nos movemos en un mundo de seres valiosos y bueno sería educar en el respeto a lo valioso, en el cuidado de lo vulnerable, tanto más si esos seres tienen capacidad de sufrir. Aunque no puedan tener conciencia de derechos ni de deberes y por eso no se pueda decir que tienen derechos. El analfabetismo en esto del valor es una mala cosa, y una buena educación debería intentar erradicarlo.

Pero también debe enseñar a priorizar, a recordar cómo las exigencias de justicia que plantean los seres humanos están dolorosamente bajo mínimos. Cumplir los Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio, que se propusieron en 2000. Proteger los derechos de los seres humanos es una tarea prioritaria.

Adela Cortina es catedrática de Ética y Filosofía Política de la Universidad de Valencia, autora de Las fronteras de la persona. El valor de los animales, la dignidad de los humanos, Taurus, 2009.

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Las polémicas en torno a los toros, la caza del zorro, el trato a los animales de granja, de laboratorio, las exhibiciones en circos y zoológicos, el cuidado de los animales de compañía, han reavivado desde el último tercio del siglo pasado una pregunta que en el mundo occidental venía planteándose al menos desde el siglo XVIII: ¿tienen derechos los animales?

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¿Por qué aconsejan no reutilizar la botellas de agua? ¿Hay algo peligroso en el plástico del que están hechas, llamado polietilentereftalato, PET para los amigos? Descubre por qué es mejor no rellenar eternamente los botellines.

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Los delfinarios y zoológicos marinos son complejos que se dedican a mantener, reproducir y exhibir animales marinos.

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With Magazines+, you get fresh, high-interest content delivered all year long-in print, online, or both. Every single story, video, and activity is designed to hook your students and keep them engaged. And because Magazines+ complements your curriculum, it's easy to implement during any part of the school day!

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Scholastic Classroom & News Magazines | Subscribe Now!

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Scholastic Magazines+ cover the latest topics to enhance instruction in math, science, reading, social studies, and more! Subscribe Today!

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Scholastic Classroom & News Magazines | Subscribe Now!

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With Magazines+, you get fresh, high-interest content delivered all year long-in print, online or both. Every single story, video and activity is designed to hook your students and keep them engaged. And because Magazines+ complements your curriculum, it's easy to implement during any part of the school day!

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Las bolsas de plástico contaminan y no son necesarias

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Las bolsas de plástico contaminan y no son necesarias

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Las bolsas de plástico contaminan y no son necesarias: ninguna se recicla. Consumiendo menos y mejor, protegemos el medio ambiente.

La bolsa de plástico es el producto estrella de nuestra cultura de usar y tirar, que malgasta grandes cantidades de materiales y energía para fabricar productos efímeros de un solo uso, muchas veces superfluos. Las bolsas de plástico se pueden reemplazar por recipientes o sistemas duraderos y ecológicos (bolsas de tela, de plástico resistente, de papel, carros de compra...). En España utilizamos unas 250 bolsas por habitante y año. Tanto su fabricación y distribución como su tratamiento posterior provocan importantes problemas ambientales. Por todo ello consideramos que es necesaria su desaparición.

En las tres grandes centrales de tratamiento de basura (Jerez, Miramundo -Medina- y Los Barrios) las bolsas se entierran o se apilan en grandes fardos ya que vale 100 veces más reciclarlas que fabricarlas de nuevo. Esta es una de las razones por las que más del 90 % de nuestros residuos sólidos urbanos acaban en vertederos, o en otras comunidades autónomas, en incineradoras.

Razones para decir no a las bolsas de plástico:

Se fabrican a partir del petróleo, un recurso no renovable, costoso, cada vez más escaso y responsable de la emisión de gases de efecto invernadero, es decir, del cambio climático.

Su reciclaje no es rentable: cuesta 100 veces más reciclarlas que producirlas nuevas.

La mayoría acaba en el mar o quemada en las incineradoras y en los hornos de cemento. Se han encontrado bolsas flotando al norte del Circulo Ártico y en lugares remotos del Atlántico Sur.

Contaminan durante su fabricación y su incineración (dioxinas, cianuro...).

Algunas están impresas con tintas tóxicas.

Tardan entre 150 y 1000 años en descomponerse.

* Su dispersión en la naturaleza causa mortandad de animales en el medio terrestre y acuático. Las tortugas, los delfines o los cachalotes, por ejemplo, se las comen porque las confunden con medusas y calamares. Es cada vez más frecuente encontrarlas en cadáveres de animales marinos porque provocan el bloqueo, irritación o laceración del tracto digestivo y reducen la cantidad de alimento que los animales pueden ingerir.

* Son de fácil sustitución por sistemas tradicionales: bolsas de tela, carritos, cestas, de papel...

Por ello proponemos:

1. Hacer un pequeño esfuerzo desde la ciudadanía, los ayuntamientos, gremios de comerciantes y cadenas comerciales para animar al consumidor y a los comercios a sustituir las bolsas de plástico gratuitas por otro tipo de recipiente más resistente y duradero.

2. Los acuerdos voluntarios de sustitución o de cobro serían idóneos para frenar el consumo generalizado de bolsas. Pero como puede ser insuficiente, necesitamos además acciones decididas destinadas a limitar el consumo de bolsas de plástico.

3. Que el Gobierno grave el consumo indiscriminado y gratuito de bolsas de plástico con un impuesto ecológico lo suficientemente elevado para ser disuasorio. Ese dinero no lucraría al comerciante sino que se invertiría en investigación y desarrollo de tecnologías de producción limpia que minimicen la generación de residuos y en mecanismos para eliminar las bolsas de un solo uso.

No se ha encontrado ninguno

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Las bolsas de plástico contaminan y no son necesarias * Ecologistas en Acción

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Las bolsas de plástico contaminan y no son necesarias: ninguna se recicla. Consumiendo menos y mejor, protegemos el medio ambiente. La bolsa de plástico es el producto estrella de nuestra cultura de usar y tirar, que malgasta grandes cantidades de materiales y energía para fabricar productos efímeros de un solo uso, muchas veces superfluos.

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¿Cuáles son los deportes extremos que más se practican?

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¿Cuáles son los deportes extremos que más se practican?

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Liberar adrenalina y experimentar que estamos haciendo algo único y poco convencional. Así nos pueden hacer sentir los deportes de riesgo. Y si no, que le pregunten por sus sensaciones a André Jacques Garnerin, que fue quien realizó el primer salto exitoso en paracaídas de la historia en 1797. Desde entonces, esta disciplina ya se ha dominado y convertido incluso en una actividad de aventura, siendo una de las más populares para quienes buscan emociones fuertes.

Para quienes buscan vivir experiencias extremas como saltar en paracaídas y similares, en Showroom hemos seleccionado una serie de deportes de riesgo que se pueden realizar en España en tierra, mar y aire.

Paracaidismo

¿Quién no quiere sentir el viento, las alturas y que se está casi volando? Con el paracaidismo podemos disfrutar la vista del paisaje desde las alturas y descender a toda velocidad mientras descargamos adrenalina durante esta caída. Para poder practicarlo como un profesional hay que tener una preparación previa con la que aprender la técnica.

Una manera de comenzar este aprendizaje puede ser utilizando los túneles de viento, donde podemos sentir que estamos volando. Además de ser una experiencia muy divertida y apasionante, nos servirá para conocer cómo colocar el cuerpo cuando estamos cayendo. Este tipo de experiencias podemos encontrarlas en Madrid reservándolo en Atrapalo por 39 euros y Barcelona por 49 euros, por ejemplo.

Para los más experimentados, la mejor opción es comprarse su propio equipamiento como este mono de paracaidismo q ue venden en Amazon desde 190 euros y por supuesto son imprescindibles unas gafas que también puedes encontrar en Amazon desde 20,35 € y unirse a un club especializado.

Vuelo en globo aerostático

Otra manera de disfrutar de las alturas en volando en globo aerostático, una experiencia que tiene menos de riesgo, pues es menos vertiginoso, pero que igualmente nos permite ver todo desde el aire y surcar los cielos. Una aventura con la que visitar lugares de una manera diferente.

Un paseo en globo puede ser un regalo para sorprender a alguien y en España encontramos por ejemplo trayectos en Madrid que están a la venta en Atrápalo por 120 euros (te ahorras un 25%) y en doce distintas zonas de Cataluña que puedes reservar por el mismo precio. Uno de los más destacados es el recorrido por Montserrat, donde apreciar los campos y montañas de esta zona natural de una manera espectacular y diferente, un regalo diferente si quieres sorprender a alguien con una experiencia increíble, además si lo reservas en Atrápalo te ahorras un 9% (te saldría por 115 €)

Puenting

Saltar desde un puente y notar que no dejas de caer hasta que de repente rebotas y comienzas a moverte con efecto péndulo. Dura varios segundos, pero la sensación de riesgo que se siente libera tanta adrenalina que se convierte en una experiencia inolvidable. Para practicarlo, lo mejor es hacerlo con empresas especializadas que preparan todo el equipamiento para que sea seguro y satisfactorio.

En España encontramos que hay multitud de lugares para practicar puenting, especialmente en zonas rurales. El Puente del río Cofio en Madrid, en dirección a Ávila, es un clásico, así como el Murillo de Gallego en el Pirineo aragonés o el Tablate en Lanjarón, Granada, entre otros. Para quienes quieren grabar su salto en vídeo hd y tener un reportaje de fotos, en Átrapalo venden la posibilidad de hacerlo en el reconocible Embalse de la Fuensanta de Albacete.

Parkour

Correr de un lugar a otro, saltando y realizando acrobacias para superar los obstáculos y el entorno de la manera más eficaz posible y haciendo solo uso del cuerpo. Así es el parkour, una actividad física que resulta muy espectacular de ver y de practicar. Para ella es necesario estar en forma y aprender la técnica, pero cualquiera que la practique puede llevarla a cabo de la manera en que le resulte más cómoda. No todo el mundo tiene porqué realizar los saltos más grandes ni escalar las paredes más altas si no puede.

El parkour se puede realizar solo o en grupos y hay asociaciones por España para quienes quieren dominarlo al máximo y conocer a otros aficionados. Lo único que se necesita es un calzado cómodo que nos permita correr, saltar y amortiguar adecuadamente. Para ello, unas buenas zapatillas de running son la solución.

En esta línea, Puma cuenta con las Speed 600 Ignite 3 por 130 euros, que ayudan a amortiguar y a propulsarnos, Nike tiene las Zoom Strike a un precio de 80 euros que son ligeras y protegen el talón de los impactos. Las Asics Noosa FF que venden por 140 euros con entresuela FlytFoam y la amortiguación de Gel, son otra alternativa y una garantía de altas prestaciones. Y también hay quienes utilizan guantes deportivos básicos, como estos que venden en Amazon desde 6 euros el par de la marca Hrph, para mejorar el agarre de las manos y proteger las palmas.

Surf

Dominar el mar y surcar las olas sobre una tabla es una experiencia sin igual. El surf es un deporte que apasiona a muchos y en España tiene mucho arraigo en diferentes playas del país. En el norte es muy común, como por ejemplo en Cantabria, donde podemos aprender con la Escuela Cántabra de Surf, alquilando equipamiento y contratando clases con ellos.

Otra opción para iniciarse en el surf y de paso ir de vacaciones es optar por la escapada de fin de semana a Asturias que venden en Weekendesk para conocer además la cultura y gastronomía de esta región. Esta escapada incluye una clase para dos adultos para aprender con un profesional de este deporte y sentir el mar bajo nosotros, puedes hacer tu reserva y aprovechar el 25% de descuento actual si lo haces a través de este enlace.

Por supuesto, quienes ya hayan aprendido a surfear y quieran seguir mejorando y disfrutando por su cuenta, siempre pueden comprarse su tabla propia y llevarla allá donde vayan para cazar olas. La marca Rock-it cuenta con la Albert un modelo que venden en Amazon, de 6 pies, perfecta para novatos y avanzados que disfrutan con este diseño de EPS rígido y seguro, así como con la Shortbus también a la venta en Amazon, más clásica, de 7 pies, y cubierta con resina epoxi.

Buceo

De ir sobre la superficie del mar a explorar bajo ella. El buceo apasiona porque nos permite conocer la vida marina y ver todo lo que fluye dentro del agua. Para practicar submarinismo, con bombona y neopreno, hay que obtener un título que nos acredite. Para ello lo primero es realizar un bautismo de buceo con el que demos nuestras primeras inmersiones tanto si queremos aprender como si solo queremos disfrutar. En Atrápalo venden esta actividad con un 50% de descuento para realizarla en plena Costa Brava, en Tossa de Mar, una gran opción para los amantes del mundo subacuático.

Otra opción es el snorkel, el que se realiza con gafas, tubo y aletas. Uno de los mejores lugares para practicarlo es la Costa Tropical de Andalucía. Y justamente Weekendesk cuenta con una oferta para disfrutar de esta actividad en Almuñecar, Granada, pasando un fin de semana de escapada con hotel y excursión en kayak incluida, esta oferta la puedes encontrar desde 88 euros para dos personas.

Si estás buscando más equipamiento para practicar deportes acuáticos, no te pierdas este artículo que preparamos en su momento.

Barranquismo

En el agua de los ríos también se practican deportes de riesgo como el barranquismo, en el que hay que esquivar obstáculos mientras se descienden por su curso al tiempo que se combina con escalada. En España hay parajes naturales donde practicarlo y disfrutar de la naturaleza que envuelve a los mismos. Somosierra, en Madrid, es un lugar muy frecuentado para ello. Allí podemos realizarlo alquilando el equipo adecuado y con un profesional que nos guíe en esta jornada de 3 o 4 horas que podemos reservar con Atrápalo por 39 euros ahorrándote un 20%.

Los ríos también se pueden descender en canoas o kayak y un clásico de ello es el Descenso del Sella de Asturias, una divertida actividad de aventura que podemos realizar un fin de semana si nos vamos de escapada, hotel incluido, con Weekendesk y que si reservas ahora tiene un 41% de descuento.
*Todos los precios de compra incluidos en este artículo están actualizados a fecha 19-03-2020

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¿Cuáles son los deportes extremos que más se practican?

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Liberar adrenalina y experimentar que estamos haciendo algo único y poco convencional. Así nos pueden hacer sentir los deportes de riesgo. Y si no, que le pregunten por sus sensaciones a André Jacques Garnerin, que fue quien realizó el primer salto exitoso en paracaídas de la historia en 1797.

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It is important to acknowledge that students are already interested and engaged in using technology, this creates many amazing opportunities for schools and teachers to benefit from integrating some forms of technology in the classroom and to make teaching and learning more effective. Here are some of the main benefits of using technology in the classroom. Improves engagement
When technology is integrated into lessons, students are expected to be more interested in the subjects they are studying. Technology provides different opportunities to make learning more fun and enjoyable in terms of teaching same things in new ways. For instance, delivering teaching through gamification, taking students on virtual field trips and using other online learning resources. What is more, technology can encourage a more active participation in the learning process which can be hard to achieve through a traditional lecture environment.
Improves knowledge retention
Students who are engaged and interested in things they are studying, are expected to have a better knowledge retention. As mentioned before, technology can help to encourage active participation in the classroom which also is a very important factor for increased knowledge retention. Different forms of technology can be used to experiment with and decide what works best for students in terms of retaining their knowledge.
Encourages individual learning
No one learns in the same way because of different learning styles and different abilities. Technology provides great opportunities for making learning more effective for everyone with different needs. For example, students can learn at their own speed, review difficult concepts or skip ahead if they need to. What is more, technology can provide more opportunities for struggling or disabled students. Access to the Internet gives students access to a broad range of resources to conduct research in different ways, which in turn can increase the engagement.
Encourages collaboration
Students can practice collaboration skills by getting involved in different online activities. For instance, working on different projects by collaborating with others on forums or by sharing documents on their virtual learning environments. Technology can encourage collaboration with students in the same classroom, same school and even with other classrooms around the world.
Students can learn useful life skills through technology
By using technology in the classroom, both teachers and students can develop skills essential for the 21st century. Students can gain the skills they will need to be successful in the future. Modern learning is about collaborating with others, solving complex problems, critical thinking, developing different forms of communication and leadership skills, and improving motivation and productivity. What is more, technology can help develop many practical skills, including creating presentations, learning to differentiate reliable from unreliable sources on the Internet, maintaining proper online etiquette, and writing emails. These are very important skills that can be developed in the classroom.
Benefits for teachers
With countless online resources, technology can help improve teaching. Teachers can use different apps or trusted online resources to enhance the traditional ways of teaching and to keep students more engaged. Virtual lesson plans, grading software and online assessments can help teachers save a lot time. This valuable time can be used for working with students who are struggling. What is more, having virtual learning environments in schools enhances collaboration and knowledge sharing between teachers.
To learn more about different ways of incorporating technology in the classroom, visit the Webanywhere website.

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Top 6 Benefits of Technology in the Classroom - Advancing Education

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Explore the top 6 benefits of technology in the classroom. Enhance your teaching methods with School Jotter.

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13 ventajas y desventajas del uso de los videojuegos

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13 ventajas y desventajas del uso de los videojuegos

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Los videojuegos tienen ventajas y desventajas; el lado positivo es que pueden enseñar conocimientos y mejorar habilidades físicas y mentales. El lado negativo es que pueden ser agresivos y hacer que se gaste demasiado tiempo con ellos. En este artículo te explicamos todos los pros y contras.

Hoy en día es difícil encontrar una casa que no tenga alguna que otra consola u ordenador. Tanto adultos como jóvenes dedican varias horas al día a jugar, ya sea mediante los medios nombrados anteriormente o por otros dispositivos como los móviles o tablets.

Son pocas las personas que nos hemos parado a pensar en si todo lo que rodea al uso de los videojuegos aporta ventajas a quienes los usan, o si por el contrario solo se caracteriza por sus desventajas.

Es complicado encontrar una definición general de lo que es un videojuego, cada autor que lo ha descrito se centra o puntualiza alguna de sus características.

Según Wikipedia, podemos definir un videojuego como:

"Un juego electrónico en el que una o más personas interactúan, por medio de un mando, con un dispositivo dotado de imágenes de video. Este dispositivo electrónico, conocido genéricamente como plataforma, puede ser un ordenador, una máquina arcade, una consola o un dispositivo portátil como un teléfono móvil. Los videojuegos son, hoy por hoy, una de las principales industrias del arte y el entretenimiento".

Entre las ventajas para las personas que los usan podemos encontrar:

1- Entrenamiento y mejora de habilidades físicas y mentales

Se ha comprobado en algunos estudios, que si se juega a los videojuegos diariamente, podemos mejorar nuestra atención visual, ser más eficientes en el cambio de tareas, ser más rápidos en tareas en las que tenemos que realizar una búsqueda visual o discriminar objetos por su forma/color.

También entre otros beneficios, aporta más eficacia en el seguimiento de objetivos múltiples.

Otros investigadores han realizado estudios de entrenamiento corroborando así que la práctica de videojuegos también mejora la ejecución de tareas divididas y de rotación mental.

2- Tiene utilidades terapéuticas

Los videojuegos se pueden utilizar en personas que presentan problemas tanto físicos como mentales. Como por ejemplo en personas que presenten problemas de movilidad en los brazos, o que les cuesta relacionarse; como es el caso de personas con autismo.

También se ha utilizado de forma rehabilitadora en personas que presentan problemas de atención, entre otras.

3- Uso como medio didáctico

Los videojuegos pueden ser un medio de aprendizaje para las personas que lo usan ya que es un contexto diferente y más lúdico. Por ello, son un buen medio de motivación para los menores y jóvenes, así como para niños que tienen dificultades de aprendizaje o que incluso están en riesgo.

Gracias a este medio se puede motivar a los alumnos a aprender creándoles sentimientos de diversión.

4- Fomenta valores positivos

Los juegos de las consolas y ordenadores también fomentan valores como la solidaridad, la amistad, la cohesión y el sentido de pertenencia a un grupo. Es importante que los padres aprovechen este tipo de beneficios para mejorar las relaciones familiares.

5- Uso como ocio y entretenimiento

Necesitamos distraernos para no sentirnos estresados en nuestro día a día o simplemente para combatir el aburrimiento diario. Por ello, los videojuegos son un gran medio de entretenimiento por la gran cantidad de realidades que presentan.

6- Desarrolla empatía

Dado que existen multitud de juegos en grupo, los jugadores tienen que tomar decisiones y saben que estas pueden tener consecuencias, tanto positivas como negativas, sobre los demás participantes del juego. Por ello, es un medio que facilita el desarrollo de la empatía.

7- Aumenta el sentido de competencia y autoestima

El uso de videojuegos también crea sentimientos de autoestima y de competencia en los jugadores partida tras partida. Ya que conforme vas superando los diferentes retos y niveles, te sientes mejor contigo mismo y capaz de afrontar los siguientes objetivos.

8- Fomenta el trabajo en equipo

En los juegos de equipo, los jugadores también van a desarrollar habilidades de trabajo grupales ya que, en ocasiones, tienen que estar unidos para superar algún reto.

Además, también les permite desarrollar otras habilidades como la de pensar rápido para actuar satisfactoriamente ante algún problema que se les haya presentado o incluso trabajar bajo presión para no perder la partida.

Desventajas del uso de los videojuegos

Además de las ventajas antes mencionadas, también encontramos posibles desventajas y efectos negativos en las personas que lo usan:

9- Pueden crear adicción

Es común escuchar que hay personas que son adictas a los videojuegos, sin embargo y a pesar de los estudios que se han realizado al respecto, a día de hoy no se puede probar que jugar con los videojuegos pueda crear adicción.

Algunas personas en un momento dado, adquieren una fijación patológica por un objeto o actividad. Aun así, tenemos que analizar a la persona y preguntarnos el por qué ha llegado hasta ese punto.

Además, también tenemos que señalar que hay actividades que son tremendamente entretenidas y absorbentes, por ello se le puede dedicar más tiempo de lo común.

10- Aumenta la agresividad del jugador y son violentos

Algunos juegos son muy agresivos y violentos. En ocasiones, este contenido no solo se limita a agresiones físicas sino que además entra también en ideologías. Existe una amplia gama de investigaciones al respecto en las que no se llega a una conclusión clara de si los videojuegos crean o aumentan la agresividad en sus jugadores.

Algunos sostienen que su efecto es a corto plazo, mientras que otros defienden que tiene un efecto a largo plazo en los jugadores.

11- Tiene efectos negativos en la socialización

El niño que se divierte con juegos que son violentos, puede derivar en efectos negativos en su socialización con otros iguales, desembocando en que no desarrollen sentido de pertenencia o de justicia social.

Además sabemos que en los videojuegos no se puede dialogar, lo que aumenta el uso de la violencia como solución.

12- Presentan imagen desproporcionada del cuerpo de la mujer

En muchos juegos, el sexo y la sensualidad es una parte importante de la trama o la historia. Se suele presentar a la mujer como un objeto sexual y con cuerpos desproporcionados a los reales.

Esta imagen puede hacer que se asimile en los jugadores que el cuerpo de una mujer debe de ser ese y no otro.

13- Puede repercutir en la vida de los jugadores

Si no se tiene un control de su uso, puede afectar a nuestra vida de forma negativa; afectando así a nuestro rendimiento escolar, a la familia y a nuestro día a día en general.

Recomendaciones para padres y educadores

Una vez que hemos presentado las ventajas y desventajas del uso de los videojuegos, vemos necesario desarrollar un apartado de recomendaciones para padres y educadores con respecto al uso y compra adecuada de los videojuegos.

Es necesario que prestemos importancia a la hora de comprar un videojuego a nuestro hijo a la franja de edad a la que ese juego va dirigido, además de la trama e historia que presenta, con la idea de evitar los violentos y escoger los que van encaminados al aprendizaje.

Por norma general, tenemos que implantar un horario de uso que no supere la hora diaria. Para ello, tendremos que exponerle otras alternativas a la consola como el deporte, el parque etc. En el caso de que juegue al ordenador también seguiremos estas recomendaciones.

Siempre que nos sea posible es importante que juguemos con ellos, así conoceremos los diferentes juegos que hay y los que les gusta.

Si en casa los adultos también juegan, es importante que delante del niño/a se juegue a juegos que también puedan disfrutar, es decir destinados a toda la familia.

Los videojuegos son el juguete preferido tanto de niños como de adultos en la sociedad actual.

A escala mundial en la industria del entretenimiento con una cifra aproximada de 690.000 millones de dólares, los estadounidenses se coloraron los primeros en las listas de usuarios de videojuegos. Seguidos de la región de Asia-Pacífico con 432.000 millones y Europa 14.300 millones.

Del consumo de ocio audiovisual, el uso de videojuegos supone el 35% del total, por delante de la taquilla del cine, las películas de vídeo y la música grabada.

En el caso de los jugadores de ordenador, su usuario habitual son jóvenes a los que les gusta los juegos de deportes, estrategia, aventuras y carreras. Mientras que en los de consola el perfil es de niños de hasta 13 años que se decantan por uno u otro videojuego dependiendo de su rapidez y el protagonista que presenten.

En este artículo os hemos presentado las ventajas y desventajas más conocidas y comunes del uso de los videojuegos. En la actualidad, son muchas las personas que hacen uso de dispositivos con los que se pueden jugar y, sin embargo, son pocos los que son conscientes de las desventajas y los efectos negativos que puedan tener para las personas que lo usan.

Es importante que, desde el hogar y las escuelas se dé prioridad a sus ventajas y efectos positivos. Pues se ha comprobado que afectan de forma positiva a todas las personas que juegan con videojuegos tanto física como mentalmente.

De hecho, son muchos los profesores que han comenzado a utilizar videojuegos para enseñar asignaturas como matemáticas, lengua e inglés en sus clases.

Aun así, debemos recordar que tanto los padres y las madres, tienen que conocer la diversidad de videojuegos que existen. El fin será comprar el que mejor se ajuste a la franja de edad de su hijo, ya que en muchas ocasiones no somos conscientes de en qué consiste ese juego o de si realmente es el más adecuado.

Por último, señalar que es importante desde casa que se dialogue sobre los horarios más adecuados para el uso de los videojuegos, tanto para el niño como para el adulto con el fin de realizar un buen uso y maximizar sus beneficios.
¿Y tú qué ventajas y desventajas de los videojuegos conoces?

1. García, J. M. B. (2012). El mercado del videojuego: Unas cifras. Revista ICONO14. Revista científica de Comunicación y Tecnologías emergentes, 4(1), 36-47.

2. Godoy, A. C. (2009). Hacia una industria española del videojuego. Comunicación: revista Internacional de Comunicación Audiovisual, Publicidad y Estudios Culturales, (7), 177-188.

3. Reyes-Hernández y otros. (2014). Los videojuegos: ventajas y prejuicios para los niños. Revista Mexicana de Pediatría. Vol. 81, Núm.2, 74-78.

4. Salguero, R. T. (2009). Efectos psicosociales de los videojuegos.Comunicación: revista Internacional de Comunicación Audiovisual, Publicidad y Estudios Culturales, (7), 235-250.

5. Sánchez Chávez, N. P., Reyes Gómez, U., & Hernández Rico, M. P. (2000). Videojuegos, reporte preliminar. Rev. mex. pueric. ped, 7(41), 150-156.

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13 Ventajas y Desventajas de los Videojuegos

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Los videojuegos tienen ventajas y desventajas; el lado positivo es que pueden enseñar conocimientos y mejorar habilidades físicas y mentales. El lado negativo es que pueden ser agresivos y hacer que se gaste demasiado tiempo con ellos. En este artículo te explicamos todos los pros y contras.

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Easy to Use. Hard to Put Down.
With Magazines+, you get fresh, high-interest content delivered all year long-in print, online or both. Every single story, video and activity is designed to hook your students and keep them engaged. And because Magazines+ complements your curriculum, it's easy to implement during any part of the school day!

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Scholastic Classroom & News Magazines | Subscribe Now!

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Easy to Use. Hard to Put Down. With Magazines+, you get fresh, high-interest content delivered all year long-in print, online or both. Every single story, video and activity is designed to hook your students and keep them engaged. And because Magazines+ complements your curriculum, it's easy to implement during any part of the school day!

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Mystic Aquarium is Connecticut’s most unique aquarium experience. Learn more about events, programs, experiences, and more or plan your trip to Mystic Aquarium today.

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Is Florida's panther release program working?

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Is Florida's panther release program working?

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Opinión: ¿Cuál es la voz que falta en el debate de los trofeos de elefantes? La de los africanos

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Opinión: ¿Cuál es la voz que falta en el debate de los trofeos de elefantes? La de los africanos

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Newsela | Opinión: ¿Cuál es la voz que falta en el debate de los trofeos de elefantes? La de los africanos

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El primer paso es reconocer que la indignación de lejos nunca resolvió un problema local. Necesitamos escuchar las voces de la población local.

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Opinion: Tap water is better than bottled water for people and the Earth

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Opinion: Tap water is better than bottled water for people and the Earth

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Newsela | Opinion: Turn on the taps! Bottled water industry is bad for the Earth

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Bottled water is a big business that depletes aquifers, harms ecosystems and adds to the garbage disposal problem. Plus, tests show bottled water is no healthier than tap water.

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China trabaja duro para que los pandas gigantes puedan sobrevivir

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China trabaja duro para que los pandas gigantes puedan sobrevivir

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Is your kid obsessed with becoming the next X Games star, Olympic medalist, or YouTube stuntman? Young kids often have no fear when it comes to taking risks, but are extreme sports like dirt bike riding and bungee jumping dangerous for kids?
Related: Sports Safety Tips for Your Child
Though traditional sports like football, basketball, and hockey aren't exactly going out of style, the world of extreme sports is growing in popularity. Kids and adults alike are participating in increasing numbers in these risky-if not sometimes downright dangerous-sports. But why?

From skateboarding and snowboarding to BMX biking and rock climbing, pop culture and social media have collided to amp up physical activity and make super-sized stunts seem like the norm. Long gone are the days when peer pressure from classmates, neighbors or older sibs drove younger children to drop into a half-pipe or launch their bike off a crazy incline.

Today's kiddos are also influenced by...well, influencers. YouTube stars, TikTok creators, and even Olympic athletes have turned extreme sports from something that only the wildest child would attempt to everyday activities.

If your littles are begging to do extreme sports and you're totally new to these types of activities, read on for more info on the risks, benefits, times to encourage your kiddo, and when to flat out say a big 'ol, " NO."

Extreme Sports Growing More Popular with Kids

Some kids are happier riding their skateboards than dealing with the structure of soccer practice. Others like cruising around on their BMX bikes until their legs just quit, surfing themselves silly, or spending the entire weekend learning new tricks on their inline skates.

Of course, young kids are also attracted to extreme sports because they're cool. And who doesn't like being on the cutting edge? Snowboarding, the bad-boy little brother of skiing, was legitimized by sports traditionalists when it became an official Olympic event at the 1998 Nagano Games.

Fast-forward to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (which were actually held in 2021 thanks to the pandemic) and skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing became legit gold, silver, and bronze events!

Studies Show Fewer Kids Are Joining School Sports Teams

Have the days of dribbling a ball down a court or passing a puck gone the way of the dinosaurs? According to stats from Project Play, in 2021 the most popular youth sports for children ages six through 12 were bicycling, basketball, and baseball. Even though more than 5.2 million children biked in 2021, this was a significant change from way back in 2008.

The Project Play statistics show that only 18 percent of children reported bicycling in 2021, while a whopping 27.7 percent got active on two wheels in 2008.

Basketball team play dropped from 16.6 percent to 14.5 percent participation and baseball from 16.5 percent to 12.6 percent between 2008 and 2021. The number of children playing other popular team sports, such as soccer, tackle football, and flag football, also dropped during the same time frame.

Basketball is Less Popular But Bicycling is Big with Teens

The same downward trends didn't happen for teen participation in all traditional sports. Bicycling participation grew from 16.8 percent to 21 percent between 2008 and 2021 and baseball play rose from 8.2 percent to 9.5 percent.

What could account for the overall downward trend in team and individual youth sports play? There isn't one reason. But some of the possible explanations include an increasingly competitive climate, the high cost of intensive travel sports (such as hockey), or interest in other activities -such as extreme sports.

Dangerous Sports: Kids in BMX, Climbing, and Bungee Jumping?!

We spoke to Paul Vail, 29, a BMX freestyle bike rider for more than 14 years to learn more about the kinds of extreme sports kids are trying.

Vail says that when it comes to extreme sports, "Today's kids who've been riding skateboards or BMX bikes since they were 12-year-olds will become the parents who say, 'Yes, skateboarding, bike riding -- perfectly acceptable sports for my kid to do. And don't tell me they have to play football or be on the basketball team to be accepted, because that's no longer true.'"

Vail balks at the term "extreme sports." "People have been skydiving, skiing, riding bikes, doing tricks, and taking jumps forever. I think the extreme sports label is a gimmick. I like the term 'alternative sports'."

Extreme or not, it's important to encourage kids to express themselves physically, whether their athletic tastes are trendy or traditional. Both solo and team-oriented sports can build self-confidence, relieve stress, and promote physical fitness -- all of which are vital to growing kids and adults alike.

Kids in "alternative" sports are expressive, highly skilled athletes. And sports like rock climbing, snowboarding, inline skating, surfing, skateboarding, extreme skiing, and mountain biking (to name just a few), require significant technical ability as well as strength and endurance. Plus, alternative sports can help your kids develop positive qualities like discipline, persistence, and determination.

Kids in Ski Jumping or Snowboarding

BMX, skateboarding, and bungee jumping aren't the only extreme sports kids flock to. Even though ski jumping might seem like a new adventurous activity, it made its Olympic debut way back in 1924.

Of course, this doesn't mean kiddos were climbing up mountains, whooshing down slopes, and flying into the air on two skis a century ago. While this soaring sport isn't exactly new, its youth appeal has spiked in recent years. According to Women's Ski Jumping USA, five to eight years old is the age average for ski jumpers to start the sport!

Like ski jumping, snowboarding is a winter-time extreme sport that has skyrocketed in popularity. Again, snowboarding became Olympic-official in 1998. Almost a decade later, in 2006, then-19-year-old Shaun White made his first bid for the gold. But White certainly wasn't the last teen to take this extreme sport up a level and put it center stage.

Seventeen-year-old Chloe Kim became the youngest women's Olympic halfpipe competitor to nab the gold in 2018 at the PyeongChang games. With role models like White and Kim to follow, a whole new generation is getting into the halfpipe!

Not only do today's kiddos follow these, and other top athletes, but during the Olympics, they can watch the extreme antics of snowboarders on YouTube, TikTok, and just about every other social media site.

Kids and Sport Injuries

How dangerous are extreme sports? As a parent, your child's safety is priority number one. And that's why you're not so sure about your kiddo's extreme activities. Even though extreme sports do often come with, as the name implies, extreme risks, these aren't the only athletics that can result in serious injuries.

According to Stanford Medicine Children's Health, each year over 3.5 million children (14 and under) are injured during sports play. This includes more than 775,000 kiddos who require ER treatment. The majority of the injuries requiring hospital-level care are the result of collisions, falls, overexertion (during informal recreational activities) or object-related impacts.

When it comes to the most injuries per sport, football takes the top spot-with nearly 215,000 five- to 14-year-olds treated in hospitals in one year. This number is higher than what you find with some extreme sports. But in general, more children play this type of traditional team sport than engage in extreme activity.

A 2015 study published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine looked at the prevalence of head and neck injuries in extreme sports. The researchers found that between 2000 and 2011 there were more than four million total injuries from these types of activities (this includes adult injuries).

Over 11 percent of these were head and neck injuries. Of these head and neck injuries, the extreme sports with the highest number of incidents included skateboarding, snowboarding, skiing, and motocross.

Fear is probably the number-one reason many of us avoid taking risks. For athletes in extreme sports, conquering fear is part of the adventure of sport. When a skateboarder is practicing tricks on a 15-foot ramp (commonly called a half-pipe), or a mountain biker is flying down a rock-strewn single-track trail, and he makes a mistake and falls -- well, it's going to hurt a little. Okay, maybe a lot.

But the athletes we spoke to didn't complain about injuries. In fact, most have enjoyed relatively injury-free experiences in their sports. Brian Krause, a competitive skydiver for the U.S. Army's Golden Knights, has taken thousands of jumps out of airplanes without so much as a sprained ankle.

But Matt Donovan, a pro downhill mountain bike racer from Massachusetts, said that when he first got serious about racing, his season was "very injury-laden. I had two concussions, a separated shoulder, a broken hand, multiple cuts, and lacerations. And I cracked a rib."

There are two kinds of sports injuries:

1. Chronic Repetitive or Overuse Injuries

Overuse injuries can cause stress fractures, muscle tears, or progressive bone deformities.

2. Acute Injuries

Acute sports injuries occur as a result of trauma from contact with a major force. Acute sports injuries include fractures, broken bones, dislocations, and more serious spinal and brain injuries.

Is It Wrong to Let Children Do Extreme Sports?

Should safety concerns stop your child from trying an extreme sport? There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. If your adventure-loving kiddo is all about skateboarding, snowboarding, parkour, BMX biking, or any other high-octane activity, you will need to think about:

Your Child's Age and Developmental Level

Is your child developmentally ready to handle the challenge? What is their skill level when it comes to basic coordination and athletic tasks like running, jumping, and balancing? Can you trust them to act responsibly, follow an instructor's directions, and wear safety equipment correctly?

Your Child's Motivation

Does your child want to become the next Tik Tok star? If your tween has dreams of easily twisting a BMX bike around in mid-air like their fave influencer or thinks videos of teens crashing their skateboards into just about anything and everything is hilarious, they may struggle to stay safe while engaging in an extreme sport.

The Instructor or Coach

Who will teach your child about the sport? A YouTube video or IG video are not a substitute for the real deal. Only a qualified instructor or professional should instruct your child.

The Safety Equipment

Do you know what safety equipment your child will need? Will they wear it? You may need to learn more about the equipment standards before you allow your child to participate in extreme activities.

What types of equipment do children need? The specific items depend on the sport. These could include a helmet, shoulder pads, shin pads, elbow pads, or wrist guards.

According to Seattle Children's Hospital, skiers and snowboarders should wear a helmet that meets ASTM, CEN, or Snell standards. Skateboarders should wear one that conforms to the ASTM F1492 standard. Children who ride bikes or scooters should wear a helmet that meets CPSC or Snell standards, knee pads, and elbow pads.

When is an extreme sport too extreme? If you don't feel comfortable with your child engaging in the activity or don't feel that they can follow safety directions, it's okay to just say no. Some sports are not age-appropriate for younger kids, and you should wait until they're a bit older to try them out.

It's also okay to talk to ask questions, talk to a pro, or take your time gathering facts, stats, and any other info about the adventurous activity! Learn more about extreme sports by taking our quiz here.

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Kids and Extreme Sports: Should They Be Allowed?

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Should kids do extreme sports? BMX riders, snowboarders and X Game stars weigh in on the benefits and risks of kids doing extreme sports.

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AP

New York City's do-gooders are at it again, this time looking to put a 10-cent fee on each plastic bag that stores normally provide to their customers without charge.

This isn't just another burden on the city's beleaguered small retailers, it's also a terrible idea for public health.

When then-Mayor Mike Bloomberg pushed a similar proposal a few years back, it never even got a hearing. But the new bill already has 19 City Council members signed on as co-sponsors.

And Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris told WNYC radio this month that the fee is a direction the de Blasio administration is "very supportive of."

I long ago lost count of how many regulations of the past decade have unintended, bad consequences that hit the city's small retailers the hardest.

These beleaguered store owners already face an army of enforcement agents who treat them like a cash cow. The city's bids to promote "the public good" never take into consideration the health of these stores or the neighborhood economies that they support.

Our local army of regulators belongs to what the author Saul Bellow called the Good Intentions Paving Co.

This company's projects are always well-meant, but when they turn out to have undesired costs, tradeoffs and side-effects, the company leaders sincerely believe that none of the blame can possibly attach to them. After all, their intentions were good!

The irony here is that the bag fee poses a direct threat to New Yorkers' health.

The point of the bag tax is to force consumers to substitute reusable bags for the no-longer-free plastic ones.

Problem is, reusable bags play a significant role in food contamination unless they're properly washed on a regular basis - something people rarely do.

In a public-health study done at the University of Arizona, researchers found that only 3 percent of shoppers with multi-use bags said they regularly washed them. The same study found bacteria in 99 percent. Half carried coliform bacteria, and 8 percent carried E. coli - an indicator of fecal contamination.

"I classify them as pretty dirty things, like the bottom of your shoes," said Ryan Sinclair of the Loma Linda University School of Public Health, a co-author of the study.

As the study showed, the reusable bags function as a Petri dish for all kinds of contaminants. Further, three-fourths of their users acknowledged that they don't use separate bags for meats and for vegetables, and about a third said they used the bags for, well, all sorts of things (storing snacks, toting books).

A study by the Centers for Disease Control verified the dangers: "Reusable bags, if not properly washed between uses, create the potential for cross-contamination of foods.

"This potential exists when raw meat products and foods traditionally eaten uncooked (fruits and vegetables) are carried in the same bags, either together or between uses. This risk can be increased by the growth of bacteria in the bags."

What about the environmental benefit? At best, it's smaller than the do-gooders imagine.

It takes less energy to make plastic bags than the canvas ones that the "reusers" usually push - and, in fact, consumers find multiple post-store uses for the plastic, from in-home trash bags to padding in a storage box.

Yes, most wind up in the garbage eventually - but before we restrict them, let's figure out ways to make plastic-bag recycling more efficient - something that the Department of Sanitation has failed to do.

Polls throughout the country find that people overwhelmingly reject bans and regressive taxes. Imagine the results if people knew more about the health threat posed by reusable bags.

Let's shelve the bag fee and search for better ways to aid the environment that don't burden our small businesses and threaten our citizens' health.

Brad Gerstman is a lawyer, lobbyist and co-founder of the New York Association of Grocery Stores.

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The City Council's plan to promote E. coli

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New York City's do-gooders are at it again, this time looking to put a 10-cent fee on each plastic bag that stores normally provide to their customers without charge. This isn't just another burden...

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Bolsas de plástico ya no serán gratuitas: ley aprobada hoy fija otras cinco regulaciones

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Bolsas de plástico ya no serán gratuitas: ley aprobada hoy fija otras cinco regulaciones

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Bolsas de plástico ya no serán gratuitas: ley aprobada hoy fija otras cinco regulaciones

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En 36 meses se pondrá fin a las bolsas de un solo uso y a los tapers de tecnopor usados para los alimentos y bebidas.

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Opinión: Fútbol americano en la secundaria conlleva a un alto riesgo de daño cerebral

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Opinión: Fútbol americano en la secundaria conlleva a un alto riesgo de daño cerebral

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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When he was a kid, Alex Vardakostas helped out in his parents' restaurant. "As soon as standing on top of a milk crate made me tall enough to reach the counter, I was making sodas for customers," he told TIME for Kids. Before long, Vardakostas was working the grill alongside adult employees. He estimates he's flipped 50,000 burgers.

Now, Vardakostas co-owns a burger joint. It's a restaurant called Creator, in San Francisco, California. But he doesn't stand over a grill flipping burgers. Neither do his employees.

VCG/GETTY IMAGES

At Creator, burgers are cooked and assembled by machine. Vardakostas a device. It grinds meat, cuts vegetables, grates cheese, and applies seasonings. The end result tastes just as good as-or better than-a burger made by hand. It costs less, too. That's because it's less expensive to the machine than to pay a kitchen full of employees.

Robo-Workers

Creator is just one example of a growing trend: is taking over many jobs. That means work is done by machines or computers, not people.

THOSSAPHOL-GETTY IMAGES

According to a 2017 report from McKinsey Global Institute, between 400 million and 800 million people could be forced out of jobs by 2030. McKinsey predicts that as technology improves, some tasks will be done more quickly or cheaply by machine. So businesses will install robots or computer programs to perform them. That means there will be less work for human employees. Many people could lose their jobs. Or they might have trouble finding new ones.

"There's going to be a big disruption in the next 10 or 20 years," says Martin Ford. He is an author and futurist. That is someone who studies trends and makes predictions about the future.

KIM KULISH-CORBIS/GETTY IMAGES

A Human Touch

Some jobs are more likely to be automated than others. Machines can do jobs that have three qualities: they are routine, repetitive, and predictable. "It's the kind of job where you come to work and work on the same kind of thing again and again," Ford says. Some of these jobs pay low wages and require little education. But others pay well and demand an advanced college degree. Taxi drivers, cashiers, lawyers, and doctors all perform some tasks that can be done by machines.

FRANCOIS GUILLOT-AFP/GETTY IMAGES

So what human jobs are safe? "Anything where you're thinking outside the box and coming up with new ideas," Ford says. "Or things that involve interacting with other people, having , and building relationships." Jobs in engineering, science, the arts, therapy, and nursing are examples.

Stop & Think! How does the writer help a reader visualize robots at work? How does word choice affect a reader's response to the topic?
Assessment: Click for a printable quiz. Teacher subscribers can find the answer key in this week's Teacher's Guide.

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When he was a kid, Alex Vardakostas helped out in his parents' restaurant. "As soon as standing on top of a milk crate made me tall enough to reach the counter, I was making sodas for customers," he told TIME...

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Scholastic Classroom & News Magazines | Subscribe Now!

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Scholastic Magazines+ cover the latest topics to enhance instruction in math, science, reading, social studies, and more! Subscribe Today!

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With Magazines+, you get fresh, high-interest content delivered all year long-in print, online or both. Every single story, video and activity is designed to hook your students and keep them engaged. And because Magazines+ complements your curriculum, it's easy to implement during any part of the school day!

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Scholastic Classroom & News Magazines | Subscribe Now!

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With Magazines+, you get fresh, high-interest content delivered all year long-in print, online or both. Every single story, video and activity is designed to hook your students and keep them engaged. And because Magazines+ complements your curriculum, it's easy to implement during any part of the school day!

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Costa Rica To Close Its Zoos And Release Animals Into The Wild

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Costa Rica To Close Its Zoos And Release Animals Into The Wild

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Costa Rica To Close Its Zoos And Release Animals Into The Wild

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The silky anteater, shown here, could be climbing trees in its native forests soon.

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About this film

The Story of Bottled Water, released on March 22, 2010 (World Water Day), employs the Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand-how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows virtually free from the tap. Over five minutes, the film explores the bottled water industry's attacks on tap water and its use of seductive, environmental-themed advertising to cover up the mountains of plastic waste it produces. The film concludes with a call for viewers to make a personal commitment to avoid bottled water and support public investment in clean, available tap water for all.

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Movie Resources

Credits

The Story of Bottled Water was co-created and released by The Story of Stuff Project and a coalition of partners, including Corporate Accountability International, Food & Water Watch, Polaris Institute, Pacific Institute and Environmental Working Group. The movie was produced by Free Range Studios.

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The Story of Bottled Water - Story of Stuff

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About this film The Story of Bottled Water, released on March 22, 2010 (World Water Day), employs the Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand-how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows virtually free from the tap.

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/140Uc8u9pA2VsKJqpe1iIauOzH2-JJmE5IPtqLdktJRg/edit?usp=sharing

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Do you like the excitement of extreme sports? If so, you might be an 'adrenaline junkie'. Find out more about white-water rafting and parkour in this video.

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*may be one that you want to steer students toward during Session 12 “Who Said What? Studying Perspective”

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Plastic retail bags - the kind you get from your grocer or at the corner store - are being targeted for bans and taxes in communities around the country, regardless of the unintended consequences. Bans and taxes have a negative impact on working families and seniors on fixed incomes, but they don't help the environment in any meaningful way-in fact they can cause bigger problems.

Banning and taxing recyclable, reusable products doesn't make sense, even in the most well-intentioned scenarios. Keep reading to find out why.

Environment
Plastic bags are the most environmentally friendly option at the checkout. Find out the surprising green truth for yourself.

Recycling
Plastic bag recycling is simple and effective, thanks to thousands of recycling drop-off locations across the country.

Jobs and Economy
Bag bans and taxes make trips to the grocery store more expensive, especially for low- and fixed-income families - with no meaningful impact on the environment to back them up. They also threaten thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs.

Health
Be mindful with your reusable canvas and non-woven bags. Without frequent washing and appropriate storage, reusable bags can harbor dangerous bacteria.

Reuse
Nearly 90% of Americans reuse plastic bags. What do you do with yours?

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Bans and taxes have a negative impact on working families and seniors on fixed incomes, but they don't help the environment in any meaningful way-in fact they can cause bigger problems.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Newsela | Some clever chimps stage escape at Kansas City Zoo

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It took a branch, a wall, and a smart chimpanzee ringleader to cause a “Code Red” at the zoo.

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A Pennsylvania man says his emotional support alligator helps him deal with his depression.

This is Wally, a five-foot long alligator.

And 65-year-old Joie Henney says despite being cold-blooded, Wally likes to snuggle and give hugs.

The man says he didn't want to go on medication for depression, so his doctor allowed him to register Wally for emotional support.

According to Henney, the four-year-old gator has never bitten anyone and is even afraid of cats.

And just like a dog, Wally frequently goes out for meet-and-greets at places like senior centers and minor-league baseball games.

The reptile was rescued from outside Orlando at 14 months old and is still growing.

He could be 16 feet long one day.

Henney says Wally eats chicken wings and shares an indoor plastic pond with a smaller rescue alligator named "Scrappy."

He also acknowledged his pet is still a dangerous wild animal but says he's never been afraid.

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COLD-BLOODED COMFORT: Meet Wally, the emotional support alligator

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The five-foot long reptile helps his owner deal with depression.

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Aquariums support conservation and promote education through meaningful encounters
By Bruce Carlson
I am seated in front of a massive window that holds back 6.3 million gallons of sea water at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. It's a Thursday afternoon and about 125 people are in this gallery, including several dozen children seated on the floor, mesmerized by the amazing creatures just on the other side of the glass. We are watching two whale sharks being fed while a narrator explains that they are plankton feeders. The kids are enthralled; not only by the whale sharks, but also by the thousands of other animals they have access to in these exhibits. During the past five years, more than 11 million people have had this same experience. I am certain that more than just one of the millions of children who have been here will decide to dedicate their lives to marine biology and conservation as a result of their trip to the aquarium.

Scuba Diving readers are among the lucky few who have seen and interacted with the magnificent creatures that live in the ocean. An even smaller group has had up-close encounters with the largest animals in the sea: whales, dolphins, whale sharks and manta rays. These encounters are unpredictable and brief, yet they are experiences that make a lifelong impression on the people who have them. And not only does the sport of diving require specific training and physical prowess, the trips to dive in the places where these most interesting creatures live cost a considerable sum. Airfare, boat charters, gear rentals and more make these encounters a luxury many people cannot afford. But thanks to places like the Georgia Aquarium, the thrill of seeing a whale shark or a manta ray is no longer an exclusive experience, but rather an accessible encounter for the masses.

What aquariums and zoos do best is help bring people and animals closer together. And the more we learn about animals, the more we care about them and their environments. So how could a place like this not encourage people to be active in the conservation of these creatures? As I write this, I can see the impact of this tremendous educational and empowering experience in the eyes of these young children.

But the impact goes beyond education. The revenue generated from guest attendance at many zoological parks and aquariums around the world is used to support research and conservation. For instance, the Georgia Aquarium has provided research grants to scientists in the U.S. and Mexico to document the aggregation of whale sharks that appears each year off the town of Holbox on the Yucatan peninsula. From 2003-2010, more than 700 whale sharks were tagged and photographed, and over many years this data will give us a good understanding of population dynamics of whale sharks in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Aerial surveys funded by the aquarium have also contributed valuable data on where to establish boundaries for the new Whale Shark Biosphere Preserve created in Holbox in 2009. The new preserve will help protect whale sharks from possible exploitation and ensure that their food supply -- plankton and fish eggs -- is not endangered from pollution.

This is just one example of how aquariums give back to nature. Over from 2005-2010, aquariums and zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums provided nearly $89 million to more than 3,700 conservation projects all over the world. These programs for species ranging from tiny Banggai cardinal fish in Indonesia to great white sharks off California to beluga whales in Alaska are giving the animals a better chance to thrive in the wild.

When people ask me whether or not large animals, like whale sharks, should be kept in aquariums or zoos, I tell them to ask the children at the aquarium that day. I am sure they would give you a resounding "yes." The awe they are feeling will turn into appreciation and respect for living creatures they might otherwise have never known.
Bruce Carlson was the Chief Science Officer at the Georgia Aquarium from 2002-2011. A diver since 1967, he is also the former Director of the Waikiki Aquarium in Honolulu.
Large Marine Animals Do Not Belong in Bath Tubs
By Kim McCoy
Captive marine animals are often referred to as "ambassadors for their kind," as though they have some choice in the matter or this is somehow a noble pursuit. My question is always: What did these innocent beings do to deserve the extreme trauma of a potentially lethal wild capture (yes, these still happen routinely around the world) followed by a life sentence in a liquid prison that is unnatural in every conceivable way; an environment rife with stress, boredom, frustration of natural instincts, forced human interactions, increased mortality rates and decreased quality of life? Wouldn't they be much better ambassadors in the wild?

With startlingly few exceptions, most aquariums worldwide (and certainly entities such as casinos and marine "abusement" parks) exist exclusively for the purpose of generating profits through commercial exploitation. Animals are regarded as expendable commodities, high death and illness rates are anticipated costs of doing business, and the underlying message is that confinement of animals for profit and human entertainment is acceptable.

While nearly all aquariums attempt to justify this exploitation under the guise of conservation, education and research, only a tiny percentage actually conduct legitimate conservation programs. Even then, the money spent on conservation represents a fraction of the overall income generated off the backs of these animals and begs the question: Wouldn't the money spent finding ways to keep animals alive in artificial environments be better spent solving conservation issues in their natural habitats in the first place?

The standard argument is that aquariums are necessary because they educate people and create awareness of the plight of wild animals, resulting in a call to action. But there is no solid evidence that viewing captive animals translates directly into any sort of practical conservation action. To the contrary, viewing animals in unnaturally small, often chlorinated enclosures desensitizes people to the cruelty inherent in their removal from the wild. It encourages the false notion of animals in isolation that are dependent upon humans for survival, rather than integral elements of ocean ecosystems that are fully competent to care for themselves. More important, it discourages the correct view of marine animals as sentient beings with their own intrinsic value, deserving of the right to live their lives free from human interference.

Aquariums and the research conducted therein teach us nothing of migratory or foraging patterns, actual life spans or complex natural behaviors exhibited by large marine animals in the wild. How, for example, is a young child supposed to learn, by looking into a concrete and Plexiglas enclosure only 30 feet deep, that whale sharks routinely dive to almost 5,000 feet? That child sees an animal swimming in endless circles. Whale sharks can live for up to 150 years in the wild, yet we applaud facilities that can keep them alive for three to 10 years in captivity, as if that is somehow an accomplishment.

No man-made enclosure can adequately simulate the tides, the biodiversity, or the sheer vastness and freedom of the open ocean in order to meet the complex physical and psychological needs of large captive animals. Enclosures are designed for human convenience and comfort, not the animals' well being, and even the best-designed enclosures frustrate and confuse critical senses relied upon in the wild for navigation, danger avoidance or locating prey, such as dolphin echolocation or a shark's ability to detect and interpret vibrations and electrical activity.

While it is legitimate to conclude that some facilities are more or less damaging than others, the lives led by large captive marine animals are so contrary to the natural experiences of their wild counterparts - and the purported benefits of confinement are such a stretch - that it is simply unforgivable to keep these animals in captivity.

Wouldn't we all be much better off funneling the billions of dollars spent supporting commercial captive enterprises into learning about our oceans through more compassionate and accurate means, such as observation in the wild (with responsible operators), virtual reality simulations, books, DVDs and/or IMAX theatres? Don't we owe it to our children, to the animals and to our planet to move forward in a way that inflicts no harm?
Kim McCoy is the Executive Director of Big Life Foundation, and was the Director of Campaigns for Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a nonprofit organization specializing in international ocean wildlife conservation, from 2007-2009. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com Editor's Note: This story was originally published in Scuba Diving magazine in 2010.

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Should big marine animals like killer whales and whale sharks be kept in aquariums or at parks like SeaWorld? Two experts debate the pros and cons.

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Zoo kills a giraffe and many ask: Was there another way?

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Zoo kills a giraffe and many ask: Was there another way?

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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/ CBS News

Extreme sports bring excitement, and are starting to draw big bucks.

But are the athletes putting too much on the line?

The daring participants say extreme sports are all about the thrill, the rush of adrenaline they get. They're climbing higher, jumping farther and moving faster, all in the name of personal glory.

Still, when things go wrong, they pay a heavy price.

Humans aren't supposed to fly, but Jeb Corliss comes pretty close.

His extreme exploits have a huge following. One video of him in action alone has gotten almost 9 million views.

Corliss hurt in stunt jump
Uncertainty clouds recovery of skiier Sarah Burke

On Monday, Corliss was seriously injured on Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. Moments after he stepped off a cliff -- a 3,500-foot drop -- he hit the wall, breaking both his legs. He had to be taken by helicopter to a hospital.

Only a day before that, another extreme athlete, ice climber John Roberts, died after a 60-foot fall in Colorado.

And last Tuesday, free-skier Sarah Burke was critically injured during a training run in Utah.

All of these athletes take risks and are at the leading edge of extreme sports -- a one-time bit player on the sports scene that has exploded in recent years, thanks in part to social media and TV coverage.

The extreme athletes known as "Birdmen" even attracted the attention of "60 Minutes" in 2010.

Sponsorships have helped extreme athletes soar to new heights. Corliss has eight sponsors, including camera company GoPro.

GoPro CEO Nick Woodman says what Corliss does is risky, but not nearly as risky as most people would think, because he's so good at it.

Corliss jumped without permission from South African authorities, a jump that not only put him in danger, but his rescuers, as well -- one of the many reasons why big brands tend to shy away.

"A lot of big brands, (and) rightly so, don't want to take that chance. You don't want to see blood spattered all over a logo that you've invested millions and millions of dollars in," says sports marketer Joe Favorito.

But, Favorito adds, athletes who are determined will find a way. "What they're trying to do is offset costs and take it to another level as, quote, a professional athlete," he said. "And people think, when you're associated with sponsors, that makes you a professional. Sometimes, it makes you become a little more risky."

Professional skier and base-jumper JT Holmes knows how dangerous extreme sports can be. He knew Burke, and watched his close friend, Shane McConkey, die after jumping off a 2,000 ft cliff. Holmes was also the subject of the Steve Kroft "60 Minutes" story on "Birdmen," and was a stunt man for the film "Transformers." Holmes insisted on "CBS This Morning" that he engages in extreme sports because they're "just good, clean fun." He admitted he thinks about the possibility the activities could kill him. "Certainly," Holmes said. "Every single jump, every single ski run, you have to be aware of the (possible) consequences and, if you're going to choose to put yourself in these perilous situations, you need to be prepared."

To see the entire interview, click on the video below.

Trending News

Jeff Glor

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They've become big business, but a death and some injuries have led some to question whether they're worth the money, thrill

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Toronto is banning plastic shopping bags in stores.

Starting in January 2013, you'll have to bring your own reusable bag to the store to cart your goods away.

More than 250 million bags end up in landfill every year, never breaking down into compost, according to a report by CBC News.

Plastic bags can also clog drainage systems and, when they are washed out to sea, can hurt fish and other marine animals.

Plastic bags are banned or restricted in about a quarter of the countries in the world, according to online encyclopedia Wikipedia.

Countries including Italy and South Africa have banned plastic bags. Many large cities have also banned them.

Toronto currently charges five cents per bag-for instance, for people who want a plastic bag to carry their groceries home.

The five-cent fee was put in place to discourage people from using the non-environmentally friendly product. Instead, people are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags to stores.

After Ireland put a fee on plastic bags in 2002, 90 per cent fewer bags were used. In 2010 Washington D.C. began charging five cents per plastic bag and that city's consumption of them went down from 22.5 million to three million in the first month.

In Toronto, the plastic bag fee has cut down on the number of plastic bags used by half, according to Metro newspaper.

A ban was not exactly what Toronto mayor Rob Ford had in mind when he brought up the subject at City Council on Wednesday. In fact, he wanted to end the five-cent fee on bags.

However, Councillor David Shiner proposed a very different motion. He suggested Toronto do away with plastic bags altogether.

That motion passed, 24 to 20. Starting on Jan. 1, 2013, retailers in Toronto will not be allowed to give out or sell any plastic shopping bags, including ones that claim to be "compostable or biodegradable."

According to Metro, "Ford appeared upset after the vote, blinking rapidly." Ford said council's decision didn't make any sense, and said he felt the motion will be overturned.

Council also voted to stop the five-cent fee for plastic bags, from July 1 until the ban takes effect. That means stores will be able to hand out plastic bags free in Toronto for six months.

Ford later told a news radio station that he would like to see Torontonians come down to City Hall to protest the ban. He said he thinks the ban is the dumbest thing Toronto council has ever done.

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Jonathan Tilly

Writing/Discussion Prompt
What do you think should be done about plastic bags. Should they be free of charge, cost 5 cents, or be banned altogether. Make a jot list of reasons to support your answer.

Reading Prompt: Purpose
Use the information in today's article to write a letter to Toronto's City Counsel. OK, now go ahead... and send send it. Let them know what you think!

Primary, Junior, & Intermediate
Identify a variety of purposes for reading and choose reading materials appropriate for those purposes (OME, Reading: 1.2).

Grammar Feature: Verbs
Verbs are action words. Every sentence includes at least one verb. The verbs authors choose help readers understand the text. Underline the "key" verbs in today's story that help you understand it. How do these verbs affect your understanding?

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Mayor Ford is furious that Toronto's city council voted to ban all plastic bags in 2013. Read the facts and form your own opinion! Kids News

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Opinion: Why these friendly robots can't be good friends to our kids

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Opinion: Why these friendly robots can't be good friends to our kids

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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SeaWorld, critics debate if park tanks or sea pens are best for orcas

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SeaWorld, critics debate if park tanks or sea pens are best for orcas

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Newsela | Instructional Content Platform

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Owl attacks on Dutch town- Residents in the northern Dutch town of Purmerend have been advised to take umbrellas out at night after a series of attacks by an owl. Dozens of residents have suffered head injuries over the past three weeks because of a European eagle owl. Two runners were attacked on Tuesday, with one requiring stitches for five separate head wounds. The European eagle owl's usual prey are small mammals and birds. One of the sites of the attacks has been a home for the disabled. A Spokeswoman for the home said that residents and workers had suffered at least 15 separate attacks by the nocturnal bird, which remains still on site. During the day there is no problem for the town, but at night people now only go outside armed with umbrellas, helmets and hats, to protect themselves.

Animals rescued from overcrowded zoo in Mexico- More than 100 animals have been rescued from an overcrowded private zoo in Mexico, after complaints from visitors. Mexican environmental officials raided the zoo after many visitors had complained about the potential danger. The officials found overcrowded and cramped cages piled on top of each other and unsafe conditions for visitors. Among the animals rescued were lions, tigers, jaguars, pumas, bears, buffalos and camels. The zoo in Tehuacan in the south east of Mexico City is owned by Sergio Gomez (senior Mexican politician). Officials said they had seized 101 of the 240 animals held at the zoo.their hands into the cages. However the officials say they are trying their hardest to find suitable homes for the animals.

The animals were kept in terrible and unsafe conditions and lacked proper care and had no proper ventilation, the animals were cramped together which was making the animals aggressive. Visitors were also not properly protected and said that they could insert